Cyber school enrollment has grown immensely over the last decade, and we’re here to explore why.

According to the International Association for K12 Online Learning, there were 200 virtual charter schools in operation nationwide during the 2008-2009 school year, and that number has grown an estimated 30 percent annually since. The number of students taking part in online learning has also spiked in the last 10 years and seen more than an 80 percent increase.

“A lot of the parents are choosing cyber charters because there is something not working for them in the traditional environment,” executive director of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools, Ana Meyers said in an interview with TribLIVE.com.

But what is that something that Meyers speaks of?

There are many reasons more parents are choosing to enroll their children in cyber school. Here are some of the top reasons for the growth of cyber school over the last decade.

Customized Learning

Perhaps the biggest advantage to enrolling in a cyber school is the ability to have a personalized education that suits an individual’s specific needs as a student. In traditional brick-and-mortar schools, teachers often have to teach at the pace of the slowest-learning students. This can lead to students who learn faster becoming bored and unengaged. But cyber school allows students to work at the pace that works best for them.

Solution to Public School Problems

There are several issues that can arise in public schools that you simply won’t find when enrolled in cyber school. For example, if a child has been bullied at a traditional school and wishes to leave that environment, cyber school can give them an avenue to do so. Social and behavioral issues might create lack of motivation and increase stress level on students, so they can severely hinder learning.. Cyber school is a great way to free children of social stresses and other distractions.

Safety

Safety in public schools has never been more in doubt. What were once thought of as safe environments for children to learn and socialize have now been put into question because of increased violence in schools and school shootings in recent years. But cyber school provides a safe learning environment that gives parents and students more peace of mind.

Parents’ Involvement

Many parents wish to have more involvement in their child’s education, and cyber school is a great way of achieving this goal. When a child is receiving their online education from home, it presents more opportunities for parents to get involved and stay brushed up on what their child is learning.