Top 5 Myths About Online Schools

K12Thank you to K12 for sponsoring this post and offering high quality, tuition-free online education for Kansas kids and families!

There are many great reasons why families choose online schools for their kindergarten through 12th grade students – and in Kansas alone, thousands of children are receiving the  highest quality education from the privacy of their own home through virtual schooling! Across the nation, K12 partners with the finest public schools and has become the leading online learning provider of tuition-free solutions for students and school districts. In Kansas, Kansas Virtual Academy, Insight School of Kansas and Lawrence Virtual School are available to K-12 students statewide. K12 also offers Early Learning Programs and a complete selection of online private schools. Still, to those uncertain about the benefits of an online education, there are sometimes myths, questions and hesitations. Let’s dispel those today!

MYTH #1: Students spend all day staring at a computer and don’t interact with people.

REALITY:  Only about 30 percent of K–8 lessons are strictly online. The percentage is higher for high school. K12 curriculum relies on printed and/or hands-on materials, particularly in early grades. And, of course, students interact with their teachers, their fellow students in online class sessions and clubs, as well as their Learning Coach (usually a parent).

MYTH #2: Students who attend online schools lack social skills.

REALITY:  Students in K12 online schools are very social! They participate in academic and social outings and activities including online clubs, spelling bees, science fairs, trips to museums, skate parks and zoos, and much more. Many students are also involved in social, church, sporting and community activities as well.

MYTH #3:  Online schools don’t have to meet the same requirements as brick-and-mortar schools.

REALITY:  Actually, they do. Our curriculum was developed by experts to meet or exceed states’  academic standards, and all of our students are expected to spend time each day engaged in schoolwork. Students also take standardized tests mandated by the state, just like students in brick-and-mortar schools. Students who graduate from our fully accredited full-time public or private K12 partner schools receive a U.S. diploma that’s accepted at universities in the U.S. and around the world.

MYTH #4:  Attending a school online is not challenging enough.

REALITY: We have never heard the complaint that our programs are too easy! K12 schooling is rigorous and appropriately challenging. Your child will spend 4 to 6 hours per day on coursework and assignments in grades K–8, and 5 to 7 hours per day in high school. Parents (or Learning Coaches) of students in grades K–8 can expect to spend significant time each day supporting their child’s education. By high school, a parent’s role shifts to the important tasks of mentoring, support, attendance reporting, and progress verification. At all levels, however, K12 makes the process of online schooling easy for the Learning Coach by providing a recommended schedule, state-certified teacher support, and all the required materials.

MYTH #5 Students who graduate from online schools can’t get into a good college.

REALITY:  How about Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, UC Berkeley … the list goes on. Fact is, K12 graduates have gone to hundreds of institutions of higher learning: from Ivy League schools to the best Kansas state universities, from specialized schools of the arts such as Juilliard to demanding vocational programs that meet their needs. One thing we consistently hear from our graduates is how well prepared they feel for higher learning. Why? Because K12 programs are rigorous, challenging, require independence and critical thinking and good time management, and offer students advantages such as college and career readiness and advanced placement courses.

Ready to learn more? K12’s Kansas Virtual Academy (Kindergarten – 6th) and Insight School of Kansas (7th – 12th) will be hosting free online and in-person information sessions, and can be found showcasing our curriculum at many community events, now and throughout the summer. Visit the Kansas Virtual Academy Calendar or the Insight School Kansas Calendar for more details on these events .  Or, you can call our enrollment center at 866-968-7512. At K12, we recognize that each student is uniquely brilliant. Learn how an online education powered by K12 can maximize your student’s potential!

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