K-12 online education is remote learning for students from kindergarten to 12th grade. K-12 online education expanded rapidly after COVID-19. These schools offer flexible learning for students worldwide. Many parents and students new to online education wonder how to choose the best one.
We’ll explain what K-12 online schools are, their benefits and drawbacks. We’ll provide five steps to help parents and students find the right online school.
Contents
- 1 What is a K-12 Online School?
- 2 Props and Cons of K-12 Online Schools
- 3 Factors to Consider When Choosing a K-12 Online School
- 3.1 Types of Schools: Public vs. Private
- 3.2 Accreditation
- 3.3 Curriculum and Learning Materials
- 3.4 Teacher Qualifications
- 3.5 Flexibility and Personalization
- 3.6 Student Support Services
- 3.7 Technology Requirements
- 3.8 Cost
- 3.9 Reputation and Reviews
- 3.10 Social Interaction
- 3.11 Assessment and Accountability
- 4 How to Evaluate K-12 Online Schools?
- 5 Tools and resources
- 6 Conclusion
What is a K-12 Online School?
K-12 online school is a school where students receive their education entirely through the internet. Students take their classes online, complete assignments, and interact with teachers and classmates through a digital platform.
This type of education offers flexibility, allowing students to learn at their own pace. K-12 online education covers all the core subjects like math, science, and language arts. Teachers guide and support students, ensuring they stay on track with their learning.
Props and Cons of K-12 Online Schools
Online school is popular for some, but others avoid it. Let’s look at the pros and cons of online education to see who it’s right for.
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Key Stats You Shouldn’t Miss
The research “Online Classes of Children: Parents’ Perspective“ was conducted by Jyoti Kumar. The study involved 50 parents whose children were attending online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Key findings include:
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Benefits of K-12 Online Schools
“For online classes, you don’t have to worry about trying to fit in, who will talk to you in the hallways. I struggle with social anxiety and overthinking. Virtual school made it so much easier for me. I didn’t have to deal with some of those pressures”
Taliyah Rice, CNN, “Some kids don’t want to return to in-person schooling”
K-12 online education offers several key benefits. Table below lists seven main advantages. Each advantage comes with a brief description. These benefits explain why millions of students around the world choose online education.
| ADVANTAGE | SHORT DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| Flexibility | Students learn at their own pace. This allows students to adjust their schedule around other commitments. It also accommodates their personal learning preferences |
| Accessibility | Students learn from anywhere with an internet connection. This frees up more time for other activities |
| Lots of resources | Online schools provide a wider range of courses. These courses include advanced placement, specialized electives, and vocational training |
| Personalized learning | Online education allows personalized learning. Students focus on areas they find challenging. Students move quickly through subjects where they excel |
| Safe learning environment | Online education gives a safer option for students. It benefits students who may face bullying, health issues, or other challenges in a traditional school setting |
| Developing digital skills | Students in online education develop strong digital literacy skills. These skills are essential in today’s job market |
| Global networking | Online education connects students with peers and teachers from around the world. This provides a diverse learning experience and broader perspectives for students |
Disadvantages of K-12 Online Education
K-12 online education has several key drawbacks. Table below lists seven main disadvantages. Each disadvantage comes with a brief description. These drawbacks are important for students to consider. They help students determine if online education is right for them.
| DISADVANTAGE | SHORT DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| Strong self-discipline | Success in online education requires from students high level of self-motivation |
| Limited social interaction | Students miss out on face-to-face interactions with peers. This can affect their social skill development |
| Technology dependence | Online education relies on technology. Issues like internet access, technical difficulties, or a lack of digital literacy arise and hinder learning |
| Less hands-on learning | Some subjects are difficult to replicate in an online environment. Lab sciences and physical education are examples. This challenges students to fully engage and understand the online material |
| Distractions | Learning from home introduces more distractions. Family, noise, or the temptation to engage in non-educational activities are common examples. These distractions make it harder to focus on studies |
| Limited access to resources | Some students experience difficulties accessing physical resources. This includes things like libraries, sports facilities, or specialized equipment. These challenges impact their learning experience |
| Issues with teacher-student communication | Building a strong rapport with teachers is difficult in a virtual environment. This affects the level of personalized support and guidance students receive |
Factors to Consider When Choosing a K-12 Online School
Parents and students look at eleven key factors when choosing a K-12 online school to make sure it fits their needs.
Types of Schools: Public vs. Private
Public schools are usually tuition-free. Public schools are funded by the government. Private schools require tuition. Private schools offer more specialized programs or individualized attention. Decide whether a public or private online school is the best fit for your child.
Accreditation
Ensure the school is accredited by a recognized accrediting body. This guarantees the quality of the education provided. Accreditation ensures the education will be widely accepted.
Legacy Online School is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). The diploma from Legacy Online School is widely accepted.
Curriculum and Learning Materials
Make sure the curriculum covers all key subjects and meets educational standards. A good curriculum includes core subjects like math, science, language arts, and social studies. It offers electives and advanced courses. Check if the curriculum fits your child’s learning pace and interests.
Review the learning materials. Good learning materials include textbooks, digital resources, and videos. Check if these materials are easy to use and interesting for your child.
Legacy Online School’s curriculum and materials are accredited for elementary, middle, and high school education. This curriculum includes live teaching in small groups for personalized attention.
