Sorry my earlier post was focused on older kids. For elementary age, I think I'd definitely prefer pure homeschooling (indeed, I did!). The grade-level elementary work in the virtual schools is pretty poor, and, as you say, there's a lot of busy work and box-checking that is a hindrance to real learning. If you have a good public library, I'd think that you could probably homeschool young kids for not much more than you'd spend anyway on books, toys, etc. We already had lots of educational material lying around the house -- the kids would pick the Usborne encyclopedias as birthday gifts and treats or globes, etc.
At the elementary level, too, I think the grade perfectionism is probably worse in the virtual school. There's time enough, later on, to develop a thick skin. At young ages, I think I'd focus on reading, creativity, math, and identity development and would ditch the virtual school!
