Online Schools: Kentucky

Originally a part of Virginia, Kentucky became the fifteenth state to join the Union in 1792. One of four states in the nation to be constituted as a commonwealth, Kentucky is widely known for its bluegrass music, automobile manufacturing, and tobacco production. However, one might be surprised to learn that environmental conservation has long been a part of Kentucky's past. The state has been a part of two of the most successful wildlife preservation projects in American history. As early as the 1950s, the state began to restock the once extinct wild turkey, which is currently thriving in Kentucky. In 1997, the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources set out to restock elk in the state's eastern counties, a species which had been extinct in the area for over 150 years.

Recent and significant legislative gains have contributed to the development of online schools in Kentucky. Jefferson County Public Schools’ eSchool program has offered students online education for a number of years. Overall there are not many online schools offering education in the state; however, Kentucky has taken steps towards establishing distance-learning options for students at the secondary level. The launch of Kentucky’s iTunes U Site, a free learning resource which provides access to numerous teacher and student friendly educational courses, has been highly successful. The state has also begun to partner with organizations such as the UK P20 Innovation Lab and the Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education in order to develop online learning programs for the 75,000 students engaged in alternative education. In addition, 16 school districts are teaming up with the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) to design the next generation of Kentucky digital schools.

In February of 2012, the Kentucky Department of Education began the process of transitioning from serving as the single provider of online courses offered through the Kentucky Virtual High School (KVHS) to offering full-time and part-time learning options available through multiple statewide providers. This shift is largely based on recommendations from Breaking New Ground: The Final Report, of the Governor's Task Force on Transforming Education in Kentucky.

Kentucky's online schools offer a few options for public undergraduate and graduate students. Eastern Kentucky University now offers online Bachelor of Science programs in Fire Protection and Safety Engineering Technology, Fire Protection Administration, Occupational Safety, and Corrections, and Juvenile Justice Studies. In Lexington, the University of Kentucky's Distance Learning Program offers degrees in Library Science, Early Childhood Education, Physician Assistant Studies, and Social Work; however, these degrees are based upon a series of hybrid courses, a blend of face-to-face and online classes. The only degree granting program available completely online is the Master in Rehabilitation Counseling Program as well as selected certificates of study. Acknowledging that private schools, such as Midway College, (known for its excellence in programs such as Business, Equine, Nursing and Teacher Education,) have been successful in developing online schools, Kentucky is continuing to evaluate and restructure its programs to meet the growing needs of distance learners across the state.

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