Mesa Distance Learning Program

The Mesa Distance Learning Program (MDLP) is a well-established US single district school programme. It is located in the US state of Arizona. MDLP had 17,200 course enrollments in 2009-10, all part-time/supplemental; plus 217 full-time, fully online enrollments. MDLP partners with other school districts to provide content otherwise unavailable, e.g. due to limited course offerings, homebound students etc.

Education is free to Arizona home school students; students from around the world may register and pay tuition. The programme serves 35 school districts in the state; 50% of enrollments are from districts outside Mesa. MDLP offers education to students from grades K through 12 (kindergarten through high school).

MDLP is entirely computer based, although one third of courses require textbooks. Students may either study on their own or, more commonly, via enrollment at a local traditional school. Those already attend school full-time register as a "dual enrolled" student. Once enrolled in MDLP, full-time distance learning students are part of Mesa Public Schools.

The Mesa Distance Learning Program web site is at http://www.mdlp.org/.

More details

MDLP built its own LMS and provides its own course content.

Mesa records automatic "attendance" entries using the time a student is logged in. Students may manually indicate time spent studying offline.

References

• "A National Primer on K-12 Online Learning", iNACOL, October 2010, http://www.inacol.org/research/docs/national_report.pdf
• "Keeping Pace With Online Learning: An Annual Review of Policy and Practice", Evergreen Education Group, 2010, http://kpk12.com/reports/
• Mesa Distance Learning Program web site, http://www.mdlp.org/

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