Frequently Asked Questions

At Accelerate Online Academy, we’re proud to hold accreditation from Cognia, formerly known as AdvancED. This accreditation is a testament to our commitment to providing a high-quality educational experience that meets rigorous standards.

Accelerate Online Academy is also approved as an online provider of NCAA core courses.

Accelerate Online Academy selects and trains instructors carefully. We take pride in hiring qualified online education instructors. All of our instructors meet the Department of Education’s highly qualified requirements, meaning they:

• have a bachelors degree
• have a full state certification or licensure
• have proven that they know each subject they teach

At Accelerate Online Academy, we place a high value on teacher interaction, recognizing its crucial role in student success. We strive to provide consistent and meaningful connections between our students and their instructors through various avenues:

• Frequent Instructor-Initiated Interaction: Our teachers actively engage with students, initiating contact to check on their progress, offer support, and provide feedback. This proactive approach ensures students feel connected and supported throughout their learning journey.
• Individualized Feedback: As students complete assignments, our teachers provide personalized feedback on their performance, highlighting strengths and offering suggestions for improvement. This feedback is delivered within our learning management system, allowing students to easily access and review it.
• Real-Time Interaction: We believe in the importance of real-time connections. Our teachers offer synchronous sessions, such as webinars or video chats, to cover specific content, answer questions, and facilitate discussions. These sessions provide opportunities for live interaction and collaboration.
• One-on-One Support: When students need extra help or personalized tutoring, our teachers are readily available for one-on-one sessions via phone, video chat, email, or text chat. This individualized support ensures students receive the specific assistance they need to succeed.
• Daily Connections: Between asynchronous feedback and synchronous sessions, our students connect with their instructors daily. This consistent interaction fosters a strong student-teacher relationship and creates a supportive learning environment.

While both Accelerate and homeschooling offer alternatives to traditional brick-and-mortar schools, there are key distinctions:

• Curriculum and Instruction: In homeschooling, parents typically take on the primary role of curriculum selection, lesson planning, and instruction. At Accelerate, we provide a structured, accredited curriculum designed by experienced educators. Our certified teachers deliver instruction, provide feedback, and offer support to students, relieving parents of the primary teaching responsibility.
• Accreditation and Recognition: Accelerate is an accredited institution, meaning our programs meet rigorous educational standards. This accreditation is important for college applications, future employment, and other academic pursuits. Homeschooling, while valid, may not always have the same level of recognized accreditation.
• Support and Resources: We offer a comprehensive support system for students, including access to teachers, counselors, and technical support. This provides students with a network of guidance and assistance throughout their academic journey. Homeschooling parents are primarily responsible for providing this support.
• Flexibility within Structure: While we offer flexibility in terms of pacing and scheduling, we also provide a structured learning environment with deadlines and expectations. This helps students develop time management skills and stay on track. Homeschooling offers greater flexibility but may require more parental oversight to maintain structure.
• Social Interaction: Accelerate provides opportunities for students to interact with peers through online forums, virtual clubs, and other activities. This helps foster a sense of community and social connection. Homeschooling families often seek out extracurricular activities and co-ops to provide social opportunities.

In essence, Accelerate Online Academy offers a balance between the flexibility of learning from home and the structure, support, and recognition of an accredited school. We provide a comprehensive educational experience with certified teachers and a proven curriculum, while homeschooling places the primary responsibility for curriculum and instruction on the parent.

Students in grades K-3 will have a couple required synchronous session check points throughout their Math and Language Arts courses. This one-on-one time is crucial for our teachers to assess how your child is progressing on the building blocks of core concepts such as phonics and counting. These do occur one on one with teachers, but teachers will help find times that meet family needs. But, students in all other grade levels/courses can login at the times that best fit their needs and work through the pre-recorded lessons and assignments. There is a pacing guide in each course that is a great tool for students to utilize to stay on track, but it is not mandatory to follow. Additionally, students of all grade levels can schedule one-on-one time with teachers as needed.

Yes, a few courses do require additional materials such as a novel or art supplies. A list of these required materials is provided in our course descriptions.

Students can complete a semester long course in as few as 6 weeks. The maximum allowable time in a semester long course is 20 weeks.

