I'm giving up on virtual schools.

Recently the Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO), in conjunction with MATHEMATICA Policy Research and the Center for Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) released its findings on a national study of full-time, online schools.

The results of the findings were dismal. The report was released just prior to the annual conference of the International Association for K-12 Online Learning, or iNACOL, which is going on this week in Orlando to tout the benefits of virtual learning and the impact it has had.

As for the report, there were quick responses from K12, ECOT (an Ohio virtual school), and others calling into question the validity of the findings, or taking issues with key aspects of it. K12 even published a more detailed analysis of the study itself taking issue with the study's lack of taking into account persistence, enrollment date, mobility, reasons for enrolling, and more. While most of their reasoning falls flat in my opinion, they do raise some valid points.

"I'm giving up on virtual schools." -- that's what a former colleague of mine used as a subject line in her email to me, after reading the report and sending me her thoughts on it.

Other words she used were "disgraceful" and "pitiful" as she laid out her argument for agreeing with the findings. It was a long email, and one where I could tell she had put great thought into it. More than likely, she wrote it, edited, and rewrote it. It was not quick and flippant but instead was one filled with deep emotion.

I am sure it deserved a response equal to its original standard. That is why I am also confident my reply disappointed her.

Dear (      ),

It's okay to give up on virtual schools. Just don't give up on virtual schooling.

Kind regards,

Houston

Figment Consulting

www.figment-consulting.com

Dr. James Woodworth, Senior Quantitative Research Analyst for CREDO at Stanford University, was quoted at the end of the study's press release. He said, "While the overall findings of our analysis are somber, we do believe the information will serve as the foundation for constructive discussions on the role of online learning in the K-12 sector."

An industry friend of mine and I are working now on either an article or series of articles (not sure just yet) related to Dr. Woodworth's belief in constructive discussions. Our hope is to put forth some ideas and suggestions on ways in which we can move forward -- at the policy level, oversight level, and at the school level.

At the heart of the report is what I have believed for a long time now -- the current model is broken. However, as I said to my friend via the email, don't give up on the concept. I haven't.

houston@figment-consulting.com

Virtual School Manifesto: Nine Essential Ingredients

In my blog I have written extensively about the need for re-imagining the virtual school model. In numerous posts I have shared how the current model is broken, the ways in which it is broken, and have sounded the call for a fresh model.

In doing so I was challenged by a friend of mine who is a prolific blogger, author, and entrepreneur to share my vision of what a re-imagined virtual school would look like.

With that in mind, below are nine essential ingredients required in a virtual school in order for it to have the potential to fulfill its original promise.

Now, you might ask why should you believe what I have to say? Good question. I could share with you my 12+ years of experience working professionally in the field of virtual and blended learning, first with the largest provider of online curriculum k12 inc. and then through the consulting firm I founded, Figment.

I could also share with you my personal experience in virtual and alternative learning in that we have used virtual public schools, online private schools and home education for our four children. It all began when our oldest was entering Kindergarten and she is now a sophomore at a prestigious university in California.

So, combine the professional and personal experience, add to it the length of time involved in each, and I believe it offers me a unique perspective into this realm.

As to the merit of what I suggest below, my hope is that you will consider them based on their potential to re-imagine what, in my opinion, is a broken implementation of a revolutionary concept known as virtual public schools.  

1. Place the teacher-student relationship in the center

The current model of virtual schools proudly places the student at the center, then encircles that student with technology, content, teacher support, intervention, test prep, and more. They message it out as putting students first, revolving around the student, or everything we do is about the student. They each have the student serving as the foundation upon which they are building everything else.

Unfortunately, the foundation is crumbling. And, instead of addressing the real issue, online providers and educators come together at their annual conference in order to showcase new technologies for their Learning Management Systems (LMS) in order to allow more timely teacher interventions. Or, they tout new gaming-type graphics and media that will engage students. Next, they adopt new terms such as competency-based or adaptive learning in order to demonstrate ongoing progress. And, finally, they share best practices among each other when no one is succeeding in such a way that should be followed.

And, when all else fails, they seek to implement variances of the model, moving today toward a blended learning approach instead of full virtual.

All the while they ignore the foundation. What if they were to change the core concept upon which they build? Instead of placing the student at the center, place the teacher-student relationship there and see what possibilities emerge.

