The Future of K-8 Education?

In the future, parents will be able to home-school/virtual-school their children; the only question is when, not if. The economies of scale in the provision of education will move away from the brick schools and local school boards toward more centralized provision of education via the internet.

One good result will be that parents will have much more choice in the type of education offered their children. But one phenomenon inhibiting a move in this direction is that so many families count on schools to provide baby-sitting while both (or single) parents work. Member of Parliament, Rodney Hide of New Zealand, seems to like the idea of virtual home-schooling. I do, too; and I like that it makes clear there are two functions at work in most schools these days: education and babysitting.

But since I'm no socionomologist, I cannot speak for what will happen to the social skills development of youngsters who are home-schooled via the internet.