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I've been going to Connections (ARCA) for 3-4 years now, I'm in 9th-grade rn. The school is more worried about passing than anything else, they claim they care SO MUCH about the students, but they do not. If they did, they'd address the concerns that I brought up and not completely ignore them. They do not care about the students. I realized most reviews were made by parents, not students. Is it helpful to other parents? Yes, it is! But you need to also look at how the student feels. Most students I met (which was not a lot, because this school doesn't care about social interactions.) Does not like this school, most cheat because this school throws so much stuff at you. Lessons have many grammar errors, and the questions can be wrong, confusing, or have more than one correct answer, but you have to pick one answer anyway. If this school did what they claimed, I wouldn't be here. As a student with learning problems, I feel like the school does not care about me and many other students. They expect everyone to learn the same way. So if I had to say, this school NEEDS to be fixed and NEEDS to change for the better. I am going to leave after this year is over.
Edit: I want to add this. It matters from school to school. ARCA isn't good, no social interaction, no talking, nothing. At the time of making this, I was trying to do my work, but I needed to stop, there is just so much work. The weird thing is, I like reading, but for learning it's a no-go. I'm better off learning from someone talking to me, the normal school that I'm going to next year is good. No bullying, most people are nice, and it's in a really good area. If you are not good with in-person learning, your local public school is really bad, or you like being by yourself a lot, this school would be okay for you. It's just not for me. I felt like I needed to add this, so if you're fine with the stuff I said, then the school wouldn't be bad for you.
Location: Arkansas Connections Academy
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Connections Academy has a rating of 3.3 stars from 529 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally satisfied with their purchases. Reviewers satisfied with Connections Academy most frequently mention public school, field trips, and live lessons. Connections Academy ranks 217th among Education sites.
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Best choice for our daughter, other than a charter school. Questions we had were all answered. Enrollment was easy. Teachers & Counselors are great to work with.The website for parents & guardians is easy to use. Our daughter is very happy choosing this school. Extra curricular activities outside the school have been creative. The variety of clubs vary & lots to choose from. Thank you for providing tjis online school service!
I am a mother of two Autistic children. Connections Academy has not only been accommodating and patient during this difficult, yet exciting adventure. They've gone above and beyond at every chance possible to help us attain the foundation for a strong and hopeful future for our entire family. Thank you to the teachers and staff as well as the tech department for giving us your best efforts day after day.
My son has social anxiety and a learning disability so we decided that online school would be perfect for him. When we signed him up we had no idea what kind of hell was in store. When he needed help from a teacher they were always out for one reason or another causing him to get behind. He ended up barely failing 2 classes so he has to do summer school. Not only that it's $325 for one class in summer school! I'll have to pay $650 for his teachers failure to help. Summer school in a public school was $50 for all classes needed to be redone for my other son and they actually get a real teacher with them for it! This place scams you on so many things
As a single Mom that travels as a health care provider our family needed the flexibility to attend school anywhere, and after having my child assaulted in a traditional public school we opted for on line. However our experience has been very much less than acceptable. I am an older mom and some of the assignments were confusing and hard to navigate. The curriculum is not engaging for my child and it became a FIGHT to help her complete the assessments. Our relationship has suffered because of this. She has went from an A-B student to a D-F student. When I asked for help, I was told this was a you problem not a we problem. Very little to no help was offered. In summary, I would continue to look at other options if considering this particular school.
Location: Arkansas Connections Academy
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Hates this experience from start to finish! And now my child feeling like she is less than because of her experience!
Products used:
Online school
It's been a new beginning for my son, he has failed every class for the past year and a half in a actual school setting. Once we switched it to connections academy his grades changed, he is now passing everything with at least B's and C's. He feels more confident to ask for him if he doesn't understand anything it's like a new kid
Hi Tim, This is incredible to hear. We're thrilled that we have been able to provide your son with a learning option that works for him. We hope he continues to excel with us! ~Alexis
This school has wonderful teachers and school staff my daughter loves to go to school every day it makes her happy to see the other children
We are thrilled to see this, Heather! Our teachers are the cornerstone of our schools and we love to hear that they have such a positive impact on their students. Thank you! ~Alexis
My child attend this online school just because it worked for us we love to travel and be on the road a lot and they locked my child out of all her class work because we were not doing work fast enough! Ok that makes sense let her get farther behind I guess we will be looking for a school that lets us go at our own pace
At first, the teachers and everyone seems so helpful and wants to get you enrolled. I specified that email is best communication, as I have very bad cell service and work from home. They say that this is not a homeschool and actually a public school but however i disagree- When my kids went to an actual public school, their grades were above average. At this school they are plunging fast and have no assistance from the teachers or principal. They even locked my parental account to submit their assignments because I didn't call them or receive their calls, when from the get go i specified EMAIL was the best form of communication but all of the sudden that was not acceptable. Do not waste your time and send your kids here. It is more hardship and the education received is BELOW what kids need. I am withdrawing them ASAP. New Mexico Location
It's not a terrible curriculum it's the staff, The teachers and administration are terrible. When reaching out for assistance the condescending tones are offensive. I truly believe some staff are semi prejudice. I am currently in the process of disengaging my student for another learning platform. This school is terrible and their system needs an overhaul immediately. Learning coaches don't have enough access to say We are the teacher.