A simple change such as that could do wonders for the way in which technology is utilized.

John D. Rockefeller understood this concept at the turn of the last century. No, not the virtual school concept, but rather he understood the real role railroads played in the building of America. Tom Scott and Cornelius Vanderbilt believed railroads were the foundation to build upon. Rockefeller saw it differently.

Rockefeller utilized the railroads in order to transport his product, oil, into the homes of Americans so they could have light. For him, the railroads were merely a conduit to move his product from Point A to Point B. So, when Scott and Vanderbilt, rivalries at the time, combined efforts in order to squeeze more money out of Rockefeller, it backfired on them. Instead of caving in, Rockefeller began to build the nation’s first oil pipelines because he rightly understood the foundation of growth was in the oil, not in the transportation of it.

Fast forward to today and we have another oil v railroad situation. Too many online providers and educators view technology as the oil when in reality it is merely the railroad. And, just as the railroads gave way to the airplanes so too will current technology give way to future advancements -- mobile is outpacing personal computers, tablets are outpacing laptops, and so forth. Ten years ago there was no app industry.

The problem remains in that everyone is focused on building a better railroad, or inventing the airplane in order to replace it. When, in reality, they should be focused on the real oil, in this case, the teacher-student relationship.

In the world of virtual schools it is still the teacher-student interaction that carries with it the potential to inspire learning. The current model relegates teachers to the same level as the technology and asks them to serve as interventionists or mere supporters/cheerleaders. This not only diminishes their role but it also severely inhibits their ability to impact the learning by the student.

Imagine instead a virtual school model that is built upon the foundation of the relationship between the teacher and the student. Imagine a virtual school that understands the vitalness of this interaction and builds everything to encircle it instead of merely the student. This is not to diminish the role of technology, it is merely to ask it to serve the proper focus and foundation.

Teachers inspire learning. Teachers, equipped with powerful technology have the potential to powerfully inspire learning. Technology should serve as the conduit to transport the relationship between the teacher and the student. Technology is not the oil, the relationship is.

I purposely state it as teacher first then student when speaking of the relationship. The teacher goes first in this relationship because they are the ones that can bring out the personal best within each student. They are the originators of the relationship. They are the ones that drive the breadth and depth of the relationship. The teachers are the ones that engage the students therefore they are first in importance, even when it comes to the student.

So, let’s establish our virtual school upon the foundation of the teacher-student relationship. Then, let’s see what emerges as we begin to build.

2. Invest in teachers

All good schools have professional development for their teachers. It is a necessary part of the equation. However, I suggest we must take it, not a step further, but take it in a different direction when it comes to virtual school teachers.

The direction we must go is into the realm of customer service. We have established that the teacher-student relationship is the foundation and we are placing the majority of the responsibility upon the teachers to inspire learning. Therefore, we must equip them with the skills to inspire. Content training, technology training, and cognitive learning training -- yes, of course those are needed.

However, imagine the school where the teachers (and administration) have been trained in the art of customer service. In reality, that is exactly what the students are in these schools -- customers. We treat them merely as students and they leave at an astonishing rate. If we begin to treat them as customers, even guests, then we have the potential to retain a much higher rate of them each year.

Show me a virtual school that takes this to the edge, sends their team to the Disney Institute to learn customer service skills from the mouse, and I will show you a virtual school that is on the path to building something remarkable.

We expect our teachers to inspire the students yet we fail to give them what they need in order to accomplish the mission. Let’s spend as much time and money investing in teachers as we do in the latest LMS and we might just make the impact we desire.

3. Launch with success in mind

Too many virtual schools gain approval and open their doors without the necessary number of teachers and lack of training. In one of my articles, I compared this to a Starbucks opening on the corner near you within a week after announcing it would do so. They shuffle the employees and managers through a quick training course that covers only a percentage of what they need to know. As opening day approaches they quickly realize they do not have enough employees to manage the shifts yet they decide to move forward anyway, asking each employee to simply do more.

Opening day occurs and chaos ensues. Then, they spend the rest of their time trying to restore lost confidence and rebuild relationships with disgruntled customers. Common sense would tell you it would not work yet virtual schools mimic this process almost every year.

Why? Many launch with the opening day in mind, recruiting as many students as possible and simply believing they can adapt and improve along the way.

