Interested Students

Tacoma Online is a separate school offering an all-inclusive learning experience that provides core content courses and elective courses. Students will have an assigned schedule but can access to their courses online anytime, from anywhere they have internet connection. Learning occurs through live and recorded video lessons delivered completely online — powered by Tacoma teachers. While students can work at their own pace, they still must meet prescribed timelines for progress.

Tacoma Online serves kindergarten through 12th grade learners and features an emphasis on personalized learning experiences that align to each student’s growth along a path toward graduation. 

Students enrolled in Tacoma Online will be a part of a class and learning community with online access to counselors, specialists and whole child social-emotional support activities aligned to their grade level peers in other schools across our district. Tacoma Online follows the same requirements as our other schools such as grades and assessment, including standardized testing.  
 

Tacoma Online's office is located at 

912 Broadway
Tacoma, WA 98402

Parking Access Map

In Tacoma Online's elementary school, lessons have been created by Tacoma teachers using TPS curriculum and the Schoology learning platform. These lessons include a mix of video, audio, and text-based features. Tacoma Online teachers work with student individually, and in small and larger groups to reinforce the learning and help students.

In Tacoma Online's Middle and High Schools, lessons are shared using the Imagine Learning (previously called Edgenuity) platform used by over 4 million students in the US each year. Tacoma Online teachers work with student individually, and in small and larger groups to reinforce the learning and help students. 

See here for more information about the Imagine Learning platform.

TOL teachers are all professionally certified instructors in the state of Washington and employed by Tacoma Public Schools.

Students enrolled in our elementary school will be assigned the same instructor for all of their core courses, (Math, Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies). This ensures that your child will be able to form lasting relationships with their instructor just as they would in an elementary classroom setting. Additional instructors will be assigned to students enrolled in library, music, and PE.

Student enrolled in our middle and high school will work with the Imagine Learning – Edgenuity curriculum which has been highly customized by each Tacoma teacher to meet the same standards for each subject as all other Tacoma schools.  Students interact with their teachers though individual and small group online video chat as well as through written email.

The ability to login to a computer and to a website as well as basic navigation skills are the only technology skills needed.  Navigation is consistent and predictable, requiring almost no training. After viewing orientation videos users need only to click on desired location. 

In Tacoma Online's elementary school, students in each class interact with each other often through the PACE program as well as in small and large groups supporting instruction and learning.

In Tacoma Online's Middle and High Schools, all students are scheduled into a PACE group with about 25 other students of similar age. These groups meet twice weekly to support each other and engage as peers.

Personalized learning is about flexibility, customization, and a commitment to supporting students. Personalized learning allows students to make decisions about when, where, and how they learn.

When students take ownership of their learning, they control its direction, become engaged and excited about learning and are more likely to enjoy the deep thinking and hard work that follows. At TOL, we believe that personalization is the key to taking ownership of learning.

As a virtual school, TOL puts its students in the driver’s seat of their own education – allowing them to steer their learning experience in a way that works for them.

This is achieved by following the four core principles of customized learning. They include:

1.      WHEN LEARNING TAKES PLACE

A personalized approach to learning allows students to make choices about “when” they want to learn by providing students with the flexibility to learn at a time and pace that meets their needs. At TOL, student may decide that mornings are the best time to learn math or that evenings are the perfect time to learn a language. Students also have the flexibility to create a schedule that gives them time to participate in an internship at a local business on Monday, and focus on academics on Tuesday.

Students are in charge of designing their own personalized learning schedule.

2.     WHERE LEARNING TAKES PLACE

The traditional concept of learning taking place solely in traditional school settings is changing rapidly. Advances in technology now place a wealth of resources at the fingertips of students. We have leveraged the power of technology to allow students to learn from any location, whether it be in a “brick and mortar” school or in their home.

3.     HOW LEARNING TAKES PLACE

It’s our belief that students should have the opportunity to choose the learning environment that is mostly likely to help them master academic standards. A student can choose to learn independently, consulting their instructor only when necessary, or participate in small group lessons online. High School students can enroll in TOL full-time or remain enrolled in their traditional school and only take 1 or 2 TOL classes part-time through our FLEX program.

4.     TIME IS ON YOUR SIDE

Traditional educational models are built on the premise that all students learn at the same rate; however a student may quickly master the concepts in history, but require extra time to learn a standard in chemistry. Tacoma Online operates on semesters (trimesters at elementary school), but within each semester, no assignment is due for all students at the same time. Students work at their own pace through courses.

Because of our anywhere, anytime model, students at Tacoma Online are not required to be online at any specific time with one exception. Attendance for each week is taken by a student PACE (or homeroom) teacher by participation in a 15 minute PACE 1:1 meeting on TEAMS videochat. These meetings are required for attendance by the state and scheduled at mutually convenient times.

