3. Do online schooling options target non-consumers?

In my own research project, I’ve done case studies on cyber charter schools. One of the prominent themes that arise is the fact that these schools often target special student populations. Many of the families that choose cyber charters right now:

• Have students with special education needs, and require more individual attention from teachers. Cyber schools tend to be pretty good options for these students.
• Have students with physical disabilities that require them to be at home, or behavioral issues that hinder their academic progress at school.
• Have children with special academic situations. The student could be way ahead of their peers and are bored, or way behind and frustrated. Online schools have the potential to let these kids move at their own pace. There are also a lot of students who enroll in online schools to make up credits to graduate from high school.
• Have special life situations: Some students are competitive athletes, actors/actresses, etc etc. and cyber schools let them “attend” school within their unique schedules.
• Have parents that want to take a greater role in their children’s learning.

The point by Christensen et al., seems very timley. Cyber schools have the potential to serve students who are not being served very well in the traditional school system (for whatever reason), and so cater to a unique niche of “non-consumers”. This bodes well for the survival and growth of online schooling.

My opinion right now is, this is great! While many stakeholders in the traditional school system will be threatened by online schools, I say… why not give families options to pursue an education that better fits their child? Why do people need to “settle” for a one-size-fits all public school system?