How It Works
Online Middle School
Tuition-Free
ISPA is a public school, so there is no tuition. We provide a Pennsylvania-certified teacher and instructional materials. Students and families will be responsible for providing some common household materials (such as printer ink and paper).
Who can attend?
The ISPA elementary program serves students in grades 6–8 who reside in the state of Pennsylvania.
What is my role as a parent?
In middle school, students become more independent and take on more responsibility and ownership of their work. Parents continue to serve as their child's Learning Coach to support their success. As a Learning Coach, you will
- Help your child stay on track
- Monitor completion of lessons and assessments
- Communicate challenges with your child's teacher as needed
Expectations for Completing Schoolwork
The following expectations are in place for middle schoolers to ensure students are progressing academically:
- Students must earn a passing grade of 60% or above on assignments.
- Students must meet the assigned due dates of lessons and assessments.
- Students must attend live, teacher-led "Class Connect" sessions.
- Students must complete online lessons and can work on these any time of day.
Attending "Class Connect" sessions and completing coursework according to the assigned pacing schedule will help your student be successful.
In addition to regular classroom instruction, teachers offer support or small group sessions to assist student learning.
Working with Your Teacher
Students work with their teachers and other classmates during "Class Connect" sessions. In "Class Connect" sessions, students
- Receive live instruction from teachers
- Interact with classmates
- Ask questions and receive real-time support
Students can interact with their teachers and classmates by
- Typing in the chat
- Speaking over their microphone
- Typing and drawing with online whiteboard features
- Joining small group breakouts to work on projects or receive targeted instruction
Email is the primary form of communication between the school and families. Learning Coaches and students are required to check and respond to emails daily.
Time Commitment
Middle school students are expected to spend between 4–7 hours on schoolwork per school day. Most of the school day is spent online, with some opportunities for offline work.
Middle School
- 4–7 hours daily
- Mostly online work
For more information on time commitments and attendance requirements, please review the attendance policy in our Parent and Student Handbook.
What happens if there's a system failure or power outage?
Don't worry. We have a plan. In the event of outages or other difficulties, follow the instructions in the ISPA Plan for System Failures and Power Outages [PDF].
A Day in the Life of Online Students
Want to learn more about the daily life of an online middle school student? Meet Connor!
Questions?
Get answers to the most common FAQs.
Ready to Join Us?
Get the process started by creating a Parent Portal account or logging in to your existing account.
