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Veritas Scholars Academy

Founded in 2006, Veritas Scholars Academy (VSA) is the world’s first K–12 classical Christian online school. VSA equips young men and women to think clearly with discernment and understanding, to reason persuasively and articulate precisely, to evaluate their experiences through a biblical lens, and to do so with eagerness and in joyful service to God, whatever their calling.

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Academic Program: A Quick Recap of Classical Education

Academics at VSA follow the classical pedagogy of the first three of the seven liberal arts—the trivium of grammar, logic (dialectic), and rhetoric. The grammar stage coincides with grades K–6 and focuses on learning significant facts, mastering language, and basic math. Latin is also an important part of this stage. The grammar stage (elementary years) is foundational to more advanced studies in the secondary years. Students in grades 7 through 9 (the Logic Stage) study critical reasoning and argumentation within the confines of challenging academic content. It’s here where he study of formal and informal logic is crucial to the classical student.

Students in grades 10 through 12 (the Rhetoric Stage) study courses in science, math, and humanities. Additionally they study rhetoric, which leads to a capstone Senior Thesis course, which includes preparation and presentation of an extensive position paper before a panel of experts.

Grades 7–12 (dialectic and rhetoric learning stages) include an extensive and cohesive Great Books program called Omnibus, issuing English, history, and religion credits. Latin studies continue while Greek and modern foreign language studies are added.


The classical educational model will be new to some and rewarding to all. We have multiple options for many subject areas, and our faculty are poised to ensure that your student experiences the right balance of strong academic rigor and personalized attention. If you’re unsure what classes are in your student’s best interests, schedule a free consultation with a Family Consultant, and they’ll help you as much as you need. We love coming alongside families to help parents navigate their children’s educational journey.

Live Online Courses

VSA offers live online classes for both students accepted into the Diploma Program, and students who choose the “à la carte” option. Take one class or a full load – it’s up to you! Your students can take part in our selection of world-class offerings in whatever way fits into your student’s unique educational program. Full-time Diploma and part-time) students take the same classes together. To see the benefits of the Diploma Program, click here

    • During the school year, students enrolled in Live courses meet twice a week (M/W or T/TH) in real time for an interactive learning experience with teachers and peers.

    • In summer sessions, students enrolled in Live courses meet M/T/W/Th for six weeks.

    • Each class listing has approximate homework hours listed so that you can have a general idea of weekly time commitments. Click here to see how students upload homework. If you have younger kids, this will help you to determine your level of assistance you need to give your student throughout the year

    • Students complete assignments outside of class throughout the week in preparation for live class meetings. Homework is completed before class meets.

    • Live classes typically have no more than 20 students per class. Our average class size is 17, enabling our teachers to know their students and their learning needs well.

    New to Veritas?

    Returning Family?

    Tuition Per Class

    Prices vary depending on the specific course. Listed below are the typical prices per class, but these are subject to change each academic year. Class price does not include required books/materials. You can learn more about tuition in our Terms and Conditions.


    Grammar School Academic Year: $679

    Secondary School Academic Year: $779*

    Secondary School Summer Course: $619

    * with an exception to higher level math and science

    Students & Faculty

    VSA has over 160 teachers and 10,000 students. A great benefit of taking online courses with Veritas is that it’s a global school! We have both teachers and students who are from all over the world. Discussing important matters in a class like Omnibus with students and teachers who live in various regions of the United States and in other countries affords a unique experience that students in a traditional school setting simply do not have.

    • Two-thirds of VSA’s faculty hold advanced degrees.

    • Our student/teacher ratio is 17:1.


    See our School Profile here.

    Statement of Faith and Philosophy

    Click here to see the Statement of Faith and Philosophy.

