irtual education in Idaho Kicks Chicago's butt.

Online schools are great for students with different learning styles and abilities, says schools chief Tom Luna. great opportunities for students with different learning styles and abilities by providing cost-effective, targeted programs for tutoring, make Idaho students and educators say virtual learning has revolutionized their lives.

"It opened my mind to the world," said Delanie Ross, 16, of Emmett. "That world is so much bigger than it would have been in Emmett. It helped me as a person." Ross said she was struggling with school and didn't have aspirations beyond becoming a fast-food employee or a store cashier until she became a full-time student at Inspire Connections Academy, one of about a half dozen virtual schools in Idaho. Now she wants a medical career.

"I like how the school helps me in that - math's not a strong point," she said. Virtual school also has introduced her to friends, other virtual students, across the United States, and gives her the flexibility to travel and dedicate more or less time to assignments depending on the difficulty, she said. Ross was one of several students, state officials and experts who spoke at a forum on virtual education sponsored by the Idaho Charter School Network at Boise State University last week.

Idaho is one of the fastest-growing states in virtual learning for K-12 students and was rated No. 3 in the nation for policy and practice by e.Republic's Center for Digital Education. About 5 percent of all K-12 students, around 14,000, are taking classes online full or part time. However, it is not without challenges, as educators and lawmakers figure out how to manage funding and oversight, and tackle concerns from those who have yet to grasp the ever-evolving virtual world.
Superintendent of education Tom Luna said the current education model follows Henry Ford's mass production methods. But online learning offers great opportunities for students with different learning styles and abilities by providing cost-effective, targeted programs for tutoring, make-up classes, and concurrent and advanced credit. "We have to move away from the business model we've adopted," Luna said. "One thing to remember is it will only be hard on the adults."

Luna and speaker John Watson, founder of Evergreen Consulting Associates, which advises on virtual/online education policy, said virtual education is vital in bolstering economic development, engaging students in education and preparing them for a changing jobscape.
Watson said about one in four high school students don't graduate, and that wasn't a problem decades ago when high-paying manufacturing jobs were plentiful. But with those jobs moving to other countries and technical and informational skills more in demand, higher learning is even more important, he said. Virtual learning also allows small and rural districts to access classes and educators they couldn't afford, Watson said. Sen. Russ Fulcher, R-Meridian, said he agrees online learning is critical, but legislators have been wary of virtual systems. Educators, parents and students will have to prove the system works and show how much students are really learning to expand support, he said. "We're living in a different world than we were 10, 20, 30, 40 years ago," he said. "It's not for everyone. But it is for a significant population."

What can't chicago learn a lesson or two from this? Is it so hard to find help, or give advice to students and teachers in need. This is a good augmentation to the overcrowded, understaffed schools. This is an outlet for the bright or promising pupil to better themselves when their environment would not sustain such an endeavor.

Enterprise Management and Government For Cook County

I wonder if Cook County should use something like SAP or Oracle. This is a case where a true Enterprise (ERP) system such as sap or oracle should come into play. There is so much bloat and waste in local government, the ability to run your government like a business and see where every dollar is going, and where every dollar is coming in. You can focus attention on the things that need to be fixed, and everyone will know what everyone else is spending.

The people will know how much everything costs, because the budget, books, and reports should be completely open to all. The system should be an open book for all of its citizens. Its our money at work, and we have the right to know where and how it is spent. Furthermore, we should question every expenditure. Call your local congressman, senator, alderman, city council member, what have you, and express yourself. Ask for a copy of the budget, see what happens.
The technology to weave the day to day operations of the government should function seamlessly, and provide you and every a report on what is profitable, and what is not. Not everything makes money, nor should it, that is what the government and services are all about, bet we need to quantify and monitor all expenditures to ensure the right money is being used for the right reasons.

Lets not forget the human equation. we need an accurate count of every employee, their salary, salary structure, etc. We need to keep that in line with the rest of what is normal, so that we keep everything in check. If the government would run as ERP system, I'm sure they will find more money then they know they had, and it would be well worth the investment in time and resources. The people would be surprised to find out just where there money is going, and how much that garbage can costs, or the street light costs. We need to end the way things have been done, and start fresh with a new mentality where everything counts, big and small, and everyone has a right and a voice.