Commentary: School Choice is the Best Option for Students

The COVID-19 outbreak brought on many different challenges for educators, parents and students. This past spring and now, our school districts have done their best to adapt to a new world of remote learning. While great effort is being made to keep students engaged, the distance learning being provided by districts is not equivalent to the digital learning provided by a full-time online school.

While many school districts across the state continue to consider the best and safest way to provide learning opportunities for their students whether it be in person, online or a hybrid approach, many parents are concerned their children are struggling through the ongoing uncertainty.

As the principal of Missouri Connections Academy, a long-time virtual classroom educator and developer of curriculum, I believe in the fundamental notion that every student learns differently and they deserve the opportunity to find the environment that best meets their needs.

How did I come to this understanding? I’ve witnessed the students who attend online public schools and we know the various reasons for enrolling. There are students in athletics, music and the arts at a very high level and their training requires the schedule flexibility that online schools offer. Some of the students are in search of a more rigorous curriculum or are looking to work at their individual pace.

Many students who turn to online schools were unable to successfully thrive in the traditional environment. Many of these students come credit deficient and need help to get back on track. Other students needed to be removed from a situation where they were bullied, felt unsafe or there are too many distractions in a traditional classroom.

Whatever the reason for a student to enroll in an online school or any other alternative to a brick and mortar setting, we know that they were in search of a solution to a situation that was preventing them from succeeding in the classroom.

Students who enroll in online school may seek it as short-term solution and stay until they get things figured out or the problem with their previous school no longer exists. Other students find that online learning is better suited for their needs and they remain enrolled through graduation.

We are here to help students succeed no matter their situation, even if that means they attend our school for a short period of time and can move on and be successful elsewhere, that’s wonderful. The important thing is the student faced a challenge to their academic success and they had options available to help them through a tough period in their schooling.

While many students may have found learning in an online environment challenging, many others found they were able to learn at their own pace, with needed flexibility to manage their own schedule, and with fewer distractions than a traditional learning space.

As schools continue to revise their plans for the remainder of the year, let us take this opportunity to elevate the conversation about the importance of giving families and students the choice to be in the learning environment that best meets their needs.

Lynsie Hunt is the School Leader at Missouri Connections Academy a new public online school that will begin serving students across the state for the 2020-2021 academic year.