I can't say enough about our positive experience with OCA. My 4th grade granddaughter looks forward to getting online with her pals for live lessons, and loves the lessons and activities. The teachers are very good and she just loves them. I think she is getting a great education and her scores reflect this. We'll be back next year!
We're so glad you're coming back, Kathleen. And we also LOVE that your granddaughter looks forward to LiveLesson sessions with her pals! ~Kim
My experience has been more than amazing! My son is happy and doing so well. The teachers the school are very responsive and always help in every way needed to better the education of your child! I recommend this school to anyone that's struggling in public schools!
Thank you for your kind words! We hope that your son continues to thrive with us! ~Alexis
This is my daughter‘s third year with Iowa Connection‘s Academy. We have had nothing but success she has gained self-esteem, self-discipline, and has ventured out of her safety zone to be more self efficient. She has learned how to better communicate on her own with her teachers.
Hi Lydia. We are so excited to hear that your student has learned so much while at Connections Academy! We hope she continues to learn and grow, have a wonderful school year! ~Regina
My grandson was enrolled in the Arkansas Academy in late March and though we had to go through several hurdles, overall he is satisfied. They do add a LOT of work for the students to complete on a daily basis and it can be hard to keep up but my grandson pressed his way through with the support of his teachers. One teacher in particular called, texted and face-timed me and my grandson on the last day of school to help and make sure he got his assignments in on time. She stayed with him until after 9 pm. She was amazing. This was only our first year and we are hoping this upcoming year is a great as the first short time with the academy.
Location: Arkansas Connections Academy
Hi Denise, Thank you for taking the time to leave your review! We love to hear that you and your grandson have been satisfied overall with Arkansas Connections Academy. If he is ever feeling overwhelmed with his schoolwork, please be sure to reach out to his teachers for additional support. We hope you have an amazing 2023-24 school year! ~Alexis
Best online school ever I highly recommend to families who might travel and or children who does not do good with large size classes. The teachers are great I plan to stay with connections academy until my children are ready for colleges. Which I have a long time to go
Hi Colisha, We're super excited to hear that you want your kids to stay with us until graduation! We hope they continue to reach their full potential here! ~Alexis
I have had a child in ca in Pennsylvania and another in ca in tn. The tn branch is a complete joke. Nobody takes responsibility or helps IF and that is a huge IF, they even bother responding to you. My child was confirmed for gifted since the end of last school year. Here I am contacting EVERY person in the webmail for an answer. The assistant principal NEVER responds and the teachers apparently do not have the 'authority' to fix the problem or fi d out what's wrong. Terrible lazy workers. Par the course for TN workers!
Tip for consumers:
Don't bother, go somewhere else!
Hello Sai. Thank you for your feedback. I will share your curriculum comments with our curriculum development team and the scheduling comments with school administrators. As you and your student continue to do work this school year, I encourage you to take advantage of the feedback option on each lesson to share your thoughts.
I do want to assure you that we are committed to creating an online school environment where every student feels welcome, safe, and respected, and we want our lessons reflect that commitment. We also encourage Learning Coaches to take advantage of their unique role to supplement the curriculum to highlight family values and beliefs. ~Kim
Everything has been clearly laid out. Communication is clear and efficient. Teachers, for the most part, have been accessible for questions and concerns. Flexible with times as my daughter goes to horse shows, as long as she puts in the effort, fair grades are given. And she will be graduating in December!
Hi Heather, We love that your daughter can take advantage of our flexible program to allow her to compete in her horse shows! We wish her the best with her plans after graduation! ~Alexis
My children attended Connections Academy and online school. We were hesitant at first but we are happy we made the decision to enroll them. The teachers were great, they taught our kids an education not the nonsense that is being forced in public schools. The communication was outstanding, that is so important for children. And yes, they listen to parents!
Location: Nevada Connections Academy
We are so happy to hear that deciding to enroll your kids at Nevada Connections Academy was a good choice for your family, Dorothy! Our teachers are the cornerstone of our schools, and we're so glad to hear that they were great with your students. ~Alexis
Connections Academy is the best online school choice. I have been a learning coach with Connections Academy for 5 years and my children absolutely love it. All the same joys of public school in the comforts of your own home. Easy to navigate website, extremely helpful staff and teachers. This program has wonderful tools and tips for parents and children to make learning fun and easy. I truly recommend Connections Academy to any family who is looking for online learning as a schooling option. My family and I are looking forward to many more years of learning fun with Connections Academy.
