How Online School Can Benefit Students in Rural Areas

July 7, 2025 byCharlotte Davies

5 min to read

A high school student wearing a white shirt studies on a laptop while wearing headphones.

For many families, a traditional brick-and-mortar school is not always a viable option. Fortunately, online schools can be a beneficial solution for many families in rural areas.

The Challenges for Students Living in Rural Communities

Many rural schools do not always have the ability to offer specialized or advanced programs to their students such as Advanced Placement© courses, IEPs, or career readiness programs. People in rural communities also may not always live near brick-and-mortar schools at all, let alone ones with a wide selection of extracurricular activities, clubs, or other community-building opportunities that can help kids socialize with their classmates.

How Online School Improves Accessibility for Rural Students

Accessibility in online learning ensures that the quality of a student’s education remains consistent regardless of where they choose to learn, specifically when it comes to access to education resources. Rural education access is increased through online school by providing:

Support and Flexibility for Kids with Special Needs 

Children with disabilities often need extra attention or accommodation. Online learning is a helpful alternative to rural students who might not have access to the people or resources they need in their nearest brick-and-mortar school. Online classes provide kids with the ability to include the accommodations they need to learn best rather than requiring them to make do with what an in-person school can provide, such as creating a sensory-friendly learning environment or allowing time to pace the school day around an IEP or tutoring sessions.

Education from Anywhere  

Thanks to remote learning opportunities, many students can participate in high quality education from home. Online school gives kids who might live too far away from their nearest physical school building access to the same engaging curriculum and certified teachers as their peers who live in more densely populated communities. This kind of online school flexibility ensures that no matter where they’re learning from, their access to a robust and interactive education remains the same.  

Access to Learning Opportunities

Online school can provide education accessibility for schools that may not have adequate funding or up-to-date learning resources and career development opportunities. Connections Academy students, for example, can attend clubs, summer camps, course recovery programs, and more entirely online. Many of these learning opportunities bring together students from across most Connections Academy-supported schools, so students looking to join an Esports team or the chess club can interact with other students regardless of where they live.

College and Career Readiness Programs 

Rural schools don’t always have the option to provide an extensive range of Advanced Placement® (AP®)* classes to their students, but accessing these classes online can remove barriers to accelerated or advanced learning for students in remote areas. Having the ability to incorporate college and career-focused learning into the school day can help motivated students get ahead or develop important skillsets for their careers, whether they’re planning on joining the workforce immediately after graduating or building up their abilities ahead of college applications.  

The Flexibility of Online K-12 Learning

Unlike traditional brick-and-mortar schools, online education is designed to be flexible and meet students where they’re at. Online public schools like Connections Academy can provide accessibility in online learning for students in rural areas through interactive lessons, a supportive community, strategic partnerships designed to provide beneficial career-focused education early, and thoughtful, personalized guidance from teachers who are specifically certified to teach in a virtual environment.

Find an Online School Near You 

If the flexibility and convenience of online school seems like the right fit for your family, you can find a Connections Academy-supported school near you or download our free eGuide to learn more about how to make education more accessible for your child.

*AP® and Advanced Placement® are registered trademarks of the College Board. Used with permission.