The 2006-11 Regional Educational Laboratory Appalachia at CNA conducted a rigorous evaluation of the Kentucky Virtual Schools hybrid algebra I curriculum. The curriculum combines traditional face-to-face instruction with an online program. This study used a two-cohort sample with 25 high schools in year 1 (SY 07/08: 13 treatment and 12 control) and 22 in year 2 (SY 08/09: 11 and 11), the randomized sample included 6,908 students, 61.4 percent of whom were in rural schools.
As reported in the study, Effects of the Kentucky Virtual Schools hybrid program for algebra I on grade 9 student math achievement, researchers found that the hybrid class format was no more effective at increasing student achievement and future coursetaking in math than algebra offered in the traditional face-to-face format.