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Online high schools can be a way for students to take high school classes and graduate at their own pace, without having to adhere to strict schedules and the distractions of a traditional school. So if you feel that an in-person school isn't right for you for whatever reason, an online school might be the perfect fit.

In this article, we'll give you a list of all the (tuition free!) online high schools available in each U.S. state . We'll also explain how online high schools work and why an online high school could be right for you.

So let's get started!

What Is an Online High School?

An online high school is any school that teaches and takes place virtually, rather than in-person. Some online high schools are hybrid programs where students must spend a portion of their time in a physical location, but a fully online high school program takes place completely virtually.

Students in completely online programs do not go to a physical building to learn each day, but instead are allowed to learn in any place with an internet connection, taking courses online and typically interacting with their teachers via virtual classrooms, through email, and/or over the phone.

A typical school day for students enrolled in online high schools is much like a typical day for other public school students, with about five to six hours spent learning and engaging in classwork, and additional time spent on homework. So, although students can generally set their own schedules with an online school, the amount of time required for coursework and studies remains the same whether the school takes place online or in person.

In addition to the standard coursework, many online high school programs offer school activities, trips, contests, and virtual clubs to help students interact and get to know one another. So online students can often reap many of the same benefits they could get from an in-person school, with all the additional perks of attending school online.

Different Types of Online High Schools

Just like physical schools, online high schools can be divided into two broad categories of public and private schools. And just like physical schools, the differences between the two types can be broken down like so:

Online public high schools (which can also be charter schools) use state-licensed and certified teachers, charge NO tuition , follow state education standards, and award you with a legal high school diploma upon completion of the required credits and courses. These schools are government funded, just like physical public schools.

Online private high schools follow their own education requirements and standards (rather than state standards), charge tuition, and will ultimately award you with a high school diploma once you have completed the program. These schools are privately funded, just like with physical private schools.

Whether private or public, many online schools require their students to be a resident of the state or a particular school district, while other schools accept students who live in any state or school district (or students who have no fixed address). Other online schools accept out-of-state students, but charge them tuition that in-state students do not have to pay. Ultimately, it's up to the applicant to double-check whether the school of their choice has any restrictions based on a student's address.

Not every state has an online public school, so students who live in one of these states (or students who have no fixed address) and want to attend high school online must either enroll in an online school that accepts out of state students or in a private online high school.

However, many states now offer the option to take at least some free virtual classes through your local school district. So if you don’t see a school you like on this list, but like the idea of taking classes online, check your school district website for possible alternatives!

If money is your main concern, then public school is definitely the way to go.

List of All Free Online High Schools in the US

Because we're focusing on only the free online high schools in this article, we're only listing online public high schools in the U.S.

After the list of the online public schools in the States, we'll give a breakdown of the benefits of attending an online high school and whether or not it could be the right fit for you.

To navigate more quickly to your state of choice, click on one of the states below:

Alabama , Alaska , Arizona , Arkansas , California , Colorado , Florida , Georgia , Hawaii , Idaho, Illinois , Indiana , Iowa , Kansas , Louisiana , Maine , Massachusetts , Michigan , Minnesota ,  Missouri , Nevada , New Hampshire , New Jersey , New Mexico , North Carolina , Ohio , Oklahoma , Oregon , Pennsylvania , South Carolina , South Dakota , Tennessee , Texas , Utah , Virginia , Washington , West Virginia , Wisconsin , Wyoming

[Note: if your state is not listed, it does not currently have a free online high school. The following states however have programs in development through Connections Academy: Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Vermont, Washington D.C.]

Click here to skip the list and go straight to reading about reasons to attend an online high school.

Alabama Connections Academy

Alabama Destinations Career Academy

Alabama Virtual Academy

Conecuh County Virtual School/Genesis Innovative School

Alaska Digital Academy

KPBSD Connections

Frontier Charter School

iGrad Alaska

Arizona Connections Academy

Arizona Virtual Academy

ASU Prep Digital (Arizona State)

Catalina Online Learning Experience

Hope High School Online

Humanities and Sciences/International Commerce High School

Insight Academy of Arizona

Pathways in Education

Pinnacle Online High School

Primavera Online High School

Sequoia Choice Distance L earning

Southern Arizona Community Academy

Arkansas Connections Academy

Arkansas Virtual Academy

Compass Charter Schools (Available for students living in: Contra Costa, Fresno, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Lake, Los Angeles, Madera, Marin, Mendocino, Merced, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Orange, Riverside, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Solano, Sonoma, Tulare and Ventura counties)

California Connections Academy (available for students living in: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Inyo, Kern, and Imperial counties)  

California Virtual Academies

Clovis Online School (Available for students living in: Fresno, Inyo, Kings, Madera, Merced, Mono, Monterey, San Benito, and Tulare counties)

Delta Charter Online

Insight Schools of California

iQ Academy of California, Los Angeles (Available for students living in: Los Angeles, Kern, Orange, San Bernardino and Ventura counties)

Keith McCarthy Academy (Available for students living in the Lake Elsinore School District)

Method Schools (Available for students living in: Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Imperial, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Ventura, and Kern counties)

Moreno Valley Online Academy (Available for students living in the Moreno Valley Unified School District)

Riverside Virtual School

70 Online (Available for students living in the Pueblo County School District 70)

Colorado Connections Academy

Colorado Preparatory Academy

Colorado Virtual Academy

Destinations Career Academy of Colorado

Grand River Academy

Peak Virtual Academy (Available for students living in the Montrose School District)

Pikes Peak Online School

PSD Global Academy

Springs Studio for Academic Excellence

World Academy (available for students living in Eagle County)

Bay Virtual Instruction Program (Available for students living in Bay County)

Calhoun Virtual Instruction Program (Available for students living in Calhoun County)

Clay Virtual Academy (Available for students living in Clay County)

Coastal Connections Academy

Collier Virtual School (Available for students living in Collier County)

Florida Connections Academy

Florida Cyber Charter Academy (Available for students living in Clay, Duval, Hillsborough, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, and Osceola Counties)

Florida Virtual School

Franklin Virtual Instruction Program (Available for students living in Franklin County)

Glades Virtual Instruction Program (Available for students living in Glades County)

Indian River Virtual Instruction Program (Available for students living in Indian River County)

Jackson County Virtual Instruction Program (Available for students living in Jackson County)

Madison County Virtual School (Available for students living in Madison County)

Miami-Dade Online Academy (Available for students living in Miami-Dade County)

Mosaic Digital Academy (Available for students living in Martin, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie counties)

MyDistrict Virtual School (Available for students living in: Baker, Bradford, Columbia, Dixie, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Lafayette, Levy, Monroe, Nassau, Okeechobee, Putnam, and Union counties)

Nassau County Virtual School (Available for students living in Nassau County)

Osceola Virtual School (Available for students living in Osceola County)

Polk County Virtual School (Available for students living in Polk County)

Santa Rosa Online (Available for students living in Santa Rosa County)

Sarasota Virtual School (Available for students living in Sarasota County)

St. Johns County Virtual School (Available for students living in St. Johns County)

Volusia Virtual School (Available for students living in Volusia County)

Destinations Career Academy of Georgia

Georgia Connections Academy

Georgia Cyber Academy

Wilcox County Schools Online Education Program (Available to students living in Wilcox County)

Hawaii Technology Academy

Gem Prep Online (available to students living in southeast Idaho)

Icon: Idaho Connects Online School

Idaho Connections Academy

Idaho Technical Career Academy

Idaho Virtual Academy

iSucceed Virtual High School

Cambridge Academy at Cambridge Lakes Charter School

Achieve Virtual High School

Hoosier Academies

Indiana Connections Academy

Indiana Connections Career Academy

Iowa Connections Academy

Iowa Virtual Academy

Basehor-Linwood Virtual School

Destinations Career Academy at ISKS

Haven Virtual Academy

Insight School of Kansas

Insight School of Kansas Adult

Kansas Connections Academy

Kansas Virtual Academy

Lawrence Virtual School

Lincoln Preparatory School

Louisiana Virtual Charter Academy

Magnolia School of Excellence

Mentorship Academy

Southern University Laboratory Virtual School

Maine Connections Academy

Maine Virtual Academy

Massachusetts

Greater Commonwealth Virtual School

TEC Connections Academy Commonwealth Virtual School

Insight School of Michigan

Jenison International Academy (Available to students who live in Ottawa, Kent, Muskegon, Newaygo, Montcalm, Ionia, Barry, and Allegan counties)

Lighthouse Connections Academy

Michigan Connections Academy

Michigan Great Lakes Virtual Academy

Michigan Virtual Charter Academy

Westwood Cyber High School

Bluesky Charter School

Insight School of Minnesota

iQ Academy Minnesota

LinK¹² Lakeville

Minnesota Connections Academy

Minnesota Virtual Academy

Minnesota Virtual Schools

MN Online High School

VIBE Academy

Wolf Creek Online Charter School

Missouri Connections Academy

Missouri Virtual Academy

Missouri Virtual Academy–Career Academy

Beacon Academy of Nevada

Nevada Connections Academy

Nevada Learning Academy

North Star Online School

Odyssey Charter School

New Hampshire

Virtual Learning Academy Charter School

People’s Prep Charter School (Available to students residing within the city of Newark)

Destinations Career Academy of New Mexico

eCADEMY Magnet High School

New Mexico Connections Academy

Pecos Cyber Academy

North Carolina

North Carolina Cyber Academy

North Carolina Virtual Academy

North Carolina Virtual School

Virtual Districts –Students from 52 school districts in North Carolina now have fully-virtual class options. A downloadable list is available at this link.

