The International Association for K-12 Online Learning
Who We Are
iNACOL is the International Association for K-12 Online Learning, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization based in Washington, DC. With more than 4,400 members, iNACOL represents a diverse cross-section of pioneers at the forefront of K-12 education, including teachers, charter schools, school districts, state education agencies, nonprofit organizations, colleges and universities, research institutions, and content and technology providers.
What We Do
Advocacy iNACOL supports activities and policies that remove barriers and support effective online and blended education, new learning models, and competency-based education practices. learn more
Research iNACOL facilitates, conducts, and disseminates research, identifies promising practices, and develops national K-12 online learning quality standards. learn more
Networking iNACOL promotes the sharing of information, resources, and expertise across the larger education reform community to drive future directions in K-12 online and blended education. learn more
Professional Development iNACOL offers PD opportunities through our conferences, monthly webinar series, research, forums, committees, and more. learn more
Why We Do It
To level the playing field for students through the creation of new learning models, and to ensure that students everywhere have access to a world-class education that prepares them for a lifetime of success, no matter their geographic location or economic situation.
Latest News, Research, and Resources
- Illustrating iNACOL’s National Standards for Quality Online Teaching (video series) (2012)
Programs and Initiatives
Center for Policy Advocacy learn more
The goal of iNACOL’s policy program is to provide advocacy and technical assistance to develop state and federal policy frameworks to create and catalyze transformative, new models of learning using digital learning and competency-based pathways. Our primary strategic priority is to transform the policy landscape around digital learning. There is a need for researching model policies for state lawmakers to support digital learning, conduct research, and assess each state’s barriers to digital learning to provide targeted recommendations and write model language and issue briefs – while building an advocacy plan with constituents across the education field in support of student-centered learning.
Quality Assurance learn more
iNACOL began publishing national quality standards in 2007. iNACOL experts re-released new, refreshed versions of the National Standards for Quality Online Courses and the National Standards for Quality Online Teaching in 2011. There’s a helpful matrix on blended learning program characteristics within the new National Standards for Quality Online Courses v2 (2011). Additionally, iNACOL published the National Quality Standards for Online Learning Programs in October 2009. Most recently in 2012, iNACOL researched, conducted interviews, convened experts and published a national report on measuring outcomes to provide the field with a quality assurance framework. Measuring Quality from Inputs to Outcomes: Creating Student Learning Performance Metrics and Quality Assurance for Online Schools identified key issues in the need for quality assurance and the challenges posed to policymakers.
Next Generation Learning Challenges learn more
iNACOL, along with Educause, Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), and the League for Innovation are partners in the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Next Generation Learning Challenges (NGLC) program. NGLC invests in grants, field and community building, research and evaluation, and the impacts related to dramatically improving student achievement through advanced technologies for new, breakthrough learning models. NGLC is a collaborative, multi-year initiative created to address the barriers to educational innovation and tap the potential of technology to dramatically improve college readiness and completion in the United States.
CompetencyWorks learn more
iNACOL is leading CompetencyWorks, in partnership with MetisNet, the National Governors Association, American Youth Policy Forum, and Jobs for the Future, to provide the latest research, information and knowledge about competency education. CompetencyWorks is a web-based community of practice which actively builds online resources through contributions such as blog posts, a collective wiki, webinars, policy recommendations, and research.
Other Projects learn more
iNACOL has formed a variety of collaborative partnerships with other organizations who share the same vision for education.