Instead, virtual schools should launch with the future in mind. Is it better to start with thousands of students and trying to play catch up, or is it better to start with a reasonable amount of students, serve them well, then add on each year? Which one will bring success, long-term success?

One might say it is all in how you define success. If success is defined as trying to attract as many students as possible by opening day, then we have a decade of history showing that way is not working. However, if success is defined as student achievement, retention, and engagement, then we must explore new models of virtual schools rather than tweak what exists.

4. Grow with purpose

I had lunch recently with an educational entrepreneur and we were discussing much of what I am writing about here. As we talked about the potential tension that exists between mission and margin she shared the following with me, “Without margin there can be no mission.” Point for her.

There is absolute truth to this quote but I believe it misses the overall point. This is not about margin v mission. Instead, it is about the focus of attention.

My belief is if you put your energy and time into your mission, you can create margins that will allow you to continue to exist, and even prosper. However, if all of your decisions are margin-based, then your mission will simply get lost early on and forgotten over time.

The mission, or vision, should be one that inspires employees, and customers. Speak from the WHY perspective as Simon Sinek reminds us in his book Start With Why. Give us something to rally around and we will work harder to increase the margins. Tell us it is all about the money and we will find shortcuts to make more of it -- most of the time at the expense of the student.

For-profit providers can be successful in virtual education if they grow with purpose.

1. Think long term
2. Understand the lifetime value of the customer
3. Exponential results are better than exponential growth

5. Build a remarkable learning experience

Author, blogger and entrepreneur Seth Godin describes remarkable as worth talking about. In other words, the service you are rendering is so remarkable that your customers cannot help but share the experience with others who might benefit from the same service.

Virtual schools spend too much time thinking about scalability instead of developing a learning experience that meets this worth talking about threshold.

The iteration of remarkable might look different at each school, however the overall goal should be remarkable. Instead, virtual schools spend their time simply trying to find new students to replace the ones who have left. They inherently believe marketing will be the answer, the solution to their attrition woes.

Marketing cannot overcome a poor experience. And remember, experience encompasses far more than academics.

6. Make retention a culture not a program

Retention begins the first time a student says yes to enrolling. It is the day-in and day-out interactions that occur between the teacher and student, the administration and student, and the interaction with the family.

If the effort is merely a program to attempt to re-enroll students each year in the spring, then it will fail. Retention must be tied into the ethos of the school. It must permeate each and every interaction, or touch point, that occurs.

In essence, it must be what the school is, not what the school does.

7. Be a human connection school

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Imperative, WhatsApp -- each one built upon the concept of human connections. Teenagers are spending hours each day on one or more of these. Why? Because they want to connect.

Why is it then when students enroll in virtual schools do we believe they will be fine working at home by themselves most of the time? But, many will say, what about the field trips and the live webinars, and the other efforts of social get togethers that the schools do?

Each is necessary, yet we are missing out on the real issue at hand. I say this because in my 11+ years with k12, one of the main reasons students left was due to lack of social interaction. And yet, they all had the opportunity to go on field trips, and sit in on the live webinars. So, what is the real issue?

There are levels of connection that need to occur at virtual schools and most only focus on the surface level ones - field trips, etc. They are missing the core needs and wants. It’s not about socialization, it’s about connectionalization. Socialization is like the school dance where everyone gets together, stands around and watches a few have a good time. Connectionalization is the friendships that emerge in the hallways and at lunch where communities and tribes are formed.

Connectionalization also occurs when schools make the connection to mentors and opportunities.

8. Focus on aspirationgraphics

K12 recently released a survey of families indicating they had enrolled in virtual schooling because they were being bullied at their current school. The inference here is that students being bullied will make good candidates for virtual schools. So, K12 will turn their attention to finding more students just like these, and their messaging will reflect words that create a narrative in which virtual schools are safe. And yet, they continue to struggle with high attrition rates at their schools. Why?

They struggle because they are recruiting with the wrong _graphics. Their attention is on demographics and backgrounds. Instead, they should be focused on what I call aspirationgraphics.

A student’s background will not make them a good candidate for virtual school success. Sure, it might be an indicator as to whether or not they will enroll, but it is not one to measure potential success. So, let’s turn our attention to aspirationgraphics. Let’s move away from determining if they have been bullied, homeschooled, or gifted and turn our attention to their educational work ethic.

