Video series begins today, fosters better understanding of digital-learning’s potential to improve education

(BOWLING GREEN, Ky.) – The Bluegrass Institute, Kentucky’s free market think tank, today begins releasing a series of short videos with non-technical discussions by education analyst Richard G. Innes extolling the benefits of digital learning for both schools and students.

Beginning today, the videos will be released every other day  and offer expert analysis on the basics and potential of online programs to efficiently address gaps in learning and graduation rates.

“Efficiency is particularly critical because of challenging financial realities in Kentucky’s current economy,” Innes said. “School districts can find quality digital-learning resources that offer tremendous help for their students while also saving precious education dollars.”

Recent federal reports reveal that only about one in three Kentucky students perform proficiently in math and reading, while one in four fail to graduate on time from high schools.

“After more than two decades of education reform, there is no question that Kentucky students remain seriously underserved by the state’s public-school system,” he said. “Clearly, better instructional programs are needed. More extensive deployment of digital-learning programs in Kentucky’s public schools offers excellent potential to efficiently improve the situation.”

Along with highlighting some success stories, including the Barren Academy of Virtual and Expanded Learning – the state’s totally online high school – the videos also address a number of policy obstacles blocking many Kentucky students from taking advantage of digital-learning opportunities.

“These are areas that parents and policymakers need to act upon if Kentucky’s students are to benefit fully from the great potential offered by digital learning in areas from advanced courses to credit recovery,” he said.

Innes in the videos also urges all local district leaders to utilize digital learning options to provide summer credit-recovery programs that will help more students to graduate on time from high school.

“While not universally available in the past, every district now is able to – and should – develop digital learning credit recovery plans for this summer’s school break,” he said.