August 2021
News, updates and perspectives on the
future of education from FLEX High
When Bullying Turns Physical, There Can Be Lifelong Disabilities
Verbal bullying can be frightening, painful and traumatic – but when it turns physical, the harm can be devastating. Michaela M. was a target of bullies at her previous high school where she was shoved, cornered and threatened. Then one day in PE class, a student threw a basketball hard against her head, leaving her unconscious with whiplash and in the hospital. She lost all hearing in one ear, had occipital nerve damage with vision complications, and numbness on one side of her face and head. She has balance issues, constant and severe head pain and is still not able to drive.
Teen Parents Need More Support to
Stay in School 
Staying engaged in school is a challenge for most at-risk students, but particularly for teen parents who have to worry about working and caring for their child(ren). Add a pandemic to the challenges they already face, and you can understand why teen parents don’t often finish high school. “Before the pandemic, we had on average of 1,800 to 2,200 parenting students in our 80+ schools,” said Staci Roth, HOPE program coordinator. “We are averaging the same number of teen parent enrollment, but with an increased need of support to stay in school.”
Working Parents Can’t Always Homeschool Their Kids
Homeschooling is booming across the U.S. – more than doubling between the spring and fall of 2020, from 5.5 to 11.1 percent[1] and shows signs of continuing to continue to increase. Parents are looking for flexibility and one-one-one instruction – but what about those families who can’t homeschool because both parents need to work?

The answer is more public schools need to offer flexibility, one-on-one teaching that is personalized to each student’s needs.