As school districts across the country have laid off teachers, central office staff, closed school, and increased classroom size, cyber schools have been growing at rapid rate. Currently there are 250,000 students enrolled in cyber schools across the country and the enrollment is growing. However, one of the areas cyber schools are growing the most is in low income school districts[i].
The first question that must be asked is a cyber school a viable option for low income public school students? For low income students who are unable to attend school because they are medically fragile and unable to attend school, a cyber school would be a viable option because it would allow them to work and not over exerting their system. For low income students who are gifted and their school does not have a gifted program, a cyber school may be viable option allowing the student to work on more advance work. However, for most low income students, specifically those who struggle with the academic content have sporadic attendance, or behavioral problems, cyber schools are targeting these students.
The largest cyber school company, K12 has been moving into low income neighborhoods across the country. K12 was founded by conservative educator William Bennett, and a group of former business moguls. Cyber schools provide instruction by teachers who communicate with students via the e-mail, the internet or by phone. This leads us to question number two: can low income students effectively learn by phone, e-mail, or the internet?
If low income public school students are struggling in a classroom with a teacher and classroom assistant, how are they expected to catch up on the learning missed in the classroom and get on track academically with a virtual teacher? How does a virtual teacher become familiar with the triggers of a student who becomes frustrated when he/she has problems comprehending a lesson? Teaching and learning is more about understanding the subtle nuances of students, nurturing and building the confidence of fragile psyche. This can only be done if the student is in the presence of the teacher.
This leads us to the third and final question: what additional support can a cyber school offer to a low income student who is struggling academically due to family instability? How can a cyber school recognize if the barrier to learning is due to hunger, domestic violence, or mental and physical abuse. What if the barrier to learning is due to the loss of a parent, sibling, or close family member? Lastly, what happens if the student accumulates a number of absences due to loss of internet or phone service? Does the virtual teacher have access to resources to refer a family to social service agencies that could help stabilize the family?
Cyber schools can play a very important role in providing an alternative to traditional school settings. However, targeting low income neighborhoods where academic needs among students is greatest, is not a good match for low income communities. Since cyber schools are for profit entities, they mostly likely will not provide the resources a low income student needs to academically thrive. In these tough economic times, the last thing low income districts and communities need is a cyber school that takes funding away from schools and the students do not academically get back on track. Cyber school would serve low income communities better by offering tutorial services, homework help, and instruction of medically fragile students via home instruction or home bound services for students who are temporarily incapacitated.
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