Virtual High School? One student talks about her experience…

In this NBC-TV news clip, watch a 10th grader talk about attending virtual high school at Connections Academy. The last portion of the clip is a bit misleading – in Ohio, where the clip was filmed, the school is tuition-free and provides a loaned computer, printer and subsidy for Internet service. More online at www.ConnectionsAcademy.com

A Private Online High School and Middle School Home School Based in Tampa, FL

Students of all ages who want to finish middle school or high school but cannot do so in regular schools for some reason, now have an alternative solution. They can enroll in an accredited private online high school and middle school home school based in Tampa, FL. Gulfside Academy is a virtual high school and middle school that offers home schooling programs toward earning a high school education and high school diploma.

Gulfside Academy is registered with the Florida Department of Education and the Hillsborough County School District.  It is likewise registered with The College Board for SAT, PSAT, NMSQT and its graduating students are required to take the SAT in order to be granted a high school diploma. In addition to that, the Academy is a member of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, the International Society for Technology Education and the National Coalition of Alternative and Community Schools.

Students can enroll at any level for middle school or high school. They can take all required subjects for their grade level online or they may take individual classes as credit for any deficiencies while currently enrolled in a physical school. Such individual classes may also be taken as advanced placement classes for college credit. Advanced honors classes are likewise available.

For middle school, 15 credits in total are required before promotion to high school. This is distributed equally among the 6th 7th, and 8th grades at five credits per school year in Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, Physical Education and Art/Music/Health. Students are then strongly urged to take elective credits in Art, Instrumental Music or a Foreign Language. In the 7th or 8th grade, students can already take a Health Elective to meet a future high school graduation requirement.

For high school, the academic diploma requires 24 credits with a B average and no grade below C-. The online high school courses include English, Math, Science, World Languages, Social Studies, Fine Arts (Music, Art and Drama), Physical Education, Health and electives. For a regular high school diploma, World Languages and Fine Arts are not included but three units are added to electives to make up 21 to 24 credits.

Students can enroll online at any time of the year, not necessarily at the start of the official school year. Classes are accessible online 24 hours a day 365 days per year. There are no holidays. Students are therefore able to work on their own schedule and at their own pace. A student is given four to 16 weeks to complete work equivalent to an entire semester.

All educational materials needed by the students are made available online. No other books are needed. Courses are individualized and the rigorous curriculum is continually updated.

Teachers are certified for the subjects they are handling and have more than 15 years experience on the average. They work individually with students, providing guidance and constant feedback. The students’ parents and guardians are also urged to be in regular communication with teachers and the staff.

With an accredited private online high school and middle school home school program based in Tampa, FL like Gulfside Academy, getting a proper education is within the reach of more and more people.

Kaplan Academy | California Online High School | Free Virtual High School in CA

www.KaplanOnlineSchools.com – Kaplan a multi-decade leader in education has brought learning for high school and middle school students online. Today Kaplan Academy students connect to live teachers via the internet and have the opportunity to complete their classes when they want, from virtually anywhere with access to the internet. Kaplan Virtual Education offers tuition free online high schools in select states including California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Oregon and Washington with plans to extend the reach of Kaplans free online virtual school programs to middle and high school students in additional states. Students of Kaplan Virtual Educations free online high schools give students flexibility while maintaining traditional requirements of online course work like assignments and tests, while they earn a high school diploma. Closed Caption Imagine the perfect school. At Kaplan online school my classes come to me. I get to learn where I want, when I want. I even get the classes I want. At Kaplan online school, I have real tests, assignments, and teachers. And Im going to earn a real diploma. And the cool thing is, I can do everything online, working at my own pace. You too can attend Kaplan Academys online school this fall, tuition free. Enroll today at kaplanonlineschools.com/CA. Kaplan Academy; a different school of thought. For more information about Kaplan Virtual Educations online middle schools and high schools visit www.KaplanOnlineSchools.com.

Distance Learning to Complete A High School Diploma

There are several reasons that a person may not complete high school. However, without that high school diploma, a person is at an extreme disadvantage. In 2004, a high school graduate earned around $717 per month more than a person not completing high school. The importance of a high school diploma is becoming more and more evident today. In 2004, if you have graduated you are 70 percent more likely to be employed than someone who did not. The above statistics came from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics.

