About NSQOL
The National Standards for Quality Online Learning is a collaborative initiative dedicated to promoting and continuously refining the National Standards for Quality Online Courses, Programs, Teaching, and Digital Learning Leadership. Led by a partnership between Quality Matters, the Virtual Learning Leadership Alliance, and DLAC, this effort is strengthened by broad community input and support, ensuring the standards remain relevant, effective, and aligned with best practices in online education.
We are committed to an ongoing cycle of improvement for all four sets of standards, guided by the shared belief that in the ever-evolving field of digital learning, regular updates are essential. By maintaining current and practical benchmarks, these standards serve as a valuable resource for schools, districts, statewide programs, and commercial providers of online and blended learning.
The four sets of standards provide the K-12 online learning community with a current, openly licensed framework for evaluating and enhancing online courses, teaching, programs, and leaders. Designed for flexibility, these standards empower educational leaders to adapt them to the unique needs of various program types, ensuring continuous improvement and alignment with best practices in online learning.
History and Review Process
The National Standards for Quality Online Courses, Programs, and Teaching were initially introduced by the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) and later published by iNACOL now Aurora Institute, laying the foundation for quality benchmarks in online learning.
In 2018, under the leadership of Quality Matters (QM) and the Virtual Learning Leadership Alliance (VLLA), the three sets of standards underwent an extensive review and revision process, resulting in updated versions released in 2019. In 2021, DLAC, joined QM and VLLA as co-stewards of the standards.
Recognizing the significant changes in online education following the pandemic, the NSQ Leadership Team initiated a formal review of the standards in 2023. This process began with an in-depth analysis of current research and feedback gathered from NSQOL users via surveys, as well as focus groups. Based on these findings, a decision was made to either refresh or revise each Standard Set to ensure they continue to provide meaningful guidance for online learning.
- A refresh is a targeted update that clarifies language, corrects errors, and expands explanations or examples while preserving the original intent and meaning of the indicators, enhancing usability.
- A revision is a more comprehensive process that incorporates significant advancements in the field, potentially modifying the structure, meaning, or intent of the indicators.
Through this process, the Online Courses and Online Programs standards underwent a refresh, while the Online Teaching standards underwent a full revision.
We are proud to introduce the 2025 National Standards for Quality Online Learning, providing the online learning community with a strengthened and forward-thinking framework that supports excellence in online education.
Building on this work, the NSQ Leadership Team began development of a new set of Digital Learning Leadership Standards in 2024. Created from the ground up, these standards are designed to address the evolving role of leaders in online and hybrid learning environments. Informed by research, practitioner input, and the increasing complexity of digital learning systems, the Leadership Standards were released in May 2026, further expanding the NSQ framework to support quality and continuous improvement across all levels of online learning.