North Little Rock Times

Parents across the state are faced with decisions when it comes to the education of their children: Among public schools, charter schools, magnet schools and homeschooling, there are a number of options to consider.

Statewide, Arkansas spends about $10,345 on each public school student each year, according to the National School Choice Week's website. But are public schools the best option? Tillie Elvrum, founder of Parent Support for Online Learning, noted that in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, parents may have additional concerns that factor into their decisions. 

“When schools closed and transitioned to remote learning, parents gained new insights into their school's curriculum and how their children learned,” she told North Little Rock Times. “As we move forward, many parents want to understand what is being taught to their children, and most importantly, they want to make  sure their students recover any lost learning due to COVID-19 school closures.”

According to National School Choice Week, there are 83 charter schools and more than 30 magnet schools in the state. Arkansas Parents for School Choice said on its website that parents can also select from private schools, charter schools homeschooling, and online options and tax credit scholarships are available. Elvrum noted that online schools can offer several benefits as parents address potential issues with education, and they may value online education for multiple reasons. 

“Online learning provides students and their families with the flexibility to control the time, pace and place of learning,” she said. “Online schools provide a safe mental and physical environment for learning.”

Elvrum also pointed out that online schools allow parents to actively participate in their student's day-to-day learning while providing curriculum transparency.

“Additionally, online schools served students well during the pandemic because they delivered continuity in education,” she said. “Online students weren't impacted by the learning loss students in traditional settings are now experiencing."

Parental involvement can be integrated into the online model, according to Elvrum, and she noted that parents whose children are attending public online schools are partners in education.

“They have input into their child's learning and oversee daily lessons with the support of educators,” she said. “Parents and teachers respect the important role each play in educating a child and work together to set children up for success. As an online public school parent, I always knew what resources were being used in the curriculum and what information was presented during my  student's classes. That empowered me to enrich my student's education in ways that I might not be afforded if I didn't have access to every lesson of the curriculum.”

For parents considering options beyond traditional public schools, Elvrum noted that they can find guidance and resources through Parent Support for Online Learning, and they can find out more about the state's public online schools at Choose My School Arkansas.