ABSTRACT
Virtual schooling is a fast growing segment of the education market. Th e fi rst virtual K-12 school was opened in the mid-1990s. According to a recent estimate, virtual schools in the United States enroll over 139,000 students and growth continues at an annual rate of over 30% per year.1 More than 36% of all U.S. school districts off er an online class. Two of the oldest virtual schools in the country, Utah’s Electronic High and Florida’s Virtual School, each doubled their enrollment since 2002 and now serve approximately 15,000 to 35,000 students each.2 K12 Inc., established in 1999, currently enrolls approximately 27,000 students.3 Between 2004 and 2007, it increased its enrollment at an annual rate of 35% and nearly doubled its revenue, from $71.4 million in 2004 to $140 million in 2007.
