Are virtual schools the new home school in the US?

Virtual schools are becoming increasingly popular. These accredited online schools allow students to receive a primary or secondary-level education anywhere at any time, so long as they have access to an internet connection and computer. These institutions are fast becoming the new home school – where learners are educated from home, either by a parent or special home tutor, the preferred alternative to attending a typical school before technology became so integrated into our daily lives. More and more parents are choosing to keep their kids at home to attend school online. According to eLearning Inside, “Stanly County Schools, a district roughly an hour outside of Charlotte, N.C., is in a unique situation. According to the Stanly News & Press, overall enrollment is down 12.5% over the past decade, while the homeschool population has grown by 112%. “In a district with 8,226 students, an estimated 1,186 other kids are learning at home. That’s nearly 15%. To help with this surge, the district has developed Stanly County Virtual Education (SCoVE). The virtual learning center allows students to take remote online high school courses as needed throughout their K-12 years.