Homeschooling is booming across the U.S. – more than doubling between the spring and fall of 2020, from 5.5 to 11.1 percent[1] and shows signs of continuing to continue to increase. Parents are looking for flexibility and one-one-one instruction – but what about those families who can’t homeschool because both parents need to work?
The answer is more public schools need to offer flexibility, one-on-one teaching that is personalized to each student’s needs.
For 20 years we have provided personalized learning and flexibility to our students – most of whom are a minority, low income and have adult responsibilities like needing to work or caring for their baby. The pandemic has made it painfully clear that we need to change how we deliver education to keep students learning. The traditional factory-style education that has been the status quo for decades doesn’t work for every student.
A related issue is students not wanting to go back to school and face bullying such as Michaela (story above). While more than 20 percent of students in traditional high schools experience bullying, it is virtually nonexistent at FLEX High. One of the benefits of a flexible schedule is that students are not forced to be with the same kids all day, every day at school, thus, eliminating the structure where bullies thrive.
[1] U.S. Census Homeschooling on the Rise During COVID-19 Pandemic (census.gov)