It is a new era for home schooling.

Spelling bee winner creates buzz about virtual schools - RAY PARKER, Naples News
Sam Lawson can go to school in his pajamas. His daily commute to classes is measured in steps rather than miles. For this eighth-grader, the schoolhouse includes some self-discipline along with a computer, under the watchful eye of his mother. It works for him.

The Florida Virtual Academy is one of two public cyberschools that offer online learning for students his age. The Lawsons enjoy the flexibility of the program and say it gives them more control over their children's education. The virtual schools, just into their second year, are a radical departure from the traditional model of public education and have attracted some critics, such as teachers' unions.