Digital Smarts - Critics Question the Quality of Virtual Schools

More and more K-12 school districts are moving towards an online component of schooling for students, including programs for accelerated students, for those at-risk, or for those who need to make up credits to graduate on time. Despite the popularity, questions continue to arise about the lack of consistency and quality of these programs. If your child is being offered this option, you may want to read the National Public Radio Blog entry on the subject entitled Virtual Schools Bring Real Concerns About Quality. Some of the online programs are doing a good job, but an independent report found last year that two-thirds are rated academically "unacceptable”, with graduation rates less than half the average of all public schools. As a parent, investigating the quality of the program your child is being offered is a smart idea before signing up.