Reasons to Join Online School

With everything that’s been going on with schools during the pandemic that past couple of years, you may be considering options outside of the classic neighborhood brick-and-mortar school. Although cyber school may seem a bit different than the school that you went to growing up, there are many reasons to join online school. In this article, we will take you through some of the top reasons to join online school.

Top Reasons to Join Online School

Setting Your Own School Schedule
Flexibility
Fewer Distractions from Learning
Find a School that can Meet Specific Needs
More Time with Teachers
Parental Involvement

Setting Your Own School Schedule

Many children have busy schedules. They might have an after-school job. Or, maybe they play sports, play an instrument in band, participate in a club, volunteer after school, or have a younger sibling they have to look after. Sometimes it can be nice having a schedule that is set. But being in school every day for a solid six hours straight plus transportation time can be a lot. If your child has a doctor’s appointment or a family matter that comes up, that means that they’re missing school and have to find a way to catch up. That is, unless they go to a PA cyber school that gives them the ability to set their own school schedule.

Letting your child sleep in and start school a little later may seem counterproductive if you’re trying to prepare them for the 9 to 5 workday they’ll face in adulthood. But full-time 9 to 5 jobs aren’t as abundant as they used to be. Many people work remotely nowadays, and the freelance work market has really exploded over the past few years. Therefore, having a flexible school schedule may help prepare your child for the working world of the future. Depending on your child’s age, they may not be getting enough sleep. If they’re allowed to sleep more, they’ll be well-rested for school and more attentive and focused.

Flexibility

Flexibility is one of the top reasons to join online school. In the traditional school, there is a rigid schedule that is broken up by a series of bells throughout the day. Is there any other part of your child’s life when they’ll have to adhere to a bell schedule like this? Most likely not.

Children are given a little more responsibility when they’re able to move from one class to another at their own pace. Additionally, this allows them to spend more time on the subjects they have a harder time with. Maybe your child is a math whizz that struggles a bit with history lessons. If an online school offers a flexible schedule with asynchronous learning, your child will be allowed to put some more time and effort into history lessons and advance in that subject. Plus, they won’t have to worry about falling behind or getting too far ahead of the other students in their class. They can work at their own pace.

Fewer Distractions from Learning

There are a lot of different distractions in the brick-and-mortar classroom. It might be gossip, social anxiety, or a school bully. Or, maybe it’s just someone who keeps whispering to their friend in the corner of the room. It could even be the school announcements or hallway bell that becomes a distraction from learning. When you set up a virtual classroom at home, your child won’t have to deal with any of this. This way, they can focus in on their studies.

On the other hand, you might be worried about socialization opportunities in online school. Some of the top PA cyber schools actually offer a lot of different opportunities for children to socialize. It might be a school club, a class field trip, or an event in the community.

Find a School that can Meet Specific Needs

Nowadays, there are a lot of different options for schooling. You can look outside of the neighborhood schoolhouse to find a school that aligns with your child’s needs and interests. Traditional public schools receive government funding, so there are stricter rules, regulations, and curriculums that they have to follow. Most likely, they’ll focus on the core subjects and maybe have a couple of other offerings. Meanwhile, a private school or online charter has a little more flexibility, allowing them to offer more courses and meet specific needs.

Maybe your child has an IEP that can be addressed better at another school they can attend online. And if your child has an interest in the arts, they can join a performing arts school. If your gifted child is bored in the classroom, maybe they can join an advanced program at another school. And maybe your child has an interest in tech. Online education allows students to start developing their technical skills at an earlier age than many adults did. On the other hand, you may be worried about the amount of screen time that online learning requires. Many of the best cyber schools give students breaks from screen time. That may include hands-on assignments or just a break from classes to get out in the fresh air.

More Time with Teachers

In a full physical classroom, students may struggle to get one-on-one time with their teacher. They have to compete with students that are louder or are maybe just sitting in the front row of class. Online learning levels the playing field here. Students can discuss assignments in an online forum or chat with their teacher directly whenever they need to. Meanwhile, in a physical school, you get a teacher for a 45-minute period, and then they’re gone for the rest of the day, teaching their other classes.

Parental Involvement

Another reason to have your child join online school is to get more involved yourself. You might become a learning coach for your child, or maybe you’ll just be there to help out with assignments or offer encouragement. Whatever the case is, you’ll have a better sense of what your child is learning in school. We hope that this list of reasons to join online school is helpful in your decision process.

Public Vs Private K-12 Schools

If you have a young child that will be heading to school next year, or you’re thinking about exploring some different educational options — you may be weighing the pros and cons of public vs private K-12 schools. How do they compare to each other? Is one of them better than the other? What kind of school is right for my child? Here, we will cover some of the main differences between private and public schools. This will help you in your journey to find the best school for your child’s needs.

Public Vs Private K-12 Schools Comparison

School Enrollment and Admissions

Public schools are mandated by law to accept all children. If you’re enrolling your child in your neighborhood school, you’ll probably just have to fill out a few forms and show proof of your address being within their district. If you decide to choose a different public school, it can be a little more complicated. Depending on where you’re enrolling, you may have to enter a lottery to gain admission. Or, admission may be based on student GPAs.

Private schools can be more selective than public schools. They don’t have to accept everyone, so their application process may be a bit more in-depth. And if it’s a performing arts school, your child may even have to do an audition.

Public Vs Private School Teachers

Frequently, newer teachers are found in private schools. Meanwhile, more experienced teachers look for jobs in public schools because these teaching jobs usually come with better pay. Also, all public school teachers are usually state certified or at least working towards their teaching certificate. Many public school teachers even have graduate degrees. Private school teachers may not be required to get certification as long as they have expertise and a degree in the subject they teach in school.

The Cost of Public Vs Private Schools

One of the main differences between public vs private K-12 schools is the cost of them. For the most part, the cost of public schools are covered by federal, local, and state taxes. Meanwhile, private schools have to fund themselves through fundraising efforts, grants, and tuition. And they can cost anywhere from $6,000 to $30,000. But there are private schools that have tuition assistance and monthly payment plans.

Class Sizes

Generally speaking, private schools usually are smaller schools that have smaller classes than public schools. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, back in 2015, on average, private schools had 166 students while public schools had 526 students. As students advance into public middle school and high school, class sizes usually get bigger.

School Transportation

Public schools have to provide bus transportation to all students in the school’s designated residential area. Depending on what private school you’re looking at, they may or may not provide transportation.

School Curriculum

When it comes to school curriculums, public schools usually have strict guidelines, regulations, and budgets they have to stick to. So, they’re more likely to focus in on the core subjects than private schools are. Because they don’t receive any tax revenues, private schools have a bit more flexibility. If your child has an interest in art, acting, or music — a private school might be the right fit for them. Some private schools choose to be highly specialized in certain areas. And some private schools have religious associations. It’s all about finding a school that’s right for your family.

Another Option to Consider

But when you’re choosing a school, don’t forget about magnet schools, online schools, and charter schools. You may even find that some of the best cyber schools in PA offer the benefits of private and public schools without their downsides. If it is an online charter school, that means that they provide tuition-free education. The school will have to adhere to the same testing, but they won’t have to stick to a physical public school curriculum. And your child will get some flexibility in their schedule and learning style, administered by a top-quality teacher. With cyber school, you’ll never have to worry about school transportation again. That means there will be less time driving around every day and more time learning. It’s easier for a child to fit school into a busy schedule filled with sports, activities, music lessons, doctor’s appointments, etc. In this article, we discuss some of the top reasons to join online school.