From Chalkboards to Laptops

Knowing Your Options

A mere forty years ago, an accredited online high school was beyond the scope of anyone’s wildest imagination. That’s because parents essentially had three choices regarding educational tracks for their children: public school, private school, or home school. Today, that is not the case. Technological advancements have empowered parents to become advocates for their child’s education. They can pick the school, the format, the price, what they are learning, who they are learning it from, and the list continues. Some might even say we are in an age of a la carte education. These countless online educational alternatives can make choosing the correct path overwhelming. After all, every flashy pitch claims to cater to the needs of each individual student. What parents wouldn’t want this? Unfortunately, not all advertisements promising a quality online education are delivering. Therefore, it is imperative that parents and prospective students do their research before committing to a specific school.

Similarities in Virtual Education

When it comes to selecting the best fit, it is important to consider what sets certain schools apart from others. Obviously, all online high schools provide flexible scheduling, almost all schools are primarily module-based with an assigned instructor who is responsible for grading the student work, and for the most part, they all offer a wide range of courses that students would not typically have access to at a brick and mortar school. Therefore, it is important to avoid being swayed by pitches that promote these qualities, as these are not qualities that set one school apart from another.

Defining Factors

Instead, it is important to look for factors that make one school more reputable than another such as the issue of accreditation, which should be of utmost importance. Only a handful of online high schools are actually accredited at the national, regional, or even state level. If a school is an accredited online high school, it means students can be assured they are receiving a quality education that is honored by the state. Most importantly, if an online school is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, it means the credits and courses successfully completed are recognized by universities. Another important consideration parents will need to take into account is the diversity and rigor of the curriculum offered. Does the school offer remediation courses, ACT/SAT tutoring, AP courses in specific content areas such as advanced languages, maths, and sciences? A well-rounded curriculum speaks volumes about the values of the school. However, the curriculum is only as good as the instructors teaching it, which is why it is equally important to know the faculty to determine if the instructors are highly qualified experts in their specific content areas with certified degrees. Above all, being knowledgeable is the first step in ensuring that your child is receiving a quality education.

The author is an online teacher and has been using the Internet as a medium of education since the past decade. The author has also taught in a premier accredited online high school and has helped many students to get their high school diplomas.