Cincinnati Digital Academy

Ohio Connections Academy

Ohio Digital Learning School

Ohio Distance and Electronic Learning Academy

Ohio Virtual Academy

Great River Connections Academy

TRECA Digital Academy

Epic Charter Schools

E-School Virtual Charter Academy

Insight School of Oklahoma

Oklahoma Connections Academy

Oklahoma Virtual Charter Academy

Albany Online!

Bend-La Pine Schools Online (Available to students in grades K–12 residing in the Bend-La Pine district and surrounding areas.)

Cascade Virtual Academy

Crater Lake Charter Academy (Available to students residing in Jackson County School District and neighboring districts)

Evergreen Virtual Academy

Frontier Charter Academy

Hermiston Online Program (Students from Hermiston district preferred, but will accept out of district students)

Insight School of Oregon—Painted Hills

MEWA Online School

North Wasco Virtual Academy

Oregon Connections Academy

Oregon Charter Academy

Wilamette Connections Academy

Pennsylvania

21st Century Cyber Charter School

Achievement House Cyber Charter School

Agora Cyber Charter School

Bald Eagle Area Cyber Academy (Available to students who reside within district)

Bangor Area School District Cyber School (Available to students who reside in Bangor, East Bangor, Portland, and Roseto, Lower Mount Bethel, Upper Mount Bethel, and Washington.)

Berks Online Learning (Available to students residing in Berks County.)

Brandywine Heights Area School District

Carlisle Area School District

Central PA Digital Learning Foundation

Conestoga Valley Virtual Academy (Available to students residing in Conestoga Valley School District)

Ephrata Virtual Academy (Available to students residing in the Ephrata Area School District)

Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School

Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School

Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School

Pennwood Cyber Charter School

Tulpehocken Virtual Academy (Available to students in Tulpehocken Area School District.)

South Carolina

Cyber Academy of South Carolina

Lowcountry Connections Academy

Odyssey Online Learning

SC Whitmore School

South Carolina Connections Academy

South Carolina Preparatory Academy

South Carolina Virtual Charter School

South Dakota

Black Hills Online Learning Community

Chester Area Cyber School

Northwestern Cyber High School

Oglala Lakota County Virtual High School

South Dakota Virtual School

Wessington Springs High School Cyber School

Tennessee Connections Academy

Tennessee Online Public School

Tennessee Virtual Academy

eSchool Prep

iSchool Virtual Academy

iUniversity Prep Magnet School

Premier High School Online

Texas Connections Academy @ Houston

Texas Online Preparatory School

Texas Virtual Academy

Texas Virtual School Network

University of Texas High School

Lumen Scholar Institute

Mountain Heights Academy

Statewide Online Education Program

Utah Connections Academy

Utah Online School

Utah Virtual Academy

DoDEA Virtual High School

Virginia Connections Academy

Virginia Virtual Academy

Insight School of Washington

Internet Academy

Mid Columbia Partnership

North Franklin Virtual Academy (Available to students residing within North Franklin District)

Washington Connections Academy

Washington Virtual Academies

West Virginia

West Virginia Virtual School

Destinations Career Academy of Wisconsin

eAchieve Academy

iForward Online Charter School

Insight Wisconsin

Mighty River Virtual Academy

Sparta Area School District

Wisconsin Connections Academy

Wisconsin Rapids Virtual School Program (Available to students residing in Wisconsin Rapids School District)

Wisconsin Virtual Academy

Wisconsin Virtual Learning

Cowboy State Virtual Academy (This school is only free to some students, so check their website for eligibility requirements)

Washakie #1 Online (Available for students living in Washakie #1 County school district)

Wyoming Connections Academy

Wyoming Virtual Academy

Reasons to Attend an Online High School

Attending high school online isn't right for everyone, but for some, it can be the best way to earn a high school diploma. If you're thinking about enrolling in an online public school, you may want to think about whether these reasons apply to you and your circumstances.

Schedule and Study Flexibility

Taking courses online, rather than in person, allows students to set their own study schedules. As long as you engage in the school program for the necessary number of hours per week and complete your assignments, most programs allow you to study when and where you want.

So if you're someone who has an outside interest that takes considerable time nonnegotiable commitments--dedicated athletes, artists, people working full time, or anyone else who has to commit hours outside of school every week--attending high school online can give you the necessary flexibility to balance school with your other activities.

Set Your Own Learning Pace

Online high schools allow students to learn at their own pace, whether that pace is faster or slower than that of a typical physical public school. Because the courses in an online program are self-directed, this allows students to set their own learning speed, rather than feeling frustrated that a class is going too fast or too slow based on the needs of a whole group of students.

So if you are an academic achiever who wants to get ahead of your grade/age level, or are someone who is falling behind academically and need to slow down from your grade/age level, an online high school experience might be the right fit for you.

Study From Home or on the Move

There are endless reasons why taking classes and studying from home may be preferable to taking classes at a physical school. For these people, taking classes online is the perfect way to stay in school without being beholden to attending school physically.

Perhaps you have a family that frequently moves and so cannot stay in one place for long enough to attend a physical school. Perhaps you are someone who doesn't have easy access to a physical school or feels that nearby schools are unsuitable for whatever reason. Or perhaps you are someone with a chronic medical condition or someone who needs to be otherwise home bound.

In these life situations and many others, online high schools can provide the accommodation and adaptability that so many students need to complete their studies.

Option for People Who Never Finished High School

On average, people who receive a high school diploma earn more than those who receive a GED. If you're someone who never attended or completed high school for any reason, you might think about earning an official diploma rather than testing out for your GED .

An online high school program could be the right fit for you if you never completed high school, but still want the full high school experience and an accredited diploma to show for it.

What's Next?

Want to learn more about online high school programs? Check out what it means for a high school to be accredited and how to avoid non-accredited online schools .

Still undecided whether or not an online high school is right for you? Learn more about the pros and cons of attending an online high school .

Thinking about different kinds of alternative schools (other than online)? Check out our guide to alternative schools and how they might be the right fit for you .

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Courtney scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT in high school and went on to graduate from Stanford University with a degree in Cultural and Social Anthropology. She is passionate about bringing education and the tools to succeed to students from all backgrounds and walks of life, as she believes open education is one of the great societal equalizers. She has years of tutoring experience and writes creative works in her free time.

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Free Online High Schools

Important Info & Complete State Listings

You may be curious about online high schools because they allow students to enroll in virtual classes. Or, because they eliminate the restricting and inflexible schedules that accompany public schools. Or, because online programs give parents the option to be more involved in their child's education.

There are many reasons why online schools might be more attractive than the brick-and-mortar alternative.

Page Navigation

• 1.1 Searchable table of 170+ Schools
• 2.1 Online high school:
• 2.2 What is it like to attend an online high school?
• 3 Common reasons why parents choose online schools
• 4.1 Online public high schools
• 4.2 Online private high schools
• 4.3 State Requirements

List of Free Online High Schools in the United States

There is not a maintained list of virtual public schools, so we spent hours compiling one. Below you will find a table with the most recently updated list. If you don't see your state, it means your state does not support online education.  This does not mean you cannot attend a virtual academy, although a tuition-free virtual public school is not sponsored by your state. Private schools, charter schools, home school programs, or an individualized home education may be your best option if you need to pull your child from the public education system.

