| You've no doubt heard all kinds of stories about | | | | work an afternoon shift, OR break up school into |
| Cyber High Schools - that it isn't school, your child | | | | 3 hours in the morning and 2 later on, that works |
| won't learn, there's no social interaction, etc. Cyber | | | | too. Take the bricks and mortar off your thinking |
| High Schools are growing in popularity but because | | | | and realize cyber school and homeschooling give |
| all states are handling this virtual education | | | | you the opportunity to take your kids on a road |
| differently, there isn't a clear description of how | | | | trip AND school with the laptop, cram a lot of |
| cyber high school is handled and delivered. The | | | | school into a few days and then go on a road |
| commonalities in all the programs are that in most | | | | trip...it's finally your choice. |
| cases, the school district will give you a computer | | | | 4) Will my child lose or gain credits? ASK THIS |
| and pay for your internet connection for that | | | | QUESTION OF THE CYBER SCHOOL BEFORE |
| school year and your curriculum is paid for by | | | | YOU MOVE YOUR STUDENT. School districts |
| your home district. So, your child is going to | | | | vary greatly, even in the same community, so |
| school at home and online. Here's where the | | | | have the curriculum director at the cyber school |
| questions come in because most can't understand | | | | check into this to make sure you aren't losing |
| how a child can learn without a physical teacher at | | | | valuable credits. My child took drivers education in |
| the blackboard. Here is a list of the most asked | | | | cyber school, and it wasn't counted at the next |
| questions that may help you decide whether | | | | school she attended. Just be prepared for |
| online school will work for your student. | | | | differences in what each school requires. |
| 1) If my child is really struggling in public school, | | | | 5) Can my child attend after school activities and |
| can I move my son/daughter in the middle of the | | | | participate in sports in our school district? In most |
| school year? Yes, in most cases, cyber charter | | | | cases, yes! Many school districts are very |
| schools have rolling enrollment. Some did that to | | | | cooperative with homeschoolers and if you chose |
| attract enrollment in their first years and are now | | | | the cyber charter school route you could probably |
| full with a waiting list. But don't give up. Some | | | | work out a deal. School districts like |
| may be able to take you anyway, as these | | | | homeschoolers better than cyber schoolers at this |
| schools understand that students and parents | | | | point because homeschoolers aren't costing them |
| coming to them in the middle of the year are | | | | anything. But make the homeschooling coordinator |
| most likely in a bad situation at their home school | | | | at your school district your friend and more than |
| district. | | | | likely your son/daughter can play sports or |
| 2) Will this cost me anything? If your state has | | | | participate in music or theatre. |
| online charter schools listed on their Department | | | | 6) Can I put my child in cyber school for just a |
| of Education website, then most likely you can | | | | year or two? Yes, it's just like enrolling and |
| move your student to a cyber charter school at | | | | moving a child from any school. My child spent 8th |
| no cost to you. They send you a computer and | | | | grade in cyber school and then wanted to go |
| will reimburse you for your internet connection. I | | | | back to regular school. That year she regained |
| actually wanted to use our own computer, and it's | | | | the confidence middle school had beaten out of |
| against their bylaws to do that (has to do with | | | | her, she did well in her subjects and she didn't feel |
| controlling how your child learns). AGAIN, all states | | | | like a school failure anymore. It definitely served |
| are different and grappling with this issue in | | | | her well her freshman year. Please don't hesitate |
| different ways, so the only way to know is to call | | | | to email me if you want to talk about this |
| the cyber or online charter school or distance | | | | because when I was doing it there were few to |
| learning contact at your state's Department of | | | | talk to. My family thought I was crazy ... school on |
| Education. Private, nationwide online schools are | | | | the computer at home??? Which leads to the |
| expensive so research carefully before take the | | | | most important question ... |
| plunge. Your home school district will have to pay | | | | 7) How will my child learn in cyber school? Cyber |
| the tuition for your child to move to a state | | | | schools vary too, just like school districts. The |
| cyber charter school (depending on your state's | | | | good, stable cyber schools are really reaching for |
| cyber charter laws). This makes school districts | | | | the stars with their technology. They have cyber |
| very unhappy as you can imagine. Be prepared | | | | classrooms, with software that allows your child |
| for difficulty with school officials. I've had both | | | | to even virtually "raise their hand" to ask a |
| situations. One district was downright nasty and | | | | question or respond to the teacher. Teachers and |
| still sends us letters saying "you chose to educate | | | | students talk on the phone, email back and forth |
| your child privately" and they aren't | | | | and are in touch actually more than a classroom |
| responsible,(evidently the legal-eze their lawyers | | | | teacher at a brick and mortar school. Some |
| told them to write). Another district was large | | | | classes need textbooks that will be mailed to you, |
| enough that it wasn't even an issue. The best | | | | other classes are completely online. Your child will |
| advice is don't warn them ahead of time and | | | | make powerpoints, type papers and take tests |
| certainly don't ask their advice. It takes students | | | | just like regular school. The difference is your child |
| out of their building, cuts their population and | | | | will be able to work at their own pace, which |
| messes with federal money. Not your problem ... | | | | makes all the difference. |
| do what's right for your child. | | | | 8) Is there social support for my child if I |
| 3) How and when during the day does my child | | | | homeschool? Yes, yes! However, you will have to |
| go to cyber school or do homeschooling? The | | | | find the homeschooling groups in your community |
| answer is simple and almost too good to be true. | | | | and take advantage of all they offer, and that's a |
| On your schedule. Yes, your child shouldn't be | | | | lot. They are highly organized, so much so that |
| home 8 hours a day playing video games and | | | | they've created "schools" where their |
| watching TV and then school at night. That may | | | | homeschoolers can go a few days a week to |
| work for a few but it's not the peak learning time | | | | learn the subjects parents aren't comfortable |
| or environment. But remember, students really | | | | teaching ... science, languages, art, etc. Just in case |
| only need to be in school 5 hours a day. That's | | | | you've missed the news for several years, |
| what they do in brick and mortar schools. It's all | | | | homeschoolers have won the National Spelling Bee |
| the passing to classes, lunch, bus time, etc. that | | | | many years in a row. One on one education |
| creates a long day. In most states it's 5 hours a | | | | serves many kids very well and homeschooling |
| day for elementary and 5.5 for high schoolers. So | | | | has been bad mouthed for so many years, that |
| if you can do the 5 hours from 8 to 1 and then | | | | their superb education gets lost in the rhetoric. |