Survey: Parents in Michigan highly satisfied with online charter schools

Satisfaction is very high for the parents of the nearly 21,000 K-12 students in Michigan enrolled in online public charter schools.This is according to a new report from Michigan Parents for School Options.
The 2025 survey of parents found that 87% are satisfied or very satisfied with their child’s online school experience.
Amy Dunlap, chair of MPSO, spoke with The Center Square in an exclusive interview regarding the report’s findings.
She explained there are many reasons for this high rate of satisfaction, often stemming from a few key factors.
“Parents who choose to send their child to an online charter public school do so for reasons very specific and personal to their family,” Dunlap said. “Whether for health reasons, to escape bullying or flexibility in learning needed for either the child or the family, this decision is personal, unique and very important to each family.”
Of the parents surveyed, only 16% believed their local brick-and-mortar school could offer these same opportunities.
The top reasons for choosing this educational method included previous experiences with bullying (57%), flexible scheduling (54%), and the quality of the curriculum (31%).
“For the third year in a row of doing this survey, bullying continues to be a leading reason for choosing online charter schools,” Dunlap said. “This is a very sad reality for too many children and online schools are providing a lifeline to students who need it.”
Additionally, students are performing better in these online classes, according to the parents surveyed.
The report found that before enrolling online, only 14% gave a rating of “good” or “excellent.” After enrolling, the share of parents giving that rating to their child’s academics more than tripled to 47%.
“The children attending online schools are thriving and parents recognize this option in education is working where traditional brick and mortar schools did not,” Dunlap explained.
She said that both the MPSO and parents are hoping that the state will continue to financially support these online public charter schools, making them viable options for Michigan K-12 students.
“Each time legislators in Lansing talk about or attempt to cut funding for these students—something that has been proposed each and every year for the last decade—they need to remember that these schools are working and provide for the families who choose them a chance at the education they deserve,” Dunlap said.
Online public charter school students make up about 1.5% of Michigan’s total K-12 student body. Historically, these online school students have received a smaller per-student allotment than traditional students.
For example, in the 2024-2025 fiscal year budget, $9,608 was allocated per traditional pupil, while the cyber school allowance was $9,150 per pupil.
That means the state spends nearly $200 million on these students each year. Overall, the state has a $24.1 billion education budget for the current fiscal year.

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