Searchable table of 170+ Schools

What are the differences between an online high school and public school?

Online high school:.

• Some schools may be hybrid, meaning that students spend some time in a physical class and other instruction is given online.
• Some, or all, teaching and testing take place virtually
• Students in complete online programs never visit a physical building
• Offline activities
• Paper worksheets
• Physical projects
• Students can learn from any location as long as they have an internet connection
• Online platforms that mimic classrooms
• Through email / over the phone / over video
• Students usually receive an individualized education
• Curriculum, textbooks, workbooks, and educational materials are often mailed directly to your residence

What is it like to attend an online high school?

For the most part, attending a virtual school is very similar to attending public school. Allegedly, students still spend over five hours each day doing "classroom work" before spending time on "homework."

The biggest difference is that students and families create a schedule that works best for them. This allows for incredible flexibility.

Common reasons why parents choose online schools

Connections Academy surveyed their parents and reported the following statistics:

• 51% of parents wanted greater flexibility
• 42% of parents wanted a change from their local school
• 32% wanted a safe/controlled learning environment
• 23% wanted to be more involved in their child's education
• 22% of children had serious health concerns
• 10% of children suffered from bullies
• 3+% were actively involved in sports or competitions

Public Virtual Schools vs Private Virtual Schools

Just like in public school classrooms, there are two broad categories of online high schools: public and private.

Online public high schools

Public schools and charter schools must be accredited and funded by the state. Therefore, they will only use state-approved teachers, offer state curriculum, stick to exact government education standards, and reward graduates with a diploma. There is never any required tuition, these schools are tax-payer funded. These schools serve students in grades kindergarten through twelve. Besides no interpersonal experience, online public high schools are really no different than public schools.

Online private high schools

Looking to escape from the government controlled education systems? Don't want a curriculum that is written by the state?

You'll want to consider an online private high school. Private institutions use their own requirements, standards, curriculum, and tuition. Because they are private, they are free from government control, but they are not free. Click here to view a list of the best private online high schools.

State Requirements

Lots of schools require their students to live in a local school district and the majority of programs require the student to be a state resident. Nevertheless, there are online schools that allow any student to enroll. Some states do not fund a K12 online program. This means students/parents will need to find an out-of-state school that meets their local state requirements and accepts out-of-state students.

What if I live in a state without public online schools and I can't afford a private program?

Have you considered homeschooling ? Many parents seek out online schools because of a difficult or busy family schedule and may not have time to bear the full educational responsibility of homeschooling. Nevertheless, there are many affordable all-in-one homeschool curriculums and homes chool programs that make homeschooling much easier on a busy parent.

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A free online high school is a program that allows students to study through the internet without paying tuition. Free online high schools are considered public schools . In some states, they may be run by the state's department of education. In other states, free online high schools are administrated by local school districts or by private organizations that receive permission by forming charter schools. While some free online high schools only offer a few courses, many provide students the opportunity to earn an entire high school diploma.

Do Free Online High Schools Offer Legitimate Diplomas?

The short answer is: yes. Free only high schools can award graduates diplomas that are the same as diplomas from traditional brick-and-mortar schools. However, many free online high schools are new and are still trying to become properly accredited. Whenever a new school (traditional or virtual) begins accepting students for enrollment, it must go through an accreditation process to prove that it offers a high-quality education. The process can take some time and a school is not guaranteed to receive accreditation. Before enrolling, you can check a free online high school's accreditation status here . If the school is not accredited, you may encounter trouble transferring to another program or having your credits accepted by a college after graduation .

Are Free Online High Schools Easier Than Traditional High Schools?

As a general rule, free online high schools are not easier than traditional online high schools. Different schools have different curricula and instructors. Some free online high schools may be more difficult than their traditional counterparts, while others may be easier. Some students tend to thrive in the self-paced, independent atmosphere that online high schools provide. Others have an extremely difficult time trying to navigate their assignments and study without the face-to-face assistance offered by teachers in traditional programs.

Can Adults Enroll in Free Online High Schools?

As public programs, free online high schools are designed for teenagers. While the rules vary from state to state, most free online high schools do not permit older adults to enroll. Some programs will accept students that are in their early twenties or younger. Older students interested in earning an online high school diploma may want to consider private online high school programs. These programs do charge tuition; however many are targeted to older learners and offer students the possibility of earning a diploma at an accelerated speed.

Who Funds Free Online High Schools?

Free online high schools are funded in the same way as traditional high schools: with local, state, and federal tax funds.

Can Free Online High School Graduates Enroll in College?

Yes. Just like traditional high school graduates, online high school graduates may apply to and enroll in colleges. College administrators look for the same types of grades, activities, and recommendations as they do for traditional graduates. Some online high schools offer different tracks for students depending on their academic preparedness and their desire to either attend college or learn a trade. Students that plan to attend college should enroll in college preparatory classes and should find out what courses their desired college requires of new freshmen. Additionally, college-minded students should make sure that their free online high school is properly accredited and is in good standing with the accrediting organizations.

Can My Teenager Enroll in Any Free Online High School?

No. Because online high schools are usually partially funded by local taxes, schools are location-specific. For example, a high school student from Dallas, Texas could not enroll in a free online high school funded by Los Angeles, California school districts. Students are only permitted to enroll in programs that are designated for their state or city. In some cases, students must live within a particular school district in order to enroll in a particular online high school. Additionally, some online high schools are only open to students that regularly attend traditional schools that the online program contracts with.

Can My Teenager Enroll in a Free Online High School While Traveling Abroad?

Because of the stringent residency requirements, enrolling in a free online high school while abroad can be a bit challenging. Generally, if students are retaining their American citizenship, they will still have a home state. If the parents remain in the U.S., the student may enroll in free online high schools permitted by the parents' address. If the whole family is traveling abroad, residency may be determined by their mailing address or P.O. Box. Individual schools may have their own requirements.

How Do I Find a Free Online High School?

To find a program for your area, check out the About.com state-by-state list of free online high schools .

• List of Free Online Public Schools for Alabama Students, K-12
• Facts About Online High School Diplomas
• How to Get a Job as an Online High School Teacher
• Why Do Teens Enroll in Online High Schools?
• 7 Reasons to Enroll Your Child in an Online Elementary School
• Volunteer Opportunities for Online High School Students
• Pros and Cons of Earning Your High School Diploma Online
• Get Your High School Diploma Online
• 10 Myths About Online High Schools
• How to Earn an Online High School Diploma as an Adult
• Can Online High School Graduates Go to College?
• How to Choose Between a High School Diploma and a GED
• Is Online School Right for My Teen?
• State-by-State List of Free Online Public Schools, K–12
• List of Free Online Public Schools for Mississippi Students, K-12
• List of Free Online Public Schools for South Carolina Students, K-12

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Homework Gap

16.9 million children remain logged out because they don’t have internet at home.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a near-total shutdown of the U.S. school system, forcing more than 55 million students to transition to home-based remote learning practically overnight. In most cases, that meant logging in to online classes and accessing lessons and assignments through a home internet connection. Sadly, that was not an option for children in one out of three Black, Latino, and American Indian/Alaska Native households.

Nationwide, across all racial and ethnic groups, 16.9 million children remain logged out from instruction because their families lack the home internet access necessary to support online learning, a phenomenon known as the “homework gap.” According to an analysis of data from the 2018 American Community Survey conducted for All4Ed, National Urban League , UnidosUS , and the National Indian Education Association , millions of households with children under the age of 18 years lack two essential elements for online learning: (1) high-speed home internet service and (2) a computer.

Lack of High-Speed Internet and Connected Devices

Five Facts About Home Internet Access for Students

#1 – 8.4 million households with children lack high-speed home internet service..

This includes 16.9 million children. For this analysis, “high-speed home internet” refers to a wireline broadband internet subscription—high-speed internet service provided via cable, fiber, or digital subscriber line (DSL). While many households have wireless broadband internet access through smartphones, these services generally are insufficient for educational purposes since they do not have the same capacity, reliability, or speeds available through wireline services. (1) A study from Michigan State University  finds that students who do not have home internet access or who rely solely on a mobile plan for their internet access spend more time on their homework, have lower grade point averages, and have weaker digital skills, even after controlling for socioeconomic factors that potentially influence academic performance (2) . In fact, “[t]he gap in digital skills between students with no home access or cell phone only and those with fast or slow home Internet access is equivalent to the gap in digital skills between 8th and 11th grade students,” according to the study. (3)

#2 – 3.6 Million Households Lack a Computer, putting 7.3 Million Children at an Academic Disadvantage.

