Elementary Virtual Learning Academy (VLA) is not remote learning, but instead it’s a home-based platform-supported learning opportunity for students and parents in grades 3-5. Rather than receiving lessons directly from a teacher, students will receive their English Language Arts, Math, Science, and History instruction from home through digital platforms. Since VLA does not offer direct teacher-lead instruction for core content, active supervision, support, and oversight of a parent on a daily basis is essential. Students in this program will be learning from home for about five and a half hours per day.  

Each week, students will be required to attend two, one hour virtual labs with their advisor.

 Who is the program for?

Due to the highly independent nature of VLA, this program is designed for students who are exceptionally motivated and have the stamina to commit nearly 28 hours per week to learning from home. Additionally, it requires parents who are willing, and able, to be actively involved in their learner’s daily education, supporting engagement with digital platforms, assignments, and ensuring understanding and on time completion. Students should be able to read at, or near, grade level to effectively engage with the learning materials. If a student has learning gaps, the advisor will support parents with additional at-home learning opportunities to help the parent address those areas.

 Why would someone want to choose this program?

This program is generally desired by families who want to keep their learner home so they can be deeply involved in their learner’s daily education, but do not want to privately select, assign, or grade student assignments. 

 What is the type of learning approach?

In VLA, students will not be working with their advisor on a daily basis. Instead, they will work alongside their parent to learn and complete the platform based assignments according to the due dates. Students will meet with their advisor during virtual group labs two times a week to address learning goals, social emotional lessons, and other advisor-determined group needs. 

 Which subjects or standards are covered?

Common Core State Standards for the subjects English Language Arts, Math, Science, and History will be addressed 5 days a week through digital platforms. Students will learn content through the platform, complete digital or workbooks tasks, and upload them to the platform by the assigned due date. Social Emotional lessons are addressed once a week through the required virtual meetings or digital tasks.  Students are not provided traditional arts blocks like music, art, dance, or PE.

 What does a typical day or week look like in the program?

Washington State Alternative Learning Environment (ALE) laws state students are to be learning for 1,665 minutes per week-that’s about 5.5 hours a day. A typical day may look like:

• Wake, eat breakfast, and attend to personal care
• 2.5 hours Edgenuity before lunch
• Lunch and parent meeting to discuss what they’ve been learning
• 0.5 hours parent-directed physical activity break
• 2.0 hours Edgenuity, Seesaw, or attending a virtual lab (labs with the advisor are 1 hour 2x a week)
• 0.4 hours reading a book of their choice
• 0.1 hour meeting with the parent to confirm work completion on digital platforms and discuss learning
• Family-directed social opportunities, chores, errands

 In the Elementary 3-5 VLA program, an adult needs to be accessible to support the student when they do not understand the material, have questions, or require assistance uploading daily assignments. It is encouraged that during lessons the parent is monitoring to ensure the student has read all the material and attended to all aspects of the lesson. Additionally, parents should take time during or after the lesson to discuss the content with their student and to ask questions about what was learned. Each day, parents need to physically check the student’s digital platforms to confirm all tasks have been submitted and ensure their student is staying on track with the due dates.