How Do Homeschool and Virtual School Compare?

The school year around the country looks different than it ever has before, and some parents are making education choices for their children that they never anticipated. 

Some districts are doing a hybrid schedule to reduce density in schools, and others are virtual only at least for the time being. 

Some districts are allowing parents a choice between in-person and virtual. 

There's a lot to consider because even as schools take steps to keep students and parents safe, there's only so much they can do. For example, the buses are proving to be a specific area of concern. Some areas are tackling this with limited capacity. Atlanta is reducing bus capacity by 60% and in Philadelphia, only 15 students will be allowed on board. 

Then, parents have to decide whether they're going to do homeschool or go the virtual route if their kids are learning from home. 

The following are things to know as far as the comparison between homeschool and virtual school.

What is Virtual School?

In general, virtual school is a program completed online, not requiring your child to be in a physical location. Virtual school programs can be associated with public school, or you can choose your own virtual school program. 

There can be many differences in a virtual school program, but the common thread is that your student doesn't attend a brick-and-mortar location. 

Whether virtual school is offered through the public school system where your child attends, or it's a private program, usually your student works with a teacher online. The student will log into their account to access their work, and this can include their textbooks, homework, and other worksheets. 

A teacher may guide some or all of the learning day, and the teacher manages the courses or classes for all the students. 

The student completes their assignments and then submits them. 

In virtual learning, the work is usually graded as it would be in a brick-and-mortar school program. 

Virtual public schools are free because your child is simply going to school via the computer.

With private virtual schools, there are tuition and fees, and some can be as expensive as in-person private education. 

For the most part, virtual schools are public schools. 

The pros of a virtual school in this sense include that it's usually free, can be flexible in the time commitments required, and there is guidance from a teacher. 

When your child is participating in a virtual school, they will usually follow the state-mandated curriculum but just do so from home. 

What is Homeschooling?

Homeschooling is an alternative to a child going to a public or private traditional school. There are many reasons a parent might opt for homeschooling, including having a different educational philosophy than what's offered at traditional schools. 

There are legal requirements in place to homeschool your child, and the specifics of those vary depending on what state you're in. 

Some states have very few requirements, and other states require that homeschool children do some standardized testing. 

If your child is in the public school system already, and you want to homeschool, you may have to write an official letter of withdrawal to the principal or superintendent that will let them know your intent. 

You have many different types of curriculum available to you if you decide to homeschool. 

You can choose based on how much time you want to spend instructing your child, what your learning approach is going to be, the unique needs of your child, and your educational philosophy. You can build your child's education around their interests and talents, which isn't possible with a virtual school. 

One of the many differences between virtual school and homeschool is the fact that as the parent, you are the teacher, and you are the person leading and guiding instruction when it comes to homeschool. 

How Do the Two Compare?

Overall, homeschool gives you a lot more control over your child's education as you are the one in the driver's seat. You're not subjected to that many regulations in most places, and you can decide to shape your child's education how you see fit. That's something that appeals to a lot of parents. 

You can choose one curriculum that you follow, or perhaps you pull bits and pieces from different types of curriculum. 

You have a lot of flexibility in terms of your schedule and how your day goes, but with that comes the need to be well-organized and able to follow a schedule. 

If you have specific goals for your child's education or your child has unique needs, homeschool may work well for your family. 

You may not be able to work from home while homeschooling, though. Homeschooling can require a major time commitment each day. 

Virtual school on the other hand could allow you to either work from home or perhaps return to work in-person but have someone come to your home each day and supervise your child's learning. You aren't responsible for teaching in virtual school, which could be preferable for you. 

You don't have to plan curriculum, grade work, or any of the things you would do in homeschool. 

Virtual school can be challenging for some kids though, because much as is the case with traditional public schools, it may not take into account their individual learning style and strengths and weaknesses. Your child may struggle even more in a virtual learning environment than in a classroom environment because everyone is expected to keep pace even without the structure of a traditional classroom. 

There are a lot of decisions facing parents right now, and every family is going to have to weigh what's best for them. 

It is helpful to understand the options however because terms like virtual school and homeschool are often used interchangeably, but the reality is they're very different concepts, each with their own pros and cons. 

Virtual school is essentially at-home traditional school, and homeschool can be tailored to your family's unique needs and schedule.