Demystifying Cyber Schools: The Benefits of a Virtual Education

Making decisions about your child’s education is never easy. With so many educational options available, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. One option that’s becoming more readily available to families is having their child attend a virtual charter school.

Availability of Virtual Charter Schools

Virtual schools started appearing in the late 1990s and are now available in many states throughout the US. According to A National Primer on K-12 Online Learning (PDF) from the North American Council for Online Learning, 25 states offered state-led online learning programs at the end of 2006, and there were 147 virtual charter schools in 18 states serving over 65,000 students.

Benefits of Virtual Education

There are many benefits to virtual education. With virtual learning, the actual school work and education are the main focus, while the time and place it gets done is secondary. Virtual schools typically provide a print-rich curriculum that combines textbooks and hands-on materials along with technology tools.

Virtual students have notable educational support learning from home under the supervision of parents or caregivers, while working with teachers over the Web. Teachers, parents and students work together to develop an educational plan that is right for the student, resulting in a high-quality, highly accountable, individualized learning program.

Unique Student Body

Virtual schools attract all types of students resulting in a diverse and unique student body. A typical virtual class may include students who are far ahead of their peers in a traditional setting, those who require additional assistance in certain areas, or students who want a rigorous yet flexible learning schedule so they can pursue outside activities--such as athletics or acting--or to spend more time with their families.

Socialization

Many parents may worry about the social implications of having their children enrolled in a virtual school. Yet many virtual schools take this into account and make it easy for the kids to interact with their peers. Some virtual schools provide planned field trips where students can interact with one another in person, as well as online bulletin boards where kids can discuss what they are learning.

Despite the steady growth in interest and enrollment, many people don’t realize how virtual schools work, or the benefits these schools can provide to students, families, and schools.

Virtual learning enables a flexible educational option via the Internet and allows educators to address the specific gifts or challenges of the individual student. For families who find their current schooling is not providing the individualized attention they want, virtual schools may provide a highly effective and successful alternative.

To see if Connections Academy is right for your family, call 1-800-382-6010 or check availability in your state.