Weekly PACE 1:1 Meeting: Since Tacoma Online is an alternative learning experience (ALE), the attendance requirement is different than in-person schools. TOL teachers will take attendance on a weekly basis following their 1:1 PACE or PLP meetings. Students, with the support of their at home learning coach, will be expected to fill out a short, weekly form in advance of their 1:1 meeting.  

Monthly PACE PLP Meeting: Close to every 4th week, the PACE meeting will be a review of the student’s Personalize Learning Plan. A summary of this meeting will be emailed to families.  

Absolutely! In most cases, online learning can be beneficial to a student who struggles academically due to a learning disability. And in many cases, the online learning environment may already meet many of the accommodations found in a typical individualized education plan. Ultimately, a parent or student should research any online model before enrolling as some will not be appropriate for their given needs.

Yes. Each student will have online access to designated TPS staff. In alignment with health and safety guidelines, some in-person access to counseling, specialists and whole child aligned activities will be available.

Students enrolled in Tacoma Online must complete the entire semester of learning (trimester at Elementary). At the end of that time, if a parent wants to return their student to an in-person school, Tacoma Online staff will support the student and family in the transfer/enrollment process. Please note, students may not be able to return their previously assigned school, enrollment will be based on space availability. 

Tacoma Online students can attend dances at other schools as the guest of a student at that school when that school allows guests. All TPS schools have an application form to attend as a guest when allowed. Have the student at that school get the form from that school and fill out their portion. Fill out your portion and email to Paul Eliot (peliot@tacoma.k12.wa.us) for his signature. When complete, the student at that school should turn it in and wait for approval. Then that student can purchase the tickets. At no point should the Tacoma Online student be on campus of the other high school during the school day. The student at that school should be handling all of the paperwork.

Like all learning formats, students benefit from the support of parents/guardians for routine, reflection, encouragement and progress monitoring. Partnered support from parents around engagement and motivation is a critical element of success, but our staff will deliver all instruction and intervention necessary for a student to succeed. 

Younger elementary students will need to work in partnership with their teacher and home supports from parents, guardians or caregivers.  

Tacoma Online students will be graded in the same format and frequency as their peers in other Tacoma schools. For secondary students, credit alignment will occur on a schedule of six courses per semester. All curriculum and courses are aligned to state standards.  

Yes. All testing requirements will be delivered to our Tacoma Online students in the same format as all Tacoma students. 

Yes. While Tacoma Online has increased flexibility in access and time, it will operate on the same academic calendar as other TPS schools. 

Tacoma Online is a choice program for all Tacoma Public Schools students in grades K-12. TOL can accept students from outside of Tacoma on a space available basis. Students must reside in the State of Washington. Many online programs charge tuition, but TOL is a state funded programs that does not charge tuition.

Tacoma Online is its own school and in grades K-8, students at TOL can only attend TOL.

High School students at other Tacoma schools can participate in the Tacoma FLEX program where they stay enrolled in their traditional school but can take up to two courses through Tacoma Online.

Many TOL and FLEX high school students are also unable to take Advanced Placement or specialized classes because their school does not offer the course.

Online learning makes it possible for students to take a wide variety of AP and college-level courses even if their school cannot offer these courses.

Flexible: TOL K-5 schedules will be different than in-person school schedules. At K-5, each class will have a whole group, community PACE meeting at 9AM daily. Each student will schedule one 15-minute meeting with their PACE coach. Aside from these regularly scheduled meetings, your student’s day will vary based on teacher recommendations and the learner experience your family selects. You can expect there to be approximately 30 hours of school work each week; some of this time will be live in small group meetings, some of it will be working online or with paper and pencil on asynchronous lessons. Additionally, TOL K-5 staff plan to host optional in person events. 

Learner Experiences: TOL K-5 will offer two learner experiences: Independent and Guided. Families will be asked to select which learner experience will work best for their families. The guided learner experience will consist of daily attendance at teacher facilitated, live, small group support meetings.  These guided schedules will change and adjust based on each learner’s needs throughout the year. The independent learner experience does not include live, small group support.   

For K-5 students, it is important to have an adult present and involved to support daily learning. This learning coach may be a parent or guardian, a family member, or a daycare provider. Please communicate who the primary learning coach for your student is to their PACE coach.  Learning coaches ensure that student has a comfortable, quiet learning space. For K-3 students, the learning coach will be especially important in helping learners adhere to a schedule and understand asynchronous tasks. Learning coaches assist in holding students accountable for engaging and participating in coursework and live meetings. Family/Guardian support is crucial for success at Tacoma Online. We look forward to building strong partnerships with families and learning coachers to better serve your children. Please be sure to update contact information in order to receive TOL communication. It is important to support students filling out weekly forms and stay in tune with the outcomes of PLP meetings.

Unlike traditional school where a student is expected to be at their desk at 7:30 a.m. sharp until they are dismissed at 2:30 p.m., a student enrolled at TOL full-time or through FLEX can complete coursework at any hour of the day or night.

