Early challenges and legitimacy

At some point in your lives, you likely wanted to be a pioneer at something and you likely wanted it to be impactful. In this episode of Silver Lining for Learning, we are joined by three online learning pioneers and digital education leaders, Julie Young, Julie Petersen, and Kay Johnson. Notably, in 1997, Julie Young was the founding President and CEO of Florida Virtual School; one of the largest virtual schools in North America. The three of them will discuss their new book, "Virtual Schools, Actual Learning: Digital Education in America published in November 2025 by the Pioneer Institute. This edited book attempts to uncover what works and what falls short in the online learning arena; in particular, in digital K-12 education. Their overarching learning philosophy is a learner-centered one. And their advice is directed at a range of stakeholders including those forming policies, educators teaching online courses, families making decisions about online education, students thinking about enrolling in online courses, and others in the online education landscape. Importantly, these three pioneers have a wealth of knowledge and experience to draw upon as they trace the rapid evolution of online learning over the past three decades from early forms of distance learning to the increasingly complex and multifaceted hybrid and HyFlex models. They have come to the conclusion that the most effective and powerful forms of online education rely on thoughtful pedagogical and instructional design practices. Listen or watch this episode and discover the possible achievements of learners in online educational environments as well as the many challenges and limitations.

Julie Young is an edupreneur, an educator, innovator, and visionary leader renowned for pioneering virtual, blended, and technology-enhanced learning models. As founding President and CEO of Florida Virtual School in 1997, Young didn't just embrace virtual schooling, she helped create an entire industry. Over 17 years, she transformed FLVS from a startup serving 77 students with a $200,000 grant into the largest state virtual school in the US, reaching over 2 million students globally. Her work established Florida as the epicenter of virtual school innovation and set precedents for digital education that continue shaping the field today.

She went on to serve as a VP at Arizona State University. In that role, she served as CEO and Senior Advisor to ASU Prep Academy, founding ASU Prep Digital and ASU Prep Global. Her north star is and always has been designing learning models that put the student at the center of every decision. Today, she leads Julie Young Education LLC, partnering with and advising organizations on educational innovation and strategic initiatives.

Julie Petersen (Co-Editor) is a freelance writer and editor based in California. As a former nonprofit communications director and journalist, her work has been published by Stanford Social Innovation Review, Harvard Education Press, EdSurge, and Education Next. Julie began her career as a venture capital reporter for Red Herring Magazine, where her print cover story on educational technology was featured in Best Business Stories of the Year. She went on to lead communications at venture philanthropy firm NewSchools Venture Fund. Since 2012, Petersen has written and edited papers, articles, case studies, strategic plans, grant proposals, impact reports, and other publications in partnership with more than 40 education nonprofits, companies, philanthropists, and government agencies. Julie holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Vanderbilt University and a master’s degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.

Kay Johnson (Co-Editor) is a strategic communications leader with over two decades of experience at the intersection of education, policy, and innovation. She has supported national initiatives that shaped the early growth of online learning, including legislative efforts that led to the first statewide virtual school funded through public education dollars. Kay has led executive communications, research, and thought leadership for education organizations across the K–12 and higher education spectrum, including Florida Virtual School. Her work spans policy analysis, internal and external communications, and strategic advising for executive teams. A seasoned ghostwriter and editor, she has contributed to numerous articles, white papers, and books on digital learning and education reform. Kay currently serves as Director of Strategic Communications for ASU Prep Academy, where she supports national partnerships, research, and storytelling that advance future-ready learning models.

• Virtual Schools, Actual Learning: Digital Education in America, Pioneer Institute
• Video (2:26): https://pioneerinstitute.org/book/virtual-schools-actual-learning-digital-education-in-america/
• Virtual Schools, Actual Learning: Digital Education in America
• Video (2:26): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bt_qRCBZBxA&t=68s

“Virtual Schools, Actual Learning helps explain what online learning and schooling have and have not accomplished and lays out a vision for its potential to level the playing field for all kinds of learners.”— Sal Khan, CEO of Khan Academy

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