“The number of online courses available for students is growing by about 30% each year,” says Susan Patrick, president and CEO of the nonprofit International Association for K-12 Online Learning. “We don’t see that slowing down.”

Students in virtual schools take the same standardized tests as traditional students (often by reporting to brick-and-mortar buildings), but there is little data comparing test performance nationwide. Nor is there a national model for funding. The schools are run by private companies, nonprofits, and government institutions, and each state has different rules about whether—and how much—to pay for students to attend.

For the rest of the article, go to Parade.com/schools.

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Written by Stephanie Paterik