KANSAS CITY, Mo., Aug. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — More than 5 million families will homeschool their children this year, up from 3.2 million just one year ago, according to a recent US Census Bureau report.1 The trend has been accelerated by Covid-19 restrictions and uncertainty about the 2021 school year in the face of new Covid concerns. As a result, public schools face the possibility of a $50 billion decline in school revenues.
“The world for K-12 education in America is changing faster than anyone could have predicted,” according to Acellus Chairman, Roger Billings. “In too many cases, the new public education funding shifts brought on by homeschooling are likely to be offset by a reduction of teachers in the district.”
Educators are starting to push back, and are looking for opportunities to keep students enrolled. One approach has been to combine homeschooling and traditional classroom instruction in ways that keep public schools adequately funded and teachers in the classroom.
Many districts have adopted a new program offered by Acellus that enables homeschool families to engage with teacher supported courses that are funded by their local schools. This also benefits schools by keeping the students on state enrollments, which reduces teacher layoffs. By enabling study at home, the Acellus CybrSchool program supports the parents regarding their children’s educational experiences.
“The Acellus Learning Accelerator has shown to improve student outcomes, and district support means that students can graduate with an accredited high school diploma from their school district,” according to Billings. “The Acellus CybrSchool approach solves the challenge faced by parents who choose homeschooling, as well as the challenge for public schools and their teachers who are looking for solutions as they help shape the future of education.”
Hundreds of schools have already signed up to participate in Acellus CybrSchool.
“The fact that we are able to keep so many students on our rolls provided the motivation for us to get involved in CybrSchool,” says Superintendent Pete Kilbride of Sheridan County School District #1 in Wyoming. “The Acellus Accelerator changes the outcomes for students studying independently at home, and keeping our teachers involved with these students assures that they will stay caught up and on grade level in their studies.”
Acellus will be advertising its CybrSchool program in areas with large homeschool populations around our country. More information about ways to participate in CybrSchool can be found here: https://www.cybrschool.com/schools/
About Acellus
Acellus is a K-12 education learning accelerator used by over 6,500 schools. It uses standard based lessons with cutting-edge technology to accelerate learning, elevate standardized test scores, reduce dropout rates and transition more students into careers and college. Acellus currently has over 350 course offerings in all core subjects including Advanced Placement, Career & Technical Education, and STEM. Acellus Academy is the official accredited online school of Acellus. Acellus Academy high school graduates are performing well and have been admitted into top universities around the country. Acellus Academy holds accreditation through WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) and was recently fully reaccredited for a six-year term. Many Acellus courses have been audited and approved by Quality Matters, which includes a comprehensive review of the Acellus template, course curriculum, diversity and equity and accessibility for students. http://www.acellus.com
1 https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2021/03/homeschooling-on-the-rise-during-covid-19- 1 pandemic.html
SOURCE Acellus
