Academics · Subject Resources

Compare online schools
on the teaching

Online schools range from full days of live classes to self-paced videos with a teacher on email. Weigh accreditation and live teaching for this student, rate each school after a sample lesson and enter the live hours a week so the difference is plain.

Start a comparisonWhat you get

Comparisons

The worked example is made up: a public virtual academy, a private online school with fifteen live hours a week, and a self-paced program with no live classes, for eighth grade. Use initials or a code for the student.

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What you get

Academics · Subject ResourcesFree

What you finish with
A saved comparison per decision: how much accreditation, live teaching, teacher access, pacing and technology matter; each school rated 1 to 5 with live class hours a week and yearly cost; seven questions such as credit transfer and adult time at home marked answered or still to ask; and a next step. The flags rank the schools, call out a must-have rated 2 or lower, few live hours and the cost range. A side-by-side table prints.
Who it is for
Families and students considering full-time online school or a single online course, in middle or high school.
Format
Browser tool with a saved record per decision. Prints a side-by-side table with the scores, the full record, every comparison in a table or a blank form; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); exports and imports a file.
Access
Free. No account, no sign-in and nothing to install. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Subject Resources space in Caveat Academics.
Support
Questions about access, an order or a correction: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. Weigh accreditation and live teaching.
  2. Try a sample lesson at each.
  3. Enter live hours and cost.
  4. Rate each school.
  5. Print the side-by-side table.

Start a comparison

What the research on online schools shows

Three kinds of online programLive classWho teachesFitsLive online schoolMost daysCertified teachersStudents who need a scheduleBlended programSome daysTeachers and mentorsSteady self-startersSelf-paced coursesLittle or noneMostly the platformSingle courses, catch-upThree kinds of online programLive online schoolLive class: Most daysWho teaches: Certified teachersFits: Students who need a scheduleBlended programLive class: Some daysWho teaches: Teachers and mentorsFits: Steady self-startersSelf-paced coursesLive class: Little or noneWho teaches: Mostly the platformFits: Single courses, catch-up
Most full-time students do better with more live teaching and a set daily schedule.

What studies found

The largest national study of full-time online charter schools, from Stanford's CREDO center in 2015, found students on average made much weaker yearly gains in reading and math than similar students in brick-and-mortar schools. Averages hide good programs, so ask each school for its own results and how many students stay the whole year.

The adult at home

Younger students in online school usually need an adult nearby for several hours a day. Ask each school how much time it expects, and be honest about whether someone can give it.

Sources

  1. Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO). Online Charter School Study, Stanford University, 2015.
  2. National Education Policy Center. Virtual Schools in the U.S. (nepc.colorado.edu).
  3. National Center for Education Statistics. Digest of Education Statistics: distance education in elementary and secondary schools (nces.ed.gov).
  4. Your state education department. List of approved public online schools and course providers.

The worked example and its schools are made up. Research findings are averages summarized in general terms. Nothing you type is sent to Caveat. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.