Student Handbook

 

Admissions + Enrollment.

Educational Advantage is both a tutoring center and an accredited online high school.  EA’s accreditation is earned and awarded by Cognia.  The services provided by each arm of EA are separate; however, many students choose to integrate them.

Any student interested in taking a class from Educational Advantage must first submit an enrollment application.  During that application process, students can request the course(s) they want to take from Educational Advantage.  Once approved, students will receive email confirmation that they have been admitted and enrolled in the requested class (es).

Digital Literacy.

A basic level of digital literacy is expected when taking an online course. Students must own or have consistent access to a computer and reliable internet service.  Students may be required to download files and should be able to navigate the internet.  If students do not have a word processing program, they may set up a free Gmail account and use the Google platform (Google Docs, Google Sheets, etc.).

Attendance.

The advantage of online learning is that students can access their courses 24/7 and work at their own pace when and where it is most convenient.  In that regard, attendance is not taken on a daily basis.  This does not mean that students shouldn’t work consistently or that teachers and staff do not monitor student progress.  Teachers view student activity often and will make contact (via email or phone) if students fail to progress reasonably or become inactive for a prolonged period.

Course Expiration.

Courses are set to expire approximately four months after the date of enrollment.  All assignments, quizzes, and exams auto-assign due dates that create a guideline for course completion based on the expiration date.  These dates serve as a great way to pace course progress.  Keep in mind that there is no penalty for missing a deadline.

If students need more time to complete their course, they can submit a course extension form found on EA’s website.  A non-refundable course extension fee of $150 adds two months to the life of the course.  Course extensions must be received before the course expires and will only be awarded if the Ready Assignment for the final exam has not been submitted.  There are no exceptions to this policy.  

Withdrawal.

Students may withdraw from a course within ten days of enrollment and/or unless a final exam has been requested. If withdrawal from a course is requested within ten days of enrollment, a 50% credit towards a new course will be issued (no refund). After ten days, no credit will be issued. Students who fail to complete courses before the course expires (and do not purchase an extension) will not receive credit.

External Credit.

If a student plans to transfer the credit taken from Educational Advantage to another school, the student must verify that their school will accept their EA class(es).  EA strongly encourages students to seek verification before course enrollment/purchase.  Students who need help with this process should contact EA.

Resubmission.

Students may request one re-take on every assignment, quiz, and exam by completing a Resubmission form on EA’s website.  There is a fee for resubmissions ($10 for quizzes/assignments; $20 for exams).  The last grade is the one that remains, even if it’s a lower grade than the previous score.

Please Note: Students are required to pass the final exam to earn credit.  Students who fail the final exam twice will not earn credit for the course.  Students may submit a petition form on EA’s website.  This petition must be sent within two business days of the failed exam.  There are no exceptions to this rule.

Exams.

All courses have exams. Before students can request an exam, all assignments must be completed and graded.  Students are not eligible to re-submit an assignment or quiz after they have taken their exam.  Unsubmitted or ungraded work (i.e.: work submitted within the 48-hour grading window) will receive zeros if a student chooses to take their exam without either turning in the work or receiving a grade.

Students must complete a Ready Assignment to review exam policies before taking an exam.  Students must take their exam at EA or with an EA-certified proctor.  If students need to set up a proctor, they must call EA.

Exams may combine computer and teacher-graded portions and will be graded within three business days of completion.

Plagiarism + Academic Integrity.

In its simplest terms, plagiarism is copying another’s work and passing it off as your own, including failing to cite or credit an external source properly.

Academic integrity means that students respect the ideas of others through proper citation. It also means that students are completing their own work and aren’t sharing or purchasing answers or assignments with other students.

Either form of dishonesty will be penalized with a failing grade on the assignment, academic probation, and possible withdrawal from the course. All coursework goes through multiple software scans for AI and plagiarism.  Students who feel they have been wrongfully accused of plagiarizing may file a petition through our website.  EA will process petitions within 7-10 business days of submission.

Diploma Eligibility

To be eligible to graduate from Educational Advantage, students must complete six full credits (25% of graduation requirements); at least two of which must be taken before 12th grade.  Students who wish to earn a diploma from Educational Advantage must graduate within a traditional four-year timeline.  Students are given until Labor Day of their graduating year to earn a high school diploma; after that cut-off, students will earn an “Adult Education” diploma.  

Course Completion.

EA courses are semester-based and are equal to a half credit (.5).  Courses are organized by lesson or unit and may include assignments, quizzes, projects, and exams.  Each course is designed and paced to be completed in a maximum time frame of 4 months, though students may work faster (students may also purchase a course extension, which adds two months to the course length).  Failure to progress in a course will alert the teacher and start a conversation to discuss student activity, needed support, or any barriers to success.

Transcripts.

If students transfer credit to another institution, they must request a transcript by filling out a Transcript Request Form on EA’s website. Transcript requests are sent electronically and typically take 3-5 business days to process.

Student Expectations.

Students must adhere to all policies in the Student Handbook, information covered in the Orientation course, and individual course syllabi.  In addition, students are expected to abide by the following:

  • Treat others with respect.
  • Self-advocate! We are here to help and support you as a student of our school.
  • Manage time efficiently.
  • Work hard.
  • Be honest.

Individualization.

We understand and embrace each student’s different strengths and weaknesses. We encourage all students to share any formal accommodations (IEP or 504), information about their learning style, or other circumstances that might require additional or specific support.

Educational Advantage supports a model of blended learning whereby a student has the flexibility of an online course while working in person with a highly qualified teacher to provide instruction and personalized support.  This setup allows our teachers to get to know our students, foster teacher-student relationships, and help them reach their goals.

IEP or 504.

