Free Online Public Schools in Arizona

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Arizona offers resident students the opportunity to take online public school courses for free. Below is a list of no-cost online schools currently serving elementary and high school students in Arizona. To qualify for the list, schools must meet the following qualifications: classes must be available completely online, they must offer services to state residents, and they must be funded by the government.

Arizona Connections Academy

Arizona Connections Academy is a tuition-free online public school that gives students throughout the state the flexibility to learn at home with a curriculum that meets rigorous state education standards. The school says its mission is "to help each online student maximize his or her potential and meet the highest performance standards through a uniquely individualized virtual learning program." The school's virtual program includes:

  • A K-12 curriculum developed by leading education experts
  • Instruction from state-certified teachers experienced in online instruction
  • Support from trained counselors, principals, and administrative staff
  • Free textbooks, curriculum materials, and computer equipment (including a subsidy for Internet service) needed to participate in a dynamic online learning environment

Arizona Virtual Academy

Arizona Virtual Academy uses K12 online curricula to offer Arizona students individualized learning that features:

  • Experienced, state-certified, highly qualified teachers, who are available online and by phone
  • Curriculum that covers both the core subject areas and electives
  • Online planning and assessment tools, resources, and hands-on materials ranging from textbooks to microscopes, rocks, and soil to illustrated classic children's stories
  • Access to career-planning resources and counselors who help identify student goals and paths for success post-high school
  • An active, supportive school community that organizes monthly gatherings where parents, students, and staff share their successes and helpful hints

Hope High School Online

Hope High School, a fully accredited online program, is sponsored by the Arizona State Board of Charter Schools for students in grades seven 7 through 12. "Hope High School Online is proud of our online high school being ranked (in Arizona) in the top four and top five for student achievement among alternative schools for English Language Arts and Math by AzMERIT," the school notes on its website.

Students can log in on their own schedules and complete coursework at their own pace. The school offers two diploma options: a standard diploma for students who plan to attend a community college or trade school and a college prep diploma for students who plan to attend a four-year university. The college prep diploma includes higher-level math during the senior year and two years of a foreign language.

IQ Academy Arizona

The IQ Academy Arizona, a virtual program for sixth-through-12-grade students, allows students to:

  • Set their own schedule
  • Learn online, wherever they have internet access
  • Talk to teachers directly whenever they need help
  • Study subjects that interest them
  • Go at their own pace
  • A free, school-supplied laptop

Additionally, the school offers nearly 90 courses, in such subject areas as a foreign language, technology, and psychology as well as advanced placement courses. The program also includes local and national clubs, face-to-face events, and a national IQ community website to help students make friends.

Primavera High School

Primavera Virtual High School, which serves more than 20,000 students each year, offers an alternative to traditional high school. The school seeks to provide second chances for students to earn their diplomas with a personalized, rigorous education through its online curriculum taught by highly qualified instructors and guidance counselors.

"We also host a robust student life at Primavera to create an atmosphere of collaboration and community," the school notes. "With activities like student clubs, school dances and monthly events, Primavera students can easily meet their classmates and make friends."

Sequoia Choice: Arizona Distance Learning

Sequoia Choice: Arizona Distance Learning, founded in 1998, is a tuition-free Arizona public charter school authorized by the Arizona Department of Education to provide distance learning services to Arizona students in grades K-12. 

The school focuses on serving four types of students:

  • Working students: A large majority of older students attend Sequoia Choice while working full or part-time. Students are able to access their courses at any time making school possible while working.
  • Home-bound students: Some students have health or physical challenges which can make attending school difficult. Through distance learning, home-bound students are able to receive a quality education that provides the flexibility and availability they need.
  • Year-round students: Traditional schools are available to students for nine months out of the year. Because the school is year-round, students who need the extra time are granted extra time.
  • Credit recovery students: Students sometimes get behind in their required credits for high school graduation. One option in getting caught up is to take an online course for credit recovery. Sequoia Choice offers both semesters of all core subjects at any time during the year.
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Littlefield, Jamie. "Free Online Public Schools in Arizona." ThoughtCo, Aug. 25, 2020, thoughtco.com/free-arizona-online-public-schools-1098278. Littlefield, Jamie. (2020, August 25). Free Online Public Schools in Arizona. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/free-arizona-online-public-schools-1098278 Littlefield, Jamie. "Free Online Public Schools in Arizona." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/free-arizona-online-public-schools-1098278 (accessed March 19, 2024).