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Wow, the number of virtual school enrollment was quite an explosion in a ten-year time span; with a number of 200,000. A lot of this, I believe,, would be that we have come such a long way in technology. Kids at an earlier age all the time are learning how to do gaming, set up Facebook accounts, etc. Most kids even have cell phones at an early age now a days. Virtual schools are becoming increasingly popular also because of the accessibility of our home computers. Flexibility and convenience of being able to set our own learning schedules. Some of these reasons might be why virtual schools lag behind traditional brick-and-mortar schools. Students need to be taught time management and how to be responsible students; this may be hard if they are not in an actual classroom where teachers teach these things. I can see a problem with virtual classroom students that are SpEd or ESL, having problems due to there not being one-on-one contact for the help they need. One advantage I can see though with the virtual classroom is that with the fewer number of college students majoring in education decreasing each year; virtual classroom schools don't need the number of teachers that is required in traditional schools. Also with budget cuts schools face now a days, virtual classrooms may be the way to go.

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I think the popularity of virtual schools has skyrocketed due to their convenience. The virtual school allows a student to complete work on their own time and allows for a more flexible schedule. I also believe sometimes it is used as a bullying prevention measure. If a student goes to school at home, they wouldn't have to face ridicule from peers they may normally receive at school. I think the performance of virtual schools is more poor because there is no physical teacher encouraging the child to stay on task or turn their work in. More responsibility lies on the students' shoulders in a virtual classroom and I believe that most adolescents are not mature enough to take on that responsibility.

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The first graph shows the enrollment rates of virtual schools while the second one shows how performances ranks between virtual and traditional schools. I think that enrollment rates has gone up because of the accessibility the students has due to technology advances.  The use of virtual schools helps meets the convenience that some want in their daily lives. I also look at the virtual schools a way for students who cannot attend class in person allow them to get an education. The way the two compares in the state standards is disturbing. Students who takes virtual class might not being doing everything they need to do to gain the knowledge they need to pass the standards. I also look at the gap as a reason how students learn. Some students learn better when they hear the material and it is put to use right away.

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That is crazy to see from 2000-2012 the number on students learning online went to 10,00 to 200,00 students. If I am reading the second graph correctly, it looks like that online learning is 71.9% academically unacceptable. Thinking of my own classroom, everyone is going online. But if students were given the freedom to work at their own pace and where they want to, I cannot see most of them being successful. Third graders still need direction, responsibility, and academic obedience.

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First of all, with anything, there is a learning curve. Have we given enough time to get over the adjustment of learning via a new method? Not only are we learning differently, but we also have to adjust to the setting. Secondly, if virtual schools increase critical thinking skills, is it also working for basic skills that are on state testing? Does it work for math? Do students get hands-on for science labs? Etc.
Something else to consider - who, exactly, is enrolling in virtual programs? Is it the top 25% of students? Is it students who also work full time and have a difficult life outside of school? Are we considering external factors when we look at this data?
Our lives get faster, and we continue to look for ways to decrease the time we spend doing useless activities (such as commuting), but as we do that, we increase our distractions (do I cook breakfast or do homework).

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There are many reasons why virtual schools have grown.  Lack of funding is a major one.  Traditional schools have budgets problems.  There is less money to go around and politicians are still cutting.  I feel this is a societal problem.  We are spending more on things that kill people and less on education.  But that is another discussion.  Virtual classrooms cost less than traditional classrooms.  Another issue is lack of teachers.  If there are not enough teachers for all the classrooms than something has got to give.  Also, kids are generally looking for the easy way out.  If you tell a teenager that they have to go to school all day or they can sit on the couch and take classes online most will choose the easier route.  I have been and traditional student and an online student.  I can say with confidence that I would not have been capable of being an online student when I was young.  I was not responsible enough.

There are also things that kids learn in school that are not part of the curriculum.  Children develop social skills by interacting with other students and teachers.  If they are in a virtual classroom those interactions are at the very least different and may not happen at all.  Also, teachers do more than just give students information about a subject.  They help students develop into good, productive people and some of that is lost online.

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I think that virtual schools still have a huge increase even though they haven't necessarily been the most successful is because they are convenient for some families. If you don't like the school in the district you are living in it is much easier to join one of the virtual schools, then to move your whole family to a different school district. Another factor could be that they are still new and fresh. People are more willing to try out new things even if they don't have the success rate because they might be more successful as time goes on.

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I'm afraid I just don't know enough about virtual schools to give much of an opinion on this. Yes, we have a huge explosion on virtual schools, online trainings and online schooling because it is accessible to a LOT of people and a lot of different situations students are facing. With technology being as prevalent as it is, virtual schools are a lot easier to deal with technically. I really had no idea that virtual schools were so far behind academically and behind in graduation rates. Obviously, something isn't working with this design. Whether it's group work or participation and the exchange of information, or not enough hands-on work, or something else entirely, obviously students in K-12 who are attending virtual schools are missing something.

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I think the biggest correlation I can make it that online enrollment is growing, so the students who are leaving traditional brick and mortar schools are coming from different backgrounds. The performance ratings will decrease because it may take time to "standardize" the skills and knowledge base that the students brought to the table. Yes we have common core across the United States, but students come with different backgrounds, and may take time to make up for skills that were missed in traditional classes, but teachers had to move on because of time constraints.

