Last Thursday was the first ever national Digital Learning Day. More than 10,000 teachers and 2 million students participated in raising awareness of the importance of digital learning. Among them was a dedicated band of online students from across Washington state.

The iLearn Project and the Washington Families for Online Learning Coalition partnered to host a demonstration of online students and teachers conducting their regular school day from two conference rooms at the state capitol. Legislators and staffers dropped in and learned from the true experts as students, teachers, and parents engaged with visitors to illustrate the academic rigor, accountability, and overall importance of online learning options.

Digital Learning Day was spear-headed by Governor Bob Wise and the Alliance for Excellent Education. In a Jan. 26 press release, Wise said,

“The urgency of providing a quality education means every child has access to the engaging experience that comes with powerful teaching and rigorous content available through digital learning. The teachers are here, the technology is everywhere, and the students are ready and able. Now it’s time to put it all together.”

Visit www.digitallearningday.org for countless resources and to learn how more than 35 other states recognized Digital Learning Day.

On February 21 Washington’s digital learning community will once again come together for the sixth annual Online Learning Day at the Capitol where last year more than 400 families attended. This year, due to the 15 percent budget cut to Basic Education Funding passed in the last legislative session, even more families are expected to attend and advocate for equal basic education funding for all public school students.

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[Reprinted from the iLearn Project blog]