How Much Is Online School?

July 22, 2024 byTrey Edgington

7 min to read

Mother and two daughters researching on laptop how much does online high school cost.

When a family is considering online school for their child, there are a few questions that always come up:

How much does online school cost? Is online school expensive? Is online school cheaper? Is online school free?

Cost is certainly a factor in any major decision, and your child’s education is no exception. Learn more about the costs associated with online school, both public and private. 

Understanding the Cost of Online School

How Much Is Online Public School?

Public online elementary school is generally tuition-free. Though there are costs associated with elementary education—including things like field trip fees and school supplies—like most public schools, Connections Academy provides online K-12 school programming tuition-free.

Public online high school and middle school costs the same as traditional in-person school, which means that parents can send their children online public high school or middle school at no cost, apart from specific program or extracurricular activity fees. If you are considering attending a private online school, though, expect to pay tuition fees for enrollment, which can vary greatly from school to school.  

How Much Is Online Private School?

Private schools often offer programs and opportunities for advanced learning that are not always available in a public school setting, such as Advanced Placement® courses*, year-round schooling, or part-time programs. For families concerned about the price of online private high school, schools like Pearson Online Academy offer scholarships and tuition financing plans to help your student reach their academic goals.

How Much Is Public School in-Person vs. Remote Learning?

Public schools, both traditional and online, offer tuition-free education to enrolled students. However, parents should consider the additional costs that come with being a student. 

For example, students attending traditional public school will have to purchase school supplies and pay for extracurricular activities associated with their education.

For students attending online school, some of these additional costs are diminished, but not all. Families may have to set up a dedicated learning space and purchase additional supplies such as computers or supplementary learning materials, which together could become a significant amount. However, online schools sometimes provide this equipment for families upon enrollment.

Is Connections Academy Free?

Yes! Like most public schools, Connections Academy-supported online public schools are tuition-free for grades K-12. While each school may offer additional programming and educational opportunities that may incur additional fees, an online education through Connections Academy is free for families and funded by state taxes similar to other public school options. Reach out to one of our enrollment specialists, to learn more about enrolling your student in Connections Academy.

How to Decide on the Right School Option for Your Family

There are many things to consider when deciding on the right K-12 school for your child. With modern technology, parents today have significantly more school choices. In-person or virtual school? Public or private?

The Difference Between Public and Private Online Schools

Many parents may be surprised to learn that, just like brick-and-mortar schools, there are public and private online schools. Also, like brick-and-mortar schools, online public schools are typically sponsored by the state or local school district. They must meet state and/or district curriculum and attendance requirements, as well as teacher certification requirements. Similar to a brick-and-mortar school, tuition-free online public schools have geographical boundaries, usually statewide, since students must all come from the same state. Students in online public schools also take the same state-mandated tests that brick-and-mortar public schools require.

Like their brick-and-mortar counterparts, online private schools have more flexibility in their curriculum and class offerings, such as year-round school and Advanced Placement courses, and students often aren’t restricted to living in certain school districts to attend.

Tuition-Free Public Online Schools—What’s Provided to Students?

Technology plays a significant role in the online school experience. Many tuition-free online public schools like Connections Academy® provide computers to their students at no cost, depending on the state. Students may also use their own computers if they choose.

Connections Academy and other online public schools also provide required textbooks and instructional materials at no cost to families, which may be digital or physical, depending on grade level, subject, and state.

What’s Provided by Families?

Families cover the cost of most of the same supplies—pencils, erasers, notebooks, and the like—the same way families with students enrolled in brick-and-mortar schools do. Having a working printer near the student’s learning space is helpful, though it’s not necessary since online students will complete most of their work online and submit electronic documents instead of hard copies.  

Online public schools typically offer optional in-person field trips throughout the year. These trips provide opportunities for students to connect with their peers and academic development. Families are responsible for any fees not covered by the school, such as transportation costs related to these outings.

Young students playing drums on a field trip

Why is Online School Better?

Many factors go into deciding where your child goes to school, and parents will need to do research and consider many aspects. Families may choose online school for several reasons:

Tailored curriculum: Work with the teacher to create a personalized learning plan to help students learn in the way that best fits their educational needs and goals.

Flexible schedule: Families have much more control over their student’s day-to-day learning schedule when enrolled in an online school.

Supportive environment: Online schools appreciate parental input and provide a safe, welcoming space that supports students as individuals and prioritizes their academic achievement as much as their personal growth.

When looking for school options, families may want to explore all the options available in their area, such as charter school, magnet school, or homeschool before making a decision.

Transferring Schools

While each school may be a little different, once the family has decided to transfer their child to an online school, the next steps are easy:

Designate a parent or other trusted adult to act as the child’s Learning Coach.

Set up a productive learning environment

Show that your child meets the enrollment requirements.
- Give proof of age and residency
- Provide official transcripts
- Unenroll from current school
Fill out the enrollment documents.
After being approved, meet with your student’s teachers and get ready for at-home online education!

How to Get Started with Online School

Get your questions answered: Fill out an information form to review our eGuide, and talk to an enrollment specialist.  
Find an online school near you.
Start the enrollment process: Pay nothing to enroll and get started. 
Attend a virtual information session: Connections Academy has regularly scheduled webinars, virtual information sessions, and other opportunities to meet your state’s online school representatives.

Still weighing school options? That’s OK! Learn more about what online school provides families and why these parents made the switch. 

*Advanced Placement is a registered trademark of the College Board. Used with permission.