Iowa Virtual Academy offers personalized, flexible online learning for about 2,000 K–12 students statewide. Since its start in 2012, the academy has grown from 61 students to a thriving program where learners balance school with family responsibilities and extracurricular activities. Students like the Keehner siblings enjoy social connections, flexible schedules, and supportive teachers while pursuing their goals—ranging from veterinary careers to family businesses—showing how virtual learning can empower both education and personal growth.
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Susan Boyer, executive director of Washington Virtual Academies and a Yelm parent, explains how the tuition-free K-12 online public school in the Omak School District offers public education from home, not homeschooling. All four of her children attend WAVA, which blends live classes with certificated Washington teachers, book work and clubs like esports, art and baking. She says the flexibility lets students pursue interests and supports learners who need a different approach.