Ask state education officials why Indiana lags most others in offering early childhood education and they will tell you it's a good thing, but we can't afford it at this time.

But money doesn't seem to be a factor in requiring Indiana students to take at least one online course before graduating. That's probably because the cost would be placed on already strapped school districts. Denis Ward, superintendent of Danville Community School Corp., said the requirement would mean laying off three classroom teachers to offer three online courses.

Cutting classroom teaching jobs and steering business to for-profit companies likely makes the bill all the more attractive to some lawmakers.

But an article in Education Week asks if the evidence on online learning is clear.

"A flurry of reports and high-profile news articles over the past year has cast doubt on the effectiveness of online education, and raised concerns about the rapid growth of virtual education across the country," writes Education Week's Michelle Davis. "This increased attention comes as such education moves further into the mainstream of K-12 education and opens itself up to greater scrutiny."