So what happens if you are one of the individuals who have not graduate, but you want to improve your chances of being employed and increasing your earnings potential? Did you know you can earn your school degree online?
The fact is that getting your High School diploma as an adult could be a bit awkward and embarrassing in a conventional setting. Also, as an adult, there are other factors to consider such as a spouse and children. So, to earn your diploma online would be a good solution. You are able to take classes and study when convenient for you. It can be tailored to your schedule as opposed to traditional classes that make you adjust your schedule to participate.
To earn your degree online, what do you look for? Well, obviously you need to find some public or private school that is offering this option. The number of online high school programs is increasing, so searching for one is as simple as using a search engine with the keywords virtual schools. Next, cost would be a primary concern. Most state or community online charter schools will be free, but they are only funded for K-12 and have no adult education money. If you are over the age of 21, you would need to look elsewhere.
You should be prepared to spend around $885 to $1350 a year to earn your high school diploma online. But, as with anything else, you need to research to find what is best for you.
You will also want to look into accreditation. A couple of the most recommended are regional and DETC accreditation or state approved. Be sure to check with potential employers and also, if planning to continue on to college, on the acceptability of the accreditation.
The time involved to earn your degree will vary. Most online courses are at your own pace.. If you had a daily time you could set aside for studies you would earn your high school diploma much faster. Some have regular semester type schedules that would determine the pace you could advance.
A few schools to look at to earn your high school diploma are: Brigham Young University where courses cost about $102 and the school does charge for some materials, plus a twenty dollar application fee. It also offers non-credit independent courses free of charge. This is an excellent choice to earn your high school diploma from home.
CompuHigh – Since 1994 programs have been offered so you can earn your needed credits online. Students and teachers work with each other completely online. Courses cost about $275, but because all material is online there are no book fees. CompuHigh also furnishes a list of colleges that will recognize their diplomas.
Indiana University – You can earn your high school diploma here with a combination of online and correspondence courses. You do have the option of completing the program at Indian University or can transfer credits to another high school and finish it there. As a student you are assigned an academic advisor who will be there to assist you in the course of study if needed. The cost is $125.40 for each credit hour and a $40.00 application fee. There also are more than 100 colleges who accept the transcripts from this college.
Your graduation is an important item today and is needed to help you increase your earning potential. Earning your credits online is as easy as finding the right institution for you at a price you can afford. Do your research and we will see you on graduation day.

Discussing the Pros and Cons of High School Online Learning

Choosing high school online learning for your child’s education is an exciting life-changing decision that is unique to each family. It is wise to sit down as a family and discuss the pros and cons as well as costs and potential challenges you may experience along the way.

For some families, choosing high school distance learning for their students is tough decision. Such a transition is much more involved than simply relocating to a different high school, so it makes sense that families want to heavily weigh their options before diving into virtual learning. As you work to make the best decision for your student, take a look at these pros and cons of completing high school courses online.

Pros

The supporters of virtual learning have numerous positive things to report about this style of education. It is literally access to knowledge, educational freedom, electronic communication, flexibility and creativity all in one learning method. Online learning provides a tool to teach students to become self-directed learners—a skill that will last them a lifetime. In fact, whether it is a virtual elementary school, virtual middle school or virtual high school, students receive training in the digital world and become better prepared to live and work successfully in tune with technology. 

Many virtual schools offer dual enrollment at the high school level allowing students to earn both high school and college credit.  This helps offset the cost of a post-secondary education.  In addition, students have access to resources from all around the world and can benefit from innovative school programs in both their local school districts, statewide virtual schools or part time from private programs in other states—programs that the student couldn’t possible access outside of virtual schooling. With the power of many educational institutions and programs at their fingertips, online learners can discover their unique gifts and talents and then run with them.

Cons

The primary challenges that come with virtual learning include more parental involvement, a disciplined attitude and possibly monetary contributions. While there are public virtual school programs that are free, not everyone has access to such programs. Furthermore, some parents discover through research that they prefer more individualized virtual schooling programs offered by private online schools and are fee based.  The costs associated with these types of programs include not only the tuition associated with the online program but also costs for supplies, tutors, computers and other materials necessary to complete the online courses.

Parents’ primary roles in virtual school programs are that of an advocate, guidance counselor and leader. While the student will have more freedom to choose courses and methods for learning, he or she will likely still need guidance plotting out the best course of study as well as encouragement to work the program and to maximize learning.

The choice to go with high school online learning is unique to each family. It makes sense to sit down as a family and discuss the pros and cons as well as costs and potential challenges you may experience along the way. Research and effective communication can help you make the best decision possible for your child’s education.