Michael B. Horn: How Digital Learning Can Help Solve California's Budget Mess

As Gov. Jerry Brown settles into office, he does so against the backdrop of severe budgetary pressures that require California to make do with less. When it comes to education, that realization is usually met with great fear and uncertainty. How can we deny our children funding if it will negatively impact who they become as adults?
We do not have to settle for this trade off. It is possible to use the fewer resources available to provide the great education our children deserve.
Just as California’s state higher education system is embracing online learning to cope with the budget shortfall and serve more students with high-quality programs, so too must California’s K-12 education system harness the potential of digital learning to deliver better results at less cost.
In a post for the Silicon Valley Education Foundation's Thoughts on Public Education, I outline the unnecessary hurdles California has set up that prevents a strong virtual education system from taking root in the state. I also propose some common sense ideas that will help the state move forward.
California’s current budget problems demand boldness. Digital learning offers the opportunity for better results at lower cost, but only if the right policies are in place.
Click here to read my complete post.