Considering Online Education
Today’s technology provides new and unique opportunities for children to succeed. The EGUSD Virtual Academy provides an education plan with great flexibility. While students are expected to make daily academic progress, as in a brick-and-mortar school, the EGUSD Virtual Academy provides the options of when and where learning takes place. Students learning is directed by an adult at the home, called a learning coach. Learning coaches and students are guided by an EGUSD teacher.
Q: Who can enroll in the EGUSD Virtual Academy?
The EGUSD Virtual Academy provides students in K-8 the opportunity to accelerate at their own pace.
Students and learning coaches track their academic progress online. From time to time, students may come to an EGUSD brick and mortar school to meet with their teacher or participate in an enrichment or fitness opportunity.
For more information, please see the Questions and Answers below:
A: Any student in grades K-8 in Sacramento County – along with students in the neighboring counties of Amador, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Placer, San Joaquin, Solano, Sutter and Yolo – can enroll in the EGUSD Virtual Academy.
Q: My child has special circumstances which are not conducive to regular school hours. Will the EGUSD Virtual Academy be able to accommodate him?
Q: My child is not reading on grade level – can your program help him?
Q: Will my student have a “real” teacher?
Q: My gifted K-8 child is sometimes bored in regular classrooms. Can the EGUSD Virtual Academy help her?
Q: What resources are provided?
Q: Do I have to pay for my child to attend the EGUSD Virtual Academy?
Q: How will the student-teacher interaction work?
Q: Does the EGUSD Virtual Academy develop Personalized Learning Plans for each student?
Q: Will students enrolled in this program be expected to participate in state-mandated standardized testing? If so, will they be afforded the opportunity to travel to a proctored setting, or are they required to attend regularly scheduled testing dates at current brick-and-mortar school locations?
Q: What are the total required/expected hours per day that students and/or learning coaches should plan for when enrolling in this school program?
Q: Are there any enrollment requirements that students must comply with as part of enrolling in the EGUSD Virtual Academy?
Q: Is my child eligible to attend the EGUSD Virtual Academy even if I do not live within the Elk Grove Unified School District?
Q: Can my child take classes in the virtual academy while attending another school?
Q: Where can I find more information on or register for the EGUSD Virtual Academy?
A: Yes. EGUSD Virtual Academy coursework is available online 24 hours a day. EGUSD Virtual Academy provides an opportunity for students, whether or not they currently attend public schools. Students in the EGUSD Virtual Academy and their adult learning coach design their daily schedule to fit into their own lives. Contact with teachers can be arranged to suit the needs of the family.
Elk Grove Unified realizes that no two students are alike. EGUSD Virtual Academy is another educational avenue offered by EGUSD as part of its continuing effort to provide the best education for all children.
Q: Will my student have PE?
Q: Does the EGUSD Virtual Academy use public school curriculum?
Q: I am a stay-at-home parent because I want to be very involved in guiding my child’s education. Can the EGUSD Virtual Academy accommodate my involvement?
A: Yes. Physical activity is recorded on a log and submitted to your teacher monthly. K-6 completes 20min per school day and 7-8 complete 40 minutes per school day.
A: Through a partnership with Edgenuity, all Virtual Academy curriculum is aligned to the State of California’s standards and benchmarks. The curriculum includes core subjects and electives, as well enrichment and review coursework.
A: Absolutely. You are your child’s learning coach. Your child’s teacher works with you as well as your child. You will be provided support from a professional, credentialed teacher so that you can have the involvement you wish in your child’s academic progress.
A: Virtual Academy teachers have the expertise to modify instruction and provide tutorials or other supplements to the standard online learning programs in order to assist every child to meet grade-level expectations. By working together with the learning coach, the teacher designs practice opportunities and and coursework to support the learning of every child.
A: Yes! The EGUSD Virtual Academy employs credentialed teachers through the Elk Grove Unified School District. These teachers are highly-qualified EGUSD classroom teachers who have chosen to pursue teaching through the Virtual Academy. They will assist and guide you and your student as needed.
A: One of the wonderful things about online learning is the ability to match each student’s natural pace of learning. The EGUSD Virtual Academy provides opportunities for accelerated pacing as well as opportunities for enrichment in other subjects, such as world languages, that are not always available in regular schools.
A: Students who enroll in the EGUSD Virtual Academy will receive free online curriculum and services provided via a partnership with Edgenuity. Edgenuity will provide online materials as part of the curriculum.
A: No. The EGUSD Virtual Academy is a free public school option.
A: The EGUSD Virtual Academy is a hybrid model where students have access to teachers both in person and online. EGUSD Virtual Academy students are assigned to highly qualified, credentialed teachers. K-8 students will work with one teacher for all or most of their classes.
EGUSD Virtual Academy teachers provide guidance, feedback and regular contact to students and their parents. Teachers are available to answer questions, to help with challenging content, to demonstrate procedures and skills, to respond to questions, and to grade, score, and provide feedback on student work.
While most of the student-teacher and parent-teacher interactions will be handled online, telephone conferences and in-person meetings are also a part of the EGUSD Virtual Academy experience. EGUSD Virtual Academy teachers care about and are dedicated to their students’ progress and academic success. Teachers and administrators regularly monitor the progress of each student to ensure that he or she is on track to accomplish grade level and course content.
A: Yes, an academic plan will be designed for each student. Students will be placed in the most appropriate classes to suit their needs based upon a review of the student’s academic history and assessment data.
A: Yes, students will be expected to participate in state-mandated standardized testing. Students will take their tests in a proctored environment at an EGUSD Virtual Academy school site.
A: Students and/or learning coaches should plan to spend 20 hours a week for the minimum requirement. As with other learning situations, the most successful students devote more than the minimum number of hours per week to their academic endeavors, typically up to 35 hours a week.
A: Students must be age 5 by September 1 and live within Sacramento, Amador, Yolo, El Dorado, Placer, Contra Costa, Solano, Sutter and San Joaquin counties.
A: Families who do not reside within the geographic boundaries of EGUSD will need to obtain an Interdistrict Agreement. This agreement releases the responsibility of public schooling from one public school district so that the family can attend another public school district. Regardless of whether the student currently attends a public, private, or charter school, the family needs an approved Interdistrict Agreement in order to enroll in the EGUSD Virtual Academy.
To obtain an Interdistrict Agreement, an interested family must first go to the main office of the school district of residence to request the paperwork. Once completed and approved, the paperwork should be brought to Las Flores Virtual Academy, 5900 Bamford Drive, CA 95823.
A: No. Enrollment in the EGUSD Virtual Academy is full-time. Just as students cannot attend two elementary schools at the same time, they would not attend the Virtual Academy and another school.
A: For more information on or to register for the EGUSD Virtual Academy, call 916-399-9890 or email EGVirtual@egusd.net.
