How to Evaluate Your Child's Learning at Their Online High School

January 11, 2024

Online learning has soared in popularity over the past several years. For an online high schooler, what are the best ways to evaluate your child’s learning at their online high school? 

There are traditional and creative ways to measure academic success. Here are some ideas to help you along the way.

5 Ways to Evaluate Your Child’s Learning at Their Online High School

Check the Test Scores

The first, and most obvious, way to measure an online high school student’s education is with quizzes and test scores. 

One of the many benefits of a respected, private online high school like Dwight Global Online School is that your child can find the learning style that works best for them. Test scores are a helpful starting point for judging where a student stands on a particular subject or set of material.

Go to the Head of the Class

Another straightforward way to figure out how your child is doing with online high school is to speak with the teachers. At Dwight Global, faculty are available for parent-teacher conferences twice per year, and they are available for virtual chats when requested. 

Ask questions, such as:

• Is my child participating in virtual class?

• Is there something challenging for my child?

• Do they grasp the concepts being taught in class?

• Is there something I can do at home to help support my child?

Teachers understand – and appreciate – a parent wanting to touch base regarding their child’s progress. The best teachers at online school programs will encourage communication with parents. Staying connected with your child’s teacher will help foster a love of learning and better support a student’s education. 

Ask Your Child For Feedback

Conversations about schoolwork with your teen are important. Taking an interest in what children are learning and how they are doing at school will show that you care. It will also show that you value a quality education and that theirs is important to you. 

Paul Roncone, Dwight Global’s Interim Director of Curriculum and Instruction said a student’s social and emotional health is equally as important as their academic progress.

"Ask a variety of questions to build the best understanding of how your child is engaging holistically,” Roncone advises. “Ask them about the rigor of classes, how engaging activities and assignments are, and about the connections and relationships they are building with their peers and teachers.”

Watch and Observe

You can witness your student learning firsthand. When your teen is in class, how are they handling new material? Do they stay focused in a group discussion, or do their eyes wander around the room? Are they asking questions or keeping quiet? 

If your child is enthusiastic and engaged, then chances are, they are thriving.

Encourage Extra Support

The best online high schools offer learning resources and extra help. At Dwight Global, every student is assigned a grade-level advisor known as a Dean. Whether a student has an academic concern, requires an extension, wants to find a new social opportunity, or hopes to add/drop a class, the Dean serves as the first point of contact for both the student and the parent. Deans advocate for students to make sure that they have a rewarding academic experience while at Dwight Global.

At Dwight Global, the Learning Support Department provides additional academic support to students outside of the classroom.  

Support is available in multiple forms depending on the specific needs of the student.  Supervised Study Halls are available at set hours to provide students with a space to complete their work in a supervised environment.  

Content Support Teachers are available to meet one-on-one with students to help in social studies, English, math, world languages, and science.  Learning Support teachers are also available to meet with students to help with Executive Functioning Coaching to provide strategies for improving time management, information management, and materials management skills.

Additionally, Dwight Global offers the Quest Program, which is a year-long 1-1 program in which students are paired with a Quest teacher for consistent and in-depth support with academics as well as Executive Functioning strategies.  

Learn More About Online High School

An online education during high school can give your teen the skills for success in college and in life. Learn more about Dwight Global here.