Virtual 101: The Pros and Cons of Online Schools

While remote learning options and realities were moved massively to the forefront of education during the pandemic, online K to 12 schools have been around for two decades. Primarily in private and charter schools, approximately 375,000 elementary and high school students were enrolled full-time in online schools in 2018-2019, reports the Digital Learning Collaborative. However, in addition to private school online options in all 50 states, there are now free public online school programs in 35 states. Following the pandemic's sudden push into remote learning, many school districts nationwide have continued the option for students with medical needs or those who thrive in a nontraditional school setting with an option tailored to individual needs. When choosing an online school option, experts advise parents to seek out programs that are interactive and engaging, with learning that happens at least partially away from the Zoom classroom setting. Other crucial components to a quality online education are accredited programs, certified teachers, wraparound services (like counselors, clubs, sports, and extracurriculars), and access to technology. To adequately assess quality of the school, parents should also ask to see a school's available data, such as test scores, student-to-teacher ratios, state performance ratings, and graduation rates. Some of the pros to online schooling include flexibility for students to work at their own pace, increased accessibility to quality education, the ability to personalize their courses, and that teachers tend to have more time to develop relationships with students because some of their other administrative tasks, like test grading, are automated. Learning in a safe environment is another benefit for students who have been bullied or felt unsafe in a traditional school setting. Online schools may also offer a greater variety of subjects and advanced courses for high-achieving students. Online schools require higher levels of self-discipline, requiring students to build time management skills and stay organized, which are necessary life skills. For students with learning differences like ADHD, online schools in a home environment can offer fewer distractions to learning, although they do require a consistent structure and routine that can still be challenging. Along with benefits, though, there are also drawbacks for many families to online schooling. One of those is the need to provide supervision during the day for younger children, sometimes referred to as "learning coaches" by the programs. Quality of education is also of concern as many studies have shown remote learning models to be less effective than traditional schooling, even prior to the pandemic, with lower graduation rates and state performance ratings. Another concern for the online private schools is cost, with tuition rising into the tens of thousands of dollars, although many do offer tuition discounts and financial aid. Public and charter schools are available at no cost. An additional consideration is the social impact on the student. Healthy social interaction helps children to develop confidence, social intelligence, creativity, and conflict resolution skills. Interacting with other children is key to developing these skills for adulthood and online learning can potentially minimize or prevent natural peer relationships. In some cases, isolation can lead to mental health issues, such as increased anxiety and depression. Physically, periods of prolonged screen time can lead to eye strain, headaches, and digital fatigue. In an increasingly virtual world, it seems that online schools are here to stay and enrollment will likely continue to grow. As with many parenting decisions, there are pros and cons to both sides and ultimately, it's about choosing the available option that can best pass the test for their child's individual learning needs.