Digital Learning Now released its 2013 Digital Learning Report Card last week, and North Carolina once again received just below average grades.

This latest report card supported by the Foundation for Excellence in Education (ExcelinEd), measures and grades K-12 education policies in each of the nation’s 50 states against the 10 Elements of High Quality Digital Learning.

North Carolina received a “C-“grade or 72 percent overall performance scores compared to the rest of the country.

View North Carolina’s results, or view national results.

Jeb Bush, former Florida Governor and Chairman of ExcelinEd, said this digital learning report card highlights that more states are allowing students to customize their education in a way that best meets their learning style, and empowers them with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in college and the workplace.

“It’s encouraging to see the number of states that are working toward breaking down policy barriers that prevent students from being the center of our education system,” said Bush.

Governors and state legislators continue to make strides in offering high-quality digital learning options and supporting next-gen models of learning that empower teachers and provide a customized education to each student.

Throughout the United States in 2013, more than 450 digital learning bills were debated and 132 were ultimately signed into law, bringing the total of enacted legislation since 2011 to more than 360. More than 20 states advanced an entire overall letter grade as measured by the report card.

“State policy plays a crucial role in scaling next-generation models of learning, bringing us closer to personalized education for all students,” said ExcelinEd CEO Patricia Levesque. “Emerging technologies can be a catalyst for rethinking the way we organize learning, provide instruction, and meet the needs of students, teachers and parents.”

In North Carolina, the report card concluded that the state continues to take proactive steps to make sure students in their schools can take full advantage of digital teaching in learning. The state has provided scalable bandwidth to K-12 public school campuses and buildings at no cost to the district or charter school since 2008, according the report. And, it quantified, the state passed important bills to focus on supporting digital teaching and the adoption of digital resources.

Some of the state’s current strengths and reform opportunities include allowing online courses to apply for approval on a rolling basis throughout the year; allowing both public and non-public school students to take N.C. Virtual Public School (NCVPS) courses and does not base eligibility upon prior-year enrollment in the public school system; and the state could remove restrictions to student access, allowing students to enroll in courses beyond full-time without restrictions.

The 2013 report card includes 41 actionable metrics that examine state laws, administrative rules, and other policy levers to ensure the 10 Elements are addressed while presenting a broader picture of digital learning across the nation. This year’s report card includes interactive data on each state, links to resources and videos, summaries of all enacted legislation, and analysis of votes in competency-based and course choice legislation.

In January, the Digital Learning Institute known as DigiLEARN was founded by former North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue, who now serves as chair of the organization along with former Wyoming Gov. Jim Geringer serving as vice chair.

DigiLEARN will be dedicated to accelerating digital learning for all ages with a goal of increasing personal learning options for students and expanding instructional opportunities for teachers and instructors in North Carolina. In addition, DigiLEARN will focus on cultivating an innovative economy for education technology startups and entrepreneurs with accountability for improved learning results.

The state’s overall performance percentage from ExcelinEd is up 1 percent from 2012, where it received a 71 percent rating.