Michael B. Horn: Utah Pushes Forward Toward Student-Centric Learning

Those who have been following this blog know that Utah's SB 65, also known as the "Statewide Online Education Program," got off on the wrong foot.
But last night, Utah seized its chance to leapfrog the rest of the nation and transform its education system to a more student-centric one when the House passed the bill.
For passage to occur, four changes were made to the bill, all of which seem reasonable.
Click here to read more about the changes and why I am supportive.
Ultimately this bill still aligns to the 10 Elements of High Quality Digital Learning outlined in Digital Learning Now, and as such, represents a bold move away from the monolithic, factory model schools of our past and a big step forward toward a more student-centric future that allows students to have personalized options for their learning based in their distinct needs.

Michael B. Horn: Utah Legislature Swings, and Misses

Utah’s state senate missed a first opportunity to kick start the transformation of its education system to a student-centric one and leapfrog the rest of the nation when it failed to pass Senate Bill 65 (SB 65), also known as the "Statewide Online Education Program."
Thankfully the Senate is likely to resuscitate the bill this legislative session and get another swing at it, as the bill does some critical things for Utah’s education system, including allow any Utah student anywhere in the state to have access to the best online courses and teachers and push the online providers to compete on quality by withholding a large chunk of payment until a student successfully completes the course.
In the next couple of days, hopefully Utah's legislators will see the bigger picture and potential to create a whole host of quality options for students anywhere from providers who will be literally invested in the success of students they serve and pass SB 65.
Click here to read my complete post, which includes suggestions on how to make sure the fiscal impact of the measure is not too high.

Tom Vander Ark: Utah Poised to Lead in Online Learning

A few weeks ago, some Digital Learning Now members made a stop in Utah.
At a breakfast sponsored by the Sutherland Institute and Parents for Choice in Education, I spoke, along with Michael B. Horn, a fellow LibLearn blog contributor and the co-author of "Disrupting Class."
Mickey Revenaugh, a Digital Learning Now member whose Utah Connections Academy is already at work helping children learn virtually, was also there.
Here's a little of what's happening in Utah.
The Utah legislature is considering a bill, SB 65, to greatly expand the blended learning opportunities for Utah students. The bill moved out of committee earlier in the week and is aligned to many of the DLN Elements.
Utah already leads the nation with its innovative Open High School, which uses and creates open educational sources for its state virtual school.
Click here to read more on why I believe Utah is about to become one of the nation's leaders when it comes to online learning.