Is the student willing to put in the hard work it takes each and every day in order to be successful in virtual learning? Is the student resilient? Is the student able to manage their time effectively? Will they complete their work? On time? Does the student have a dream they are aspiring to achieve? Do they have a passion for learning? Does the student take responsibility for their own growth? For their failures?

Aspirationgraphics crosses all backgrounds and goes after the true measurement of potential success. A student first in her class, gifted by all accounts, will not automatically be successful in a virtual school. She may be motivated by besting all of her classmates, in person.

And why schools automatically assume a student being bullied in their current school will flourish when given a safe environment in which to learn is beyond me. There are plenty of students, not being bullied, who still lag behind in their learning. Being bullied does not equal excelling in virtual schools. Yet, many virtual schools continue to recruit students like this.

9. Be a specialist, not a generalist

The final element that is essential to a successful virtual program is focusing on being a specialist, not a generalist. In other words, stop trying to be all things to all students. Just because a child resides in a state does not mean he/she will make for a successful virtual school student.

Focusing on aspirationgraphics will lead to becoming a specialist, however, a virtual school must be willing to say no to those students who would do better elsewhere. In fact, that is actually what a virtual school should do if they are putting students first -- find the best place for them to experience success. And, that place might be another school.

At a recent iNACOL conference I met with a former colleague of mine and we were debating whether or not a public virtual school could set parameters on who could and could not enroll.

“We do not believe we can tell a child that they cannot enroll if they want to,” he said. “It is not up to us to determine if this child would be successful or not in our schools. It is really up to the parent.”

Good point you might say. However, I would argue that if messaged appropriately parents could do a better job of self-selecting (see the Marines as a nice example - the few, the proud instead of anyone and everyone). Imagine a school that conveys the hard work necessary for success within their virtual school through their marketing message.

Those parents who call anyway would then be greeted by an enrollment consultant who acts more as an advisor than a commissioned representative. And, the conversation is more about finding out if the virtual school is the best place for the student instead of trying to “close the sale.”

Then, onboarding would continue to convey the work, dedication and resilience necessary, along with the ongoing parental involvement required for the student to reach their personal potential within the virtual school.

Would it lead to less students in the school if it were a specialist and not a generalist? Not necessarily. It could just as easily lead to more of the type of students who can actually thrive in a virtual learning environment.

The real question we must ask is “Is the current virtual school model working?”

If it is, then continue to be a generalist. If not, then it is time to re-imagine virtual learning, and start with these nine ingredients.

houston@figment-consulting.com

An early bird, a worm, and virtual learning

The well-known saying goes, An early bird catches the worm.

And while I know the meaning behind the phrase, I have often wondered about the worm. He too got up early and look what it cost him.

It's about perspective, and it's all relative really in that it is reference dependent. If you are the bird, well, rising early might prove beneficial. However, if you are the worm, perhaps there is validity in sleeping late.

When it comes to virtual schools, too many times we build them from one perspective -- starting inward and looking out. I recently read a blog post titled The Top Five Attributes for Online and Blended Learning that mirrors this inward-outward perspective and provides a glimpse of why virtual learning is falling short of its original promise.

In the post it posits that rigorous and engaging curriculum, tracking student progress, teacher availability for intervention, training and clear expectations for the students, and well-trained instructors able to deliver the online courses are the five most important attributes for success.

It all sounds great, and I am sure Fuel Education has the products for each of these attributes, however they are all from the bird perspective, and they forget about the worm.

Show these to educators and it would be hard not to agree with them. Show them to students and I wonder if the reply would be the same.

Or, perhaps the students would see them as good reasons to sleep late.

It is time to re-imagine virtual.

houston@figment-consulting.com

Tuition-free, online public school

It's a conundrum for virtual schools. They know the word "free" will attract interest and bring in more leads. Nothing wrong with that, especially if you believe any lead is a good lead.

However, when virtual schools are losing 30-40% of their students each year, one has to wonder if the problem begins with the students being attracted to the school?

"Tuition-free" is a lead-capture phrase, and last time I checked all online public schools are "tuition-free" so I am not sure how that sets one apart from the others. It would be similar to the colas touting themselves as liquids.

However, virtual schools are stuck on features and benefits -- and "tuition-free" is one they just can't get away from because the word free supposedly drives leads.

