A 2020 Guide to Applying for Financial Aid (FAFSA)
FAFSA: it’s a scary word. How’s it even pronounced? Whatever the answer, the word alone is known to cause headaches and stress. (The answer is F-a-F-Sah, for the record).
Of course, receiving free money for college sounds great. That’s not the issue. But the process sounds scary enough that it seems not worth the effort at times.
But it is worth the effort. And while we can’t promise you won’t experience head pains, you can ease your stress by following a few important tips.
Whether you’re student just started high school or is on their way out, now’s the time to start planning on financing your post-secondary education.
If you think you can’t afford college, we’re here to say “Yes, you can.”
There are several scholarships your child can earn. And they don’t all require earning straight A’s, or being athletically inclined.
One such “scholarship” is qualifying for financial aid, or money granted to you by the Federal Government by filling out a Free Application for Student Aid (FASFA) form.
This money is granted to college students, and depending on if you qualify, your teen can either get approved for a loan or receive a grant. A grant is money given to you to attend college that you don’t have to pay back.
Here’s what you need to know about FASFA.
Scholarship Versus Grant Versus a Loan
In the simplest terms:
- Scholarship= Free money from a college or other provider
- Grant= Free money from the government
- Loan= Money you have to pay back
Receiving loans through FAFSA can be useful, considering they do not need to be paid while attending college. Keep in mind that interest rates after graduation can be high, and the payments demanding. If you can find grants and scholarships, these will serve your student much better in the long run.
Scholarships are separate from FAFSA. You can obtain scholarships through the college you’re attending. Oftentimes, this is based on grades or talents. You can find several third-party scholarships, however.
Places like scholarships.com or Fastweb.com are great places to start.
Types of Federal Aid Loans
- Direct subsidized loans: for undergraduate students in community college or in a bachelor’s program. Students will not be charged interest until after they are no longer in school.
- Direct unsubsidized loans: for all levels of degrees and interest is charged from the moment the loan is accepted. The interest is typically from 4-6% in California, but is subject to change.
- Direct PLUS loans: for graduate and professional degree students and parents of those students. Interest is charged from the time the loan is accepted by the student or parent.
- Consolidated loans: You can consolidate loans after the student is no longer enrolled in college to make one payment a month rather than several big payments to different loan companies.
Does Income Level Impact FAFSA Approval?
It’s a common misconception that FAFSA only applies to students with low incomes. Although that can be the case, FAFSA is actually determined on your cost ratio.
Colleges want you to contribute about 47% of your net annual income. If the price of tuition/books exceeds that percentage of your ratio, you are granted aid.
So, if your student comes from a lower income, chances are, the percentage of college costs to your total income would be a high ratio.
But that does not mean those who have higher incomes shouldn’t apply. Let’s say, for example, there are two different students whose parents earn the same income, say $100,000, but one student is attending a community college while the other is attending an expensive private university. In this case, the student attending a private university is more likely to receive financial aid. You can learn more about this here.
In other words, regardless of your income, your child should apply for FAFSA. It’s free to apply, and they definitely won’t receive any aid if they don’t try.
Items Needed to Complete FAFSA
Student’s social security number- OR Alien Registration number they are not a U.S. Citizen
- Your (the parent’s) most recent Tax Return forms, including W2 forms and any other form of income
How to Apply
- Head to the FAFSA site and start an application
- You will need to create a PIN number. It can be hard to retrieve if you forget, so make it memorable!
- Fill out the entire form using the items above.
For more detailed instructions on the application process, check out this Infographic.
What Can I Use My Child Use Financial Aid For?
- Tuition
- School fees
- Housing
- Food
- Health Insurance
- Books
- Supplies for school
- Transportation expenses
What if My Child Doesn’t Know Where They’re Going to School After Graduation?
If your teen is unsure where they are attending college after graduation, you don’t have to wait to apply. The FAFSA form is the same no matter where you attend. It can make a difference in the amount you receive, but it’s better to apply early than to wait on your decision.
A Few Important Things to Note
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FAFSA opened October 1 and runs through about June 2020. Any corrections or updates must be submitted by midnight CT on Sept. 14, 2020.
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The earlier you apply, the better! Students who apply in January are much more likely to receive grants than those in May.
