Welcome to ACCEL Schools. You're in the right place.
Starting a new school can feel overwhelming — especially when online school is new to your family. This page answers the big questions up front: what ACCEL Schools is, what online school actually looks like day to day, and what your role is in making it work.
What is ACCEL?
ACCEL Schools Online is a national network of online schools serving students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. We believe every student deserves a flexible, high-quality education — regardless of where they live, what their schedule looks like, or what brought them to us.
Our schools operate across multiple states, and while each one has its own identity, they all share the same commitment: helping your student succeed. Families across ACCEL online schools use many of the same tools, routines, and support systems. This site focuses on those shared parts of the online school experience.
What does online school look like?
Online school is real school. It includes the same core parts of traditional school — classes, assignments, teachers, and classmates — but students participate from home instead of a school building.
Here's what a typical online school day might include:
- Completing coursework in Canvas, our online learning platform, on your own schedule
- Joining live virtual classes through BigBlueButton, our online classroom tool
- Communicating with teachers through Canvas messages and email
- Logging your learning hours so attendance is recorded
Most schoolwork can be completed on your family's schedule. You may hear this called asynchronous learning — your student can move through lessons at times that work best for your day. Live sessions happen at set times; your school will let you know which ones your student is expected to attend.
What is a Learning Coach?
In a traditional school, the job of a parent or guardian is mostly to make sure students get there and get home. In online school, the role is more hands-on than it might have been before.
At ACCEL, we call this role the Learning Coach. Learning Coaches are the adults at home who help create structure, keep students on track, check in on their progress, and communicate with teachers and staff when things come up.
Learning Coaches don't need to be teachers or have all the answers. The school provides certified teachers, live instruction, curriculum, and grading. Your role is to help create structure, encourage progress, and stay connected to your student's school team. Being present, checking in, and staying involved goes a long way.
Learning Coaches also receive access to a separate guardian Canvas account where they can monitor attendance, grades, assignments, and student progress — and communicate directly with teachers, Success Coaches, and school staff.
The Learning Coach is the parent or guardian at home. A student's Success Coachis a staff member at your school. We'll introduce that role on the Support & Resources page.