With all the options in education, parents might be confused about the difference between attending online school from home and “home schooling”. The main differences between online school and homeschooling are found in the responsibilities of the parent or guardian. With online schooling, the school is responsible to the state for meeting mandated education requirements. With homeschooling, it is the parent or guardian who answers to the state.
Online School
An online school is simply a school that is administered online. GlobalED Solutions (GES) provides online school. Students are afforded flexibility as to where and when they do their lessons, but they are surrounded by a support system. Parent responsibilities are to support and guide, but GES chooses the curriculum, designs lessons, proctors tests, and keeps records. GES has already chosen the curriculum and contracted with certified teachers for every subject. GES has staff and programs for social and emotional support. For students who are eligible for advanced courses, concurrent college enrollment, or certificate programs, we have staff to support and guide students towards these opportunities.
Homeschooling
Homeschooling places the responsibility on the parent or guardian. The parent is considered the teacher and is responsible to the state for meeting education requirements. Even if a family is using a curriculum that is provided online, the parent or guardian is in charge of designing lessons, keeping track of attendance, issuing a diploma, and maintaining records. The quality of the education provided by parents can vary greatly, depending on the background of the parent and the amount of time they have to devote to homeschooling. Homeschooling provides flexibility for the student, just as online school does, and it also gives parents more control and responsibility.
School is never “one size fits all”
At GlobalED, we believe that each student is an individual and every family must make their own choice. Options for education help us all to improve! Whether you choose a traditional school setting, online education, or homeschooling, your child has a bright future!