Finding the best high schools to go to in your city can be a challenge, as every school offers something different, and not all schools are the right fit for some students. If you have a teenager in need of more flexible learning opportunities, you may not find that at traditional high schools near you. Luckily, high school options have improved to include more ways to graduate, including the opportunity to earn high school health credit online.
Thanks to the rise in high school learning websites, students can make the most of high school sign up options online, giving them more information about all the possibilities. This way, you and your family can make an educated decision on what’s best for your high schooler and what learning environment will give them the best chances for success.
Are you looking for a non-traditional high school option for your teenager? Have you considered a blended, or hybrid, school program? These accredited programs provide a self-paced, online learning environment that has shown demonstrable results for students that may not be thriving in traditional high school settings.
Given that today’s teenagers are even more tech savvy, they tend to possess the skill set to succeed using online platforms. Since many teenagers may need or choose to work while attending school, alternative high schools provide a much-needed and welcome option. Furthermore, online education can also provide a vehicle for students to advance even further in their studies, which is particularly important for college-bound seniors.
Since the teacher-to-student ratio at most public and private schools is 1:25, or in some cases, 1:30 or more, many high school students are not receiving the level of attention they need. Blended schools, however, offer personalized learning so that students are able to receive the attention they need at the required level. As a result, they are able to work at their own pace and advance to the next level when they are ready to do so.
The results of aBlackboard K-12 study are reported in “2013 Trends in Online Learning.” According to 59% of the teachers participating in this study, their students were more motivated to learn when participating within a blended learning environment.
Parents were also asked to participate in the “2013 Trends in Online Learning” survey. It was beneficial for their children to be able to work at their ow pace for 62% of these parents.
Additional feedback on the benefits of online education is available through a survey conducted by Global Shapers. Online education was considered to be as effective as traditional classroom learning for 40.5% of the respondents. Another survey was conducted by Learning in the 21st Century, where It was found that 76% of the participants believed blended learning was beneficial for students.
Throughout the 2013 to 2014 academic school year, there were 33 states with full-time virtual schools and 16 states with blended schools. A total of 447 full-time virtual schools served almost 262,000 students during this academic year, and 87 blended schools served 26,155 students.
The number of students opting for virtual and/or blended school programs is expected to increase. By the year 2019, Harvard Business School Professor, Clayton Christensen, predicts that half of all kindergarten through 12th grade classes will by taught online.
Whether you’re searching for blended schools or full-time virtual high schools, it’s important to consider the potential benefits of these alternative learning situations. Once you and your high schooler have explored the curriculum, it’s likely you will both choose the personalized, self-paced option.