Cori Space faced challenges during her freshman year in Madison, Alabama, managing celiac disease without school support. Her family chose Alabama Destinations Career Academy for her sophomore year, a virtual public school offering career tracks and industry credentials, run by Stride Inc.
However, Cori’s experience was lackluster, with only two hours of live class weekly and no career path discussions, leaving her mother, Hilary Space, concerned about the program’s short school days. “To be honest, I don’t really understand why ALDCA is considered a career readiness program,” said Space.
Conversely, Mileka Hager had a positive experience at Idaho Technical Career Academy, another Stride school. Choosing a business track, she engaged in four hours of daily classes, earning eight professional certifications, enhancing her job prospects.
The demand for online career and technical education is rising as students seek alternatives to costly college degrees. Stride Inc. has expanded its offerings, but challenges remain, including hands-on training and varying state regulations.
While some students, like Cori, find little career preparation, others, like Mileka, succeed. Stride’s spokesperson, Brooke Gabbert, highlighted the difficulty of comparing outcomes due to the diverse student population and midyear enrollees.
The rise in online career learning has been significant for Stride, which manages over 50 online secondary schools. In fiscal year 2026, their middle and high school career programs generated $1 billion in revenue, a 19% increase.
Challenges persist in delivering effective vocational education online, with research suggesting for-profit virtual schools underperform academically compared to nonprofit counterparts. Yet, quality vocational education requires hands-on learning opportunities and industry-recognized certifications.
At Wisconsin Destination Career Academy, Stride facilitates job shadowing and practice kits for hands-on training. However, participation in career activities is voluntary, placing responsibility on students to engage.
Some districts lack adequate oversight of virtual schools, as seen in Alabama, where Cori attended school. Experts suggest regulatory improvements, such as partial payment schemes tied to student performance metrics, could enhance online CTE schools.
In contrast, Idaho maintains strict oversight of vocational programs, requiring public charter governance and state approval for learning platforms. The state closely monitors program quality and outcomes.
For-profit virtual schools face criticism for failing students with personal and academic challenges. Experts argue that mainstream schools, with additional support, are better suited for students with issues like anxiety.
Despite her challenges, Mileka graduated early with a 4.5 GPA and seeks investors for a coffee shop venture. Meanwhile, Cori’s family hopes for a better experience at a district-run virtual school.
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