In this analysis, a computer refers to a laptop, desktop, or tablet. Students who rely exclusively on smartphones for completing homework must contend with smaller screens on slower devices that have fewer features. Smartphone applications lack the full functionality of software that is available on computers. Therefore, it may be difficult, if not impossible, for students to complete assignments that require detailed writing, editing, calculations, and graphics. Additionally, these students may need to monitor data caps or recharge prepaid phone plans to maintain their internet access. (4) Consequently, these students are less likely to complete and submit assignments online outside of school or engage in other online activities such as conducting research, video chatting with peers about school work, or looking up classroom information. (5)

#3 – 4.7 Million Black, Latino, Asian, and American Indian/Alaska Native Families combined lack the High-Speed Home Internet Service Necessary for Online Learning.

Nationally, only about 23% of all households with children do not have high-speed home internet service and about 10% do not have a computer. However, rates vary widely by race. 34% of American Indian/Alaska Native families and about 31% each of Black and Latino families lack access to high-speed home internet, compared to only 21% of White families.

Furthermore, lack of high-speed home internet access disproportionately affects children of color. For example, Latino households make up 20.9% of all households with children, but represent 28.7% of households without high-speed home internet access. This totals 2.4 million Latino families and 5.1 million Latino children. Similarly, Black households make up 14.4% of all households with children, but represent 19.5% of households without high-speed home internet access. This totals 1.6 million Black families and 3.3 million Black children.

Home access to computers and other devices is also limited for students of color. About 17% each of Black and Latino families and nearly 16% of American Indian/Alaska Native families do not have a computer at home, compared to only 8% of White families.

#4 – 4.6 Million Families Earning Less than $50,000 Per Year lack Access to high-Speed Home Internet Service.

Four in ten families that earn less than $25,000 annually do not have high-speed home internet access and three in ten do not have a computer. Similarly, among households that earn between $25,000 and $50,000 annually, one-third lack high-speed home internet service and nearly one-fifth do not have a computer.

Lack of Internet and Device Access by Household Income

#5 – 1.7 Million Households in Nonmetropolitan (or Rural) Areas Lack High-Speed Home Internet.

That is nearly two out of every five families living in rural locations. (6) The greatest disparities exist in rural southern and southwestern states, with Mississippi having the highest percentage of families who lack high-speed home internet service—nearly 42%.

Lack of Internet and Device Access by Location

Learn More About Internet Access in Your State

As you click on your state, you will find information by race, income, and location.

The Cost to Close the Homework Gap

Most of the burden for equipping students with devices and internet access for online learning will fall to schools, districts, and states. But they cannot resolve the existing disparities alone. Bringing high-speed home internet access to all 8.4 million households that currently are offline will require Congress to approve additional funding to support students’ learning needs.

Congress should appropriate the $6.8 billion necessary to cover immediate costs related to high-speed home internet access and devices in any upcoming funding packages passed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ultimately, additional substantial resources will be necessary to build out the infrastructure in rural areas where connectivity is not currently available. This is critical to do in the long term to ensure students in isolated regions have full access to a high-quality education. However, these costs fall outside the scope of the immediate response to COVID-19 necessary for students to participate in online learning during the 2020–2021 school year.

Methodology

The data used for the analysis presented in “Students of Color Caught in the Homework Gap” comes from the 2018 American Community Survey (ACS). This survey, conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, contacts 3.5 million households per year. Households receive notices through the mail that they have been selected for the survey, and they can respond through the mail, using the internet, or by telephone. If contacted households do not respond, ACS follows up with phone calls to ask that the survey be completed. About 90 percent of contacted households complete the ACS.

The large sample size of ACS allows analysis of fairly disaggregated geographic units. Since the ACS is an ongoing survey, the Census Bureau aggregates the data in different ways. For analysis of census tracts, which generally have populations of about  4,000 people  (although census tracts can be geographically large in rural areas), ACS aggregates data over five years. That means that about 17.5 million households are available for analysis. For larger geographic areas such as states, the “ 1-year ACS estimates ” are appropriate, since that survey can be used to analyze places with populations of 65,000 or more.

To calculate the numbers of children without digital tools, this analysis used ACS data on the number of related children in the household. That figure varies depending on income, race, and state. The calculations in the state-by-state tables account for these variations. For example, households in Texas, on average, have more children than those in Vermont, while low-income households generally have more children than upper-income ones. In other words, a separate figure for the average number of children in households was calculated for each state and, within each state, across income and race/ethnicity categories. The ACS downloadable PUMS data does not capture all children in the United States, but the ACS provides data on the total number of children in the country. The number of children in the ACS PUMS data differs from the total reported on the Census website by about 7 percent. The analysis allocated this difference proportionately across states and subcategories.

1 John B. Horrigan, senior fellow at the Technology Policy Institute, conducted the data analysis referenced in this document. To read the full methodology for this analysis, visit  all4ed.org/homeworkgap .

2 Columbia Telecommunications Corporation,  Mobile Broadband Service Is Not an Adequate Substitute for Wireline  (Kensington, MD: Author, 2017).

3 K. Hampton et al.,  Broadband and Student Performance Gaps  (East Lansing, MI: James H. and Mary B. Quello Center, Michigan State University, 2020).

7 Following the U.S. Census Bureau’s practice, this analysis defines metropolitan areas as urbanized areas of 50,000 or more people and urban clusters of at least 2,500 people but less than 50,000. Remaining areas are nonmetropolitan. The American Community Survey does not use the term “rural” in characterizing geographies.

Homework Gap in California

An analysis from All4Ed and the Linked Learning Alliance shows the very students who could benefit the most from the college- and career-focused approach of Linked Learning are the least likely to have the internet and devices needed to access it from home.

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What we know about online learning and the homework gap amid the pandemic

America’s K-12 students are returning to classrooms this fall after 18 months of virtual learning at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some students who lacked the home internet connectivity needed to finish schoolwork during this time – an experience often called the “ homework gap ” – may continue to feel the effects this school year.

Here is what Pew Research Center surveys found about the students most likely to be affected by the homework gap and their experiences learning from home.

Children across the United States are returning to physical classrooms this fall after 18 months at home, raising questions about how digital disparities at home will affect the existing homework gap between certain groups of students.

Methodology for each Pew Research Center poll can be found at the links in the post.

With the exception of the 2018 survey, everyone who took part in the surveys is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the  ATP’s methodology .

The 2018 data on U.S. teens comes from a Center poll of 743 U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 conducted March 7 to April 10, 2018, using the NORC AmeriSpeak panel. AmeriSpeak is a nationally representative, probability-based panel of the U.S. household population. Randomly selected U.S. households are sampled with a known, nonzero probability of selection from the NORC National Frame, and then contacted by U.S. mail, telephone or face-to-face interviewers. Read more details about the NORC AmeriSpeak panel methodology .

Around nine-in-ten U.S. parents with K-12 children at home (93%) said their children have had some online instruction since the coronavirus outbreak began in February 2020, and 30% of these parents said it has been very or somewhat difficult for them to help their children use technology or the internet as an educational tool, according to an April 2021 Pew Research Center survey .

Gaps existed for certain groups of parents. For example, parents with lower and middle incomes (36% and 29%, respectively) were more likely to report that this was very or somewhat difficult, compared with just 18% of parents with higher incomes.

This challenge was also prevalent for parents in certain types of communities – 39% of rural residents and 33% of urban residents said they have had at least some difficulty, compared with 23% of suburban residents.

Around a third of parents with children whose schools were closed during the pandemic (34%) said that their child encountered at least one technology-related obstacle to completing their schoolwork during that time. In the April 2021 survey, the Center asked parents of K-12 children whose schools had closed at some point about whether their children had faced three technology-related obstacles. Around a quarter of parents (27%) said their children had to do schoolwork on a cellphone, 16% said their child was unable to complete schoolwork because of a lack of computer access at home, and another 14% said their child had to use public Wi-Fi to finish schoolwork because there was no reliable connection at home.

Parents with lower incomes whose children’s schools closed amid COVID-19 were more likely to say their children faced technology-related obstacles while learning from home. Nearly half of these parents (46%) said their child faced at least one of the three obstacles to learning asked about in the survey, compared with 31% of parents with midrange incomes and 18% of parents with higher incomes.

