Online learning is growing—and so is the need to get it right
K-12 online education has moved from a niche option to a mainstream choice for many families. Research cited in the Journal of Online Learning Research (Curtis & Werth, 2015) notes that full-time online school enrollment has continued to rise, with hundreds of thousands of students learning entirely online across dozens of states. Importantly, this growth is not limited to advanced learners. More at-risk students—including those facing mental health challenges, unstable housing, disabilities, or difficult social environments—are increasingly enrolling in online programs.
For schools and service providers like TinyEYE, this shift matters. Online environments can open doors, but they also change what support looks like. When students aren’t physically in a building each day, engagement, accountability, and consistent communication become even more critical.
What the study examined: a parent-centered view of online student achievement
Curtis and Werth (2015) explored a key question: What factors affected student achievement in a full-time K-12 online school? To answer it, they conducted semi-structured interviews with eight parents connected to a full-time online high school (OHS). Those eight families represented 11 students with mixed outcomes—some thriving, others failing courses, dropping out, or transferring.
While the sample was small and qualitative (meaning it focused on depth of experience rather than broad statistical generalization), it surfaced patterns that are highly practical for educators and school leaders. A central takeaway: student success in online learning is shared work, shaped by three stakeholders working together:
- The student (motivation, participation, accountability)
- The parent/guardian (monitoring, mentoring, motivating)
- The school (communication, transparency, tools, and individualized supports)
Why families choose full-time online school: it’s often about more than academics
One of the most powerful insights from the parent interviews is that many families don’t choose online school simply for convenience. They choose it because the traditional environment isn’t working.
Parents described reasons such as:
- Bullying, social pressure, and anxiety that made in-person attendance emotionally unsafe or unsustainable
- Health issues that prevented consistent attendance in brick-and-mortar settings
- ADHD or other disabilities where flexibility and pacing felt essential
- Frustration with late academic “surprises”—parents learning too late that their child was failing
This matters because it reframes online learning: for many students, it’s not a “preference,” it’s a pathway to stability. But stability alone doesn’t guarantee achievement.
The school’s role: communication, transparency, and practical parent support
1) Communication is a two-way street
Parents repeatedly linked student success to communication with the school. The frequency varied widely—from “as needed” to multiple times per week. Yet a consistent theme emerged: the most successful students tended to have parents who communicated regularly with school staff.
Parents also pointed out a common failure point: when families don’t reach out early (or don’t know how), students can fall behind quietly. In online settings, silence can look like “everything is fine” until credits are missing or deadlines have piled up.
Practical implication for schools: communication can’t be passive. It must be structured, predictable, and welcoming—especially for families new to online learning.
2) Transparency helps families intervene sooner
One of the strongest positives parents reported was the transparency of the Learning Management System (LMS). Unlike traditional settings—where parents might only discover missing work at midterm—online systems can show grades, time spent in lessons, and assignment completion in near real time.
Parents described this as a game-changer because it allowed them to:
- Spot missing work early
- Challenge inaccurate “I already did it” claims
- Track patterns (like avoidance of certain classes)
- Support planning and routines
However, transparency only works if families can use the tools. Parents recommended on-demand training and support that is easy to access and not overwhelming.
3) Individualization matters—especially for struggling learners
Parents of less successful students emphasized individualized instruction far more than parents of successful students. Many enrolled in online school hoping technology would make learning more personalized. Sometimes it did; other times, it didn’t go far enough.
The underlying message is not that online learning “fails” students—it’s that students arrive with different needs, and a one-size-fits-all course design can leave some behind. Families wanted options such as:
- Different ways to learn the same concept (read, watch, interact)
- Flexible pacing with guardrails
- Better alignment between student strengths and instructional approach
The student’s role: self-motivation, participation, and accountability
Across interviews, one factor rose to the top again and again: self-motivation.
Parents of successful students often described their child as a “self-starter”—someone who could create a plan, begin work independently, and persist. Parents of unsuccessful students often said the same thing from the opposite angle: their child could succeed online “if” they had the motivation and discipline to keep going.
Another key theme was participation. Parents noted that online learning doesn’t work when students don’t log in, don’t engage, or treat technology issues as an easy exit ramp. In the study, parents were clear: no amount of parental effort can fully overcome a student who refuses to participate.
That doesn’t mean students must do it alone. It means online learning requires a deliberate structure that helps students build habits of engagement and responsibility.
The parent’s role: monitor, mentor, and motivate
Parents consistently described their role in three words: monitor, mentor, motivate.
Monitoring included checking assignment completion, verifying progress in the LMS, and helping maintain a schedule. Mentoring included answering questions, helping students work through difficult material, and guiding decision-making. Motivating included reinforcing long-term goals and helping students connect education to their future.
One of the most striking findings was the time commitment. Parents reported spending significantly more time engaged in their child’s learning during full-time online schooling than they did in traditional schooling. For some families, it resembled a part-time job—especially when students struggled with attention, anxiety, or avoidance.
Yet parents also described a positive side: being closer to the learning process helped them understand their child’s strengths and challenges more deeply, and in many cases improved parent-child relationships.
What this means for schools—and how TinyEYE fits into the bigger picture
Online schooling works best when it is designed as a connected ecosystem, not an isolated screen experience. The research suggests that success is more likely when schools:
- Build consistent communication routines with families (not only when students are in trouble)
- Make progress visible through transparent tools and clear reporting
- Offer parent enablement (simple training, “how to help” resources, and support networks)
- Support student readiness by reinforcing participation, accountability, and routines
- Individualize where possible, especially for students who struggled in prior settings
This is where wraparound supports can make a meaningful difference. As a provider of online therapy services to schools, TinyEYE operates in the same digital reality students are learning in. When students face barriers like anxiety, social withdrawal, attention challenges, or motivation struggles, coordinated support can help reduce the friction that prevents participation and progress.
In other words: when schools strengthen the “human system” around online learning—student, family, educators, and support professionals—online education becomes less about coping and more about thriving.
Closing thought: online success isn’t one factor—it’s a partnership
Curtis and Werth’s study reinforces a practical truth that many educators already sense: there is no single lever that guarantees achievement in online learning. Success emerges when students are engaged and accountable, parents are present in the ways their child needs, and schools provide the communication, transparency, and individualized supports that make progress possible.
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