How does connections academy make money

There are a lot of live lessons but none of them are required. Il y a 5 jours. Curriculum for grades K—5 is mastery based, which encourages students to learn and grow at their own pace. Connections Academy K—12 online schools use a world-class curriculum that meets national standards for quality and is designed for online learning. To support states adopting CCSS, we began aligning our online school curriculum and courses with Common Core English language arts and Common Core math standards in Overall, there is one major difference between the two.

Unfortunately, homeschooling expenses are not deductible. They literally question everyone and everything.

You are literally a underpaid punching bag. They preach professionalism but frankly don't adhere to that. Team Leads are often disrespectful and big headed. Document verification team verifies things wrong, customer care transfers calls to the wrong department, call monitoring is just vicious, and frankly training did not prepare me for the reality of this job.

You are micromanaged by people who monitor your calls, webmails, and call notes. You have to ask for permission for everything. Breaks are scheduled but you're almost never making the times that are set. No sense of team or support. The whole experience has been nothing but demeaning for me by the clients we serve and outright embarrassing with how people communicate with one another here. Pros Benefits are good. Cons Clientile is just vicious.

Yes There are 7 helpful reviews 7 No There are 1 unhelpful reviews 1. Pros Flexible work hours. Cons Teacher to student ratio, inflexible teaching material, outdated platforms, clique environment. When you first come on board, everyone is very welcoming and supportive.

Then you see that it is triage. Everyone is stressed and trying to hold everything together. I need the money they spent on swag instead of the stuff i send to the Goodwill. This place is toxic. Pros Kind and supportive coworkers.

Cons Extremely stressful, impossible workload, and insulting pay. Training is good. Benefits are great. Coworkers are nice and dedicated to students.

Job is mundane with not much fulfillment. Compensation poor for workload. Pros Training, benefits, generous pto. Cons No career advancement, hire unqualified people, lack of communication. Jobs at Connections Academy. Teacher Assistant. Adjunct Music Teacher, School Year. Special Populations Administrative Assistant. It's not until after you signed the contract that you find out what the real compensation package includes.

Pros They do provide some flexibility. Yes, online public charter teachers make less than classroom teachers.

But the leadership at this school is top-notch, and it is awesome to be part of the team creating a student-centered school from the ground up. I took a substantial cut and gave up my last year towards full retirement in order to come here, and I do not regret it.

It's more work than you'd perhaps think no loafers trying to hold this as a second job! Pros Corporate benefits; fabulous principal; flexibility. Cons Somewhat lower pay and benefits; no public retirement. I currently work at South Carolina Connections Academy. This is a for profit school owned Pearson Inc. Student learning is not a priority. Academic Dishonesty among students is rampant and very few student requirements are enforced in regards to meeting actual legal attendance regulations.

Teachers and other educational professionals are expected to do as they are told even if practices are legally questionable.. Those who voice an opinion are targeted and bullied by administrators. I have witnessed the Counseling Managers repeatedly belittle and harass knowledgeable and experienced staff members who will not support their unethical behaviors. The school wants young employees that they can totally manipulate. The administrators or "Leadership Team" as they call themselves have little to no experience and they were moved into administrative positions with no credentials.

They are hired because they will do whatever they are told to do. The managers that I have worked with are not trustworthy. They always play favorites and there are different rules for different employees. The pay at this school is much lower than the state teacher salary scale and the work load is intense. You are allowed to work from home except for when you - more Yes There are 5 helpful reviews 5 No.

Local administration is excellent, corporate is below average. I felt strongly supported by the local administration. Corporate leadership left a lot to be desired. Corporate would not reward hard work and dedication with a decent salary, except for those in high leadership positions.

Favoritism was evident. Connections offers great options for the students that they serve. The benefits pa Lahr is outstanding! They really do what they can for their employees! Unfortunately they have a one size fits all curriculum and some educational practices are not focused on student success and academic outcomes. No benefits if you are classified as "part-time. Company managers say they are "all about their employees" but they are NOT. They do not back up employees when school officials have a problem and blame employee.

