Optio Academy
Your kid is already doing the work. We make it count.
Optio Academy is a WASC-accredited online private school where credit comes from evidence of learning, not hours in a chair. The projects, sports, and passions your kid already has, reviewed by licensed teachers, on an official transcript.
Credit is based on evidence of learning, not hours in a chair.
Your student documents their real work on the Optio platform. Licensed teachers review the evidence and award credit to an official Optio Academy transcript. A finished game, a training log, a business plan: real work is the exam.
Grades 9 to 12, self-paced, rolling admissions. Start any month of the year.
Trained for a half marathon
Official transcript · Optio Academy
Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges
533 Airport Blvd., Suite 200, Burlingame, CA 94010 · www.acswasc.org
How it works
- 1
They pick the project.
Something they already care about: the sport, the song, the code, the business.
- 2
They do it and capture it.
Photos, videos, drafts, logged in the app as they go.
- 3
A licensed teacher makes it count.
Evidence reviewed, credit awarded, straight onto a WASC-accredited transcript.
One Tuesday, logged.
One student's learning journal on an ordinary day. Capture it, and it counts.
Two hours on the physics engine for my game.
Computer ScienceShift at the animal shelter, logged from the car.
CivicsSix training miles. Half marathon in May.
Physical EducationRecorded a new song draft in the garage.
MusicCooked dinner for the family. Snapped it for the journal.
Culinary ArtsFive entries. Five classes moved forward. Zero hours in a chair.
One accredited school, K through 12.
Enroll young, and the journal your kid keeps at nine is the same journal that starts earning high school credit at 13. Nothing restarts.
Grades K to 8
$20/month per kid
Capped at $50 per family, all kids included.
Enrollment in Optio Academy's WASC-accredited K-8 program on the Family plan: the official record of your homeschool. The learning journal, portfolios, the family activity feed, and observer access for grandparents and mentors.
Grades 9 to 12
$50/month
Counts toward credits at $100 per credit. A full diploma is 24 credits.
The full high school, starting at age 13. You guide the learning day to day; Optio provides the structure, licensed teacher review, the official transcript, and the WASC-accredited diploma.
Optional add-on at any grade: teacher support
Optio Academy is designed to be parent-supported: you guide the learning, and Optio makes it official. When your family wants more help, add a dedicated, licensed Optio teacher who sets goals with your student, reviews their work, and carries the accountability. From a weekly check-in to daily working sessions; priced together on your discovery call.
Get more infoTry your first class free.
One real class, built around something you already do. One semester of work, 0.5 credit on an official transcript. Turn your hobbies into a high school class.
No credit card, no commitment. We'll email you personally with everything you need.
Want to browse first? See the full class catalog. No account needed.
Who thrives here
Our students have one thing in common: their lives are bigger than a school desk.
The athlete
Twenty hours a week in the gym is Physical Education, and meets never conflict with school again.
The builder
The game they've been coding all year is their Computer Science class.
The entrepreneur
The lawn-care business is Business and Financial Literacy, on a transcript.
The homeschooler
Keep the freedom, add licensed teacher review and an accredited diploma.
Meet the Head of School
A note from Dr. Bowman
The teenagers I meet are already educating themselves. They train before sunrise, ship games at midnight, and run businesses out of the garage. For a century, the only learning that counted was hours in a chair. I started Optio Academy so the rest of it counts too, officially.
If you're wondering whether Optio Academy fits your kid, ask me directly. I'd love to talk.
Dr. Tanner Bowman
Head of School, Optio Academy
Hear it from students and parents
"High school just wasn't challenging enough. I had so many projects I wanted to work on, but I was stuck in a classroom filling out worksheets. Switching to Optio lets me take on real, challenging work I'm actually excited about, and earn my diploma at the same time."
"We've always homeschooled our seven kids because we wanted them to get the best education possible, and Optio has been a perfect fit. Our kids get one-on-one mentorship from their Optio teacher, and the teacher helps them build their learning around the things they already love."
"I've loved helping my son recognize learning whenever it happens, like a spontaneous conversation about rhyme scheme at the dinner table, or when he won a rap battle playing games with friends and I told him to earn some XP for the grammar."
Questions every family asks
Is the diploma real? Will colleges accept it?
Yes. Optio Academy is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC), the same commission that accredits thousands of public and private schools. Your student earns an official transcript and diploma that colleges and employers recognize nationwide.
How much does Optio Academy cost?
Enrollment is $50 per month, and what you pay counts toward credits: each credit costs $100 as your student earns it, and a full diploma is 24 credits. Families who want one-on-one support from a licensed Optio teacher can add it; we price that together on your discovery call.
Can we try it before enrolling?
Yes. Your first class is free: one semester-length class, 0.5 credit, no credit card and no commitment. After that, individual classes are $149 each, and the credit transfers to your current school under our Transfer Guarantee.
How much do I need to do as a parent?
That is your choice. By default you guide the learning day to day while Optio provides the platform, the structure, and the accredited transcript and diploma. Add teacher support and your student's Optio teacher carries the accountability: goals, check-ins, follow-through, and review of every piece of work.
How does my student earn credit without tests and seat time?
Credit is based on evidence of learning, not hours in a chair. Students document their work on the Optio platform, licensed teachers review it, and credit is awarded to an official transcript. A finished game, a training log, a business plan: real work is the exam.
What about friends and socialization?
Optio Academy students spend more time out in the real world than students sitting in a classroom. Sports teams, volunteering, jobs, clubs, and community projects are part of school itself here, and they keep students connected to people of all ages.
Can my student transfer back to a traditional school later?
Yes, anytime. Your student's credits live on an official, accredited transcript that transfers like any other school's. We never ask families to sign away the right to leave.
When can my student start?
Any time of year. Because the program is self-paced, there is no semester to wait for. After the discovery call and enrollment paperwork, your student can start right away.
Optio Academy is operated by Optio, LLC. Optio Academy admits students of any race, color, national origin, religion, or background, and extends to all students every right, privilege, program, and activity of the school. See the Participant & Parent Agreement and Participant Handbook.
Schedule a discovery call
Tell us a little about your student and we'll reach out to set up a time to talk.