FAQs - General

Who is eligible to attend the Agora Cyber Charter School?
All students who meet their local district's age requirements and reside in Pennsylvania are eligible to attend the Agora Cyber Charter School. Find out how to enroll your child in Agora.

What distinguishes Agora from other cyber charter schools?

• Clearly defined mastery objectives, so you can see what your education goals are from the very beginning of a course
• Online, synchronous teacher conferences, one-on-one lesson instruction, and discussions for both you and your children, based on student need 
• Wide variety of school gatherings, both educational and social, to help enhance and enrich your family's schooling experience
• Workshops for parents that address specific student needs 
• Foreign language opportunities for all students based on academic criteria 
• Online academic clubs
• Simple, straightforward attendance policy
• The full K¹² curricular program
  

What grades are offered by the Agora Cyber Charter School?
The Agora Cyber Charter School currently offers grades K-12.

What subjects will my child study?
The base subjects, as in all public schools, are: English/language arts, math, science, history, and art. Your child will study other subjects based on his/her grade level and state requirements.

Will my child have the same graduation opportunities as students in traditional public schools?
We are a public school in Pennsylvania, so students can earn a diploma based upon successful completion and mastery of course content.

Does the program provide textbooks and other instructional materials?
Yes, we provide all the textbooks and instructional materials that are needed to complete the program. These books and materials are sent to students directly.

What is the partnership between parents and state-certified teachers?
We embrace a collaborative partnership between teachers and parents to empower students to reach their personal potential. Our teachers provide some synchronous instructional opportunities for enrichment, remediation, or extension. They give feedback on student assignments, and alternate instructional strategies to ensure that all students achieve mastery.

How many teachers will my child have?
Students in grades K-6 have one teacher who serves as their primary instructor. Students in grades 7 and above have one teacher for each subject area they study. Special Education students also have a Special Education teacher who works in partnership with a regular education teacher.

How much does it cost to attend the Agora Cyber Charter School?
As a public virtual school program, there is no tuition. Agora Cyber Charter School provides students all instructional materials for the program. Students and families will be responsible for providing some consumable materials.

How do you meet the needs of gifted and talented students?
Agora Cyber Charter School meets the needs of all learners, including our advanced learners, through existing curriculum components and supplemental activities provided by the instructional team, such as:

• Placement at a higher instructional level in a course (e.g. a sixth grader taking a ninth-grade course)
• Faster pacing in a course  
• Independent study 
• Opportunities to interact with other advanced learners, locally and nationwide, and to be a part of a nationwide K¹² advanced learners group
  

Is there a special needs program?
Yes. We follow all federal and state regulations and standards. As a public charter school, we implement Chapter 711 for special education and Chapter 15 for 504 Protected Handicapped Students.

How do Agora students interact socially?
Throughout the year, students are invited to participate in school gatherings, field trips (e.g., to historical sites, museums, zoos), picnics, and other social events. In select cities across the state students and parents also meet regularly in a school-sponsored location. We find that many local clusters of Agora families also organize on their own to gather together in their area on a regular basis. In addition, Agora students continue to have opportunities to work together online with teacher supervision. We are always exploring new ways to interact socially using the powerful reach of the Internet. With online discussions and forums, new types of communities can be formed that are based not on geography and place but on shared interests.

Can my child participate in extracurricular activities at my local school district?
All charter school students are eligible to participate in extracurricular activities in their local school district. According to Charter School law:

"Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, no school district of residence shall prohibit a charter school from participating in any extracurricular activity of that school district…" There are only two conditions for participation:

1. The student must fulfill all of the requirements for participation in such an activity.
2. The charter school must not provide the same extracurricular activity.
   

It is illegal for the school districts where Agora students reside to refuse to allow Agora students to participate in their extracurricular activities. Such a position violates the Charter School Law, and may violate the First and Fourteenth Amendment rights of the student involved, subjecting the district to suit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983.

Is there a reimbursement for PE or music?
No, there is no reimbursement program for PE or music activities.

Will my child have the option of learning a foreign language?
A foreign language course is offered to all students who meet the academic criteria.

Will this program intrude into my home?
There are no home visits as part of the program, unless you ask your teacher to come to your home (completely optional). Webcams are occasionally used, with parent permission, to conduct live therapy sessions with some special education students.

This school was created to help your child obtain a first-class education and serve your family's needs. If you ever feel that it is not right for your family or your child, you can withdraw your child at any time.

Will there be live online classes?
Live online course meetings will be held as needed to ensure student academic achievement. There will also be various enrichment session opportunities in all subject areas.

Are middle or high school students required to attend online synchronous classes?
This depends on the student. If a student requires live, regular, synchronous instruction, such instruction may be required to ensure academic success.

How much time do students spend on the computer?
We expect that students will spend no more than 20-25 percent of their time on the computer in the early grades. We believe in a balanced approach toward education. Computers help us provide you with effective assessment, planning, and time-management tools. Computers also act as powerful tools that can motivate, stimulate, and inform children about the world around them. They do not, however, replace a solid education; rather, they help facilitate one. That's why we use a unique multimedia approach that also includes a great deal of well-written and designed textbooks, workbooks, and hands-on instructional materials.

Didn't find the answer to your question? Try one of our other FAQ pages:

• Technical FAQs
• Enrollment & Attendance FAQs
• Testing & Assessment FAQs