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Many scholarships require a FAFSA form, so if you plan to apply for any scholarships, be sure to complete your FAFSA form this month.
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School deadlines are usually early in the year often in February or March, although some are even earlier now that the FAFSA form is available in October. ( Learn more here.)
No matter your child’s plans after high school, be sure to take the time to fill out a FAFSA form. It certainly won’t hurt, and can potentially give you free money to use toward your education.
For any questions, you can always reach out to your guidance counselor. They can answer your questions, walk you through the process and develop an action plan with you. The help you need to get funding for college is readily available!
Interested in Elite? Fill out the form below to get started.
Online school doesn't mean lack of teachers, it actually means more individualized attention. Here's why:
As the famous English author Terry Pratchett so eloquently stated, “A lie can run round the world before the truth has got its boots on.”
There is an ongoing myth that online school cannot provide students with any support. The lack of a physical classroom is seen to create a barrier.
But at Elite Academic Academy, this is far from the case.
In fact, we’ve developed a proven working model that allows for more individualized student-teacher interaction than a traditional school. Rather than a barrier, we believe it creates a pathway for better communication.
Elite Virtual Academy’s Supportive Student-Teacher Communication Model
If you had one hour to help 30 people, who would you go to first? Likely the ones who grab your attention first and ask for help. That’s the barrier a traditional classroom can create. With such large class sizes, students must be vocal in order to receive any sort of help. Those who aren’t oftentimes fall through the cracks.
At Elite, teachers take care of each student individually. There are real-time online lectures similar to that of the traditional classroom, but that’s merely one point of contact–not the main form of interaction.
Ways to Communicate With Elite Online Instructors
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1. Phone Call
Students can talk with teachers via phone for individual support.
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2. Instant Messaging
Within the virtual classroom is a chat message center for students to get quick answers to questions.
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3. Email
For a smaller, less urgent question, teachers also have emails that they check regularly to respond to students within a 48-hour period.
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4. Online Personal Appointments
Students needing more personalized support can arrange a real-time online appointment with their teachers to get extra help on homework.
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5. In-person appointments
Those students who live near the office are welcome to schedule an appointment with their instructor for in-person support.
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The five points of contact listed above are all easily accessible to students. In many ways, this model is better for the students who are not as outspoken. Raising a hand can be intimidating, especially when coupled with the fear of asking a “stupid” question. Having quick access to teacher support in many ways helps provides more personalized attention.
Personalized Support With Elite Homeschool Academy
Whether you enroll in online school or go the homeschool route, the level of personalized support is the same. With the parent as the main educator in homeschool, the way individualized attention is provided varies.
With all homeschool students, Elite’s role is to encourage, support and guide their educational journey.
Each student is assigned a credentialed educator, who will:
To learn more about homeschooling, check out this article.
If you have any further questions about Elite’s instruction model, our advisors are happy to help! Give us a call at (866) 354-8302
Dejah Saldivar: An Athletic Elite Success Story
Dejah Saldivar has an enormous passion for the game of basketball. She practices around 5-6 hours per day, and travels the country with her team, Cal/Desert Storm, playing in basketball tournaments. She has a goal of receiving a full-ride athletic scholarship to play basketball in college and to continue to receive a top-notch education. This goal is no easy feat, and Dejah knows that. While she is working hard day in and day out to work towards her dream of playing in college, she also has a strong support system around her that is helping her get there. Dejah is an 8th grader in her second year at Elite Academic Academy (EAA), a WASC Accredited and NCAA Approved Public Charter School. She chose Elite’s Virtual Academy because she wanted to receive a superior education while having the flexibility in her schedule to continue training hard and traveling for basketball.
“I want to continue to have a 3.5-4.0 GPA going into high school; because academics are important when you are trying to receive a college scholarship.''
Dejah explained that she has had a great experience so far as an EAA student. She can complete her schoolwork in the morning hours before heading off to basketball practice and it is easy to get in contact with her teacher if she needs help. Manny Saldivar, Dejah’s father, expressed that her basketball coaches make sure that her academic studies are taken care of on the road.
