Everything to Know About Online Summer School with Pearson Online Academy

July 31, 2024 byConnections Academy

4 min to read

Online summer school student looking at her ipad

Keep your student engaged with learning all summer while avoiding summer learning slide by taking an online summer school course at Pearson Online Academy.

Pearson Online Academy is a private online school powered by Pearson, the same global learning organization that manages online public school Connections Academy. Their summer school program offers more than 100 exciting and challenging online courses for students in every grade and is open to students throughout the US and UK.

Answering Your Top Summer School Myths & Questions:

There are many myths and misconceptions about summer school that may hold families back from enrolling their student. Some may believe that summer school is only for students who fall behind during the regular school year, or who need to recover course credits due to absences. While summer school does help students who need to catch up on certain subjects or redo courses, there are many benefits for any student who wants to take classes over the summer, such as avoiding the summer slide learning loss, exploring new interests, mastering challenging subjects, recovering lost credits, attending school year round, or working towards early graduation.

To help your family decide if online summer school is right for your student, here are answers to some frequently asked questions about online summer school.

Can You Do Summer School Online?

Yes! Pearson Online Academy’s summer school program is designed for students in grades K–12 with courses on a wide range of subjects taught by qualified teachers.

Online summer school works much like online school during the regular school year. Students can complete their coursework anywhere in the world where they have an internet connection, allowing families to take planned – or spontaneous – summer vacations and have quality summer family time.

There are no set class schedules in online summer school, and students can work at their own pace during the week to complete their coursework. Students can meet with teachers for individual support when needed during their scheduled office hours, which is four hours per day during the summer school period.

Pearson Online Academy also offers optional synchronous or LiveLesson classes to connect with teachers and peers in their summer school program.

Because of the online summer school flexibility, students can continue pursuing their favorite activities and passions over the summer, including sports, cultural activities, internships, and part-time jobs while fitting learning into their day.

How Long Is Summer School?

How long online summer school classes last varies by program, but typically courses run for 6 weeks, beginning shortly after the end of the regular school year. Summer school courses are just like regular school courses but condensed into a shorter timeframe. Students enrolled in online summer school are limited to a maximum of four half-credit courses (or two full high school credits).

Pearson Online Academy offers flexible start dates and no set class schedules. Students are required to complete their coursework by the end of the summer school period, which is typically in early August.

What Online Summer School Programs Can You Take?

Pearson Online Academy’s online summer school program offers online courses for students in every grade, including:

Credit courses that help students satisfy graduation requirements, explore their interests, or accelerate their academic progress (middle and high school only)

Credit Recovery Courses that enable students to retake courses and earn required credits (high school only)

High school honors and Advanced Placement® (AP®)* courses that can boost GPAs and accelerate the path to graduation

Summer smarts math & reading courses that offer review and practice for K-8 students

World language courses where students can learn a new language – including sign language

Elective courses for all grades to help students explore new interests

Explore the hundreds of Pearson Online Academy’s course offerings to find the right classes to keep your student learning over the summer.

Who Should Attend Summer Classes Online?

While all students can benefit from summer school, Pearson Online Academy’s summer school program is especially beneficial for:

High school students that need credit recovery courses or original credit courses to meet graduation requirements

Students interested in the NCAA who can take NCAA-eligible courses to stay engaged in the curriculum while having time for practices, competitions, and workouts

Students at any grade level who are interested in continued learning, enrichment, or intervention support on specific subjects over the summer

High school students who want to graduate early

Is Summer School Right for Your Family?

Online summer school can be a valuable and worthwhile experience for students who want to continue strengthening and developing their learning skills. Learn more about Pearson Online Academy’s summer school program, including how to enroll.

Be sure to supplement any online summer school program or summer enrichment activities by encouraging your student to read all summer!

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