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I think the problem lies in the testing - I have never been a fan of these standardized tests and believe when they were implemented is where our troubles began.  Teachers have to teach to the test instead of actually preparing students for life outside of a classroom.  Maybe it is time to get rid of the tests - or at the very least revamp them to fit today's learner.
Kari

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Based on the numbers it is evident that there is a need for eLearning schools. Students find online classes more accessible because they can do it in their home, on their time, in their PJs. It is easier for many people than going to a mandated class. But these schools for K-12 are failing because students haven't learned how to retain the knowledge. Without going through traditional schooling, I do not think I would have learned how to study and manage my time in order to be successful in an eLearning environment. It is interesting that this is the way schooling wants to go.

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I feel like one of the main reasons why virtual schools have grown so much in attendance is due to the accessibility. I have been able to obtain my Teaching Certificate and now working on my Masters through UNK and haven't even stepped foot on campus. This means I am able to work full time and be able to be home when needed with my children. If I were to go to a Brick and Mortar school, I would not be able to work full time and therefore wouldn't be able to go to school. Academics it may not be as high due to the lack of face to face communication with your professor and classmates. You gain a lot from communication, and I feel face to face is much better than email.

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It is clear from these figures, virtual schools have significant problems in regards to state performance standards. However, I think it is clear that there is certainly a reason why this virtual school design continues to see use in modern education. I believe, as with most things in modern education, cost drives the necessity for change. It is clear that the increased cost of running and operating an entire school building affects the decisions of administrators everywhere. Quite simply, this means that though virtual schools perform poorly, cost drives the necessity for them.

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Technology is much of our future and has seen a huge jump in availability, possibilities, and integration into education, especially virtual schools. The explosion of virtual schools in recent years is a result of new technology, applications, and experiences. Students can now learn from anywhere in the world and on the go. They are no longer confined to a typical school day and physical location which allows them to learn in an environment that is more supportive to their strengths and/or needs. Virtual schools, and technology in general, is now seen as our future. Many people are eager to embrace and try these new opportunities as new findings, data, and programs arise. However, they are still fairly new. The kinks have not been completely worked out, nor is a virtual school right for every learner. Students at traditional schools are still out performing those in a virtual school because traditional schools have be run, operated, reformed, and have quality systems in place. In addition, children in traditional schools are likely to get their needs met, be that more advanced work, ESOL or SpEd support, intervention, differentiated instruction, academic discourse with peers, social interactions, clubs, sports, face-to-face collaboration, and so much more.

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In the past, when I thought of virtual schools, I saw them as an option for children/teens that could not attend a traditional school due to some physical, emotional or religious reason.  Now, it seems, virtual schools are rapidly increasing in popularity, but not because of any reason not to attend a brick-and-mortar school, but simply because of convenience.
We live in a society that has become so accustomed to technology and convenience that we often place value in that above all else.  Immediate gratification is now expected.
While I love technology and understand that it has a significant place in my life, I am glad that I grew up learning the importance of social interaction, teamwork, and face to face collaboration.
I hope at some point, that we will find a way to realize that the most convenient education is not always a quality education. Or...we need a system in place to insure that our virtual schools can step up their game, and compete academically with the education that traditional students receive.

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The first graph shows that enrollment in virtual schools is increasing tremendously. However, it also shows that these children are learning significantly less than their peers in a face-to-face learning environment. My immediate thought with parents allowing their students to enroll in virtual schools is due to peer issues, such as bullying and the like. I also thought about those who physically can't go to a school building. These individuals include those who are home-bound or hospital-bound for medical reasons, or those who may have extreme levels of anxiety and can't handle large groups of people.

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The first graph shows that enrolling in a virtual school is convenient for many people and the enrollment numbers keep going up. You can learn all the same materials as being in a high school, but from your own home. Virtual schools are trending right now. I think that today’s society is all about what is convenient for them. In a virtual school, you don’t have to worry about getting ready, driving to school, or any of the hustle and bustle that goes along with going to a physical school. A virtual classroom gives you the freedom to do other things between classes and homework throughout your day. The results shown in the second graph show the lack of state performance ratings in these virtual schools. With these results, it is shocking to see that the number of students in virtual schools is continuing to rise. Even though virtual schools are lacking behind brick-and-mortar schools, I think most people are wanting to go with the easy route. The virtual school is more flexible and that goes back to people wanting convenience, even if it isn’t necessarily the best choice.

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In recent years, there has been an explosion of virtual schools for many reasons. One of the reasons, I believe it has taken off is because of the accessibility. When attending an online school, one does need technology such as internet and a device to access their schooling. However, it's so accessible because without even leaving the house one can complete online classes. Another reason I think it has exploded is because of the generation that we are servicing. Our students are growing up in a society where cell phones at an early age are common, as well as, interacting online such as youtube channels and social media applications. They know, like, and use technology quicker and faster than most. Lastly, with virtual schools, the value of education can be lost. Are graduation rates and performance rankings of enough value? Is there another way to measure performance of all schools virtual or not? Education has become more like a check the box or cross off the to-do list instead of creating lifelong learners who RETAIN knowledge. Despite the significant difference in performance, virtual schools continue to grow.