“When she travels, we let the coaches know that she needs time for her academics, and they will accommodate for that and give her time to get her schoolwork done. It is very nice because she never has to miss school for sports, her school travels with her.”
On top of receiving a superior academic experience at EAA, she has been receiving a superior athletic experience at Sports Academy. Since summer 2019, Dejah has been playing basketball with her team at Sports Academy. Starting in October 2019, she has been training and practicing there as well.
Sports Academy is a 100,000 square-foot facility that houses world-class basketball courts, volleyball courts, sand courts, turf field, batting cages, pitching mounds, and a mondo sprint track. On top of that, they have a comprehensive sports medicine practice for medical therapy and rehabilitation, a biomechanics lab, a world-class cognitive training lab, an e-sports training ground, a learning center for academic tutoring and training, and a yoga/cycling studio. Mamba Sports Academy is a space that supports youth, amateur and elite athletes with a Full-Circle training approach to support the body and mind. Manny Saldivar explained how great it has been having Dejah practice at Mamba. “It’s a state-of-the-art facility, and not just for basketball. For everything.” Dejah’s head coach, George Quintero, is a Director at Mamba Sports Academy and works with her there about once a week on average, while also having games held there.
With both Sports Academy and EAA in her arsenal, Dejah will be reaching her goal of receiving a college scholarship in no time. EAA has also taken notice of Dejah’s success with both programs and wants to provide the same opportunity to the rest of their students. EAA has partnered with Sports Academy to provide world class athletic opportunities to their students as part of their experience at Elite. As a student at EAA, you will be provided access to the Sports Academy facilities to complete basic assessments, sports training or skill training. There will be space available at the facility to get your schoolwork done, and transportation may be provided if necessary. Dejah is taking advantage of having these two premier institutions to support her on her journey, as Elite Academic Academy is happy to be able to provide the same support to all of our students.
We will be having two informational meetings to discuss this partnership. Please join us to learn how to enroll with Elite Academic Academy and become an Elite Training Athlete:
Elite Athletics: Starting 2020 off Right
Our Elite students are back to school this week after a relaxing holiday break with friends and family. For our student athletes, they are not just getting back into school mode. They are also getting back into competition mode and continuing with their athletic training.
Davis Perkins is an 8th grader in the Virtual Program at Elite and one of our dedicated student athletes. He is currently thinking about a career in the engineering field and is able to excel academically while also improving on the football and lacrosse field. Over the break, we asked him a couple of questions about his experience as an Elite Academic student as well as athlete.
Meet Davis Perkins
What do you enjoy about playing football and lacrosse?
“I enjoy the competition that these sports offer. Competition forces you to get better and practice harder. I also like being a part of a team and helping my team excel.”
How has being a student at Elite helped you with your athletic goals?
“Elite has given me the opportunity to improve my athletic ability because of my flexible schedule. I can go to my training sessions and complete my school work when I am done. Elite is a great place for student athletes to excel both in academics and sports.”
There will be even more opportunities for Elite Student Athletes to grow both academically and athletically in the coming year through our new exciting collaborations. For further information about the upcoming changes in store for Elite Academic Academy in 2020, subscribe to our blog and follow us on Facebook or Instagram.
If you're looking for a #newyearnewyou, why not try #newyearnewschool?
It’s a new year and a new decade. So clearly, it’s the year of “new year, new you.”
As with every year, there are resolutions to create and set that’ll likely be forgotten within the next few months. It’ll happen.
Instead of trying to set a goal you don’t really want to keep (like eating a salad every day), how about one that could have an actual lasting positive impact on your family’s life:
We’d like to call the “new year, new school” resolution. See what we did there?
If your child is struggling with academics or the traditional mold is simply not working well for your family, then resolve to make a change.
ENROLLING YEAR ROUND
We enroll throughout the school year, so you can get started at a time that’s best for you.
If you don’t know about Elite, here’s a little more info:
Our courses are tuition free with an aligned, engaging curriculum
Elite is a public charter school, which means it is tuition free.
Our curriculum is accredited and held to the same standards as a traditional school. We work to go beyond that by providing not only a rigorous, but engaging online education that happens to have won multiple awards.
