Some parents are seeking out permanent virtual school for the fall

Many parents and children struggled with remote learning throughout the pandemic. Samantha Lucero had a very different experience with one of her kids.

"When the pandemic first hit, online school was a bit messy for everyone," Lucero, a stay-at-home mother from Colorado Springs, told CNN Business. "But my older daughter did so well with it. She started participating more with teachers and became more comfortable than when she was in a school setting. Her grades were amazing." Her daughter, 13, is on the autism spectrum and diagnosed with sensory processing disorder, conditions that often make it harder for children to communicate, socialize and adapt to environmental changes, such as distracting noises in the classroom. When the Colorado Springs School District announced plans earlier this year to launch a permanent online school option, called the Spark Online Academy, starting in August, Lucero spoke to her daughter about taking that alternative route and then signed her up for it. "She was very excited," said Lucero.