Open Options | K-12 Examples

The Open Options project has surveyed and interviewed dozens of K-12 educators using open source software. This section explores the possibilities and analyzes the experience of current users.

Where can you use open source? Open source software can be used for a variety of different solutions, including on the backend, on a current desktop, and as a new desktop.

What are educators using? They are using open source for a variety of solutions, primarily in the backend.

Why do educators choose it? They choose open source based on their needs and long-term experience with the software, often touting its reliability, security, and total cost of ownership.

Open Options is a product of the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. These materials are in the public domain and may be reproduced without permission. The following acknowledgment is requested on materials which are reproduced: Developed by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, Portland, Oregon.

This Web site was developed and maintained by the Northwest Educational Technology Consortium. The federal funding for the regional technology consortia program ended on September 30, 2005, and no further updates are planned unless additional funding becomes available. However, much of the content is still useful and NWREL will continue to provide access to this site to support educators and to meet its own technical assistance needs.