This is very stressful and can make anyone a nervous wreck. This company is NOT professional, mainly because of they way they treat their employees. My advice: Go elsewhere for employment! Yes There are 38 helpful reviews 38 No. Consistency in management is absent. No team work. Divisive and unfair treatment. Pay is low compared to cost of living and the amount of work to be done.

Some are allowed to choose what hours they work while others are expected to actually abide by rules. We like to mix it up. Often the subject schedule will depend on what the lesson requires or what live lessons my son needs to attend for that day. Each week, my son needs to have He spends roughly 2. While that might seem like a lot of screen time, it isn't mindless scrolling through the deep-sea internet while staring at the computer.

Instead, he is actively engaging in his virtual classroom, reading through what each lesson requires, completing any book work activities, taking notes, and listening to what I add to each lesson. Alternatively, he might be engaging with his teacher and classmates in a live lesson, taking notes and answering questions. The rest of his day is composed of other educational activities, such as reading, writing, physical activity, hands-on learning activities, going more in-depth on concepts learned within his lessons, exploring other topics of interest, etc.

Because Connections is an online school, we can be flexible with our school schedule. My son does not have to attend school Monday through Friday. He is able to take days off during the week and attend school on the weekends. This is a wonderful benefit, especially for families who have non-traditional work schedules or children who participate in competitive sports. We work my son's school schedule around my husband's work schedule to optimize family time and give us the freedom to take trips away from home.

This is the biggest question I get about Connections. People are always concerned about socialization and whether students have enough chances to interact with their peers.

Connections Academy offers many opportunities for students to engage with their classmates, from the daily live lesson sessions and participation in clubs to school-sponsored field trips.

Each state is a little different, but in Ohio, we've had school-wide field trips to some pretty awesome places:. Every year, we have a back-to-school family mixer at various parks around our state. This is an opportunity for families to meet each other and connect. Building these relationships is a great way to make friends, find a support system, and plan future meet-ups.

Connections Academy also has private Facebook groups for learning coaches to join, where they can find additional support and connect with other families in their area.

This is a great resource for planning extra field trips or meet-ups. As mentioned above, there are many different online clubs that students can join to connect with fellow students who share their interests. These clubs are teacher-directed and emphasize collaborative projects to help students make new friends. Although Connections Academy doesn't offer sports, many students participate in them outside of school.

Joining a community or competitive league is another way for your child to socialize with their peers. Children who already participate in extracurricular activities with rigorous schedules, such as gymnastics, competition dance, or competitive ice skating, may find online schools to be a good choice due to the flexibility they offer. These students can complete their online schoolwork around the demands of their sports schedule.

Online learning requires a significant time commitment from both you and your child. Connections Academy is a great option, but it isn't for everyone. In order to succeed, you must be organized and disciplined. While there is flexibility when it comes to scheduling, there are still deadlines, and work must be completed. Keep in mind that it can be time-consuming. You can't simply set your child in front of the computer and expect him or her to learn, especially when you first begin.

As the parent and learning coach, you are there to help your child with his or her lessons, guiding him or her through the activities, helping to reinforce concepts, adding in bits of information, and answering questions as they arise. If your child is in the elementary years, you should be there most—if not all—of the time, gradually helping him or her become more independent. As your child gets older, he or she will develop more independence, and you may only need to pop in to make sure he or she is staying on task or to answer questions.

Remember, this is your child's education. By enrolling in Connections Academy, you are taking charge of that responsibility. These are some important factors to keep in mind about Connections that many people don't talk about.

Question: Are the live classes through Connections Academy everyday? We have done K12 online before but there are so many live classes Monday through Friday, plus the other online work each day. It is overwhelming and NOT flexible. Answer: I have friends and have talked to other parents, who have enrolled their students in K12 and they have complained about this same issue.

My son will be entering middle school this year. From Kindergarten to 4th grade, the students have math and language arts live lessons. In Kindergarten, my son had two a week -- one math and one language arts. As he got older the number increased.. The live lessons are always recorded so if your student misses a live lesson, he or she can watch the recording when time allows.

