Imagine a school district notifies parents that they must take their child to a location 60 miles from home for testing. Transportation will not be provided; parents are responsible for ensuring that their children arrive every day at their assigned testing site for up to a week, until all exams are complete. Families with multiple children may need to travel every day for two or three consecutive weeks, depending on the kids’ grade levels and the tests they must take. This may require making hotel arrangements and requesting leave from employers to ensure their child is present each day.
This scenario is, of course, absurd and would never happen in a regular school district. Yet, it is reality for students in full-time, statewide online public schools.
Online students learn primarily from their homes and are connected to their schools through technology, receiving lessons and instruction online from teachers. Online schools may differ from traditional schools in how they deliver instruction, and states generally allow them some flexibility, but not for standardized testing. States have very strict rules about how public schools administer state tests. Even though online schools teach students “virtually,” they must administer state tests face to face, in proctored settings — no exceptions.
Read the full story from the 74.
Leave a Reply