The question then becomes, is it driving the right kind of lead? Do you want a student to enroll in your virtual school primarily because you are free?

houston@figment-consulting.com

Why virtual schools will succeed . . .

. . . is the obligation I owe to you after my last blog, even though I touched on it there too.

The virtual schools that succeed are the ones that embrace the new paradigm. They will move away from the old mindset of marketing to the masses and serve the outliers, the weird. They will stop watching the daily enrollment numbers. And, they will understand that retention is not a program that launches every March.

What will they do instead? Three main things that all other activities revolve around.

1. Make retention a culture

Virtual schools that comprehend there really is no such thing as an "Enrollment Department" will begin to understand the positive impact that can have on their culture. Remember, retention begins at the point someone pays attention to what you are saying, not each March.

It then extends to each and every thing you do as a school -- in reality, even the next two items revolve around this one.

2. Be in the connection business

Successful virtual schools will be the ones who are in the connection business as much as the academic. The internet has transformed our world into a connection economy -- the old way of doing business is either over already, or quickly coming to an end. Virtual schools, by their very nature, have the ability to take advantage of this new paradigm and be an environment of connection.

3. Speak clearly and fulfill your promises

Not talking about annunciation here. No, this has more to do with communicating the expectations, responsibilities, commitments, and challenges clearly, succinctly, and authentically. Stay away from "marketing" terms, and speak with clarity.

And, when you make a promise, make sure you fulfill it. If you want to inspire loyalty, then fulfill it in an unexpected, delightful way to the student/family.

Understand though, knowing what to do is different than knowing how to do it. Implementing these three items (and all the other ones that wrap around these) will not be of help to you unless you do it the right way -- and that takes authenticity more than a strategy.

houston@figment-consulting.com

Why virtual schools will fail . . .

. . . has everything to do with trying to be all things to all people. It rarely works. Companies that try to serve the masses end up offering mediocre products (Proctor & Gamble comes to mind). And, virtual schools that attempt to serve every kind of student end up offering a mediocre experience, wrapped in a mediocre education.

One of the reasons virtual schools came into existence was due to the fact that many traditional public schools were not effective. And yet over the past decade so many of these same virtual schools have begun to mirror their ineffective brick-and-mortar counterparts.

Companies that excel, that stand out, are ones that know who they want to serve, and they center their attention on them - these people are the outliers (as Malcolm Gladwell calls them), the weird (as Seth Godin calls them), those that live on the edge, not in the middle. The days of successful companies catering to the masses are over. The same is true for virtual schools.

A virtual school that takes the time to identify who will benefit the most from their educational offerings, and cater to them will be the school that stands out, that grabs attention, and the one who leads the next wave of online learning.

Where you look for these students matters. Why? Most of them are not in the mass, they are on the edge. Is a school willing to go there in order to serve them? For many, the answer is "no." However, for those who are, the opportunity to be excellent awaits.

Rather than be a mediocre school for all kinds of students, be an excellent school for a select group of students, and serve them well.

Note: "Select" does not equal "Less"

houston@figment-consulting.com

The school of possibility

Is it possible to inspire students to learn instead of teaching them how to memorize a base of common knowledge?

Is it possible to embrace the curiosity inherent within children and guide the learning process instead of mastering dates, times, and events for a test?

Is it possible to develop the individual child instead of teaching to the middle?

Is it possible to foster the skills of finding solutions instead of seeking correct answers?

Is it possible to measure the growth of each child individually instead of comparatively?

Is it possible to celebrate failure as part of the learning process instead of only rewarding correctness?

Is it possible to pursue individual dreams instead of group compliance?

Is it possible to learn the child instead of teach to the test?

Is it possible to place value on the question instead of just the answer?

Is it possible to have learning environments instead of classrooms?

Is it possible to stimulate the mind instead of numbing the senses?

Is it possible?

High attrition rates at virtual schools are caused by . . .

. . . several things really. Fortunately, most of the causes can be addressed.

Last week I wrote a blog discussing the buzzwords of virtual schools and received several emails asking me my opinion regarding the attrition rates in virtual schools. As I shared with those who reached out to me, there are a myriad of reasons why families choose to leave virtual schools. The question is, "Which ones can you impact positively to reduce the attrition rate?" Those are the ones you really want to focus your attention on.

