At a meeting of its trustees in September 2005, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation awarded a grant to Hunter College and the Sloan Consortium for a national study of online learning in K–12 schools. Leading this study will be Anthony G. Picciano, professor of education leadership at Hunter College, and professor of Urban Education and Interactive Technology and Pedagogy at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York and Jeff Seaman, the chief information officer for the Sloan Consortium. The overall objective of this proposal is to provide baseline data on online learning in K–12 environments, surveying approximately 7,000 of the 15,000 chief school administrators or superintendents. An important objective is to begin a process of data collection and dissemination to assist K–12 policy makers in decisions about establishing virtual schools, programs, or courses. This data, combined with the expertise of the Sloan Consortium and others will be provided to educators at all levels in this country. Preliminary reporting is anticipated in Spring 2006.

The study's importance stems from the growth of online learning throughout higher education and corporate training. The impact of more than 55 million students in K–12 education can be as great if not greater than in higher education.

Going beyond basic enrollment numbers, the study will seek in-depth information on the reasons why school districts are embarking on online education programs, what student needs are being served, who the major online education providers are, how teachers in these programs are being trained, and what the future directions of K–12 online programs are.

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