Teacher Qualifications
Ensure the teachers are certified in the subjects they teach. Certification indicates they met the required standards to provide quality education. Check if the teachers have specific training in online education methods. This ensures teachers know how to engage students and use online tools effectively.
Research the reputation of the teachers. Look for reviews or testimonials mentioning their teaching style, responsiveness, and ability to connect with students.
Legacy Online School has certified, skilled teachers from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Flexibility and Personalization
Check if the school allows students to learn at their own pace. Flexible schedules accommodate different learning speeds. Look for schools offering personalized learning paths. These paths adapt to each student’s strengths, weaknesses, and learning style. This helps students achieve their best possible outcomes.
Consider how the school adapts to changes in a student’s life. These changes include moving, health issues, or other personal circumstances.
Student Support Services
Check if the school offers reliable technical support. This support helps with any issues related to the online platform, software, or hardware. Look for schools offering counseling services. These services support students’ mental and emotional well-being. These services include academic advising, career counseling, and personal counseling.
Verify the school provides appropriate special education services if your child has special needs.These services include individualized education plans (IEPs) and accommodations for different learning abilities.
Legacy Online School provides comprehensive college preparation. Students take Advanced Placement (AP) courses, Honor/Credit classes, and the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP). Dual Enrollment or Concurrent Enrollment Programs are available for students.
Legacy Online School provides STEM Diploma Endorsement and support from an Advisory Council. This support allows students to succeed in their college preparation.
Technology Requirements
Confirm your home technology meets the school’s requirements for online learning platforms, software, and internet connectivity.
Cost
Check the tuition fees and understand what they cover. Some schools include books, materials, and technology fees, while others charge extra. Look for any additional fees. These include enrollment fees, exam fees, or fees for extracurricular activities.
Explore if the school offers financial aid, scholarships, or payment plans to help manage costs. Understand the school’s refund policy in case you decide to withdraw your child.
Legacy Online School offers various tuition plans. These plans include group learning, self-paced learning, and one-on-one live teaching. Prices start from $149 per month. Discounts are available for annual payments.
Reputation and Reviews
Research the school’s reputation in the education community. Check for awards, recognitions, or partnerships with well-known organizations.
Read reviews from parents and students with experience at the school. Focus on what they say about the quality of education, teacher interaction, and overall satisfaction.
Students worldwide are happy with the online education from Legacy Online School. Check their reviews on the school’s website.
Social Interaction
Check if the school offers virtual clubs and extracurricular activities. These activities provide opportunities for students to connect with peers who share similar interests. Look for programs including group projects or collaborative assignments. Check what communication tools are available for students to stay in touch with each other. Tools like chat rooms, video calls, and social media groups enhance social interaction.
Legacy Online School offers students extracurricular activities, clubs, and career and college counseling. Legacy Online School has clubs like Coding, STEM, Art, and Language and Culture. Legacy Online School provides Advanced Placement (AP)
Assessment and Accountability
Check if the school conducts regular assessments. These assessments include quizzes, tests, and assignments. Regular assessments help track student progress.
Look for schools providing timely and constructive feedback. Feedback helps students understand their strengths and identify areas for improvement.
Understand the school’s grading system. Ensure the school provides progress reports.
These keep parents informed about their child’s performance. Progress reports help monitor academic progress and identify any issues early on.
How to Evaluate K-12 Online Schools?
Parents need to know what students want from learning and their unique traits.
Understanding the students’ traits and goals helps them better evaluate schools. We will explore five ways to evaluate K-12 online schools.
Talk to Other Parents and Students
Reach out to parents to learn about their experiences with the school. Ask about the quality of education, communication with teachers, and how well the school supports their child’s learning. Speak with students to get their firsthand account of daily life in the online school. Ask about the teaching methods, the workload, and how engaging the courses are.
You can connect with parents and students through online forums and social media groups. Use Reddit to find parents who can share information about the school. Use Facebook to find students from the school you’re interested in.
Read reviews
Look for feedback on the quality of instruction. Consider overall student satisfaction, the school’s technology, and challenges they face. Check multiple sources for reviews, such as the school’s website, independent educational review sites, social media, and forums.
Do Research and Go Beyond Rankings
Investigate the school’s reputation by reading reviews from parents, students, and educators. Check if the school has awards or recognition from reputable educational organizations.
Research the school’s success rate by looking at graduation rates, college admission rates, and standardized test scores. These metrics show how well the school prepares students for the next stage. Visit the school’s website for official statistics and reports. Check independent educational websites and forums. Contact the school to ask for detailed information.
Schedule a Visit
Many online schools offer virtual tours of their platform and resources. Use this opportunity to understand how the school operates. Online tour helps you see the program, tools, and other important things for your child.
Trust Your Gut
Notice your first reaction when dealing with the school’s website, staff, and learning platform. Consider how comfortable you feel with the school’s approach, communication style, and environment. Don’t ignore your concerns, even if everything looks good on paper. Parents and students need to rethink or ask more questions if something feels off.
Tools and resources
Here are two tools to help you pick the right K-12 online school:
- GreatSchools. This tool provides ratings and reviews for schools. You can compare online schools based on test scores and parent reviews.
- Niche. This tool offers school profiles, rankings, and reviews to compare schools.
Conclusion
K-12 online schools became more popular. Many parents and students choose them for the benefits online schools offer. We review the pros, cons, and key factors to help parents and students find the best online school. Parents and students look at eleven factors when picking an online school. Checking these factors help them find the best school for the child.
