<p> Online Learning In Oregon – KC Distance Learning</p><p>Good afternoon and thank you for the opportunity to speak the issue of online learning in Oregon.</p><p>I am Cathy Mincberg, the Chief Academic Officer for KC Distance Learning which is headquartered in Portland, Oregon. I want to thank you for working to create a thoughtful approach to online learning in our state. As a 30 year veteran of the public schools systems in this country, I am excited about the opportunity that online learning gives us to begin to truly individualize education to meet the varying needs of our students and work with our teachers as coaches.</p><p>I want to thank the staff for their work on an alternative proposal. We support this proposal with some clarifications as noted in our working group’s written response. We do want to continue to separate discussion of online learning into two parts: virtual schools and hybrid programs that any school might choose to offer. Today we are here to discuss virtual schools.</p><p>On behalf of KCDL, I would like to offer the following additional comments.</p><p>We absolutely defend the right of charter schools to offer high quality online programs of any kind according to the current and future terms of their charters. </p><p>We believe that the parents must have control over the education of their children, as opposed to being limited in choices by the school district or state. Participation in online learning must be a student/parent driven choice.</p><p>School districts need to be able to use funds for online education in the same way they would purchase other options. There should be as few limitations as possible.</p><p>The government should spend the equitably for students in online, charter or traditional classrooms according to the varying students’ needs.</p><p>Again, thank you for your hard work creating a progressive education environment in Oregon that includes online learning.</p><p>Dr. Cathy Mincberg Chief Academic Officer and Vice President KC Distance Learning</p>