Online Learning

*For a list of Online Learning providers, please see the bottom of this page.

A Review of Maine's Online Learning Laws

In 2009, The Maine Legislature established the “Maine Online Learning Program.” The goal of this program is to “provide high-quality educational options for K-12 students.” The program aims to create more educational opportunities to all students in Maine and increase the capacity of existing public school programs. Most importantly, this program aims to use technology to broaden the educational option available to students in Maine.

The Maine Department of Education has been tasked by the legislature to set up a list of approved online learning programs. The legislature has also set up criteria in order to evaluate qualified online learning programs and annually re-evaluate a program’s performance. According to Maine statute, these are the criteria a program must follow:

The provider must be nonsectarian, or non-religious in its program and practices
Courses and their credits must correspond with Maine State standards and must include assessments
Teachers employed by the program must have a valid teaching certificate or receive approval from the education commissioner to teach a course
Teachers must also have a satisfactory amount of training as outlined by the Department of Education
The program must track and verify student attendance and performance and provide samples of students’ work
Administrators, teachers and educational staff must comply with the “fingerprinting and national criminal history record check requirements”
The program must comply with the State’s information technology accessibility policies and standards.

Maine school districts have the opportunity to provide students with access to approved online learning providers. Any K-12 student who is enrolled in public school, under the age of 20, is eligible to enroll in the program on a part-time or full-time basis. A student’s enrollment in the program meets all compulsory attendance requirements. And if your school does not offer online learning courses for your student, your school districts can make agreements for students to access programs provided by other districts.

A list of approved online learning providers and additional provider requirements can be found here: http://maine.gov/education/technology/molp/approved.html

Maine statutes pertaining to Maine’s Online Learning Program: http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/20-A/title20-Ach802sec0.html

Online providers in the context of homeschooling are not required to meet the above qualifications required for the state public program.

For More Information

Please Read the MainePolicy Report "Schools for Maine's Future: The Promise for Digital Learning"

Click Here to watch a video about Carpe Diem Collegiate High School and Middle School, a “blended” school in Yuma, Arizona which combines a highly advanced, student-centered online learning center with teacher-led, hands-on workshops.

Online Learning Providers

Elementary

EcoCampus: http://www.ecocamp.us

-Science

Elementary through high school

Aleks: http://www.aleks.com

-Mathematics

Connections Academy: http://www.connectionsacademy.com

-All subjects

Discovery Education: http://www.discoveryeducation.com/

-All subjects

K12: http://www.k12.com/