Thousands of K-12 students in Michigan never set foot on campus as they take all their classes online via two virtual charter schools. However, some new policy briefs give virtual charter schools overall a failing grade. Researchers with the National Education Policy Center found that students at the virtual schools complete their courses less often, and have lower scores on standardized tests, compared to kids in brick-and-mortar schools. Professor Michael Barbour of Touro University, a co-author of the research, blames the for-profit model of these online charter schools.
“Unfortunately, what we find is that decisions made about the instructional environment aren’t made based upon instructional design, or what’s in the best interest of the kids. They’re made based upon what is the most cost-efficient way of doing this.”
Michigan law allows for two virtual schools, and they’re run by the private companies K-12, Inc, and Pearson Education. The companies say they comply with all regulations and provide an important option for students who don’t thrive in a traditional school environment.
