Online education has benefited many rural families. Students with the discipline to study on their own can enroll in an online school, such as Oregon Virtual Academy, to access diverse online classes that small hometown schools can’t offer.

The trouble is, when they enroll in an online school, state aid goes with them. Hometown schools can’t afford the loss.

In 2012, the Coquille School District will expand its online course offerings in an effort to lure back some of its 16 students who have enrolled in online schools. If the effort succeeds, the district could recapture thousands of dollars in state funding.

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