An IEP (Individualized Educational Plan) or 504 is established to ensure that students who meet specific requirements receive specialized instruction and services.

Please provide an up-to-date copy of this report so that EA can honor the accommodations established through a student’s IEP or 504.

Internet Safety.

Internet safety includes refraining from accessing unauthorized content or disclosure of information, transmitting inappropriate content, hacking, manipulating data/grades, etc. Disciplinary action will be taken upon the first offense and may include course withdrawal, suspension, or expulsion.

Student Success Plan.

At the beginning of every class, students are required to submit a Student Success Plan where they will define goals for course completion and discuss any obstacles that may prevent the achievement of those goals.  This plan will be submitted to your teacher(s) and reviewed often to ensure that you are on track. You can edit this Student Success Plan at any time simply by re-submitting it.

Petition.

A formal petition form must be submitted if students wish to contest any area of their learning experience. Petition forms are submitted electronically through EA’s website. Petitions are generally processed within 7-10 business days.

Materials.

Course lesson content is available online, and all assignments and quizzes are submitted online.  Some courses may require added resources like a novel or Gmail account (to receive shared content).  All required materials are listed in our course catalog and the course introduction.

Academic Acceleration.

Courses are active for four months from the enrollment date; however, completing the courses in a shorter amount of time is possible.

Standardized Tests.

As a private institution with a majority population that does not attend EA full-time (ie: students participate in the standardized testing in their school), EA does not require its students to take formal standardized tests. However, EA strongly encourages students to take the ACT (or SAT) in 11th and 12th grade. These tests can be a requirement for college admission or submitted to bolster a student’s application.

High School Graduation Requirements

EA has two diploma options for graduating students:

Standard Diploma

(4) English

(3) Math

(3) Science

(3) Social Studies

(1.5) Fine Arts

(1) CTE (career + technical education)

(.5) Digital Studies

(.5) Financial Literacy

(.5) Health

(1.5) PE

(5.5) Electives

TOTAL: 24 credits

 

Advanced Diploma

(4) English

(4) Math

(3) Science

(4) Social Studies

(1.5) Fine Arts

(1) CTE (career + technical education)

(.5) Digital Studies

(.5) Financial Literacy

(.5) Health

(1.5) PE

(6.5) Electives

TOTAL: 26 credits

*Please note: these may not be the same graduation requirements at your school

Students who wish to earn a diploma from Educational Advantage must graduate within a traditional four-year timeline.  Students are given until Labor Day of their graduating year to earn a high school diploma; after that cut-off, students will earn an “Adult Education” diploma.

Feedback.

We love hearing from our students and families! Whether voicing a complaint, applauding a teacher, or suggesting a new course, we want to hear what our students and parents are saying. Comments can be shared and sent through a contact form on EA’s website or emailed directly to info@educationaladvantage.com.

Students will take surveys as part of their course.

Technical Support.

If a student needs technical support, there are a few different ways to get help: submit a contact form on EA’s website, email the teacher (through the communication tool in the course), and/or call EA directly. Technical glitches can be very frustrating and may temporarily prevent students from working on their course; we take all technical matters seriously and strive to remedy them as quickly as possible.

Digital Safety + Cyberbullying.

Cyberbullying involves abusive and/or humiliating acts bestowed on another individual electronically, for instance, via email or social networking sites. Cyberbullying will not be tolerated and should be reported to the teacher, administrator, and/or director immediately. Students who are aware of cyberbullying, but who may not be directly involved, should still report violations.  Students engaged in cyberbullying may be subject to disciplinary action, suspension, and possible expulsion.  Formal legal charges may also be filed.

Bullying and hazing involve abusive and/or humiliating acts bestowed on another individual, both of which are against the law. No kind of bullying and/or hazing will be tolerated and should be reported to the teacher, administrator, and/or director immediately. Students involved in bullying and/or hazing may be subject to disciplinary action, suspension, and possible expulsion. Formal legal charges may also be filed.

Harassment.

Forms of harassment include the act of making physical and/or sexual advances, exerting pressure, or engaging in unwanted touching or other behavior, using obscene gestures, explicit and offensive language including teasing, joking, or innuendos, direct and offensive comments, jokes, or innuendos regarding the race, ethnicity, religion, gender, culture, or sexual preference of another individual.

Harassment will not be tolerated and should be reported to an EA teacher, administrator, and/or director immediately. Students involved in harassment may be subject to disciplinary action, suspension, and possible expulsion. Formal legal charges may also be filed.

Retaliation.

Any form of retaliation, including but not limited to intimidation, harassment, or reprisal, should be reported to the teacher, administrator, and/or director on the first offense. Parties involved may be subject to disciplinary action, suspension, and possible expulsion.  Formal legal charges may also be filed.

Student Collaboration.

Students can work collaboratively via message boards, summer trips, projects, and/or if attending our Tutoring Center, where they can engage with other students.

Parent/Guardian Involvement.

EA encourages parents/guardians to make a habit of monitoring their students’ progress. This can be done by logging into their child’s account, communicating with the teacher and/or administrators, and/or participating in the goal-setting exercise at the beginning of each course (Student Success Plan). Students with a caring adult interested in their academic success typically earn better grades and complete their courses in the designated time frame. At EA, we appreciate all parent/guardian support!

Students who attend Educational Advantage in person to receive support with their course(s) will have each session summarized in an email sent to the parent/guardian on file.  This email will detail what the student learned, worked on, and how they are pacing in their course overall, as well as any homework to complete before the next session.

Technology Requirements.

Suggested Browser: Chrome, Firefox, Safari

Payment + Fees.

  • Course fees: Each semester course is $250.
  • Course extensions, transcript requests, and lesson/exam resubmissions incur additional fees.  Students can find forms on EA’s website.