In 5th grade, students have math live lessons every day, language arts live lessons twice a week, with a writing live lesson once a week, and science once a week. Students are required to have contact with their teacher at least once every two weeks, this comes in the form of attending live lessons and their monthly phone call.

I have found Ohio Connections Academy to be extremely flexible. My son did not attend every live lesson and he did very well. We also have a nontraditional school schedule. My son does school work Friday - Tuesday and has Wednesdays and Thursdays off. We've had this schedule for five years and it has never been an issue. Question: To what extent can students at Connections Academy work at their own pace? Specifically, can they move faster through material they understand? Answer: Students can work at their own pace, but there are deadlines and due dates for projects and tests.

How fast your student can move through a course is going to vary from state to state. In Ohio, I've never had an issue with my son working ahead. In fact, he finished Kindergarten and started first grade in his first year of school. As he's gotten older, he has worked at his own pace and is now an entire year ahead in math. Connections does offer gifted and talented courses in various subjects, including ELA and math.

Question: Do you, the writer of this article, find the academic standards at Connections Academy rigorous?

Do the teachers have high expectations of the students? I am frankly shocked by what our brick-and-mortar teachers are accepting from my son. Answer: Yes absolutely! I think the curriculum is challenging and holds the students to a high standard. The teachers are wonderful and truly care about their students. My son has had many amazing teachers at Connections! He has always been able to ask questions and reach out with concerns. Answer: Absolutely! Students also have the option for post-secondary classes as well.

I recommend reaching out to your state's school to learn more. Question: I have enrolled my children for the next school year in Connections Academy. They will be in 4th and 7th grades. Answer: The teachers grade assessments. Some will have multiple choice questions.

Those are graded automatically, you and your students will be able to see their grade immediately. Answer: Connections Academy is tuition-free.

It didn't cost me anything to enroll my son. If you have enrollment questions, I recommend giving them a call. The customer support team has always been incredibly friendly and helpful!

International Connections Academy, however, is a private online school and does have tuition. I recommend giving them a call if you're interested in the private school option. Question: I just enrolled my daughter into Connections this semester and we are still trying to get the hang of it.

Her motivation and accountability are the biggest problems. Do you have any further suggestions? Answer: It's difficult to give specific tips about motivation and accountability because it really depends on grade level and individual preferences.

The transition is tough. It takes time to get used to a new format, the freedom of being at home, and figuring out a schedule that works. Patience, a sense of humor, and time are important. Stick with it, and you will find your groove.

I highly recommend checking out Learning Coach Central. It's an amazing resource! They have live lessons for us learning coaches, to answer questions and help navigate this new environment. Check that out. This is a national group for parents and learning coaches only. It's a great source of support and encouragement. When you request, please answer the three questions. It not only helps speed up the approval process, but also ensures that we only have CA LC's and parents in our group.

I hoped this helped a little bit. Question: How was the son of the writer of this article's 3rd grade year with the pressures of the state assessments? Answer: It was tough, but he had the support of an amazing teacher and we worked hard to get him ready to tackle the test.

Preparation is key and getting him acclimated and comfortable with the testing format really helped. The Ohio Dept. Since then, Connections has changed the format of their assessments to be more aligned with the testing format. This really helps get students comfortable with how it works and what to expect so they can be confident going into the test. It's important for them to understand that this is an opportunity for them to show what they know..

He is not big into tests and dreads the whole ordeal, but he knows that this is something he has to do and that this is his chance to show what he has learned throughout the year. The best part of the third grade assessments is that the kids have two main chances to pass, which is important because this is their first year experiencing state testing.

There is also an option to take the test over the summer if needed. I think Connections does a great job preparing the students for state assessments without overdoing it.

It's not all about teaching to the test, it's about actually learning throughout the year, getting a good education, and then having the opportunity to showcase that knowledge for the state. Again, the teachers are amazing at helping prepare the students when testing time comes around and there are plenty of things you can do as the parent and learning coach to help your student as well.

I'm actually going to be writing another article about this next month -- how to prepare your student for state testing.