Of the three obstacles asked about in the survey, parents with lower incomes were most likely to say that their child had to do their schoolwork on a cellphone (37%). About a quarter said their child was unable to complete their schoolwork because they did not have computer access at home (25%), or that they had to use public Wi-Fi because they did not have a reliable internet connection at home (23%).

A Center survey conducted in April 2020 found that, at that time, 59% of parents with lower incomes who had children engaged in remote learning said their children would likely face at least one of the obstacles asked about in the 2021 survey.

A year into the outbreak, an increasing share of U.S. adults said that K-12 schools have a responsibility to provide all students with laptop or tablet computers in order to help them complete their schoolwork at home during the pandemic. About half of all adults (49%) said this in the spring 2021 survey, up 12 percentage points from a year earlier. An additional 37% of adults said that schools should provide these resources only to students whose families cannot afford them, and just 13% said schools do not have this responsibility.

While larger shares of both political parties in April 2021 said K-12 schools have a responsibility to provide computers to all students in order to help them complete schoolwork at home, there was a 15-point change among Republicans: 43% of Republicans and those who lean to the Republican Party said K-12 schools have this responsibility, compared with 28% last April. In the 2021 survey, 22% of Republicans also said schools do not have this responsibility at all, compared with 6% of Democrats and Democratic leaners.

Even before the pandemic, Black teens and those living in lower-income households were more likely than other groups to report trouble completing homework assignments because they did not have reliable technology access. Nearly one-in-five teens ages 13 to 17 (17%) said they are often or sometimes unable to complete homework assignments because they do not have reliable access to a computer or internet connection, a 2018 Center survey of U.S. teens found.

One-quarter of Black teens said they were at least sometimes unable to complete their homework due to a lack of digital access, including 13% who said this happened to them often. Just 4% of White teens and 6% of Hispanic teens said this often happened to them. (There were not enough Asian respondents in the survey sample to be broken out into a separate analysis.)

A wide gap also existed by income level: 24% of teens whose annual family income was less than $30,000 said the lack of a dependable computer or internet connection often or sometimes prohibited them from finishing their homework, but that share dropped to 9% among teens who lived in households earning $75,000 or more a year.

• Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• COVID-19 & Technology
• Digital Divide
• Education & Learning Online

Katherine Schaeffer is a research analyst at Pew Research Center .

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Editorial: How can kids learn without homework and rigid deadlines? Quite well, it turns out

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The usual system for grading students is, bit by bit, going by the wayside in favor of one that emphasizes learning over traditional measures. It’s a healthy shift, though traditionalists no doubt are raising their eyebrows and muttering darkly about lowered standards and kids skating through school. The skepticism is especially likely now that the changes are being hastened by the realization that the current system puts students of color and those from lower-income households at a distinct disadvantage.

So-called mastery-based grading and a very similar method known as specs (for specifications) grading have been written about in academic circles for decades. But schools have stuck to an outdated system that relies heavily on students’ compliance — completing homework, behaving in class, meeting deadlines and correctly answering questions on a one-time test — as a proxy for learning, rather than measuring the learning itself.

That’s been a disservice to all students, whether they are academically gifted or struggling. It rewards students for grade-grubbing and has them feeling like failures when conditions at home — such as crowding, the need to work a part-time job to help the family finances or caring for younger siblings — make it especially hard to meet all the course requirements on a rigid deadline.

If there were a valid reason for this, that would be one thing. But obeying arbitrary and sometimes unfair rules doesn’t translate into better learning. The goal should be assessing the skills and knowledge students gained and how well they think. Mastery-based education and specs grading, and some of the elements that go with them, put the emphasis back on learning. Imagine that.

It shouldn’t matter, for example, whether students get a sterling grade on the first chapter test on human anatomy, or if they learn from their mistakes and go on to ace a second test. Students who redo an essay, even two or three times, in ways that show they’ve grasped concepts of research and critical thinking, and can write cogent and well-organized sentences, are showing that they’re gaining important skills. That willingness to try and try again until a skill is mastered is something to celebrate, not penalize with points off for multiple efforts.

It sounds vague and perhaps airy-fairy, but education experts point out that, in some ways, this kind of grading is more rigorous. Under the specs model, students are graded pass/fail on their tests, but they don’t pass unless they do well — usually at a minimum level of 80%, or a low B. There’s no passing with a C or D. It’s the opposite of skating by; students don’t move to the next level of skills with minimal grasp of the material.

Rather than being given a grade or a comment that they failed to meet a couple of deadlines, students receive specific information about their progress and what they need to do to move forward. This system transfers more of the responsibility for learning to the student.

Several states, including Vermont and Maine, already have adopted this model for their public schools. A middle school in Brooklyn, N.Y., witnessed phenomenal improvement in students’ scores on standardized tests after a few years of mastery-based learning, even though it is in ways the antithesis of a one-time, standardized test. And in case this seems like just the latest instance of touchy-feely liberal thinking limited to the Northeast, Idaho adopted mastery-based education in 2015.

The concept’s roots lie in the 1960s work of Benjamin Bloom , an education psychologist at the University of Chicago who said that given the right conditions, almost any student could achieve at high levels. Now the Black Lives Matter movement has raised awareness that traditional schools are assessing the learning of students — especially Black and Latino children — in ways that both discourage them and fail to hold them to high expectations. In addition, more than a year of remote learning has familiarized students with how to use technological tools to learn; in the classroom, those can be used to individualize instruction so that teachers have a chance to work with small groups.

The Los Angeles Unified School District is shifting toward this new model of grading this year by encouraging teachers to give kids a chance to redo tests or reports and to base grades on what students have learned, not on their work habits. It’s off to a slow start, but that’s the better way to go when introducing an era of assessment so radically different from how it’s been for the last century.

Teachers need time to understand, embrace and start incorporating these practices. And they’ll need training, administrative help and aides to help instruct small groups and track progress.

In other words, careful implementation is as important as the reform. This is where new education initiatives tend to fall apart. Too often, L.A. Unified has used changes in course and grading requirements to lower its standards. Kids can’t infinitely skip school and miss deadlines; that’s not how college or the work world operate. Students should be given extra time to learn, but the schools can’t keep a student in middle school indefinitely, while he or she builds crucial skills.

Mastery-based learning gets students to think about their own progress and encourages them to take their skills as far as they can. If done right — and not as an excuse for lack of progress — it could reinvigorate classrooms and give students a sense of control over their own educational destiny.

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Cheapest and Most Affordable Online Colleges of 2024

BestColleges.com is committed to delivering content that is objective and actionable. To that end, we have built a network of industry professionals across higher education to review our content and ensure we are providing the most helpful information to our readers.

Drawing on their firsthand industry expertise, our Integrity Network members serve as an additional step in our editing process, helping us confirm our content is accurate and up to date. These contributors:

• Suggest changes to inaccurate or misleading information.
• Provide specific, corrective feedback.
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Integrity Network members typically work full time in their industry profession and review content for BestColleges.com as a side project. All Integrity Network members are paid members of the Red Ventures Education Integrity Network.

Explore our full list of Integrity Network members.

A college degree, in this economy? You can totally do it — you just have to be strategic.

These cheap online degree programs can save you money while also providing the flexibility you need to attend school while holding down a job, raising a family, and balancing other obligations.

Featured Online Colleges

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

Most Affordable Online Colleges of 2024

University of florida.

