Letter to the editor teaser graphic (close-up)

The article “Opportunities for online education are spreading across Eastern Oregon” (published in print Feb. 10, 2024) highlights the rising popularity of online public schools. As a parent of two children who have utilized traditional brick-and-mortar public schools and virtual public charter schools, I have a unique understanding of why these schools are a good fit for families who choose to utilize them.

Not every student fits the traditional brick-and-mortar public school model. Both of my children have used virtual public charter schools with great success. The schools have met each of their needs in very different ways: For my daughter a virtual public charter school offered her the one-on-one attention she needed to catch up in math, and for my son, who is an accelerated learner, it allowed him to work ahead in some subjects and at the same pace as his classmates in others.

Virtual public charter schools are public school at home, not homeschooling. They combine a state-certified teacher with a learning coach (typically a parent or guardian) to provide a professional education experience to the student outside the brick-and-mortar classroom. Students use state-certified curriculum and take state assessment tests. This structure helped me feel good about the curriculum and created a sense of accountability one might find at a traditional school.

While my daughter returned to a brick-and-mortar school, my son is thriving in a virtual public charter school — no two children learn the same, and that’s okay!

I’m grateful we have education options; the brick-and-mortar public school is no longer the only option for students. Virtual public charter schools are an important and growing option for students who need an alternative to the traditional classroom.

Whether you are experiencing hardships at a traditional school or looking to try something new, virtual public charter school is an option I highly recommend. It might just be what your child needs to have a great educational experience.

Tricia Powell

President of Oregon Virtual Public Schools Alliance

Winchester