Why Online School Felt Like the Answer
In the last few years, I’ve been in three separate online schools. I am happy to share my experience and hope it can give clarity to someone who is thinking or wondering how it would work for their family.
After public school, I considered online school as an option, but I didn’t know it was widely available. I thought it was a substitute while kids were learning virtually because of COVID. It turned out to be a great thing for some kids, and states made it available and accessible to parents.
Online school felt like a middle ground. It had everything I needed to support me as I navigated thoughts about homeschooling.
Difference Between Online School and Virtual Learning
Now, online school and virtual learning are often used interchangeably, but they are quite different.
Online school is where your child is in a structured, officially enrolled program. This replaces physical school altogether. There are:
- Set curriculum
- Certified teachers lead instruction
- Parent or guardian is a full-time learning coach
- Attendance and grades are tracked
- Mostly full-time
Virtual learning is a broader term that doesn’t define the structure. This can include:
- Zoom classes during temporary school closures
- Hybrid learning (part-time at school and at home)
- Supplemental online programs
- Homeschool programs that use a digital curriculum
When searching for an online program, it is very important to distinguish whether you want a hybrid, full-time, or supplemental program. All programs have different time commitments, so you can choose what would work best and not cause burnout.
Online Private School vs. Online Public School
When I started researching online schools for the first time, I thought they all came with a fee. To my surprise, some states offer this as a free public school. A few states still tend to offer online school as a private school option, where you have to pay a tuition fee. We tried both!
All online school options offered in-person activities and trips, which was a plus!
States Where We Tried Online School
Maryland was the first state I tried, and they only offered the online private option. I was hesitant, but also nervous about homeschooling, so I went for it. There were a few things I loved about this school. They were strictly about getting the work done by the end of the semester. We had a teacher meeting once a week to check in. The rest of the week consisted of shifting through lessons while finishing the work we may have missed.
I think this option is best for parents who can afford the tuition but also don’t need as much teacher interaction. I honestly believe they were more lenient because of the tuition fee and wanted to make sure the parents were happy with the results.
Florida was the next state where I enrolled my daughter in online school. This time, it was FREE! We were excited to save money while also having her attend online. This online option was part of the school district. The online expectations were higher than the private online option. We were doing teacher check-ins about two to three times a week. One was to check in on how we were doing, and the other two were actual class lessons, which I loved.
It was a great interaction for my daughter to connect with other students. The coursework was more than a private online school, but it was still very manageable.
Washington state was the third and final state where we experienced online public school. Not to sound dramatic, but this state completely turned me off from online school. I was promised a partnership with the online teachers, but instead was faced with overstepping, multiple class changes that ruined our home schedule, and a chaotic structure.
Our first week online, the teacher called my phone one morning just to talk to my daughter. This threw me way off, and I knew this may have been a mistake. We felt like we were being watched all the time, and honestly, I felt like the school district thought they had more parental rights over my child than I did.
The classes consisted of racial teachings, even outside of Social Studies. There was one reading for Language Arts that mentioned a ten-year-old who was thrown in jail for being Black in a white playground. WHY??? I couldn’t understand; there are millions of readings they could have chosen, but this was what they thought was appropriate for a 5th grader. I complained to the school, was able to opt out of those readings and classes, and took over most of the readings after that.
The layoff we experienced, the threat of Washington State canceling online school, and the constant teachings of “you are the victim” were enough to remove our daughter from classes permanently.
Different Rules and Regulations Per State
When I speak about what was being taught in Washington State, this is not the case in all states. Some states may have different regulations and rules, such as not allowing online school altogether, funding rules, and teacher certification and curriculum standards.
If you are considering looking into your state’s online public school requirements, visit the Connections Academy site here.
The Benefits, Struggles, and What Surprised Me Most
Online school came with some great benefits! Learning from home, with clear expectations, and with certified teachers who created the curriculum. Some struggles that my daughter faced included screen fatigue. Some assignments would last as long as 3 hours. It was draining.
Tech support was a pain! Every few days, we would have outages, fewer organic connections, and for Washington State, a rigid-paced schedule disguised as flexibility.
What surprised my family the most was the expectation to come into a building to do testing and the vast differences in each state’s school policy.
Who Online School Works Best For
Although online public school didn’t work out for us, it does work best for independent learners and families who like schedules but also don’t mind a little flexibility, like taking a family vacation. It is also great for parents wanting more oversight into what their child is learning.
There’s so much to learn as a parent while attending online public school. You are your child’s main source of help. You are essentially the teacher’s assistant. This learning experience helped me segue my way into homeschooling with confidence.
Why We Didn’t Stay
Online school was great for the moments we chose it. The timing was great, and I wouldn’t change anything about our experience. This gave us so much insight into what I actually wanted and didn’t want for my daughter’s education.
In the end, I chose to end online public school because of the teachings I didn’t agree with and because homeschooling offers the flexibility I actually desire.
Whether you choose public, home, or online school, the choice is yours, and you should be proud of it. If you desire a change, there are so many helpful resources that can guide you along your journey.
From One Mama to Another
“You don’t have to stick with a decision just because you made it. You can pivot.”
Winging it Dishes
This week’s dish is another easy meal. Now, I had a little AI help with this one. A friend gave me this idea a while ago. I asked ChatGPT to give me a meal that I can make that includes chicken breast, garlic, butter, and regular kitchen seasonings. We were not disappointed.
Instead of chicken broth, I substituted it with sour cream to make the sauce a little creamier. If you dislike peeling and cutting garlic, like me, go with the frozen crushed garlic here.
We paired this meal with steamed Kale and Baked Sweet Potatoes.
