FAIRFIELD — For eighth-grader Anthony Lisenby, going to school meant dealing with bullies, trying to make it to class on time and interacting with students who swore or acted out.
Although it was a struggle, his parents kept the 13-year-old in school and tried to minimize the damage. That is until he showed up with bruises on his arm after being hit with a skateboard while walking home from school.
That was enough for Theresa Lisenby, who started looking into private and charter schools, soon realizing the tuition was too high. That led her to an Internet search of “free home schooling,” which brought up the California Virtual Academy, or CAVA. After reading that it was an accredited public school that offered online learning with the assistance of certified teachers, she thought there may be a catch.