Educational Diversity Is Good for Children

January 30, 2024

A parent wrote the following op-ed that published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

What does school choice mean to me? It means having options of how and where my daughters receive their education, whether that be in a traditional brick-and-mortar setting (public, private, or charter school) or in a home-based setting (cyber or homeschooling).

I feel strongly that school is not “one-size-fits-all,” and that if school options were taken away from families, students would be forced to fit into a box they aren’t meant to fit into. Every student should have the opportunity to thrive – to be able to learn according to their unique strengths and abilities rather than all having to conform to the same exact style of learning.

School choice allows parents like me to assess what works for their child, as well as what works for their family.

As a mother

I am a phlebotomist by trade and have worked in outpatient, inpatient, and non-profit settings, and am now a stay-at-home mom. I reside in Beaver with my husband and our two daughters. They started attending the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School (PA Cyber) in Fall 2020 when they were in 3rd and 4th grade. They’re now in 6th and 7th grade.

My personal experience with cyber education began in 2003. I began attending PA Cyber’s online public school as a freshman and graduated in 2007.

Many benefits and positive outcomes occur when parents are given more of a say in their children’s education. For example, I’ve been impressed with the impact on their emotional intelligence, growth, and development.

As middle schoolers at PA Cyber, my daughters have the option to take virtual classes (attending live instruction at a certain time each day), and the option of blended (asynchronous) classes in which they complete lessons at their own pace with a once weekly live class check-in with their teacher and other students.

This year, my daughters chose to take Math and ELA virtually, and Science and Social Studies blended. On their own, they identified their strengths in certain subjects and expressed where they needed extra support. This autonomy and their class formatting have helped them learn time management and responsibility — skills that often aren’t developed until later in life!

Another benefit of school choice for our family has been flexibility. During “normal” school hours, my 7th grader can take horseback riding lessons; we spend every Friday afternoon with my mom at her home; and because my husband works from home two days per week, we all enjoy lunch together on those days. Quality time is so valuable to us as a family.

Flexibility in learning is also crucial when students face health concerns. My daughter experienced health issues last school year, and school choice – in our case, attending an online school – meant she didn’t have to be pulled from school to attend appointments and get care, which meant less stress on her and our family.

Socialized and stimulated

Because my daughters receive their education at home, the biggest misconception I have run into is that their socialization will be negatively affected. In reality, her experience has been the complete opposite.

With any school option, including public schools, you get what you put into it. Our school offers many field trips where we can meet and interact with other PA Cyber families.

School choice has also allowed my daughters to explore their interests such as jiu-jitsu, youth group, handbells, piano, coding and 3D design, and sign language. Through PA Cyber, my daughters have participated in in-person art classes, an in-person Esports club, online clubs, and a weekly gym class.

Our experience with cyber schooling started as a pandemic need. Our daughters now do not want to return to a brick-and-mortar school. Cyber school isn’t the answer for everyone — and that's OK — but my family cherishes having the choice.

Loretta Fairley is mother of two daughters in cyber school and lives with her family in Beaver.