Are there any differences between homeschooling and “online public schools” that let students work at home?
Yes, there are important differences. A key practical difference is that homeschools are considerably more flexible than public schools, whether online or not. Homeschooling parents typically seek out and use the methods and materials that work best for their children. Public schools have very little ability to tailor instruction to individual students, and must rely on standardized methods and materials. While these work for some students, they result in boredom and frustration for others. Another key difference is philosophical. A homeschooling family takes direct responsibility for raising and educating its children, while families placing their children in public schools (whether online or not), delegate responsibility for their children to school officials. Neither approach is “right” or “wrong,” but they are certainly different.
