California Connections Academy

Outside the Bay Area
Public School
operated by Connections Education LLC
Language(s):
English
Grades:
K-12
Website:
https://learn.connectionsacademy.com/california/
Address:
33272 Valle Road, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675

Connections Academy is an online public school operating in 31 U.S. states. It is accredited by Cognia, an organization based in Alpharetta, Georgia.

1 parent question ▼
1 parent review ▼

Parent Q&A

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  • Kindergarten - Connections Academy?

    –
    Jul 12, 2022

    Looking for feedback on Connections Academy as an alternative independent study program for kindergarten. Thnx in advance!

    Jul 12, 2022

    We're a Connections Academy family. We started last year (2nd and 5th grades) after unexpectedly finding during Covid that remote schooling worked well for our family. We plan to continue next year and our kids have no desire to return to a traditional school. 

    What we like:

    • There's a teacher who they're accountable to - it's not just parents telling them what they have to do and when. Teachers also provide feedback on assignments.
    • They have a virtual class - we attend the zoom session daily as part of their school time, though only a certain number are required. They vary from lessons to fun activities like scavenger hunts or show & tell.
    • Can go at their own speed - if they get something quickly they can move on, if not they can spend as much time as they need
    • Create own schedule - we sometimes block subjects to keep building on learning, take breaks when feeling antsy, or work ahead to take a day off
    • Flexibility for our family - we've traveled, taken days for family activities, etc. We've done school from national parks, campgrounds, in the car, etc. allowing for amazing, hands-on learning experiences.
    • All materials are provided & great quality, including books, art supplies, science kits - all have been above what we experienced in traditional school (even when paying for private). When we need something not provided it's things we typically have on hand.
    • Subjects are often interconnected (e.g., Language Arts will be reading a paragraph or essay about space, then Science will be creating a diagram of planets)
    • We don't have issues or concerns with bullying, violence, etc.

    The downsides:

    • It does require a fair amount of parental support/involvement, especially younger grades. Our 5th grader was fairly independent with us as quality & comprehension checks, but our 2nd grader needed much more one-on-one support throughout assignments. 
    • Missing the social aspect of traditional school, though there are regular meet-ups/events in-person & online. We've been working to supplement with other activities. Perhaps if there's a group in the bay area, we could set up a regular meet-up.
    Jul 13, 2022

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RE:
School question for social anxiety and inattentive ADD (Jul 21, 2023)

I know you said homeschooling would be a stretch but there are programs that don’t require you to develop the curriculum. It could be worth considering especially during the challenging middle school years when the social games increase and everyone is at dramatically different developmental levels. Look into California Connections Academy. It’s essentially an online school. We’re about to start our third year and my kids have virtual classrooms that meet regularly along with teachers who assign and grade work. There are also field trips. It’s worked very well, especially for my child with attention challenges.

Jul 30, 2023