These three online schools cover different age ranges, but are all part of a group of charters managed by one board that operates a franchise of the national charter company, K12. They are sponsored by the Mitchell school district, which has one small boarding school in Mitchell, Oregon.

Through Mitchell SD, the K12 company hires Oregon-certified teachers to conduct the online check-ins, monitor progress, and provide student assistance. Teachers are shared between the three branded schools. K12 also has an 800 number for enrollment and technical support.

About the School

• Office location: Prineville, serving students statewide

• Size: 520 students (combined)

Stipend / Allotment

No stipend for curriculum, but there is a $15/month stipend for internet services. Students also may be eligible for a loaner laptop or printer/scanner machine.

Curriculum

100% online or standardized print curriculum for all grades. Coursework for grades K-5 is a mix of online and hands-on work, which caters to a wide variety of learning styles. Any print curriculum or hands-on materials and supplies are shipped directly to the student. Pre-paid shipping is used to return textbooks, hardware and non-consumable supplies.

Grades K–2: Estimate approximately 4–5 hours of productive school work 5 days per week. Parent daily involvement is critical and approximately 15% of this time is online.

Grades 3–5: Estimate approximately 5–7 hours of effective school work 5 days per week. Students begin to have increased independence, but parent involvement is essential for about 80% of school time and approximately 25% of this time is online. Live classes are held for 45 minutes – 90 minutes / day, depending on the student’s needs (this time is not all at once though). There are daily assignments in Math and Language Arts, and 2-3 weekly assignments in Science, History, Health and PE.

Grades 6-12: All their courses through the K12 online portal, working independently with parental supervision.

Students are required to show mastery of each lesson by achieving 80 percent or better on all lesson assessments. If a student is finding it difficult to master a lesson, the parent must contact his or her student's contact teacher, who can offer video support sessions.

Online Classes

All academic content is provided by K12's national service.

Students must attend regularly scheduled online live sessions titled "Class Connect." There are between 3-5 sessions per day, and average about 30 minutes.

It is expected that students attend and meet with teachers to receive course assistance, tutoring, and instruction. These sessions vary by grade level and are scheduled by the teacher. [TBD frequency]

On Site Classes

None

Field Trips

Throughout the year, students are invited to participate in school outings, field trips (e.g., to historical sites, museums, businesses), picnics, and other social events.

High School Options

Grades 9-12 have career-related options in addition to core courses and electives. Three paths currently are: Business and Management, Health Sciences, and Arts, Information, and Communications. Oregon-licensed teachers provide live online instruction and tailor teaching to student needs.

Community College / Early College

None

Special Education Services

Special education services are provided by local teachers, by video, or online tutors from K12. [details are TBD]

Meetings, Check-Ins and Reports

No in-person meetings, all are virtual, by email or phone. Frequency [assumed to be state minimum of two electronic check-ins per week TBD]. Attendance is logged daily in the online portal by the parent.

Standardized Testing

SBAC annually, plus Star360 progress monitoring assessments two or three times per year.

Admissions

Complete the online application process to enroll, which includes creating a K12 online account. All prospective families are then asked to participate in an admissions conference via telephone with an enrollment consultant.