Accelerate Online Academy delivers a comprehensive elementary education through its engaging online platform, covering essential subjects like math, language arts, science, and social studies. The curriculum is designed to be interactive, using tools like videos and games to capture younger students’ attention and foster a love of learning. With a focus on personalized learning, Accelerate provides students with the flexibility to learn at their own pace while still adhering to a structured academic framework. Highly qualified teachers offer guidance and support through various channels, ensuring students receive individualized attention and feedback.

A key element of Accelerate Online Academy’s success is the partnership between students, parents, and teachers. Parental involvement is encouraged to help students stay organized, manage their time effectively, and navigate the online learning environment. Accelerate provides the necessary technology and resources to facilitate a seamless learning experience. By prioritizing flexibility, personalized learning, and strong communication, Accelerate Online Academy offers a valuable educational option for elementary students seeking a dynamic and supportive online learning community.

Here are some general expectations for parental involvement at Accelerate Online Academy:

• Elementary School (K-5): Parents may need to dedicate more time to helping their child with daily tasks, ensuring they log in to the platform, complete assignments, and communicate with teachers. You might spend anywhere from 1-2 hours per day, or more, depending on your child’s needs.
• Middle School (6-8): As students become more independent, your involvement may shift to more of a monitoring and support role. You might spend 30 minutes to an hour per day checking on their progress, providing encouragement, and assisting with any challenges they encounter.
• High School (9-12): High school students typically require the least direct involvement. Your role may primarily involve providing encouragement, ensuring they have a conducive learning environment, and communicating with teachers as needed. You might spend 15-30 minutes per day or a few times a week checking in on their progress.

At Accelerate Online Academy, the daily time commitment for schoolwork will vary depending on a few key factors:

• Grade Level: As with traditional schooling, younger students in elementary school will generally have shorter school days than older students in middle and high school.
• Course Load: The number of courses a student is taking will directly impact their daily workload. Full-time students will naturally have more to do than part-time students.
• Individual Learning Pace: Some students may grasp concepts quickly and complete assignments efficiently, while others may require more time and review.

General Guidelines:

While there’s no strict daily schedule, here are some general guidelines based on Accelerate’s recommendations:

• Elementary School (K-5): Accelerate provides a guideline of how much time to spend on each subject daily:
  • Language Arts: 60-75 minutes
  • Math: 45-60 minutes
  • Social Studies: 30-45 minutes
  • Science: 30-45 minutes
  • Other (Art, Music): 30-45 minutes, 2-3 times a week

This suggests a total daily workload of roughly 2.5 to 4 hours for elementary students, including time for electives.

• Middle and High School (6-12): Accelerate recommends completing semester-long courses within 14-20 weeks, with an expected workload of at least 5 hours per week per course. This translates to roughly 1 hour per day per course. So, a student taking 5 courses could expect to spend around 5 hours on schoolwork each day.

Accelerate Online Academy offers year-round enrollment, so you can generally begin your courses whenever you’re ready! This means you don’t have to wait for a specific semester start date to get started on your education.

Here’s a breakdown of how it works:

• Flexible Start Dates: You can enroll and begin your course(s) at any time of the year. This allows for maximum flexibility and accommodates various schedules and circumstances.
• Course Durations: While you can start anytime, Accelerate recommends specific timeframes for completing courses, especially during the traditional fall and spring semesters.
  • For semester-long courses, they recommend completing the course within 14-20 weeks, with an expected workload of at least 5 hours per week.
  • There are also condensed summer courses that run for 6 weeks, requiring a heavier workload of about 11.5 hours per week.
• Access Duration: You will generally have access to your courses for a full year from your enrollment date. This provides ample time to complete the coursework at a comfortable pace.

It’s important to note that AP (Advanced Placement) courses may have specific start and end dates that align with the College Board’s testing schedule.

At Accelerate Online Academy, we pride ourselves on offering an exceptional education at an accessible price point. We understand that families are looking for quality without breaking the bank, and we’ve structured our tuition to reflect that commitment. Here’s how we ensure affordability:

• Competitive Tuition: We offer very competitive tuition rates, particularly for full-time enrollment. Our pricing is often significantly lower than many established online private schools, making a quality online education more attainable for a wider range of families.
• Flexible Payment Options: We strive to provide flexible payment plans and options, such as paying by semester or course, to help families manage tuition costs more effectively and find a plan that suits their budget.
• Value-Driven Education: While affordability is key, we never compromise on the quality of education we provide. We maintain a robust curriculum, employ qualified and dedicated teachers, and offer various support services to ensure students receive an excellent education and a strong return on their investment.

