Five years have passed since the pandemic shut us all down, taught us social distancing, and forced all kinds of processes and services online. I was a public library director and an adjunct college professor at the time, scrambling to adapt to online platforms for education, information dissemination and access, website features and social media communication.
I attended enough Zoom meetings in 2020 alone to last me a lifetime, and I really don’t want to be on anyone’s Microsoft Team.
But the adjustments made in 2020 linger, and in some ways, remain beneficial. One clear change happening is in education.
Since 2019, the number of homeschooling students has increased by around 1.7–1.8 million — a 50–70% rise. The pandemic drove a sharp spike in 2020–21, and although rates have slightly declined since then, they remain well above pre‑COVID levels, stabilizing at 4–4.3 million homeschooled students (~6–8% of all K–12 students).
Online education has seen a massive market explosion since the pandemic. From approximately $114 billion in 2020 to around $166 billion in 2023, projected to surpass $204 billion in 2025, and potentially reach $279 billion by 2029.
Families were forced to use alternative options for schooling during and after the pandemic, and many did not return their children to public schools. And now, over 80% of companies offer corporate development training online, and 66% of university leaders see online education as a long-term strategic priority.
Online education, though not perhaps completely successful during the pandemic, has now become a staple of education.
I have been teaching and tutoring online since 2020. This fall, I will jump into this growth industry full-time. I have been working on my online learning studio, exploring different online education platforms and options, and settling on my favorite services and choices.
And though now teachers and students can be connected worldwide, I want to focus on how this trend is already benefiting West Virginians.
First, especially related to homeschoolers, was the implementation of the Hope Scholarship Program, created by the West Virginia State Legislature in 2021. The Hope Scholarship Program is mandated by W.Va. State Code §18-31-1 et seq., under the administrative law rule W.Va. Code St. R. 112-18-1 et seq.
The Hope Scholarship empowers families to make school choices that are right for their educational needs. The Hope Scholarship program offers qualifying West Virginia K-12 students an opportunity to build an individual learning experience that works best for their child. The scholarship allows K-12 students to receive financial assistance that can be used for tuition, homeschool curriculum, and other qualifying expenses.
The Hope Scholarship amount will vary annually depending on the amount of state aid funding per pupil provided to county boards of education for public school students. The scholarship amount is expected to be $5,267.38 for the 2025-2026 school year. Currently restricted to students enrolled in the public school system, the program will open to existing homeschool students for the 2026-2027 school year.
West Virginia public libraries offer free access to TutorWV, powered by Tutor.com—a comprehensive online tutoring and career help system—for all patrons. Anyone with a public library card can get free help with homework, building a resume, test prep, job skills, and more. That’s right, FREE live assistance for homework help for students at all levels, adults preparing for tests and interviews, and polishing resumes and papers.
This FREE tutoring service provides:
Live tutoring (10 a.m.–10 p.m., daily) in 200+ subjects—from elementary school through college, including math, science, world languages, GED, AP®, and more.
Drop‑off review: submit essays or math problems and receive feedback within a day.
Standardized test prep tools: live help with GED®, ASVAB, AP®, and self-paced courses for SAT®, ACT®, MCAT®, LSAT®, GRE®, GMAT® from Princeton Review.
Job search support: help with resumes, cover letters, job applications, and interview prep—with drop-off review and feedback within ~12 hours.
To access this service, visit TutorWV.com. Click "Connect Now" (usually a purple button). Log in with your WV public library card credentials.
Outschool’s online learning platform was launched in 2015 — BEFORE the pandemic. Outschool offers live, interactive classes for kids aged 3–18. It features a wide range of topics—from core academics to art, coding, unique hobbies, academic courses, and social clubs—taught by vetted, independent instructors via Zoom and on-demand video.
During and in the years following the pandemic, Outschool just blossomed. Now, Outschool has more than 140,000+ live classes attended by over 1 million learners in more than 180 countries.
Sessions can be small groups, one-on-one, or self-led. They can be one-time sessions, or a series of sessions, or have regular ongoing weekly or monthly meetings. Just about anything your K-12 child needs or wants to learn more about, Outschool has a session for it. Typical session costs range from $10-$20 per session.
This is great for homeschooling parents who are weak in a specific subject or those who are looking for academic classes that meet standards. But also, great for students who are curious and have unique interests, as well as for those who are curious or need special guidance.
Other similar services, like Khan Academy, offer video-only format sessions. Outschool’s live sessions allow for unique and adaptive lessons for your child, and courses are more specialized and interest-focused than typical tutoring sites—kids can explore niche subjects and grow their curiosity organically.
Teachable is another pre-pandemic platform that has blossomed since. Founded in 2013, Teachable allows individuals and organizations to build branded online schools where they control pricing, content, and student experience. More than 150,000 creators use it, and the platform has facilitated the sale of over 30 million products.
Teachable offers students a streamlined, user-friendly learning experience— and is preferred by teens and adults who are independent learners. Like Outschool, it appeals to students interested in niche or specialized topics (e.g., business skills, hobbies, coaching) and for homeschoolers or self-paced learners who prefer no fixed deadlines. Teachable also offers a clean, ad-free experience, unlike options like Udemy or YouTube.
I used Teachable to create Two-Lane Learning Studio, for writers who are passionate about nonfiction, empathy, and healing narratives. Currently listed are digital courses you can take at your own pace. Features courses are for writing adults seeking guided journaling or personal development, or emotionally attuned through writing, and a course for those looking to become more socially perceptive or emotionally attuned to others.
Online education and online learning are growing at overwhelming rates. Students can use these services to learn, grow, interact, and understand at reasonably affordable (and sometimes even free) rates. Online options can be used to supplement or even replace traditional choices. As schools remove humanities and the arts, and colleges focus on practice over purpose, online education fills those gaps. Education now comes with greater online choices, security, affordability, and services. Parents who take advantage will give their children an advantage in their education.
If you remember nothing else from this article, remember tutorwv.com. This is where you can get FREE live tutoring that includes homework help, career search help, test prep preparation, and more. All you need is a library card.