The audit of online schools in Colorado found a number of issues:

• Students in online schools have higher repeater, attrition and drop-out rates than the Colorado averages.
• Students in online schools generally performed significantly behind the Colorado averages on all CSAP tests.
• Accreditation rules have not be applied to online schools.
• Online schools are not using a standard definition of "at-risk" for students despite many statutory definitions that already exist.
• Considerable attention was spent on Hope Online due to comingling of private an public funds, 1:350 teacher to student ratios and issues around records and safety.

As a proponent of online learning, I am both saddened and encouraged by this audit.  I am sad that the promise of online learning has not been delivered to the 6,000+ Colorado students who depended on this form of public education last year.  But I am hopeful that the light shed on this issue will lead to a more robust, ethical, equitable and accountable system of online learning in Colorado.

Check out the audit HERE