Free Republic

Higher-ed accreditation practice does not have the trust it once had. Just because a school is accredited, it no longer means that the school can be relied on to deliver quality education. How many full-timers are there? It doesn't matter as much because they are not available. How many books are there in the library? It doesn't matter any more, because nearly all resources needed are now online. How much classroom space is there? It doesn't matter anymore, because students are taking classes online. How stable is the school financially? It matters a lot, because schools ought not be allowed...

The state teachers union went to court Thursday to shut down an online education program popular with hundreds of home-schooling families. Education Minnesota argues that state officials erred when they certified Minnesota Virtual Academy to receive public funding because the school relies mainly on parents to deliver the instruction while state law requires that licensed teachers do the teaching. “Is it public education or are we funding home schooling?’’ asked Education President Judy Schaubach. “Parents can make a choice to home school their children. But what we are talking about is what is the definition of public education.’’ State education...