• Campus + Online
• In-State $4,477
• Out-of-state $25,694
• In-State $10,770
• Out-of-state $27,335
• Retention Rate 97%
• Acceptance Rate 30%
• Students Enrolled 55,781
• Institution Type Public

Weber State University

• In-State $5,329
• Out-of-state $15,745
• In-State $7,880
• Out-of-state $17,459
• Retention Rate 65%
• Acceptance Rate N/A
• Students Enrolled 29,774

Indiana University-Kokomo

• In-State $7,170
• Out-of-state $20,277
• In-State $7,613
• Out-of-state $17,935
• Retention Rate 60%
• Acceptance Rate 90%
• Students Enrolled 2,995

San Diego State University

• In-State $5,742
• Out-of-state $17,622
• In-State $7,176
• Out-of-state $16,680
• Retention Rate 90%
• Acceptance Rate 38%
• Students Enrolled 36,484

Florida State University

• In-State $4,640
• Out-of-state $19,084
• In-State $9,684
• Out-of-state $24,116
• Retention Rate 94%
• Acceptance Rate 37%
• Students Enrolled 45,130

Florida Atlantic University

• In-State $2,522
• Out-of-state $14,374
• In-State $5,467
• Out-of-state $16,695
• Retention Rate 80%
• Acceptance Rate 78%
• Students Enrolled 30,155

National University

• In-State $13,320
• Out-of-state $13,320
• In-State $15,480
• Out-of-state $15,480
• Retention Rate 100%
• Acceptance Rate 55%
• Students Enrolled 17,135
• Institution Type Private

University of Nebraska at Omaha

• In-State $6,344
• Out-of-state $19,926
• In-State $6,138
• Out-of-state $14,760
• Retention Rate 69%
• Acceptance Rate 87%
• Students Enrolled 15,328

Florida International University

• In-State $4,721
• Out-of-state $16,529
• In-State $8,912
• Out-of-state $21,393
• Acceptance Rate 64%
• Students Enrolled 56,664

University of Utah

• In-State $7,749
• Out-of-state $27,201
• In-State $6,970
• Out-of-state $24,607
• Retention Rate 87%
• Acceptance Rate 95%
• Students Enrolled 34,464

How We Rank Schools

At BestColleges, we believe a college education is one of the most important investments you can make. We help you navigate the college selection process by offering transparent, inclusive, and relevant school rankings.

We use datasets from trusted sources like the National Center for Education Statistics to inform the data for these schools and our methodologies. This ranking is from 2024. To learn more, check out our full ranking methodologies .

How Can I Afford College?

If you’re reading this, you probably know how tough it can be to get ahead in this country without a bachelor’s degree.

It’s no secret that college can be super expensive. So expensive, in fact, that 62% of Americans believe financial challenges make going to college inaccessible. But there are a few things you can do to make college cost less.

How to Afford College

• Transfer credits from a community college or previous college enrollment.
• Choose a school that will apply work or volunteer experience towards your degree requirements.
• Apply for as many types of financial aid as you can.
• Accept tuition reimbursement from your employer.

But the number one thing you can do to make college cheaper? Pick an affordable school.

And we can help with that.

Options on our new list of online bachelor’s degree programs offer the best cost/benefit ratio on the market. Build the future you want — on your own schedule — without breaking the bank.

Is Online College Worth It?

Yes, because a college degree can help you earn more money:

• In 2023, the median earnings of workers (age 25 and over) with a bachelor’s degree were about 66% higher than the median earnings of those with only a high school diploma.

Yes, because a college degree also impacts your lifetime earnings:

• According to another Georgetown University study , the median lifetime earnings for college grads ($2.3 million) with a bachelor’s are roughly 75% more than the expected earnings of workers with only a high school diploma ($1.3 million).

Yes, because the right degree can make you more employable:

• According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , college grads are half as likely to be unemployed as workers with only a high school diploma.
• Cengage Group’s 2022 Employability Report found that 62% of employers require a college degree for all entry-level positions.

Yes, because research shows that many college graduates enjoy a higher quality of life:

• Bachelor’s degree holders are 47% more likely to have health insurance through their jobs, according to the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities .
• These workers also receive 74% more in health coverage contributions from employers than non-college grads.
• People with four-year degrees even live longer: A recent study published in the proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that, since 2010, the life expectancy of people without a degree has steadily decreased while the life expectancy of college graduates has increased.

Yes, because online degrees are more mainstream than ever:

• A 2023 national survey found that online learners reported a higher rate of satisfaction with their educational experience (73%) than in-person students at four-year colleges and community colleges.
• According to a report by Northeastern University , a majority of employers (61%) see online credentials as equivalent to or in some cases better than on-campus study.

How to Make Online College Worth It for You

That’s not to say the road will be easy.

Our research shows that 65% of online students have full- or part-time jobs, and 91% have kids at home under the age of 18. Throw college into the mix, and things can get really overwhelming, really quickly.

As a result, working students, part-time students , and independent students have much lower graduation rates than traditional, full-time students.

But you can do this. Preparation is half the battle. Here’s how to make it to the finish line and get the best return on your investment:

1. Know Exactly What You Want From Your Degree

Ask yourself: Why are you going to college now? What is your desired outcome?

If you want access to higher-paying jobs, be strategic about your choice of major . Some degrees lead to better-paying jobs than others. In 2024, the 10 highest-earning bachelor’s degrees included chemical engineering, computer engineering , and aerospace engineering.

If you’re looking to advance in your current field, focus on a degree path that will give you the specific credentials you need to get ahead.

2. Plan for Obstacles

Online students say that work/life balance is one of their biggest obstacles to success. Earning an online degree while also managing responsibilities outside of school requires a lot of planning, discipline, and grit. You’ll have to:

• Be realistic about what you can accomplish. Don’t burn yourself out by signing up for too many courses at a time.
• Be mindful of your time management. Each term, carve out blocks of dedicated study time and protect that schedule with your life.
• Put a support system in place. Reach out to employers, friends, family members, neighbors, and peers you can count on for emotional or practical help.

3. Choose a Program That Fits Your Needs

Even the best students need help sometimes. Make sure you consider what student services each school offers in terms of support and flexibility:

• Will you have access to tutoring, mental health support , and career guidance?
• Will your classes be synchronous or asynchronous ?
• Will instructors be flexible and understanding?
• Will you have opportunities to network and build professional relationships ?

All of this might sound like a lot, but remember that 96% of online college graduates recommend online learning as a path to success. Soon enough — with the right planning and a good program — you can be one of them.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cheap Online Colleges

Is online college more affordable.

Online college may be more affordable than a traditional four-year degree if you take into account the following:

• No lost wages: One of the biggest benefits of online schooling is the flexibility it gives you to work and study at the same time. You can pursue a degree without any gaps in your earnings.
• No commute: Far from campus? No problem. Gas prices won’t get you down when your commute is from your bedroom to your dining room table.
• Fewer on-campus fees: Online students may be exempted from fees pertaining to on-campus amenities and services.

If you’re only considering out-of-pocket costs, online programs aren’t necessarily more affordable . According to a 2020 report from Quality Matters and Eduventures Research , most schools charge about the same tuition for online and campus-based programs.

What is the cheapest online college?

The cheapest online college on our list is the University of Florida. Undergraduates who are state residents pay an average of $129 per credit in tuition.

What is the average cost of online college?

Based on numbers collected by BestColleges, the average net price for online programs at distance-learning-only public schools was $12,981 during the 2021-22 school year.

The cost was higher at both private nonprofit schools and private for-profit schools: $15,942 and $19,294, respectively.

How can online students avoid out-of-state tuition costs?

The easiest way to avoid out-of-state tuition costs as an online student is to attend a college in your state. Students who attend an out-of-state public college often pay more than in-state students.

That said, there are some colleges that charge all online students the same tuition, regardless of residency. Additionally, some colleges reduce tuition costs with waivers for children of alumni or military members. And some students may qualify for in-state tuition if they have strong academic credentials.

Explore More College Resources

What to Know About Earning an Online Bachelor’s Degree

A panel of online education experts share their tips for remote learning success and advice for choosing a high-quality online bachelor’s program.

by Staff Writers

Updated May 23, 2023

Scholarships for Online College Students

Online students can qualify for many of the same financial aid opportunities as on-campus students. Check out these 16 scholarships for online students.

by Christina Payne

Updated June 26, 2024

How Much Does Online College Cost?

Discover the cost of online college and learn valuable tips for managing and reducing expenses in our guide.

by Danika Miller

Updated July 29, 2024

View the most relevant schools for your interests and compare them by tuition, programs, acceptance rate, and other factors important to finding your college home.

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25 Best Online Learning Platforms for Students & Teachers to Try in 2022

Written by Melanie Arden

• Teacher Resources

• Student and teacher communication platforms
• Game-based learning platforms
• Classroom management platforms
• Online-only virtual learning platforms
• What about eLearning platforms for adults?
• Is there a best virtual classroom platform?

Since early 2020, teachers like you worked tirelessly to ensure students continue their studies without disruption. Despite the challenges everyone faced, your hard work made sure online learning platforms provided a way to keep kids engaged and excited to study! 

As students continue to learn online, virtual learning platforms are a good way to help them:

• Have an effective remote learning experience
• Progress with their studies and receive feedback from teachers
• Learn in a safe environment in line with the school’s privacy policies
• Get more time back for homework and activities instead of traveling to school

We've compiled a variety of online learning platforms to suit the needs of parents and teachers. Keep reading to find out which one is right for you!

