By Tim Newcomb

School districts countrywide are learning their own lessons right now, all about distance learning. A fluid situation for most, messy for some, nonexistent for others — no matter what each district learns right now, it will have a lasting impact on the future of online education.

“It is certainly complex,” says Michael Horn, a co-founder of the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation. “When families need to be served at home, it can be incredibly difficult, but it can be incredibly important. Students and families are relying on these resources, frankly not just for their learning, but so they can get by on a day-to-day basis.”