We asked John Ashworth, Executive Director and Superintendent, to tell us more about Virtual Arkansas. Here’s what we learned:
Q: What’s one innovation or tool you’ve implemented that has made a significant impact on your students or staff?
A: One of the most impactful innovations we’ve implemented in recent years has been the focus on our course assessments to align directly to our new state assessment and reflect varying Depth of Knowledge (DOK) levels. This shift has enabled us to strategically leverage the Mastery Gradebook within our learning management system, Canvas. As a result, our teachers now have clearer, real-time insights into student progress and mastery of standards over time—empowering them to make more informed instructional decisions and better support individual student growth.
Q: What’s a success story from your program that you’re especially proud of?
A: I’m especially proud to be part of an organization that supports students from 97% of the rural school districts across our state, providing them with access to a variety of educational opportunities. Through our program, we offer high-quality, affordable online courses that serve a wide range of needs—including Core subjects, Career and Technical Education (CTE), World Languages, Advanced Placement (AP), and Concurrent Credit options. This work is making a real difference in expanding access and equity for students in Arkansas’s most rural communities.
Q: How has being part of DLAC shaped your approach or inspired your work?
A: I’ve always believed that one of the most effective ways to grow, both professionally and organizationally, is through active participation in professional organizations that foster meaningful learning, networking, and collaboration. DLAC is one of the premier organizations that provides this kind of engagement. It gives us access to the foremost experts, best practices, and innovative ideas from across the country and around the world, helping us make well-informed, forward-thinking decisions for our own program.
Q: If you could debunk one myth about digital learning, what would it be?
A: Meaningful, caring relationships between students and teachers CAN be built in the online learning environment… they just look a little different. Educators must be deliberate in their actions to ensure that students feel seen, supported, and confident that their teacher genuinely cares about them and their success.
Q: What’s something you wish you had known when you started with digital or hybrid learning?
A: Something I wish I had known when I first started with digital and hybrid learning is how different course design needs are compared to traditional brick-and-mortar instruction. I had to learn on the go that what works well in a face-to-face classroom doesn’t always translate effectively online. Understanding how to design content and curriculum specifically for the virtual environment, where clarity, pacing, accessibility, and engagement look very different, is essential. Strong instructional design is at the heart of successful online learning.
Q: What’s one thing you hope the future of digital learning will achieve, and how is your program paving the way for that vision?
A: I believe digital content, which can be seen as the heartbeat of digital learning, will become a foundational component across all learning environments in the coming years. I would like to see digital learning providers lead the way in modeling how to effectively design and implement digital courses, especially with the integration of artificial intelligence. I hope to see artificial intelligence effectively incorporated into digital learning for true individualized learning, allowing us to more effectively meet the unique needs of every student.
Q: What’s one challenge your program has overcome, and how did you tackle it?
A: Our achievement data demonstrates that students who choose to take online courses perform significantly better than students who are required to take online courses due to necessity or an emergency situation. Our challenge was to find a method to help students who did not choose to take the online courses have better outcomes. To address this, we implemented a dedicated teacher program, where a single teacher is dedicated to one or two districts in an emergency situation. This model is more closely aligned with a brick-and-mortar teaching and learning model and has produced positive results.
Q: What’s a unique aspect of your program or approach that sets it apart?
A: I believe an aspect of the Virtual Arkansas program that sets us apart is our commitment to providing synchronous learning opportunities in the online environment. For most of our courses, students are encouraged to and have the opportunity to meet with their teacher for synchronous instruction. We believe this contributes to improved student/teacher relationships and better outcomes.