The tremendous growth in K-12 online and blended learning programs in recent years is creating new needs for policy development, infrastructure building, teacher and administrator training, and for program development in areas such as curriculum, instruction, technology and management. As blended learning approaches bring online learning into the K-12 mainstream, university teacher education and administrator preparation programs need to prepare educators for the incorporation of online and blended learning in their professional practice. K-12 educators need to learn new ways of teaching and supporting learning online through effective, research-based professional development. The proposed book is designed to meet these needs by providing advice through chapters contributed by experienced practitioners and experts in the field.<br><br><i>Online, Blended and Distance Education in Schools: Building Successful Programs</i> provides expert opinions and insights on the practice and policy regarding K-12 distance, online and blended programs, including curriculum, instruction, technology and management aspects. It describes the status and trends of the field, provides illustrative program examples, explores the issues and challenges that programs face and highlights ongoing research in key areas related to program effectiveness.<br><br>Topics discussed:<br>• The current status of K-12 online, distance and blended learning in the U.S.<br>• Policy, funding, and management issues in relation to program implementation<br>• Research on effective programs within governmental jurisdiction and various program types<br>• Global case studies that represent the variety of ways programs are being successfully implemented<br>• A synthesis of key findings and lessons learned, and local and global visions for the future of K-12 distance and online learning<br><br>This text is highly appropriate for students enrolled in Educational Technology and Higher Education Administration Masters and PhD programs. The pedagogical features added throughout were created to enhance the text in a classroom stetting.