Online school and your state.
Some online school requirements depend on the state you live in. Your school helps manage those requirements for you. This page explains what that means — and where to get the specific answers you need.
Why your state matters
Every state has its own rules for online education. Things like attendance requirements, standardized testing, graduation credit requirements, and compulsory education ages can differ from one state to the next — even between ACCEL schools in the same region.
Your school is required to comply with your state's education laws. That means when you need specific answers about requirements, your school is the right source — not a general website.
What varies by state
These are the kinds of things that differ from state to state. For each, check with your school for the requirements that apply to your student:
How many hours are required, how they're tracked, and what counts as a school day.
Whether your student is required to take state assessments, which ones, and when.
Credits required to graduate, required courses, and whether online credits count the same as traditional ones.
The ages at which children are legally required to be in school vary by state.
Some states have specific laws governing online or virtual schools that affect how your school operates and what it's required to provide.
Finding your state's requirements
The most reliable source for state-specific requirements is your school. They are responsible for making sure your student meets all applicable state laws — and they can tell you exactly what applies to your family.
If you'd like to research your state's education laws independently, you can visit your state's Department of Education website.
Your school handles the state requirements and paperwork behind the scenes. You don't need to become an expert in your state's education laws.
Your job is to stay engaged, communicate with your student's Success Coach, and reach out when questions come up. Everything else is handled by your school.