Our teachers are highly qualified and provide personalized support
Every teacher at Elite is highly qualified and dedicated to our students. They offer individual support through phone calls, emails, instant messaging and online tutoring sessions. Oftentimes, our students actually report that they receive more personalized attention with us than they did at their old schools.
There are homeschool, independent study and flex programs for a more personalized touch
Prefer to be at home and in charge of your child’s education? Great. We have homeschool programs available so we can support you in that endeavor.
Want to have your child at home, but still have a curriculum and teachers provided? Our independent study is a great solution. Or maybe you like the idea of independent study, but you still want your child to attend a school in person (that’ll be our Flex Academy). Whatever you’re looking for, there’s a good chance we have the program for you.
You can catch up on credits or get ahead and possibly graduate early
Catching up or getting ahead is more doable with Elite. Students can take additional courses each block to catch up or get ahead–all with the support of a highly qualified instructor or academic coach.
Our partnerships mean better opportunities to direct your educational funds.
Each child has unique interests and talents. That’s why we partner with several vendors. So your child can have the opportunity to improve their athletics or their fine arts skills. Or even travel to different countries at nearly no cost to you.
To learn more about our educational funds, head here.
A few differences and similarities between Elite and traditional school
SIMILARITIES
- Tuition free
- Highly qualified instructors
- Special education programs
- School events
- Graduation ceremony
DIFFERENCES
- Home school, flex and independent study options
- Flexible daily school schedule
- Individualized learning and instruction
- Educational funds
- Enrichment programs including career training, athletics, fine arts and travel
Ugly Sweater DIY
As the cold weather arrives, so too appear the dreaded ugly sweaters! Seen out at holiday parties and even the home during the ABC holiday special binging events on the couch, these atrocious articles of clothing have gotten more creative and--dare we say--uglier! The tradition has gone so viral, in fact, that it even has its own holiday.
If you're thinking you don't have an ugly sweater, your friends would probably beg to differ.
Even the simplest of sweaters can turn into the perfect ugly holiday sweater with a couple household, everyday decorations. Check out some ideas below.
How to Make Your Very Own, Truly Hideously Ugly Sweater
While this extravagantly ugly sweater may look complicated, it's pretty simple!
Here are some objects you can put on your ugly sweater ready for the upcoming festivities:
- Sweater from your closet (Or purchased for this occasion, if you prefer!)
- Yarn, garland, tinsel or blinking lights to make stripes
- Ornaments, or thin props to add throughout the sweater
- Bells or anything else loud and obnoxious!
- Your favorite stuffed animal (because why not?)
To put together the sweater, you can use whatever you have! Either make it more permanent with hot glue or have a temporary ugly sweater using rubber bands, safety pins or binder clips. Whatever you do, you can be sure to have a great sweater just like Peyton's!
Once you've put together your masterpiece, don't forget to tag us in your uploaded photo on Facebook! We can't wait to see what you come up with.
The differences between a diploma vs. GED
It’s estimated that nearly 750,000 students drop out of high school each year in the United States.
It’s also estimated that a high school dropout earns $19,200 less annually than a high school graduate. And $36,424 less annually than those who hold a bachelor’s degree.
The numbers go further.
The unemployment rate on average for high school graduates is 8.5 percent. For high school dropouts? The rate increases 12 percent.
If there is any takeaway from these stats, it’s that earning a high school diploma clearly has its advantages.
The Difference Between an Online High School Diploma vs. GED
GED stands for general education development. Not general equivalency diploma, as many seem to think. A GED is earned by taking and passing an exam that usually costs about $70. After passing the exam, participants receive a certificate recognized by employers.
A GED is not the same as an online diploma, nor does it hold the same value.
Really, an online diploma is more aptly compared to a traditional high school diploma, considering it can be equivalent, depending on a school’s accreditation.
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If the school is a public charter school and accredited, an online diploma is the same as traditional high school diploma. It’s simply earned online. Once again, this only applies to private or public charter online schools who are accredited, as Elite is (accreditation pending, coming soon!).
The Benefits of An Online Diploma vs. GED
Is it better to earn a high school diploma online versus obtaining a GED? Take a look at the stats below.
- A high school diploma is free to earn. Plus, those with a high school diploma earn $1,600 more monthly than those with a GED.
