Connections Academy’s Hybrid Approach “Just Makes Sense” for Military Families

September 11, 2026 byRob Sentz

5 min to read

The military spouse is the unsung hero of military life. When duty calls, all the responsibility of taking care of the home front, figuring out the details of a move, finding a new place to live, and being the sole provider for many of the kids' needs falls squarely on the spouse–in this case, Krysten Teagarden.

Krysten, mother of six, understands the stress and difficulty of raising a family in a military home—perhaps more than most. “You are constantly moving. When it is time to move, you might only get eight weeks of notice. When your husband gets deployed, you might only hear about it a week before he ships out, and then he might be gone for months at a time.”

A major challenge is figuring out how to best educate your children amidst the chaos. Picking the right school, transferring credits and transcripts, learning how various states conduct standardized testing, and finding clubs and extracurricular activities is time-consuming and difficult to navigate.

In Krysten’s case, she has an additional factor to consider: her oldest son, Ethan, has a form of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that makes it difficult for him to process verbal

communication. “In 6th grade, he was making C’s and D’s,” Krysten said. “He wasn’t comprehending what he was being taught. He could barely pass, and the school we were in wasn’t able or interested in helping us.”

The combination of deployment, regular cross-country moves, and Ethan’s learning needs put a lot of pressure on Krysten’s family.

Finding the Right Online School for a Military Family

When Ethan entered 9th grade, he was far behind his classmates. Krysten realized she needed a new strategy. She took Ethan out of public school and began homeschooling, a common solution for many military families. But as she quickly learned, Ethan needed more help than she could give. “He wasn’t engaged. He was unmotivated. I realized I needed more specialized help,” she said.

Her husband, Thomas, was stationed at Sheppard Air Force Base in Utah at the time, and it was the base that hosted an online parent forum—where Krysten heard of Connections Academy for the first time. “Someone mentioned Connections Academy and said it was a good fit for military members,” she recalled.

In the middle of Ethan’s freshman year, Krysten enrolled him in the virtual public school.

First Impressions of Connections Academy’s Online School

Krysten said she and her husband were initially apprehensive about enrolling their son in a Connections Academy school. Would the online format work for Ethan?

Their fears were eased by the simple enrollment process and the school’s willingness to help transfer Ethan’s transcripts to give him credit for work he had already done. More importantly, they quickly saw that the academics were everything Ethan needed, and they never looked back.

“When he transferred to Connections Academy, he was still behind,” Krysten said “He couldn’t do all of the things he needed to do. He couldn’t write a paper. He struggled to read well. He was several grade levels behind.

But by the end of Ethan’s first semester, Krysten noticed a big change in her son. “He was doing his work. He was actually self-motivated. He had more self-esteem, and his grades were improving.”

Today, Ethan, who just finished his junior year, is an A and B student with an entirely new outlook on life.

How Connections Academy Supports Military Families and Students

Krysten credits three key features that gave her and her son the traction they needed: academics administered by teachers who cared deeply about the education of their students, personalization that allowed her to be more engaged with Ethan’s education, and the ability to schedule his schooling around the demands of military life.

Online Learning with Teacher Support and Personalization

Lessons at Connections Academy are offered online through a user-friendly learning management system called Pearson Online Classroom. The ability to view closed captioning for all lesson was a game-changer for Ethan given his difficulty with auditory learning. “The closed captioning has allowed him to stick with the class and to not get too far behind,” Krysten said.

The teachers were everything Ethan needed. “The teachers have been amazing,” Krysten said. “If they notice him struggling or if there is any shift in his grades or assignments, a teacher will reach out to me.” She witnessed firsthand how Connections Academy meets kids where they are and treats them as individuals rather than as just one more face in a big classroom to manage. Ethan is getting individualized academic attention in each subject.

When Krysten messages teachers with questions or particular needs, they respond promptly. “You can tell that they care about how you are doing, what is going on, and how they can help.”

Ethan grew from a languishing kid into a strong student who enjoyed his teachers, whose reading and writing improved significantly, and who cultivated relationships with people sympathetic to—and better equipped to address—his needs. “When he started school, we never thought something like college would be an option,” Krysten said. “But with Connections Academy’s help, we realize he can make it to college now.”

Adaptable School Schedules for Military Family Life

The Connections Academy program allows families more flexibility than a traditional bricks-and-mortar school. This enables families to tailor their education to their needs—a definite win for military families.

“If they found out we were moving, they would give Ethan a lot of grace,” Krysten said, “Other schools don’t seem to appreciate what kids go through when their families have to uproot.

Connections Academy has so much empathy for the student.”

The school’s ability to adapt to her family’s needs revealed to Krysten just how much they truly cared about serving military families. When her husband came home on leave in the middle of the semester, Connections Academy immediately agreed that Ethan should take time off to be with his family. As a result, the family was able to take a much-needed family vacation.

“The school didn’t bat an eyelash,” Krysten said. The teachers are very understanding if Ethan has to miss something. He was still able to keep up with his schoolwork while we were away, and he can always go back and watch the lessons and catch up when he is able.”

Why Online School Works for Military Families

Today, the Teagarden family is considering enrolling more of their kids in Connections Academy. The main appeal? The best of both worlds. “You don’t have to choose between homeschooling and public school. You get a structured, professional education that allows you, as a parent, to be way more hands-on. They get all the things a normal student would: clubs, socialization, a prom, a graduation, but the parents are more involved.”

When asked how she would rank Connections Academy for military families, Krysten had her answer ready. “Twelve out of ten!” she said. “When you take a kid who was struggling and help him to become an honor roll student, talking about college, going to prom, walking at graduation—Connections Academy did a lot of that for him. They gave him confidence. They helped to get him to where he is.”

Not every military family is equipped to homeschool, yet many are forced to do so thanks to the upheaval of regular moves and all that they entail. With Connections Academy, Krysten said, now military families have another option.

“Take all that stress and throw it away,” she said. “Military families should choose Connections Academy. You get an amazing education. You get way more support. It’s so military-friendly.

They understand. You can talk to them about your situation. They give their teachers so much flexibility to help the students. They find the best people to teach your kids. It just makes sense.”

For military families like the Teagardens, that combination of adaptability, teacher support, and structure can make it easier for students to stay on track through moves, deployments, and changing family needs. To learn more about how Connections Academy helps students build confidence, discover their interests, and prepare for life after graduation, explore our online school resources and curriculum offerings available at a school near you.