Recent polling has found that parents are considering different options for their children for this coming school year. Due to COVID-19, some parents are rethinking traditional brick and mortar education. Because of the pandemic, health and safety are at the forefront of parent’s minds.
The American Federation for Children found that 40 percent of parents nationally say they are more likely to homeschool or virtual school their children once lockdowns are over. A poll from USA Today found that 6 in 10 parents are likely to consider at-home learning options for their children, and 3 in 10 are “very likely” to do that.
Public School Options also polled parents and found that parents are largely concerned about safety for their child this fall. More than two-thirds of parents are concerned about whether or not they can safely send their children to school when schools reopen. Over 40 percent of parents in the survey are considering online options for their children.
In Missouri, the Columbia Public Schools District surveyed its community and found that roughly half of parents wanted to remain online and half wanted to return to the school building in the fall. The district is now offering families the option to choose online classes for the fall.
There are ways to keep students safe while still giving them a quality education. Safe Student Scholarships are one option that I’ve discussed before, but there are others. Of course, the coronavirus situation could change by the time school starts, and parents could change their minds. But right now, parents are clearly indicating they want more options. While Missouri has previously resisted online education, it finally might be time for the supply of online offerings to meet the demand.
