Full-Time E-Learning Not Seen as Viable Option for Many

I recently spent 3-weeks traveling around the state talking with anyone who would listen about iQ Academy Wisconsin, the virtual charter school through the School District of Waukesha of which I am the Program Manager. One thing I always emphasize with prospective parents is that full-time virtual charter school does not work for every student, just like full-time face to face public school does not work for every student. The critical goal for every parent should be to find an educational program that fits their child's individual needs and abilities.

Now that I'm back in the office and catching up on my reading, I came across this article:
Full-Time E-Learning Not Seen as Viable Option for Many

The author seems to be thinking about virtual school all wrong. She implies that most children will not be successful in a full-time virtual school unless they have a parent at home to help them. While that is certainly true for elementary school students, the level of parental involvement needed for middle and high school students varies widely depending on each individual student. Some students at iQ Academy do just fine with minimal parental involvement.Others need a weekly check in while still others require daily parental supervision.

The author also seems to be caught in the traditional mindset that "school" only takes place during the time when working parents are not home. One of the hallmarks of virtual learning is that it is not bounded by school buildings or traditional school hours. Brick and mortar schools force students to conform to the school's schedule. To a large extent, virtual schools conform to the student's/family's schedule. If a child needs direct parental involvement, they can design their "school time" around the parent's work schedule.

My real issue with the article is that it seems to miss the larger point. Parental involvement in their child's education is important regardless of whether the child attends a virtual school or a traditional school. The level of involvement and the form it takes, whether it be reading to a young child, helping with homework, reviewing an online grade book, attending parent-teacher conferences or home-schooling, is a decision each family has to make for themselves based on each student's individual needs.

Can students be successful at a virtual school if they do not have a parent at home during the day? Of course they can. In my experience, there is no direct correlation between parental involvement and academic achievement. Some students do well with minimal parental involvement, others would benefit from more active parental participation. I suspect the same is true at any school.