There are really a limitless number of schedules a student can follow. Ultimately, at the end of the day, it’s up to the student to determine when, where, and at what time they want to learn. Many TOL students integrate learning with working a part-time job, or pursue passions related to athletics, dance, music, art, and more.

Take a tour of the Edgenuity student experience.

There is no typical online learner – just as there are no typical students in traditional brick and mortar schools.

Since there are many different online learning models, it’s a good idea to find out how your child will be supported once enrolled. For example, an advanced student may want to move quickly through a course, or a struggling student may require additional time. While Tacoma Online schedules courses during traditional semesters, students can move at their own pace through their courses.

Typically, online schools report that successful students are organized, manage their time well, and have good communication skills. Of course, these students will be successful in most any school, whether online or face-to-face.

Many adolescents are in the beginning stages of building these skills and need a learning environment that supports their growth.

TOL instructors work with students and families to design learning plans and schedules that best meet the student’s needs. We have found that many students develop independent learning skills because it’s a part of the online learning process at TOL. So, what skills and strategies will help a student succeed at TOL? It’s quite simple, actually:

Successful students are those that are willing to work and learn from their mistakes.

During a student’s time at TOL, the PACE coach serves as the student’s advocate, coach, and primary contact for parents and guardians.

PACE Coaches build positive relationships with students and parents, or guardians, and guide students through the development of a learning plan and schedule. This process provides students with opportunities to identify and explore interests, which leads to the creation of short-term goals and ultimately results in the development of a high school and beyond plan.

Families will receive weekly email newsletters from TOL and at middle and high school, weekly progress reports from Imagine Learning – Edgenuity detailing their current grades and progress through each course.

The number of students assigned to online instructors varies greatly! Some virtual school course instructors have very high student loads that far exceed that of traditional school settings (sometimes as many as 300-400 students per instructor) while other schools may have student caseloads that are like traditional school settings.

It’s worth your time to ask what the student caseload is per instructor before enrolling in an online school.

At TOL, instructors have a student caseload that is like that of traditional teachers. In the case of a high school instructor this means that an instructor is assigned up to 150 students.

Absolutely! Both full and part-time Running Start students are able to enroll at TOL. We have found that Running Start students often find it easier to transfer to TOL so any high school classes can be online and they can do these anytime, anywhere instead of trying to hurry back to a traditional school building.

Please note that to do Running Start at TOL, you are transferring to the TOL High School. You will no longer attend your previous school and you will graduate from Tacoma Online High School.

For information about Running Start at Tacoma Online, please see our Running Start webpage.

Language Arts 6 
Language Arts 7 
Language Arts 8 

Math 6 
Math 7 
Algebra I 

Life Science 
Earth Science 
Physical Science 

Middle School World Cultures and Geography 
WA State History
Middle School World History 

Spanish 1 
Spanish 2 

Middle School Game Design 1A 
Middle School Game Design 1B 
Middle School Music Appreciation 1A
Middle School Music Appreciation 1B
Middle School Digital Art 1A
Middle School Digital Art 1B
Strategies for Academic Success
Lifetime Fitness (semester) 
Middle School Journalism 1A and 1B

Language Arts 9 
Language Arts 10 
Language Arts 11 
AP English Language and Composition (11th grade)
Language Arts 12 
AP English Literature and Composition (12th grade)

Algebra I 
Geometry 
Algebra II 
Pre-Calculus 
Trigonometry (Fall) Statistics (Spring)
Financial Math 
AP Statistics 
AP Calculus AB 

Biology 
Chemistry 
Physics 
Environmental Science
Anatomy & Physiology
Forensic Science 1A and 1B

Survey of World History 
U.S. History I 
Civics and Citizenship 
AP Human Geography 
AP U.S. Government and Politics 

Small Business Entrepreneurship 
Introduction to Human Growth and Development (alternate years)
Family and Community Service (alternate years)
Nutrition and Wellness (alternate years)
Early Childhood Education 1A (alternate years)
Early Childhood Education 1B (alternate years)
ProStart Culinary Arts 1A and 1B (alternate years)
Personal Choices (alternate years)
American Sign Language 1A 
American Sign Language 1B 
American Sign Language 2A 
American Sign Language 2B 
American Sign Language 3A 
American Sign Language 3B 
Introduction to Computer Science 
Foundations of Game Design 1A 
Foundations of Game Design 1B 
AP Computer Science Principles 
AP Psychology

American Sign Language 1A 
American Sign Language 1B 
American Sign Language 2A 
American Sign Language 2B 
American Sign Language 3A 
American Sign Language 3B 

Spanish I 
Spanish II 
Spanish III 
AP Spanish Language & Culture 

Music Appreciation 
Lifetime Fitness (semester) 
Strategies for Academic Success 
Foundations of Personal Wellness 
Contemporary Health (semester) 
Introduction to Art 
Art History I