Whiteness and economic advantage in digital schooling: Diversity patterns and equity considerations for K-12 online charter schools

Abstract

Scholars and policymakers have yet to hold a robust conversation about diversity in K-12 online schools. This study builds on research that suggests online charter schools enroll higher percentages of White and economically advantaged students compared to national K-12 school enrollment averages. While these findings remain consistent, the study presented here employs techniques used in school segregation and diversity research to develop a more nuanced understanding of online charter school enrollment patterns. While more White and wealthy students attend online charter schools compared to other types of schools nationally, there are differences across states. Understanding the nature of these differences helps consider possibilities for moving online charter school enrollments toward increased diversity. While diversity in traditional schools has benefits, this article concludes with cautions about how to achieve equity through diversity in online spaces and if these goals are attainable. If online charter schools achieve racial and economic diversity, their leaders need to apply critical lenses in developing online programming to ensure diverse enrollments lead to equity.

Do online courses provide an equal educational value compared to in-person classroom teaching? Evidence from U.S. survey data using quantile regression

“…Our results fall in line with Cotten & Jelenewicz (2006), Odell et al (2000), Jones et al (2009), and Bowen et al (2014), who note that the digital divide upheld by race may be narrowing, and in some cases negligible among college campuses in the US. Contrary to this, Figlio et al (2013) and Mann (2019), find more racial disparity in the outcome and outreach of online education. The coefficients for urban areas are negative and for the suburban areas are positive compared to the base group of rural residents.…”

Digital divides: K-12 student profiles and online learning

“…Students with exceptionalities have needs not met in online settings (Basham et al, 2015;Rice & Carter, 2015). Students from marginalized backgrounds or isolated geographic locations may face unique challenges in online schools, especially since it is unclear how equity and diversity unfold in online spaces (Mann, 2019). Course content may have subtle racial signals or biases, like what was found in other educational tools (Kranzler et al, 1999).…”

História da Educação e Covid-19:

“…As escolas virtuais do ensino fundamental e médio tendem a ser altamente segregadas por raça e classe, caracterizadas por um grande número de alunos pobres e com baixo desempenho do que as escolas típicas de alvenaria. Para complicar ainda mais o debate, as políticas de educação on-line são, muitas vezes, entrelaçadas e apoiadas por interesses neoliberais e corporativos no currículo com fins lucrativos e na gestão escolar, de modo que as discussões sobre pedagogia geralmente são amarradas a debates sobre políticas (Tarrant & Thiele, 2014;Molnar, et al, 2015;Hornbeck, Abowitz, & Saultz, 2019;Mann, 2019).…”