How We Compare:

• Compared to Traditional Private Schools: We offer substantial savings compared to traditional brick-and-mortar private schools. Their tuition can easily range from $10,000 to $30,000 or more annually, making our online program a significantly more budget-friendly alternative.
• Compared to Other Online Private Schools: Many established online private schools have higher tuition due to factors like brand recognition, extensive resources, or niche programs. We provide a comparable educational experience, often at a more accessible price.

Payment Plans

Accelerate Online Academy also offers a payment plan option to assist families in pursuing and affording a quality education. https://accelerate.academy/payment-plan/

Sibling Discount

Does your family have more than one student enrolled in our full-time tuition online education programs? If so, you are eligible for a sibling discount of $100 off enrollment.

Accelerate Online Academy offers a few different payment options to make tuition more manageable for families:

• Full Payment: You can pay the full tuition amount upfront at the time of enrollment. This is often the simplest option.
• Payment Plan: Accelerate offers a payment plan for families who enroll their students full-time. Here’s how it generally works:
  • A minimum tuition of $1500 is required to be eligible for the payment plan.
  • You’ll need a valid credit card, checking account, or savings account for monthly withdrawals.
  • An initial down payment of 30% of the tuition, plus the full cost of any shipped materials, is due at enrollment.
  • The remaining balance can be paid over 4 months.

• Sibling Discount: Yes! Accelerate offers a sibling discount of $100 off enrollment for families with more than one student enrolled in their full-time online education programs.
• Multiple Course Discount: We provide a discount if you purchase multiple full-year courses. You get a 5% discount when you purchase 5 or more full-year courses for High School or Middle School, and when you purchase 4 or more full-year courses in Elementary school.

No, students can enroll in semester-long flexible courses at any time of the year! All courses, except Advanced Placement (AP), can be taken as semester-long flexible courses. Visit our course calendar page to learn more.es at any time of the year! All courses, except Advanced Placement (AP), can be taken as semester-long flexible courses. Visit our course calendar page to learn more.

No, it’s generally not too late to enroll at Accelerate Online Academy! We offer year-round enrollment for most of our courses.

This means that students can begin their coursework at almost any time, providing flexibility for families with varying schedules and needs.

Students in grades K-12 from all over the world are eligible to enroll in our online courses and programs. Our only requirements are students must be at least 5 years old to enroll as well as under the age of 19. However, students who reach the age of 19 during a school year may complete that school year.

Switching to Accelerate Online Academy involves a straightforward process:

1. Explore Accelerate Online Academy: Contact our admissions team to learn more about our programs, curriculum, and approach to online learning.
2. Gather Required Documents: Prepare the necessary documentation, which typically includes academic records (transcripts or report cards), proof of age, and potentially other documents depending on your specific situation. Accelerate’s admissions team can provide a detailed list.
3. Complete the Application: Fill out the Accelerate Online Academy application form, providing accurate and complete information. You can complete this process here – https://accelerate.academy/full-time-application/
4. Withdraw from Current School (if applicable): If you are currently enrolled in another school, formally withdraw according to their procedures. This usually involves notifying the school administration and completing any required withdrawal forms.
5. Confirm Enrollment and Begin Learning: Once your application is reviewed and accepted by Accelerate Online Academy, you’ll receive confirmation of your enrollment. You’ll then receive instructions on how to access the online platform, begin your coursework, and connect with your teachers and support staff.

By following these steps, you can smoothly transition to learning with Accelerate Online Academy.

Transferring Credits to Accelerate (Full-Time Students): If your student is enrolling as a full-time student at Accelerate, they will work with the administration to determine the best course of study. This process will include an evaluation of previous coursework to see which credits can be transferred. It’s important to:

• Provide official transcripts from your student’s previous school(s).
• Understand that not all credits may transfer directly. Accelerate will assess the curriculum and grading standards of previous courses to determine equivalency.

Transferring Credits from Accelerate (Part-Time Students): If your student is taking courses at Accelerate as a part-time student with the goal of transferring those credits back to their home school, it’s crucial to:

• Contact your student’s home school before enrolling at Accelerate. Each school or district has its own policies regarding accepting credits from outside institutions. Getting pre-approval will ensure that the credits earned at Accelerate will be recognized.