StraighterLine

The company primarily offers McGraw-Hill course content delivered via a Moodle learning management system.Tamar Lewin "A Way to Speed the Pace" New York Times August 25, 2011 [https://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/25/education/25future_straight.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=straighterline&st=cse] StraighterLine charges a flat monthly rate, plus a charge for each course taken. Straighterline requires proctoring for a course final exam. eTextbooks and tutoring are included for free with course purchase.{{Cite news|url=http://www.straighterline.com/blog/free-etextbooks-eliminate-costs-adds-convenience-for-online-students/|title=StraighterLine's Free eTextBooks Eliminate Costs, Adds Convenience for Online Students|date=2017-03-08|work=Blog {{!}} How to Save on Your College Degree {{!}} StraighterLine|access-date=2017-09-12|language=en-US}}

StraighterLine offers more than 60 online college courses as of August 2022. StraighterLine - Course List [http://www.straighterline.com/college-courses.cfm]

The company has strategic partnerships with the Educational Testing Service and the makers of the Collegiate Learning Assessment, as part of a plan to expand into offering validated tests from leading educational organizations.Tom Ewing, ETS Press Release "ETS and StraighterLine Broaden Access to Student Data Through MyData Button Initiative" Educational Testing Service January 19, 2012 [http://www.ets.org/newsroom/news_releases/ets_straightline_mydata_button]

StraighterLine launched professor led courses in December, 2012.Paul Fain, Inside Higher Ed "Freelance Professors" Inside Higher Ed December 14, 2012 [http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/12/14/two-companies-give-faculty-more-control-online-courses] Professor Direct allows professors to set their own premiums on courses, charging any amount of their choosing per student.Jeffrey R. Young, The Chronicle "New Platform Lets Professors Set Prices for Their Online Courses" The Chronicle December 12, 2012 [http://chronicle.com/article/New-Platform-Lets-Professors/136251/?cid=at] This is the first time a business or school has allowed professors to set their own prices for courses that lead to college credit.Fast Company "An eBay For Professors To Sell College Courses Directly To Students" Fast Company December 12, 2012 [http://www.fastcoexist.com/1681058/an-ebay-for-professors-to-sell-college-courses-directly-to-students] Students can choose between 8- and 15-week cohorts, or self-paced formats. At time of launch StraighterLine had 15 professors with masters or doctorate degrees.StraighterLine - Professor Direct [http://www.straighterline.com/courses-run-by-professors.html]

StraighterLine has a network of over 150 partner collegesStraighterLine - Partner Colleges [http://www.straighterline.com/partner-colleges.cfm] that guarantee full credit transfer, with nearly 2,000 additional institutions having accepted StraighterLine credits in the past. In 2016, the U.S. Department of Education selected StraighterLine to participate in the EQUIP program to test a financial aid partnership with Dallas County Community College District and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.{{Cite news|url=https://www.christenseninstitute.org/blog/innovators-worth-watching-straighterline/|title=Innovators Worth Watching: StraighterLine - Christensen Institute|date=2017-08-08|work=Christensen Institute|access-date=2017-09-12|language=en-US}} In April 2018, StraighterLine launched its new partnership through the Department of Education's EQUIP Pilot Initiative. The program was the first of eight selected by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) for its Educational Quality through Innovation Partnerships (EQUIP) initiative to launch to students.{{Cite news|url=https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2018/04/13/dept-ed-approves-first-equip-program|title=Dept. of Ed. Approves First EQUIP Program {{!}} Inside Higher Ed|access-date=2018-05-04|language=en}} Through the EQUIP experiment, students will be allowed, for the first time, to use federal student aid to enroll in programs offered by innovative, nontraditional education providers that are partnering with accredited colleges or universities.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/expanding-pathways-success-after-high-school-us-department-education-approves-first-innovative-equip-experiment|title=Expanding Pathways to Success After High School, U.S. Department of Education Approves First Innovative EQUIP Experiment {{!}} U.S. Department of Education|website=www.ed.gov|language=en|access-date=2018-05-04}}

The online course provider began operations and has served over 150,000 students as of 2021.

The company was founded in 2009 {{Cite web |title=BV Investment Partners New Investment in StraighterLine |url=https://www.straighterline.com/blog/bv-investment-partners-announces-investment-straighterline |access-date=2023-12-19 |website=www.straighterline.com |language=en}} by Burck Smith and David Parento as a division of Smarthinking, Inc., an online tutoring provider, and was spun out in 2010, shortly before Smarthinking was acquired by Pearson PLC. In 2011, the company was named one of "The 10 Most Innovative Companies in Education" by Fast Company (magazine).Anya Kamenetz "The 10 Most Innovative Companies in Education" Fast Company (magazine) March 15, 2011 [http://www.fastcompany.com/1738940/the-10-most-innovative-companies-in-education] In 2017, the company was named an "Innovator Worth Watching" by The Christensen Institute. StraighterLine has had multiple rounds of investment, and in April 2012 received a 10-million dollar investment. Investors include: FirstMark Capital, City Light Capital, and Chrysalis Ventures.

The company is growing rapidly, in January 2012 StraighterLine was at 11 employees, by July 2012 it was at 22. As of September 2017, the company was at 50.[http://www.bmoremedia.com/devnews/straighterline-expansion-071712.aspx StraighterLine Expansion]

Heather Combs{{Cite web |title=StraighterLine Welcomes Seasoned Executive Heather Combs as CEO |url=https://partners.straighterline.com/news/new-ceo |access-date=2023-12-19 |website=StraighterLine Pathway Services |language=en}} was named CEO, March 15, 2022 of StraighterLine. Shweta Kabadi {{Cite web |title=Team |url=https://www.bvlp.com/team/ |access-date=2023-12-19 |website=Boston Ventures |language=en-US}} of BV Investment Partners, a current investor, is the current, Interim CEO, as of December 19, 2023.[http://www.straighterline.com/about-us/our-team.cfm About Us]

Courses such as Straighterline are highly controversial with educators. Professors at Northern Virginia Community College, one of the schools involved with Straighterline, have voiced their objections to their administrators, citing lack of standards and rigor for testing.{{citation needed|date=August 2014}} Additionally, complaints from students whose credits from courses they completed did not transfer to degree-granting institutions have been registered in online reviews and with the BBB.{{Cite web|url=http://www.reviewopedia.com/straighterline-reviews|title = StraighterLine Reviews - Legit or Scam?}} The company retains an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbb.org/greater-maryland/business-reviews/online-education/straighterline-in-baltimore-md-90180457|title=BBB Accredited Business Review for Straighterline, Inc.|website=www.bbb.org|language=en|access-date=2017-09-14}}

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• {{Official website|http://www.straighterline.com}}

Category:Education companies of the United States

Category:Education companies established in 2008

Category:Companies based in Baltimore

Category:2008 establishments in Maryland