- Finding a job is more difficult with a GED because of the stigma it holds. As was stated, the unemployment rate is 4 percent higher.
- It can be more difficult to attend college. Just 5 percent of GED holders hold a bachelor’s degree, compared to 33 percent of high school graduates.
About Online High School
A majority of the time, students drop out of high school due to some outside circumstance. It could be negative experiences, an illness, disability or family obligations. Whatever the circumstance, the traditional high school model was not working for the student.
That’s where online high school is crucial to reducing dropout rates and helping students succeed.
There are several benefits of enrolling in high school online. The personalized support from teachers, flexible schedule and ability to study at home are a few features that make earning an online diploma much more doable for many students.
Personalized Support
In any school, you can find qualified teachers, dedicated to helping their students. But as class sizes increase, distractions increase, and the teacher’s availability wears thin.
Online school allows for a more personalized approach to learning. Instead of focusing on 30+ students from hour to hour, online teachers conduct online seminars, with the majority of their day focused on individually helping students understand the material.
Flexible Schedule
Online students are not tied to the usual traditional school schedule of 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. They do have to work just as hard as traditional students, but they can choose when and where to do so.
This is most appealing to struggling and excelling students with time-demanding activities. Some are aspiring professional athletes, while others work to support their family.
These students work hard to balance their lives, and it’s only possible through online school.
Safe Environment
There are many instances that make studying at home necessary for some teens. Online schooling provides the teens who need a safe, comfortable environment with the ability to still earn their high school diploma.
It’s Probably Not too Late to Obtain Your Online Diploma
If you have dropped out of high school, there’s a good chance it’s not too late to earn your online diploma. You do not have to complete high school in the traditional four years.
Students in California can attend online high school until they are 22 years of age.
If you are nearing 22 years of age, give us a call anyway. We have programs in place to help you recover credits quickly.
A few great study spots for online and homeschool students
One of the biggest differences between traditional school vs online school or homeschool is the capability to study at the location of choice. As an online student, you are not limited to a classroom; you can study wherever you feel most comfortable. That could be a coffee shop. It could even be a barn.
With so many choices on where to study, making sure your child enjoys the freedom while still staying disciplined can be a concern. We get that.
That’s why we compiled a few ideas to get you deciding where your student will best learn.
Quiz: Which Place is Best for Your Student to Study?
You have options, but if you’d like to see which might work best for your child’s personality, take the quiz! Or check out some great ideas below.
1. The Favorite Spot on the Couch
With some favorite cozy socks, of course.
Starting the morning stress free can be a huge benefit of online school, you can read more on that here.
There’s no rushing to make they catch the bus or stress of receiving yet another tardy slip. Your student can log in and start coursework on their own time. Of course, starting schoolwork later means finishing work later, but you have that choice!
Sometimes mornings call for leisure. If your child often needs time to ‘wake up’ in the mornings, then we recommend they head to a favorite spot on the couch. Get those favorite cozy socks out, grab a morning snack, log in and get working.
While on break during work or practice
Knock out some homework during downtime.
If your student has a busy schedule, you know all too well that spare time doesn’t come easily. That’s why we suggest seeing how they can monetize their time. When you have a lunch break, try to knock out a small assignment.
It will help your student get that much further ahead in classes once they finally arrive home for the day.
3. In the living room
It’s hard to get distracted when mom sees what you’re working on.
Sometimes the living room isn’t a smart choice. It can be one of the noisiest places in your home. But the nice part about that noisy family is that they can be a great support group too.
But if it is the right environment, the living room is a place where your student feels comfortable, yet you can easily help them stay on track. After all, it’d be difficult to spend time on social media and YouTube when mom sees what you’re doing. That way, you can help them stay disciplined to get homework done for the day.
4. At a desk or table
Somewhere designated is best when the brain doesn’t feel motivated.
While studying on the couch is always cozy, you should also consider finding a desktop or table for the times that require more focus. Here’s why:
The brain makes associations with each place you go. For example, when you go to your bed, your brain associates that with sleeping. When you go to the couch, your brain associates that with relaxing.
That means if your student needs more help focusing, you should have them study somewhere they usually work. A table and desktop are great places to help your brain know it’s time to work.
