Show-Me State Times

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted many parents to take a closer look at their children's school curriculum, Tillie Elvrum, founder of Parent Support for Online Learning, told the Show-Me State Times.

"Parents have many concerns after several school years impacted by the pandemic.," Elvrum said. "When schools closed and transitioned to remote learning parents gained new insights into their school's curriculum and how their children learned. As we move forward, many parents want to understand what is being taught to their children and most importantly, they want to make sure their students recover any lost learning due to COVID-19 school closures."

Online schools can help parents address their concerns with education, Elvrum said.

"Parents value online schools for so many reasons," she said. "Online learning provides students and their families with the flexibility to control the time, pace, and place of learning. Online schools provide a safe mental and physical environment for learning. Online schools allow parents to actively participate in their student's day-to-day learning while providing curriculum transparency."

During the pandemic, online schools provided students continuity in education, Evlrum said.

"Online students weren't impacted by the learning loss students in traditional settings are now experiencing," Elvrum said.

Parental involvement is also encouraged in public online schools, Elvrum said.

"Parents in public, online schools are partners in education," she said. "They have input in their child's learning and oversee daily lessons with the support of educators. Parents and teachers respect the important role each play in educating a child and work together to set children up for success. As an online public-school parent, I always knew what resources were being used in the curriculum and what information was presented during my student's classes -- that empowered me to enrich my student's education in ways that I might not be afforded if I didn't have access to every lesson of the curriculum."

Parents can find resources and guidance at Parent Support for Online Learning website, and more information about Missouri's public online schools at the Choose My School – Missouri website.

Missouri spends an average of $11,239 annually on each public-school student, according to SchoolChoiceWeek.com. The state has private schools, magnet schools, charter schools, and public schools.                 

Only 15% of Missouri business owners believe high schools in the state are preparing students for the workplace, according to The Children’s Education Alliance of Missouri. Less than half of Missouri children are proficient in math, and about two thirds are proficient in English, the group said.