Alternative education or alternative schools are not a new concept in American education. However, when some people think of alternative schools, they often think of the continuation model that serves students who are 16-years old or older who were not successful in the comprehensive high school or who need a smaller, more personalized experience, or a more flexible schedule due to other demands in their lives, such as employment or family responsibilities.
But alternative education has evolved in the A.I. [Artificial Intelligence] era. Education option models are plentiful and are consumer-driven, adapting to the increasingly digital context in which we live. Today, options extend well beyond students recovering credits or preparing for a high school equivalency diploma (GED). In the most successful models, teaching is done by using blended methods and a variety of tools, making learning a more personalized and remote process. While we knew all about alternative education options before COVID, the pandemic has shed light on the reality that teaching and learning doesn't have to always involve a classroom, textbooks, and tests. Learning still occurred this year, even without a school. Parents and students are consumers in this emerging education marketplace.
Our Virtual Academy is one example of an alternative education setting. As we learned from our interest survey this past Spring, about a thousand families are interested in a remote learning environment in 2021-22, and for a variety of reasons, safety related to COVID among them. But we have also heard from families who seek a virtual learning option for reasons that range from their students performing very well this past year to seeking school flexibility due to their work environment becoming increasingly more flexible. In the new post-COVID economy, some companies are offering the option of flexible and remote work options to attract talent, particularly among knowledge workers.
Virtual learning in 2021-22 will look different than it looked this past year because there will be far fewer students involved. We partner with Edgenuity to offer solutions for families who plan to choose a virtual learning option for students in grades' 6-12. The Edgenuity learning management system offers flexible, standards-aligned digital content and curriculum, providing learning options for students. The program pairs online curriculum and real-time data with teacher-led instruction to truly personalize learning. It also offers standards-based, age-appropriate intervention for math and reading. We learned this past year that remote learning is not ideal for most students. But for those students who succeeded this past year, it's an excellent option moving forward for families who prefer a virtual learning environment and whose students can learn independently.
For elementary-age students, Edgenuity is not an option. The challenge for younger students is focus and distractibility. Younger children are in the process of learning to manage sensory input and consequently engagement is often a challenge in the developmental process. Another challenge is supervision. A parent or support provider must be highly engaged to support a young on-line learner. Edgenuity partners with Accelerate Education to provide flexible online courses for K-5 students interested in remote learning. But the program is best suited for a HomeSchool model environment where a parent supervises the student daily and works with a district teacher who monitors progress and supports the on-line program, but doesn't directly teach.
As the California economy opens up again and we have guidance from the State on expected safety measures so we can provide more details on what in-person school will look like in 2021-22, we will survey our families again on whether they seek an alternative to in-person learning. Depending on the number of students who choose remote learning, we will determine options beyond the on-line platform programs explained above. Stay tuned.
