Image: Shutterstock 

Coronavirus cases in the United States have been on the rise and there are no signs of it slowing down. This has seen people continuing with working and learning from home as efforts of reopening schools and offices have all flopped.

In fact, schools that had opened are shifting students back to remote learning as both teachers and students are going into quarantine after getting infected by the virus. Per the data from Johns Hopkins University, coronavirus cases in the United States crossed the 12 million mark on Nov 21, with deaths rising at an alarming rate.

COVID-19 Cases on the Rise

The United States has been reporting an increasing number of coronavirus cases over the past month. On Nov 24, the country reported the highest number of COVID-19 deaths in a single day since early May, with over 2,100 casualties. The highest single-day toll was recorded on Apr 15 when 2,603 people had died.

This has once again brought back fears among millions. Although some positive news has come on the vaccine front, fears will continue to reside till a vaccine is formally approved and doses reach people. Naturally, parents and students are concerned about visiting campuses. Although public education is among Americans’ top priorities, most students feel that they should continue their education through some form of distance learning.

Schools Closing Down Across the Country

According to a USA Today report, millions of students will resort to remote learning from this week. In several cases, schools have decided to close down as a number of teachers are getting infected by the virus and are in quarantine.

Last week, Kentucky’s governor announced that all schools across the state will close down effective this Monday. The announcement came just days after a similar decision was taken in Michigan. Also, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio last week ordered the closure of all schools and asked students to go back to remote learning.

According to the article, Burbio, a company that aggregates school calendars, 40% of students are attending only virtual classes, a figure that rose from 36.9% on Sunday.

Needless to say, the education pattern has witnessed a sea change within a short span, with students learning via various video lectures and most are even appearing for tests online. This is where online education is proving to be a game-changer.

Stocks to Watch

The adoption of online solutions in recent months has been unprecedented. With coronavirus cases on the rise again and no timeline for a possible vaccine, it is likely that parents, students, and teachers will stick to online education. Given this scenario, it is prudent to keep a close watch on these four online education providers that are poised to grow.

American Public Education, Inc. (APEI - Free Report)  is an online provider of higher education, focused primarily on serving the military and public service communities.

The company’s expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 12.8%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has improved 7.9% over the past 60 days. American Public Education has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). 

Lincoln EducationalServices Corporation (LINC - Free Report) is a leading and diversified for-profit provider of career-oriented, post-secondary education headquartered in West Orange, NJ.

The company’s expected earnings growth rate for the current year is more than 100%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has improved 57.9% over the past 60 days. Lincoln Educational carries a Zacks Rank #2.

GP Strategies Corporation (GPX - Free Report) is a global provider of training and e-learning solutions, management consulting, and engineering services, improving the effectiveness of organizations by customizing solutions that enhance an organization's people, processes, and technology.

The company’s expected earnings growth rate for next year is more than 100%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has improved 85.7% over the past 60 days. GP Strategies has a Zacks Rank #2.

K12 Inc. (LRN - Free Report) is a leading national provider of proprietary curriculum and educational services created for online delivery to students in kindergarten through K-12.

The company’s expected earnings growth rate for the current year is more than 100%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has improved 15.8% over the past 60 days. K12 carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).