Parents Continue to Give Ohio Connections Academy Top Marks

Ohio Connections Academy (OCA), a leading provider of high-quality, highly accountable virtual schooling for students in grades K through 12, continues to get high marks according to its annual survey of parents. In the 2018 Parent Satisfaction Survey, 88 percent of parents gave the OCA online school program an “A” or “B” grade, and 91 percent would recommend Ohio Connections Academy to other parents.

Parents praised Ohio Connections Academy for the program’s high-quality curriculum and the variety of learning activities provided. Ninety-four percent of the parents believe the use of technology is improving the learning experience and 87 percent reported their children are making good progress, arguably the keenest evaluation of a child’s education.

“All three of our children are enrolled in Ohio Connections Academy and they have really done well with the more individualized approach and the flexibility the online platform provides,” said Andrea Lazarides of North Canton. “Every child learns differently and has different needs. Ohio Connections Academy offers a curriculum that has helped me and my children to tailor that education experience to meet each of their individual needs. I appreciate that while the teachers are always encouraging and helpful, they make sure that the students are accountable for their work.”

Ninety-five percent of Ohio Connections Academy parents are satisfied with helpfulness of their children’s teachers, specifically in their responsiveness and accessibility. The same number of parents agreed they believe the school’s curriculum is “high quality.”

Other findings from the new report indicate:

• 92 percent agree that the teachers improve the learning experience
• 91 percent rate the response time of OCA teachers as excellent or good
• 91 percent agree that the program is flexible
• 86 percent of parents agree their child/children are able to learn at their own pace
• 80 percent of parents are more satisfied with the OCA program than their child’s/children’s previous school

The annual survey also revealed parents’ various reasons for looking into Ohio Connections Academy for their child, including the desire for: a flexible schedule (46 percent), a safe learning environment (43 percent), a different environment from their local public school (41 percent), more involvement with their child’s education (25 percent), and accommodations for health concerns (17 percent).

Finally, the survey asked parents of children who attended and/or considered other online schools how Ohio Connections Academy compares to other online schools. Among their top answers:

• 30 percent responded OCA offers a better curriculum
• 27 percent indicated OCA teachers are more helpful and attentive
• 21 percent believe OCA has a better reputation
• 19 percent said the communication with parents/guardians was better

“We are committed to providing the best possible educational experience for our students and their families. It is gratifying to know so many parents with students enrolled in Ohio Connections Academy have given our school such high marks,” said OCA Superintendent Marie Hanna. “This annual survey is one of the important tools we use to assess our online program and keep in touch with our families. We value the results and use them to enhance our program.”

Ohio Connections Academy’s stellar parent satisfaction ratings stand well above public school ratings from the 49th Annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools, in which 71 percent of public school parents gave the public school their oldest child attends an “A” or a “B” grade.[1] Further underscoring how pleased parents are with Ohio Connections Academy, 88 percent of parents report that their children are enjoying the program.

Ohio Connections Academy served more than 4,700 students in the 2017-2018 school year. Enrollment for the 2018-2019 school year is going on now and free information sessions are taking place across the state for families interested in learning more, meeting teachers and school representatives, and exploring the award-winning curriculum. Interested parents are encouraged to attend or learn more at http://www.OhioConnectionsAcademy.com.

Survey methodology

Connections Academy conducts the annual Parent Satisfaction Survey to find out how parents, guardians and Learning Coaches grade the program in several key areas. The 2018 survey was conducted from January 16 to March 9, 2018 by Shapiro + Raj, an independent market research company which created the questionnaire, collected the data, and tabulated the results. No individual responses were accessible to Connections Academy. Parents of all students enrolled at the time of the survey were invited to complete the survey online. A WebMail invitation was sent to each parent, and one response per household was submitted.