Though almost all states now offer online education options to their students, the number of opportunities available and the policies that guide the organization, management, and funding of such programs vary widely.

Certain states—including Florida, Georgia, and Michigan—have established state-led online education programs, while others allow virtual schools to operate as charter schools. Some states only provide access to online Advanced Placement courses; others allow students to enroll in full-time high school diploma programs.

And while experts agree that there are key components to a successful online education program, and similarities between the policies that facilitate those programs, the model legislation for each state regarding online education differs from place to place.

"States should be using online learning as one of their tools to increase educational opportunities and outcomes, they should provide adequate funding to do so, and they should make sure that students have the option to choose online courses," says John F. Watson, the founder of Evergreen Consulting, an Evergreen, Colo.-based firm that puts out an annual report about state-level policy and practice for online education called "Keeping Pace." "The specifics of how they get there can and will vary," he says.

One important role states play in the success of virtual schools, says Susan D. Patrick, the president and chief executive officer of the Vienna, Va.-based International Association for K-12 Online Learning, or iNACOL, is by setting up a sustainable funding model.

For example, in Florida, which enrolls 210,000 students in K-12 online education through both public and private providers—the highest number in the country—the funding "follows" the student. So if a student decides to take a class online, the state directs funding for that student for that particular class to the virtual school instead of his or her brick-and-mortar school, as long as the student successfully completes the course.

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