As one online instructor, Ms. Day said:
“If you do homework in your bed where you sleep, it’s likely going to make you want to take a nap rather than do math homework. Go somewhere you know you won’t get distracted (or leave) until you finish homework. Make that your routine and doing homework there will become as natural as taking a nap in your bed is.”
5. The great outdoors
Nothing recharges the brain like fresh air.
You would still need an internet connection. But studying outdoors is a great way to get a change of atmosphere while learning.
Sometimes switching up the environment can make a huge impact on your child’s motivation to study. It can be much better than sitting in a classroom seat, at least!
Whether that be your backyard, the park, the beach or even a barn (sure, why not?) have them try studying there.
Anastasia the Musical
At Elite Academic Academy, students have access to incredibly entertaining, educational, and informative events involving the Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA). These VAPA events include theatre productions, dance shows, vocal concerts, movies and more. Elite’s latest musical trip was to see Anastasia at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Orange County.
Elite’s VAPA Director has a message for the Elite families that attended the musical: What a blast Anastasia was!
I was so thrilled to see all of you turn out for a night at the theatre. The show was magical, and the cast was extraordinary. The production value alone was outstanding. The use of projections in this particular production was simply breathtaking, and I am so glad that we were able to witness it.
I wanted to thank each of you for taking time out of your very busy schedules to come out to the theatre and go on a journey. As artists and non-artists, we need stories, we need to be uplifted, we need to escape to other worlds to grow compassion. Thank you for traveling with me on a Journey to the past!
Elite’s next VAPA trip will be The Shakespearience – don’t miss out!
Thanks,
VAPA Lead James Fowler
The students and staff had a great time at the musical, and we captured some of those good times on camera. We hope to see many more of you at the next show!
Online, flex and homeschool students do, in fact, communicate with instructors. Here’s how:
The lack of face-to-face instruction might seem like there’s less ability to contact instructors.
But really, online isn’t to blame for effective student-teacher communication. In fact, there are common barriers in communicating within the traditional classroom setting.
For example: If you had one hour to help 30 people, who would you go to first? Likely the ones who grab your attention and ask for help.
With such large class sizes, students must be vocal in order to receive any sort of help. Those who aren’t oftentimes fall through the cracks.
In online or homeschooling, students are able to contact teachers anytime throughout the working day. There are real-time online lectures similar to that of the traditional classroom but that’s just one point of contact–not the main form of interaction.
Here are the different ways students can contact teachers at Elite.
Six ways online and homeschool students communicate with instructors
1. Email
Every educator has an individual email provided to all students at the beginning of each course. This way, students can easily send messages to their teachers and usually get a response within 24 hours or less.
2. Messaging within the school’s online platform
Our Parent Student Portal’s (PSP) messaging isn’t just for connecting with students and making friends in a safe environment, though that is a plus.
Another way to contact teachers for a faster response is through messaging, where students log in to see announcements, check grades, chat with other students and their teachers. In the messaging section of the PSP, students can find their teachers and get a quicker response to a question.
3. Phone call
For an immediate response, students can call teachers on their direct office line and chat with them regarding any questions or concerns.
4. Oftentimes, even a text message
Many of our teachers even offer text messaging, either through personal phones or a Google phone line.
If the instructor offers this option, you will find out at the beginning of class in announcements, or you can always reach out through one of the other communication lines and see if they have texting available.
5. “Live” online sessions
In our online courses, teachers will hold real-time classroom online sessions to instruct the course, answer questions and hold classroom discussions.
If you don’t want to ask questions in the group session, our teachers are more than willing to schedule a one-on-one online session with you to provide tutoring and more personalized instruction.
6. In-person appointments
Parents and students can call their teacher and get in-person support when needed. Of course, you should schedule an in-person appointment ahead of time with your instructor, but an in-person session can be a great way to meet your child’s teacher face to face and get face-to-face support from instructors.
For homeschool students, there are also assigned Elite Educators provide support and even come to your home for an academic consultation.Flex teachers are happy to meet you at your local public library. This occurs every 30 days to evaluate student progress and help keep students on track with their individual educational plans. For more information, head here.
Remember, our teachers are here to help your child succeed. We hope you take advantage of all the communication channels available to you.
