The first virtual schools appeared in the mid-1990s. These schools began as complements or alternatives to traditional schooling, not as replacements. But as programs developed in the late 1990s and early millennium, they became advanced enough to offer entire required class schedules for students. Virtual schools remained largely independently run institutions until 1997, when Florida opened the first Internet-based public high school.
A student has the option of using a virtual school program to supplement his current traditional schooling, or take a full schedule with a degree in mind. A student taking extra classes through a virtual school incorporates the online courses by using a free period in his traditional class schedule to attend an online class. Some schools give students the chance to request virtual school periods as part of their regular schedules.
The day begins with a student logging into an account via a virtual school's homepage. He checks class announcements, new assignments and a schedule of online lectures and teacher conferences. Each of his courses is supervised and organized by a certified educator.
Virtual schools employ certified teachers who work in a school district within that provides virtual school cooperation. A teacher must also complete a special training course that prepares her for online teaching methodologies. The teacher is trained how to refer a student to other online resources and manage in-depth discussions via live threads, as well as run the technology for videoconferencing.
A parent can use virtual school to supplement a home-school schedule. A virtual class offers access to a peer group from around the world with the same interests. It also gives a parent flexibility with subjects and locations. For example, a student can travel with the family without missing class, as long as an Internet connection is available. A home-school student can also expand her repertoire of subjects using online courses. A class in German philosophy not offered with her home-school curriculum may be completed online, for example.
Virtual school has some advantages over conventional schools, such as flexibility, subject specificity and the use of self-discipline. However, Dr. Glenn Russell of Monash University expressed concern that a complete secondary virtual school schedule interrupts a child's social development at a time when she is most vulnerable.