This is a sponsored guest post.
As a parent, you want the best education for your kid – in the best possible learning environment. For an increasing number of parents, that means eschewing the traditional classroom and choosing an online high school instead.
Online schools have some undeniable advantages. Because there aren’t set semesters, you can work at your own pace and schedule to finish a course. If your kid needs a full twelve months to complete the course, the option is available; if they decide they can finish it in a few weeks, they can do that too. It’s a method for learning that each student can tailor to their individual needs.
But are all online schools created equally? Unfortunately, no: just like traditional schools, some are better than others.
So how do you choose the right school? Unlike traditional brick-and-mortar schools, you can’t simply pick the closest in geographical proximity. To help you select the perfect online high school for your kid, look for these criteria.
Accreditation
Regional accreditation should be your topmost criteria. Has the school you’re considering been inspected by the local Ministry of Education? Is the school authorized to grant credits toward a high school diploma? If no, it’s best to take your enrollment elsewhere. If yes, that’s a green light to move ahead with the following criteria.
Experienced Teachers
Once you have ascertained a school’s accreditation (which they should make clear on their website), you can take a closer look at their teaching staff. Accreditation ensures that the teachers have degrees in education, but what if you want to learn more about them as individuals? You can always contact the school and ask specific questions or read through online reviews to get a sense of teaching quality.
Support
Because online learning doesn’t stick to a strict 8 am to 3 pm schedule, your kid might find themselves studying late at night and in need of help. A quality online school should offer round-the-clock support – access to unlimited, on-demand tutoring any time of day (or night).
Flexibility
As mentioned, an online high school should be flexible. They should offer a generous amount of time in which to complete a course, as well as the option to complete the course in just a few weeks, if the student is able. That way, your kid can effortlessly integrate their schooling into their busy lives.
Good Reviews
Let’s say you have a school in mind. They are accredited, their teachers seem passionate, their support system seems robust, and they offer flexible courses. The last thing to do is check reviews. This should be easy enough – if an online school is well-reviewed by students and parents, they will feature reviews on their website as a point of pride. Mind you, those reviews are often curated. To get a better sense, look at the online school’s Google reviews, which should paint a clear picture of the level of student (and parent) satisfaction.
If you’re like numerous other parents considering enrolling their kid in an online high school, make sure to do your due diligence and choose the right one. Following the above criteria, you should have no problem finding the perfect school.