We decided to have my son attend Connections Academy his junior year for the flexible schedule. My son up to that point had a 4.0 GPA. At the end of the first semester my son had earned all A's but his GPA dropped since grades of 90-92 are considered an A- at Connections and is not awarded the full 4 points toward the GPA. Could not recover the lost points and ruined a few scholarship opportunities. We transferred out his senior year so not to be penalized further.
The last 2 years have been great with Connections Academy! The flexibility of the schedule and amazing lesson plans have streamlined our school experience. I appreciate all of the teachers taking an active role in helping my children.
Hi Megan, We appreciate your review! We're happy to hear that your family is taking advantage of our flexible schooling options! ~Alexis
Alabama Connections Academy has a great staff to assist both learning coaches and students. It is great to have easy access to the essentials (i.e. Digital text books, graph paper, etc.) on-line and printable.
We love that you love the easy access to online and printable materials, Patricia. And we're especially happy to hear that you've had a good experience with the staff. Thanks for the review! ~Alexis
I am so disappointed in CA-I thought this would be a great alternative for my son. My son is 14 and in middle school, the social piece is where he struggled academically he did great in regular public school. Connections Academy is only concerned with you completing 6 assignments a day-they do not care if you master them and understand. This is not the way to learn, this is just a school that is trying to meet requirements-if you choice to go on a field trip you will get very far behind-so not worth going. I would not recommend this program to anyone. School is about learning and getting excited about learning-this is pure stress and in time this school will get so many bad reviews and the retention rate will be very low it will close down- this school is only for the child who is a robot and can work at lightening speed. Please Mr Goldberg our superintendent in MA you can do better than this!
Glad to have an alternate learning platform for my teenager who will graduate next year and has been on track since withdrawing from public school in 2021. This includes failed classes with the negative results we all endured from Covid. Due to hard work, dedication and discipline she made the honor roll and I could not be more pleased.
Hi Stephanie, Wow! Going from withdrawing from her local school to being an honor roll student is a huge accomplishment. We're proud of your student! ~Alexis
I have an autistic son. Though high functioning he struggles. I can't tell you what a relief it was to connect with Conections academy! They have been so helpful and understanding every step of the way. I can not wait for him to start there come January!
Hi Jennifer, We are thrilled to hear that you have had such a positive experience so far. We hope your son has an incredible second semester with us! ~Alexis
Wow, I'm kinda blown away by the negative comments. I have nothing but positive things to say, from the registration up til the current point in the semester. We're in California, so maybe other states aren't as great but my daughters teachers are fantastic, e-mail quickly, and if I'm ever stuck or not sure about something, I'm sent helpful links. My girls are thriving, and I couldn't be happier. I've been a mom for 16 years now so I'd like to think my experience is somewhat credible. Their grades speak for themselves.
My son has been with this on-line school since Junior High, he is about to graduate High School this week. I'm very pleased with the education he received, the communication between the school and my family. The staff are very helpful and all the resources such as science, art items and books that he needed were provided. It took him a few months to get used to working on-line but once he got the hang of it he loved it and never even considered returning to a bricks and mortar school. He loves the flexibility of being able to work ahead in subjects and to work when it is more convenient for him as he's a night owl. He never missed a school day for an appointment and as he was home I knew he was eating healthy. A really great on-line school.
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It's an on-line school and free, you can remove your child anytime - no cost to enroll or to leave.
Congratulations to you and your graduate! We are honored that you entrusted us with your son’s education, and we wish him the best! ~Kim
Our family has had a lot going on, just like everyone else has. The Teachers, Principal, Vice Principal, Counselors, everyone helped. They understood, stayed interested in my student's well being, communicated, and always, always did what was truly in everyone's best interest, all of them care, everyday.
Really great team, I appreciate them very much.
Thank you for your kind words, Carrie. We know that when parents, teachers and staff work together, students benefit. It's good to hear that your family has felt well-supported on your journey. ~Kim
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Our tuition-free online public schools empower students to learn in a way that works best for them. From young dreamers to budding scientists, Connections Academy offers an online K-12 solution for all kinds of students. Our schools are inclusive, safe, and committed to giving each student the support they need to do their best and be prepared to succeed, no matter what the future holds.
Connections Academy offers online public school programs in 31 states. Although offerings vary by state, most schools serve grades K-12 and are open to students state-wide.
Twenty years ago, the first Connections Academy fully online public schools opened in Wisconsin and Colorado with a total of 200 students. Since that time, over one million students have experienced all or part of their K-12 education at a Connections Academy school. The launch of Connections Academy ushered in a new era in American K-12 public education, redefining our notion of education fundamentals like ‘school’ and ‘classroom.’ Equally groundbreaking: strengthening school choice options for families with access to a quality public education not bound by zip code and without walls or limits.
Hi Terri, We always aim to provide a high-quality education to our sudents, and we're sorry to hear that hasn't been your experience. We attempted to reach out to you privately but did not her back. We've forwarded your concerns to Arkansas Connections Academy's elementary Assistant Principal. A staff member will be in touch to assist. ~Alexis