One initiative, known as the E-Rate, is a national discount for Internet access for libraries and schools. In addition to a national broadband plan that includes $7.2 billion for rural areas, the federal government is discussing the expansion of the E-Rate, a development that Oster said is “wonderful news” because without it, much of the technology in public schools would not be possible.

That technology includes the South Dakota Virtual School, which allows the 120,000 K-12 students in the state to take online classes to which they would otherwise lack access.

“We believe that the virtual school then provides equal educational opportunities for students across our state irregardless of where they live or what their ZIP code is,” Oster said, noting that some state school districts encompass more area than the state of Rhode Island.

For the rest of the article, go to Officials: Technology can boost rural schools

The state’s university system is trying to lure back students who dropped out just short of graduation and now have new obligations or interests standing in the way of a diploma.

A recent report to the Board of Regents said 1,889 students left the university system from 2003 through 2008 and never returned after accumulating at least 90 credit hours – roughly the equivalent of a third-year student.

Regents staff found that it wasn’t poor grades but rather an illness, financial problems, schedule conflicts, work obligations or personal problems that most often sidetracked a student.

“A lot of these students in their final semester in school got a grade point average of zero despite having almost a 3-point GPA overall,” said Paul Turman. “They just walked away. Something happened” in their life.

Turman, associate vice president of academic affairs for the regents, is overseeing a two-year project to identify those students and make it easier for them to return to the university system on campus or through the three off-campus university centers and online programs.

South Dakota, New Jersey, Arkansas, Colorado, and Nevada are studying the so-called ready adult population under grants from the Lumina Foundation for Education and the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.

For the rest of the article, go to South Dakota Regents look to lure university dropouts back to school

Best Online High Schools is pleased to announce this brand-new website for South Dakota online high schools. While this state currently has few such schools, look for that to grow in the very near future.