With that in mind let me offer three reasons why families are leaving virtual schools, sometimes at alarming rates.

1) Expectations not being met.

I alluded to this in my buzzword blog, and will expound upon it here. Virtual schools typically position themselves as offering programs that are individualized, personalized, and flexible for families. My contention is the definitions placed upon these words by virtual schools do not mirror the definitions that families place upon them. And, what matters the most is the what the families expect when they hear these words.

If a virtual school states that they offer an "individualized program where a student can progress at his/her own pace," as a prospective family, I expect that to mean my child can move at the pace best suited for him. Unfortunately the reality is far different.

Personalized? Surely that means specific to me. Again, the reality is quite different. And, then there is flexible. Flexible is one that can fit here where expectations are not being met, but it can also stand alone as a reason even when expectations are understood. (See #3 below)

2) Too much work

Right or wrong, like it or not, state tests are the measuring rods of public schools, including virtual public schools. Has this stymied the promise of virtual schools? That is the subject for another blog. What it has created though is a workload for families that is difficult to sustain.

Imagine being in the eighth grade, taking 5-6 courses each day with multiple quizzes and projects to turn in weekly, then having to participate in mandatory class connects with teachers, spend time each day working on test prep lessons, teacher office hours, find time for club activity, and even do some additional testing so the schools can show academic progress throughout the school year.

Exhausting yes? Now, imagine you are the parent of the eighth grader, having to help your child stay on top of all of those responsibilities, and, oh by the way, you also have a fourth grader and second grader enrolled too.

Parents leave virtual schools complaining about the rigor and the virtual schools believe it to mean the rigor of the academic content. In reality, it is the ongoing workload that is causing the problem with too much of it simply to prepare students to exceed on state tests.

3) Lack of flexibility

This is really an addendum to the first point but warrants more explanation because it too can be a stand-alone reason for families leaving - even when the expectations are clearly communicated and understood. Virtual schools are 'choice' schools meaning families choose to attend them, and they can choose to leave them.

A primary reason families decide to enroll in virtual schools is the promise of flexibility. In comparison to brick and mortar public schools, virtual school do offer more flexibility, but is it enough. Families hear flexibility and they tend to believe they can "do school when we want to," "take December off," "take a vacation when we want to," etc.

Families have the perception that virtual schooling is similar to home school, it is just free. In reality though, virtual schools mirror their brick and mortar counterparts more than home school when it comes to flexibility.

When families being to feel the pressure and burden of meeting all of the responsibilities outlined in the second point, and then realize they do not have the level of flexibility they desired, they tend to bolt.

I have not even mentioned how students/families are treated, communication issues, and training for administrators/teachers. Perhaps I will save these for a future blog.

However, a virtual school that is willing to go to the edge and cause a ruckus, can counteract these reasons for leaving. It takes courage, it takes the willingness to carve a new path, but the end result can be a virtual school that stands out from the competition - one that has students lining up to enter rather than exit.

But, you say, if I were to do something like this, how could I be sure test scores would improve? You can't. But, what is certain is that existing efforts are not doing much to improve these scores either.

So, why not try something completely unique?

Feel free to share your thoughts below.

www.figment-consulting.com

Top 3 Virtual School Buzzwords

Search the word phrase "virtual schools" and link to any of the results that Google provides for you. Pull up the top three, or four, or five, or ten schools/companies. Then, take a look at what each one is saying about themselves and you will quickly notice several words that are repeated over and over again.

For the sake of brevity though, I will focus on the top three buzzwords that are popular with virtual schools:

1) Individualized

School A: Each student receives individualized instruction. (Bold intended)
School B: . . ., we deliver individualized instruction for each and every student.
School C: . . . utilizing highly trained and committed staff to individualize educational strategies . . .

Merriam-Webster definition of Individualize

to change (something) so that it fits each person's needs

2) Customized/Personalized

School A: Customized Learning Programs (heading)
School B: Individualized learning plan, customized to each student (double use here)
School C: . . . our students enjoy a customized education that is second to none.

Merriam-Webster definition of Customize

to change (something) in order to fit the needs of a person or business

Merriam-Webster definition of Personalize

to change or design (something) for a particular person

3) Flexibility

School A: Meet some of our students to see what they accomplish when given the flexibility . . .
School B: Learn how our flexible approach . . .
School C: For each student who needs greater flexibility . . .

