Parents Choosing Private Online Schools for Their Children to Prevent Bullying, Violence
March 02 2023 - 11:00AM
Business Wire
More Than 1 in 3 Parents Indicate Bullying is
Main Reason for Choosing Private Online Education
The stories will break your heart.
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Leo is a fourth grader at Grand Canyon Private Academy, a new
private online school in Arizona that serves students in grades
K-11. He transferred in from a traditional brick-and-mortar school
where he was subject to vicious bullying, amplified by teachers and
administrators who didn’t deal with it properly.
“At my other school I was bullied really bad every day, and
nobody at the school even cared,” Leo said. “And it was hard to
focus on school work, plus they didn’t even think I could do the
work. They didn’t even give me a chance to show them I wasn’t
stupid. I really am smart, and I like to work hard and get good
grades.”
Leo would get so upset in class that he would be sent to the
counselor’s office, where he would be told to “play with sand”
while the child who was bullying him carried on with his day.
“I couldn’t even write a sentence when I left there,” Leo said.
“Now I write whole pages…the teacher I have now doesn’t feel sorry
for me and doesn’t give up on me.”
Leo’s story is not unique. In a survey of parents with children
enrolled in Grand Canyon Private Academy’s parent network, K12,
more than 35 percent of parents cited safety and mental health
concerns as the primary reason for enrolling their child in online
schools. And according to the National Bullying Prevention Center,
85 percent of students reporting bullying were bullied on school
grounds or property.
Additionally, several other studies show parents increasingly
turning to online learning to avoid bullying:
- A peer-reviewed study finds that in 2019, 33.7% of students in
cyber schools cited bullying as a reason for enrollment. That
number dropped in 2020 because COVID leads to an enrollment surge
and a unique cohort of entrants to virtual schools.
- A recently published EdChoice report that looks exclusively at
K12-powered schools reports that 48% of parents of students
previously enrolled in other schools reported that their children
faced bullying at the previous school. A Morning Consult poll
sponsored by EdChoice among the general population of parents
nationally found that a comparatively modest 27% of parents of
children who switched schools cited bullying as a problem at the
former school.
- A peer-reviewed study found that bullying at a previous school
is a particularly strong motivating factor for special ed students
who enroll in virtual schools.
- A just-published peer-reviewed study finds that "parents of
non-binary students two to three times more likely to indicate
mental health, safety, and bullying related concerns as motivating
their choice of cyber schooling."
Parents and students are choosing online school for a variety of
reasons — including advanced learning, and the ability to support
extracurricular pursuits or medical needs — but a bullying-free
environment is one of the leading factors. The online platforms
give students the opportunity to pursue their academic goals in a
supportive environment and at an appropriate pace for their
learning style.
“It’s important to provide all students with an environment
where they feel safe while learning,” said Janice Gruneberg, Senior
Vice President & Superintendent of Schools for Grand Canyon
Private Academy. “With Arizona’s new Empowerment Scholarship
Account program, families now have options for private online
education that did not exist before, giving them another choice for
families who are concerned about the impact of bullying on their
children.”
Arizona families have unique options for an online, private
education curriculum suited to their child’s specific needs
provided by K12, one of the nation’s leading online learning
providers. And because these programs are virtual, students located
anywhere in Arizona with an internet connection can access all of
the educational options available — and take advantages of the
safety provided by an online learning curriculum. Those options
are:
- Grand Canyon Private Academy (GCPA), launched this past fall, a
new online private school serving grades K-11 for the 2023-24
school year. The school’s curriculum features a dual enrollment
program that enables students to graduate with an associate degree,
seminar-based instruction with a collaborative and
discussion-focused approach and an Early World Language Program
that gives students the opportunity to graduate trilingual.
- FaithPrep Arizona, providing Arizona families with access to a
private online Christian school and homeschool program for students
in grades K-12.
These schools are tuition-free with use of the ESA program to
all students who reside in Arizona, and are staffed by
state-licensed teachers. They offer an individualized approach to
learning, delivering rich, engaging designed to assist students who
seek alternative pathways to education.
And both schools feature teachers who are specially trained in
online instruction methods, including understanding and identifying
cyberbullying. With more than 20 years of experience in online
education, K12-powered schools offer a variety of family support
resources that provide a holistic approach to learning that drives
student success and engagement.
“We’ve seen first-hand how important it is to eliminate bullying
from a child’s educational environment,” Gruneberg said. “Grand
Canyon Private Academy and FaithPrep Arizona both emphasize a focus
on safe learning that provides a great deal of peace of mind for
families.”
The ESA program is being utilized by almost 50,000 Arizona
students, providing them a pathway to a private school education at
virtually no cost to their families.
Both schools are now accepting enrollments for the 2023-2024
school year. Families are encouraged to attend online information
sessions hosted by the schools. For more information, visit the
websites for Grand Canyon Private Academy and FaithPrep
Arizona.
About Grand Canyon Private Academy
Grand Canyon Private Academy (GCPA) is an online private school
serving grades K-11. The school is dedicated to inspiring and
empowering students through an education experience tailored to
their needs and focused on their futures. GCPA combines engaging,
interactive Stride K12 curriculum with an integrated support team
of school leaders, teachers, academic coaches, and counselors. For
more information visit gcpa.k12.com.
About FaithPrep Arizona
FaithPrep Arizona provides Arizona families with access to a
private online Christian education and homeschool program for
students in grades K-12. The school is part of a group of
successful faith-based schools across the country that helps
students pursue academic excellence, develop Christian character,
and discover their gifts, talents, and purpose to follow God's
calling in life. For more information visit
faithpreparizona.com.
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Ken Schwartz Stride Corp Comm kschwartz@k12.com
Tom Evans 602.448.5483 tevans@onadvertising.com
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