Cyber high schools, often called online or virtual high schools, are increasing in number at a significant pace.There are several reasons for this rise in the number of schools. These include:

• a dramatic increase in the number of states that are willing to allow for online charter high schools;
• a substantial number of new online high schools that are free;
• the entrance into the market of powerhouse like the Apollo Group (owner of University of Phoenix) and educational giant Kaplan.

Add to this, schools like Laurel Springs School and Penn Foster High School that have been around for a long time, but which are still innovating, and you have a sense of where this market is headed.

It means an increased number of opportunities. While in the past, the greatest number of students who did not attend traditional high schools were homeschoolers, this is different.

Typically, these online high school students do not classify themselves as homeschoolers and do not seem to fit into the homeschool mode of thought. Rather, these are students that, for whatever reason, decided that traditional high school was not working for them and that they needed a change.

As high school, particularly in urban areas, continue to have behavioral and societal problems, you can expect that the number of schools that go online will rise. By the way, it is not just independent schools. Don't be surprised if your local high school begins to offer online courses. Mine does.