How Online Learning Works
High School
Who can attend?
The Wisconsin Virtual Academy (WIVA) high school program serves students in grades 9–12 who reside in the state of Wisconsin.
What are the costs?
Because WIVA is a public charter school program, it’s tuition-free. WIVA provides Wisconsin-licensed teachers and all instructional materials for the program. However, students and families will be responsible for providing some consumable materials (such as printer ink and paper).
Expectations for Completing Schoolwork
At WIVA, student learning and academic growth are paramount. While we offer a level of flexibility, we recognize the importance of classroom pacing and the need for students to complete their work based on set due dates.
WIVA high school uses a semester-based approach where students are required to earn a passing grade on their assignments and online lessons. Due dates are assigned to lessons to encourage consistent, steady progress for academic success.
Attending teacher-led, direct-instruction, online synchronous Class Connect sessions, along with completing coursework, will help students be successful.
Working with Your Teacher
Teachers provide individual and small group assistance via online synchronous sessions called “Class Connects.” Students are expected to attend all required Class Connects and meet with their teacher to receive course assistance, tutoring, and instruction. Students in grades 9–12 work more directly with teachers, but parent/Learning Coach involvement is essential for approximately 10 hours a week.
Attendance
Attendance is logged Monday through Friday, but academic progress can be achieved during the weekends as well. High school students are expected to spend approximately 6 hours per course each week. A student who takes five courses will devote a total of around 30 hours per week to coursework.
Email is the primary form of communication between the school and families. Learning Coaches and students are required to check and respond to emails on a daily basis.
Assessments
USA Test Prep
High school students are required to participate in USA Test Prep assessments throughout the academic year. Your student must participate to the best of their abilities on each of the assessments woven into their classroom on the day it’s assigned. Assessing learning multiple times during the school year allows teachers to make real-time adjustments to instruction. Most classrooms include these assessments:
- a pre-test
- interim(s)
- finals (summative)
State Testing
WIVA students must comply with all Wisconsin-mandated testing requirements. Check the Testing and Assessment FAQs page for a list of tests and the grades in which they are given, as well as the schedule on which they’ll be administered.
Testing Notifications
You’ll receive testing and assessment information from advisors and teachers throughout the school year, as well as in the monthly newsletters and the WIVA Weekly. Please call WIVA Testing Coordinator Katherine Siegmann at 608.838.9482, extension 1111 if you have any questions.