Types of virtual learning platforms & examples of each

Communication is key when it comes to ensuring students receive the education they deserve. Interactive video lectures help teachers and students communicate effectively in real time.

Education platforms encourage students to:

• Collaborate 
• Communicate
• Share videos, photos and homework assignments 

To help students learn, you can set up classes, distribute and collect homework assignments.

Plus, virtual platforms give parents the opportunity to take part and supervise their child's progress from home. 

1. FlipGrid

FlipGrid is a conversation-starter enabling students and teachers to share videos about a relevant subject. Starting guides and webinars are available to teach you and your students how to use this unique platform. Best of all, it's free! 

Zoom became the #1 choice for meetings and webinars for its ease and functionality. Why not use this video conferencing tool for online classes, too?

Zoom requires the use of a passcode to take part in real-time video lectures. Not only does this provide a secure learning environment for kids, but it also allows for safe interactions between students and teachers.

Slack is an instant messaging tool that helps you and your students communicate instantly. 

Teachers can set up channels geared toward separate topics, and Slack ensures data is secure so only teachers and students access lessons. Once you create a start hub, students can easily access everything they need for their studies.

Bloomz is a wonderful app that opens communication between parents and teachers. Easily line up parent-teacher conversations, receive class updates and track behavior with this user-friendly platform. Translation is available in over 100 languages to make learning accessible for everyone.

5. ClassDojo

Parents can join their kids in class through any device with this platform. ClassDojo gives students a way to receive praise for their skills, and parents have the option to share happy moments captured in classrooms.

6. Microsoft Teams

Classrooms are a true team environment when teachers and students can swap thoughts and ideas. Microsoft Teams makes it easy for you and your students to work together as you exchange videos, homework assignments and engage in chat conversations.

Game-based learning combines the fun of gaming with learning . Quizzes, badges and points systems coupled with classroom participation make for a joyful way for students to develop problem solving and critical thinking skills

We found four rewarding and helpful platforms to enhance your child's love for learning through games.

1. Prodigy Math Game

Prodigy's adaptive, game-based learning platform can help students fall in love with learning! Prodigy Math Game challenges students to complete questions, earn rewards and battle friends, all while answering curriculum-aligned questions. 

Plus, your free teacher account gives you access to all of Prodigy’s teacher tools. Use them to:

• Align Prodigy with your classroom lessons
• Differentiate math instruction for every student
• Track student progress and deliver in-game assessments

Whether students are learning in the classroom or at home, Prodigy is a great way to keep them engaged as they build math skills.

Nothing gets kids more excited than a good classroom quiz (and a little healthy competition). Kahoot! was created to work with live video conferencing tools such as Zoom, Skype and Google Meet and blends educational games with fun questions to promote learning.

Kahoot! also encourages kids to create their own games and share with other students.

3. Gimkit         

Gimkit Live unleashes clever educational content where students answer questions at their own pace. Each time they answer a question correctly, they receive in-game cash they can re-invest to buy upgrades and power-ups. 

4. Quizlet        

Quizlet uses flashcards and games to make learning more enjoyable. Study modes and sets are suited to each student's learning style, which makes small accomplishments feel like victories.

Quizlet helps kids to learn a variety of subjects, including:

Classroom management platforms are timesaving tools that make learning run smoothly . These ingenious platforms help you time tasks, manage and improve students' behavior and create a respectful and supportive environment.

You can also use these platforms to communicate with parents and enhance educational experiences at school or at home.

1. Google Classroom    

Google Classroom requires the use of a Gmail account to access Classrooms. This platform is fantastic for easy communication, teamwork and sharing homework files. Plus, you can even use Classroom to make a class website and store important resources or information for students. 

2. Buncee     

Buncee is a fun and simple tool that helps students and teachers create course materials, presentations and stories. The platform has over 2,000 templates that allow users to build charts and visual art creations.

Buncee is a multi-purpose, web-based tool for educational, business and personal applications.

As a global learning management system (LMS), EdModo is a collaborative platform that connects teachers, students and parents.

Teachers like you can:

• Support students 
• Distribute quizzes
• Share assignments
• Create posts and messages

Students have a greater chance of reaching their full potential thanks to EdModo's organized class folders and built-in planner. 

Parents may wish to create their own account so they can supervise their child's progress.

4. Edulastic

As a valuable online education tool, Edulastic's high standards help you administer assessments, help students and track their progress. Google Classroom synchronization is available free to use in combination with Edulastic. Students receive the best of both worlds: effective academic resources that are easy to use!  

5. Eduplanet21      

Eduplanet21 recently began allowing teachers and groups to receive a free subscription to use their platform. Developers also released a software module called "Lesson Planner," which helps you to produce and alter lesson plans for remote learning.

The website has great resources for "10 Minute Tuesdays," quick conversations with educators from around the world. Their webinars also offer valuable tips to help educators and students.

6. ClassMax

ClassMax's online education tool shows teachers exactly how to set up the system, so no guessing required. You can create seating charts, monitor behavior and track student progress. It also eliminates the need to use paper, which is an environmental bonus!

When the pandemic forced educators to change the way they deliver lessons, virtual learning platforms became the solution for administering tutorials and sending out learning materials.

There are countless platforms to make studies enjoyable while kids learn from the comfort and safety of their homes, and we found five excellent options for teachers and parents to choose from.

1. Skillshare

Skillshare's vast library of over 20,000 classes earns top honors as one of the best online learning platforms. Courses consist of presentations lasting 20 minutes or less along with a class project.

Skillshare membership levels include:

• A two-month free trial.
• Free membership allowing access to 2,000 classes.
• Premium membership for $15 per month or $99 for a year. You receive access to 20,000+ classes.

Students learn new skills through online courses about productivity, business and creativity. 

2. 3P Learning

3P is a blended software designed for mathematics and literacy. Incorporated gaming elements make learning more fun for students, and 3P's Mathletics program provides activities that help students practice and advance their understanding of mathematics.

Math and literacy subjects are geared toward students ages 3 - 16.

3. Dialpad  

Dialpad, a cloud-based phone system, allows educators to create an online campus and bring all their students together under one 'roof'. Teachers can set up a virtual classroom in seconds, students easily stay connected from any device and all communications are secure thanks to encryption. 

4. Docebo  

Docebo is an amazing collaborative learning platform perfectly suited for student interaction. Kids can take part in active discussions as they would in a physical classroom with a flexible and easy-to-use system.

Course content distribution and management has never been so easy!

Habyts' platform lets teachers and parents take control over students' screens to help kids stay motivated to complete their schoolwork.

Parents can have round-the-clock access to goals and rewards that help their kids remain focused. Use Habyts with your students’ parents to promote healthy learning even when they’re not in the classroom!

There are countless free and low-cost options available to adults who want to learn online. If you would like to upgrade your skills or sign up for professional development training programs, we've got you covered.

Below, you'll find four of our top picks to help you achieve your educational goals.  

1. Coursera  

Coursera has several certificates, degree programs and general courses to give you the tools for success. Learn from top educational institutions and companies like Duke University, Stanford or Google.

Coursera's affordable options include:

• Free courses
• Degree programs such as computer science and MBAs
• Professional certificates in social media or digital marketing 

The impressive list of training programs is available to anyone seeking career advancement.

MOOC stands for Massive Open Online Courses. An extension of EDx, you'll find free and affordable online courses to transform your career in engineering, data science, computer science, business, management and humanities.

Udemy is a fantastic, low-cost option where you can learn design, web development, marketing, music and countless other subjects. With over 155,000 online courses to choose from, you'll spend hours honing new skills for work or play.

EDx boasts affordable degree programs taught by respected educational institutions like Harvard, Berkeley University and MIT. MicroBachelor and MicroMasters studies enable adults to fast track their career advancement and start less expensive Bachelor and Masters programs.

Adult eLearning platforms are a boon for those wishing to expand their education from the comfort of their home. During the pandemic, these platforms provide extraordinary value without a huge expense.

Well... choosing the best virtual platform depends on several factors :

• What age group are you teaching? 
• How many students do you have in your class? 
• Do you need to set up tutoring spaces for kids who need extra help? 

There are several things to consider before choosing a platform that is right for your students

One of the best ways to determine the right platform for you is to create a list of must-haves . Compare the list against each virtual platform's features and benefits. From there, you'll be able to settle on the best platform for your students.  

Our digital world opens up a staggering number of virtual classrooms to choose from. Each platform has their own unique advantages. Like everything else, there are limitations to consider.

