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Our History
Built and managed by educators, StraighterLine offers solutions for colleges and universities to enroll better-prepared students and attract, retain, and graduate more students.
StraighterLine was founded in 2008 by Burck Smith as a solution to the rising costs of a college education. StraighterLine is the category creator for providing scalable solutions to deliver affordable, effective, and accelerated learning pathways to formal degree programs and widely recognized industry credentials.
The StraighterLine platform supports over 45,000 students a year, including directly through the straighterline.com website and through a growing network of college, university, and employer relationships. In partnership with more than 150 regionally accredited colleges and universities, we offer low-cost, low-risk online pathway programs for students to earn college credit and ultimately achieve their academic dreams.
Leadership
Our Founders Story
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When the internet became a cultural phenomenon in the early 1990’s, Burck became interested in the social implications of internet access. This drove him to public policy graduate school where he asked the questions that would ultimately lead to StraighterLine, “In light of massive investments in technology in higher education and K-12, why have prices risen faster than inflation and student outcomes declined? If a technology is being used appropriately, it should result in lower prices, better outcomes or both. What’s different about education?”
In 1999, he co-founded SMARTHINKING (now a Pearson company), the largest online tutoring provider for schools and colleges. Burck’s passion to transform higher education didn’t stop there. Knowing there was more to be done, he founded StraighterLine in 2008. Today, Burck is a leading voice in education reform. He has written chapters for three books on education policy for the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) and is a former independent consultant and journalist. He also serves on the boards of Heliocampus, Akademos, Baltimore Collegiate School for Boys, and Friends School of Baltimore.
Media inquiries, contact Summer Martin at smartin@straighterline.com
Resources are scarce. We have been very impressed with the ability and willingness of StraighterLine to work with us to craft a solution that is customized to the students we are seeking to serve.
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Accreditation
StraighterLine is not accredited as it is not a degree granting institution. However, all StraighterLine courses go through an intensive quality review process by ACE CREDIT prior to being available to students. ACE CREDIT has evaluated and recommended all StraighterLine courses for credit.
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Survey: 3 in 10 Students Lose Significant Academic Credits Transferring Between Colleges
New empirical research from UPCEA and StraighterLine examines barriers and motivations for transfer students with implications for institutions, finds 30% of students lose at least a quarter of existing academic credit.
StraighterLine Taps Zachary Wagner as Chief Product Officer
Zachary Wagner brings a decade of experience leading product strategy and development for consumer and business-to-business platforms in the education technology industry to his new role as StraighterLine's Chief Product Officer.
StraighterLine Acquires Leading Training Provider for the Early Childhood Education Workforce
Online learning pioneer expands its focus on flexible, career-aligned credentials with the acquisition of ChildCare Education Institute.
StraighterLine Named Official Partner of the NJCAA
500 NJCAA member colleges will be able to complement their current course offerings and provide more flexibility to their student-athletes through this exclusive partnerinership.
See our student success stories
My advisor knew I had a goal...and he suggested that I take some of my courses through StraighterLine.