Merriam-Webster definition of Flexible

easily changed

So, what is the point of all of this? The point is -- do their actions (and others not mentioned here) match their words? The attrition rates at virtual schools causes me to wonder if these are merely words without actions to support them.

And yet, new virtual schools will launch this year, and produce marketing speak on "individualize", "customize/personalize," and "flexibility." Then they will hope for different results than their predecessors.

If you are launching a virtual school and want to have a "purple cow" as Seth Godin describes it, I encourage you, even implore you to carve a new path. Try building a program that authentically meets the definition of each of these buzzwords, then avoid using them in your marketing language.

If your school truly offers students an individualized, customized, personalized, and flexible learning experience, your customers will let others know about it. You won't have to.

www.figment-consulting.com

The Education of US

Imagine a world where the education system cared about the students.

Imagine a world where the educators could treat the students as customers.

Imagine a world where families could choose schools like they do when ordering at Starbucks -- a customized learning experience tailored to each child.

Imagine a world where students could be encouraged to think rather than memorize facts for a test.

Imagine a world where failure could be celebrated as a step toward learning the content.

Imagine a world where students could be rewarded for doing their best -- no matter what grade was assigned to the result of that effort.

Imagine . . . remember, all that we have today first began as an idea, and nothing is impossible.


www.figment-consulting.com

The virtual school shelf space

Twelve years ago there was no path to follow, no road already taken. At K12, Inc. when I started there back in 2001, we were trailblazing because that was the only way to do what we were attempting -- virtual public schools.

Fast forward to today and now the virtual school shelf space is crowded and similar. More disconcerting is they are beginning to look more like their brick-and-mortar counterparts.

Where has the innovation gone? Why build another virtual school and place it on the same shelf with the others?

Why not build something unique and edgy? If you want to get lost in the crowd then build for the shelf space. If you want to offer a breakthrough product then be bold, even outrageous.

Start with the customer (the student, the parents) at the true center and see where it may lead you. Go to the edge, the precipice, then . . . jump.

The problem with Khan Academy

There is none really. Sure it has flaws and there is always room for improvement but overall there is no problem with it.

It is up to the virtual schools, the online providers, and even the regular brick and mortar schools (and charter schools) to learn how to exist with Khan Academy. And, in doing so, their offerings can become better - both academically and experiential.

There will even be some who incorporate Khan into the mix by embracing what it has to offer rather than try to simply overcome it. This is called cooperation.

Author and blogger Seth Godin says it much better than I could, "The problem with competition is that it takes away the requirement to set your own path, to invent your own method, to find a new way."

The real problem therefore is not with Khan Academy, rather it is that too many see it as competition instead of opportunity. Change your perception and a world of potential is opened up to you.

A light shining in the darkness

One small light shining in the darkness can be the brightest object in the room, and it draws all of the attention.

If you want to be different from your competitors then find the darkness and let your light shine. If you do not then you will simply blend in, and go unnoticed.

It can be hard to see in the dark. That's why we need your light.

Why home schoolers are not listening to you (part 2)

Several weeks ago I wrote a blog sharing with you why home schoolers are not listening to you. It generated some good questions from readers with many of them having a common thread. So, I thought I would do a little "Q and A" with one of the questions that was, by far, most popular in the emails coming to me.

Question: What is the most effective way to build trust with home schoolers?

Answer: Be trustworthy.

You must understand the world view of the niche within the home school market that aligns with yours, and be all you can be to them. Doing so will allow you to be authentic, which leads to trust. It takes time though so don't expect it overnight.

Remember, your product, your service will not appeal to all home schoolers. In fact, it probably will not appeal to the majority of them. Rather than spend your time trying to convince them otherwise, invest your time finding those home schoolers who want to hear what you have to say. They are the ones willing to give you a chance to earn their trust.

What is the common core for homeschoolers?

In a recent blog I discussed the diversity that exists within the home school market. Diversity such as this brings with it a mosaic of reasons for choosing this form of education. And, as you can imagine, the reasons families have chosen this form of education are as varied as the overall multiplicity within this market.

What then is the thread that binds this divergent group together? The most consistent one, ideologically speaking, is the conviction among home school parents that they should play a large role (solely responsible or partially responsible) in the education of their children.

This conviction is the common core for homeschoolers.