The Online School Option for High School

The non-traditional school is growing across the United States. In California, where I live, there are over 189,000 kids currently enrolled in some type of homeschool or non-traditional school like online school.  That’s a lot of kids.  So why are so many parents turning to non-traditional schooling?

There are a number of different reasons why parents choose to educate their children outside the walls of a traditional school classroom. This online school method provides…

Occasionally, I have thought about taking a different approach to education with my children.  I see a lot of benefits and I have a number of friends who are homeschooling their kids. 

Here’s the thing, the responsibility of being my kids’ main teacher, and ensuring I’m up to speed on their subjects ahead of time, is a bit overwhelming to me.  Doing all of this and my work is a bit too much to take on. 

But it’s more than just an online school.  Connections Academy builds socialization skills through online communities, clubs, online classroom sessions, in-person meet-ups, activities, and field trips.  

It doesn’t matter where you are, you can connect to Connections Academy anywhere there is an internet connection. So if you travel a lot, Connections Academy can go with you. 

Just like a physical school, you are required to log a certain number of online and offline hours, but the timing of when you take your classes each day is flexible.

In Connections Academy’s annual survey, 93% of parents said they’d recommend the school to other parents and 95% stated that their child was satisfied with their schooling there. 

Like me, I’m sure you have a lot of questions, so here are a few of the main points. 

Connections Academy started in 2001 with schools in just two states, and now there are 34 schools across the country in 27 states enrolling for the 2017-18 school year – that’s a lot of K-12 students!   

Students not only interact online with their teachers and classmates, they will also have independent work, science experiments, and individual or group projects to work on.

Students also learn self-discipline and time management skills as schooling is dependent upon their own schedule. This gives them the flexibility to pursue extracurricular activities and interests outside of the classroom that builds confidence and character.

Parents or other guardians are an integral part of their child’s learning environment.  As their child’s Learning Coach, they are trained online to provide a good learning environment, structure, support, and communication with Connections Academy teachers, counselors, and coordinators.

Learning Coaches can find online support through orientation materials, secure message boards, the virtual library in Connexus, the Virtual Learning Connections blog, and Club ORANGE, a network of Connections Academy parents, among other resources.

Parents are also encouraged to connect with teachers, school counselors, community coordinators and even other parents, online and in person, in some cases. 

The Technology

 All teachers are state-certified and are trained in online learning strategies.  They are high-quality teachers with bachelor’s and master’s degrees.  Teachers get to know their students personally through LiveLesson® sessions, phone calls, and webmail messages.

Teachers hold virtual office hours to meet with students as needed for one-on-one instructional support. 

Licensed school counselors, helpful staff, and principals are also available as resources for families.

Everything about Connections Academy online schools sounds really great, doesn’t it?  

But, as a parent, one of my biggest questions was whether my kids could actually get into a good college and are their chances the same as traditional high schools?

The answer is yes.  Connections Academy provides counselors for advising and helping students prepare for top universities or apply for scholarships.

On average, Connections students score on par with the national average on the SAT and ACT exams. Many have been accepted by top universities across the United States, including Harvard, UC Berkeley, Santa Clara University, University of Florida, Tulane, and Duke, among others.

In 2015, Connections Academy students received over $22 million in scholarships.  Some students who attended Connections Academy and went on to college even stated that the time management, organization, and study skills they learned greatly helped them to succeed in college and in their careers.

Over spring break, our family rented an RV and drove up to Sacramento and back.  We met a family along the way that had been traveling for 9 months with their three kids in tow.  

I wondered how they were able to school their kids and travel so much. No doubt they were doing some type of virtual education or homeschooling. Internet access is available for free at most RV parks, so RV life with virtual schooling is very possible.

Being able to have this kind of flexibility while having your children attend a highly accountable K-12 virtual school is an amazing option.  

Thinking back to the RV family, I can only imagine the life lessons their children are learning through their travels and online schooling.

Connections Academy online school opens up new possibilities for families that they may not have even been aware of before.  The best part? There is no cost for this #OutsideSchoolWalls freedom of learning and living.