But what happens when virtual classrooms do not meet all student needs? It is important to point out several caveats associated with virtual classrooms:

• Teacher compensation and workload require restructuring
• Students may lose interest in completing homework assignments
• Educators should be mindful of how student data is collected and stored
• Students miss their friends and the social interaction they received at school
• Technological limitations may exist especially for kids from low-income families
• It is not always easy to prevent unwanted visitors from entering a virtual classroom
• Unstable enrollment as restrictions lift and students attend traditional classrooms vs. virtual learning
• Problems with internet access could prevent students from logging into classes and missing important lessons
• Other limitations include length of each session and the number of participants allowed to enter the virtual classroom (this isn't an issue for paid versions of some platforms)

Before choosing a virtual classroom, consider the pros and cons of each platform and how they may influence your students' learning experience. 

There are several wonderful learning options available to educational institutions and teachers. A little research will help you arrive at the best decision for your students!

Virtual learning is changing education

For every state and school district, there are different opinions on the future of virtual learning. Some say it's here to stay while others insist a physical classroom is the best way for kids to learn.

Here are a few key points to consider about the future of virtual classrooms:

• Online courses offer flexibility and accessibility for everyone with internet access
• Several platforms offer an extensive selection of programs and courses catered to different interests
•  Most online learning resources are less expensive than traditional in-person classrooms and lecture halls, making virtual education more affordable

Although it’s hard to predict what online education will look like ten years from now, many online learning resources will be available in the near future. Online studies have become a great way to supplement traditional classroom learning.

Prodigy Math Game blends the adventure of an online game with curriculum-aligned math practice. As students explore the world of Prodigy through their wizard avatars, they’ll encounter skill-building math questions that help them earn rewards and level up.

With your free teacher account, you can align the questions students answer to your lesson plans, differentiate content and track student progress, even while students learn online. Get started today!

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When School Is Online, the Digital Divide Grows Greater

Like many students around the world, Nora Medina is adapting to online learning. But Medina, a high school senior in Quincy, Washington, who also takes classes at a local community college, faces an additional challenge: She doesn't have reliable internet service at home. She lives 7 miles outside of town where she says neither cable nor DSL internet is available.

She can access the internet on her phone, and her family has a wireless hot spot, but she says the service isn’t up to the task of doing homework online. "It's hit and miss," she says. "Sometimes I can watch a video, but sometimes I can't even refresh a page, or it will take minutes to load something on a page."

Washington governor Jay Inslee this week said the state’s schools will be closed for the rest of the school year. Quincy High School is still planning how best to help students finish the year. But Medina’s classes at Big Bend Community College have shifted online. "I'm just going to hope the hot spot works and wish for the best for my final quarter," she says. "If that doesn't work, I'll do my work from my car in the parking lot at the library to access their Wi-Fi."

Medina is one of millions of people in the US who lack reliable broadband internet at home, either because they can't afford it or because it simply isn't available where they live. This digital divide has always left children and adults alike with fewer educational and economic opportunities. But with schools, libraries, and workplaces closed during the coronavirus pandemic, those without broadband are struggling to access schoolwork, job listings, unemployment benefit applications , and video chat services that others use to keep in touch with friends and family. For those on the wrong side of the digital divide, working from home isn’t an option.

The Federal Communications Commission says more than 650 broadband internet providers, telephone companies, and trade associations have signed its Keep America Connected Pledge to not terminate internet service over pandemic-related financial troubles, to waive late fees, and to allow free access to Wi-Fi services. Comcast said it would offer free access to its broadband service for low-income households, normally priced at $10 a month, for 60 days, and Charter said it would offer free internet access for students for 60 days. But these offerings are available only in locations where those companies already provide service.

It's hard to gauge the extent of the problem. In a report last year, the FCC estimated that 21.3 million people had no access to broadband internet service at the end of 2017. But the report, based on self-reported data from broadband providers, considers an entire census block to have service if a single broadband provider claims to offer service anywhere within the census block, even if most homes within the area can't get service. Critics have long pointed out that this method likely underestimates the number of people without access to broadband.

A report published last year by Microsoft estimated that 162.8 million people in the US—about half the population—don't use broadband internet, whether because it’s unavailable where they live or they can’t or won’t pay for access. A survey commissioned by Microsoft and the National 4-H Council found that 20 percent of rural youth lack access to broadband at home, regardless of whether it's available where they live.

The digital divide creates a challenge for teachers and administrators who know some students can’t easily follow online lessons. Berkeley, California, schools closed in the middle of March, but the district didn’t begin online classes until Monday. In the interim, public schools superintendent Brent Stephens says officials had to work out how to accommodate special-needs students, adjust union contracts, and plan lessons for 16,000 students.

But, Stephens says, “equity has been a concern” too. He estimates that about 5 percent of the district's students lack reliable internet access at home, and about 30 percent need devices suitable for online learning. He says the district has distributed more than 2,000 Chromebooks to students and ordered wireless hot spots for students who don't have reliable internet access at home, though it's not clear when those hot spots will be available. In the meantime, the district is still considering how to get learning resources to students without internet access.

Some schools are employing low-tech solutions. Bandon School District on Oregon’s southern coast plans to deliver and collect physical packets of learning materials and assignments to the 18 percent of students who superintendent Doug Ardiana says lacks internet at home.

When Oregon governor Kate Brown closed schools on March 12, Bandon schools sent out "supplemental" learning assignments that didn’t need to be returned. Now, schools will be closed for the rest of the school year, and schools are supposed to offer distance-learning programs, including graded assignments.

To prepare students for those assignments, teachers are filming lessons that students can watch from home over the internet. "It's a whole new thing," says Courtney Wehner, a third-grade teacher at Ocean Crest Elementary in Bandon. "I'm not used to hearing my voice recorded."

For students who lack internet access, the school will send packets of materials to their homes, either through the mail or with school bus drivers wearing protective gear. Students who can use them will get DVDs or thumb drives with the recorded lectures. Wehner says that includes all of her students. Others will have to depend on written materials.

Wehner says the parents of her students who lack broadband internet will take pictures of completed assignments with their phones and send them to her for grading. Students in the district who can’t return assignments that way will send completed assignments back with bus drivers or the postal service, and someone at their school, also wearing protective gear, will scan the assignments and upload them to a server that teachers can access from home. Teachers will review and correct the assignments and print them out, and the corrected assignments will go back to the students three days later.

The FCC has spent billions in recent years in the name of closing the digital divide. But that divide persists in part because the agency has repeatedly underestimated the scope of the problem, says FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. “How do we know we’re sending money to the right places?” she asks.

The Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, which replaced a previous initiative called the Connect America Fund, gives carriers money to build broadband in communities that lack access to connections of at least 10 megabits per second. It's set to send $20.4 billion over 10 years to carriers to expand rural broadband access. But John Windhausen Jr., executive director of the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition, says the Fiber Broadband Association estimated last year that it will cost $70 billion to bring fiber-optic networks to 90 percent of the US by 2025.

Beyond the pledges from carriers to not cut off service, the FCC has permitted libraries and public schools to offer public Wi-Fi while the buildings are closed without risking FCC funds, and has moved to dedicate a large chunk of spectrum for unlicensed Wi-Fi use instead of auctioning off licenses for it; advocates say that could make it easier to provide wireless broadband services in rural or low-income areas.

But critics say the FCC in recent years has impeded efforts to close the digital divide. Last year the FCC voted to auction off wireless spectrum that had been reserved for schools to the highest bidder, which Windhausen says will make it harder for schools, local governments, and nonprofits to use that spectrum to create their own wireless services.

The FCC in 2017 also slowed the planned expansion of the Lifeline program, which has been subsidizing access to telecommunications services for low-income households since 1985. The Obama administration had expanded the program to include internet access. One of Ajit Pai's first moves as FCC chair was to pause the addition of several broadband providers to the Lifeline program; still, several wireless providers now advertise Lifeline-supported mobile data plans. In 2017 the agency published what’s known as a “notice of proposed rulemaking” that, in the name of cracking down on waste and fraud in the program, proposed limiting how much assistance Lifeline subscribers can receive and banning resellers from participating in the program; advocacy group Public Knowledge estimated that about 70 percent of Lifeline enrollees use resellers. The FCC has yet to publish a final version of the proposal.

Updated, 4-10-20, 7pm ET: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said the FCC had halted the expansion of the Lifeline program in 2017.

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