    English

    Grammar and Writing Transition

    Composition I

    Composition II (H)

    Creative Writing (H)

    Fairy Tales (H)

    Fiction Writing Workshop (H/U)

    Novels of Jane Austen (H/U)

    Poetry (H/U)

    Science Fiction: A Christian Perspective (H)

    Shakespearean Literature (H)

    Literature Transition

    *World Ancient Literature I (H)

    *World Ancient Literature II (H/U)

    *World Medieval Literature I (H)

    *World Medieval Literature II (H/U)

    *U.S., British & Modern Literature I (H)

    *U.S., British & Modern Literature II (H/U)

    Electives

    Art History (H)

    Art Studio I–II

    Biblical Archaeology (H)

    Computer Programming C++ (H)

    Computer Programming Python (H)

    Economics (H/U)

    Film & Worldview (H/U)

    Intro to Theater

    Music Appreciation

    Psychology (H/U/AP)

    US Government (H/U)

    World Religion (H/U)

    Religion

    *Doctrine & Theology I–VI (H)

    Apologetics (H)

    Language

    French I–II (H)

    French III (H/U)

    French IV (H)

    German I–II (H)

    German III (H/U)

    Greek I–II (H/U)

    Latin Transition I

    Latin Transition II

    Latin I

    Latin II (H)

    Latin III: Christian or Classical Authors (H/U)

    Latin III: Virgil (H/U/AP)

    Hebrew (H)

    Mandarin Chinese I & II (H)

    Spanish I–II (H)

    Spanish III (H/U)

    Mathematics

    Algebra I

    Algebra I Saxon

    Algebra I MUS

    Geometry

    Geometry Saxon

    Geometry MUS

    Algebra II (H)

    Algebra II Saxon

    Algebra II MUS

    Pre-Calculus w/ Trig (H)

    Pre-Calculus Saxon

    Calculus I (H/U/AP)

    Calculus I Saxon

    Calculus II (H/U/AP)

    Statistics (H/U)

    Business Math (H)

    Problem Solving - Mathematical Reasoning (H)

    Science

    General Science

    Earth Science Novare

    Physical Science

    Physical Science Novare

    Biology (H)

    Biology Novare (H)

    Chemistry (H)

    Chemistry Apologia (H)

    Organic Chemistry (H/U)

    Anatomy & Physiology (H/U)

    Physics I (H)

    Physics II (H/U)

    Marine Biology (H/U)

    History

    History and Survey Transition

    Western Civilization (H)

    *World Ancient History I (H)

    *World Ancient History II (H/U)

    *World Medieval History I (H)

    *World Medieval History II (H/U)

    US History (H)

    *U.S., British & Modern History I (H)

    *U.S., British & Modern History II (H/U)

    Logic & Rhetoric

    Associate Logic

    Logic I Veritas Press

    Logic I Canon Press

    Logic II Veritas Press (H)

    Logic II Classical Academic Press (H)

    Rhetoric I (H)

    Rhetoric II (H/U)

    Senior Thesis (H/U)

    * = Included in Omnibus Great Books program
    (H) = Honors 
    (U) = University level (Dual Enrollment)
    (AP) = AP Advanced Placement

    Art I Grammar

    Art II Grammar

    Geography - North

    Geography - South

    Geography - East

    Geography - West

    Grammar and Writing 3 - 6 - Shurley
    and IEW

    Grammar and Writing 3 - 6 - Classical
    Academic Press

    Latin Grammar 3 - 5

    Linguistics (Spelling) 3- 5

    Literature 3 - 6

    Mathematics 3 - 6 - Saxon

    Mathematics 3 - 6 - Math-U-See

    Memory Period I - II

    Stepping Stones: Literature and Memory (Grade 2)

    Course Audits

    A student auditing a class will be enrolled in a separate Audit section of the course. They will have access to archives and the Course Assignment Sheet (a document detailing the schedule of assignments), but will not have access to any of the online materials including homework assessments, tests, and exams. No teacher contact occurs with course audits.

    VSA Handbook

    Each year the VSA Administration releases a handbook to families which contains important information regarding the daily activities and requirements for participation in Veritas Scholars Academy. You can click here to view the latest edition of the handbook.

    Topics Included

    Introduction to Veritas Scholars Academy

    Veritas Websites

    General VSA Information

    Academic Year Calendar

    Terms and Conditions

    VSA Pricing

    End of Year Gathering - EOYG

    VSA Systems

    Best Practices for Students

    Etiquette and Behavior Standards


    Chat Box Guidelines

    Academic Policies and Procedures

    Orientation/Start of Classes

    Late Enrollments

    Classroom Discipline

    Academic Dishonesty and Other Disciplinary Challenges

    Grading Scale

    Late Work

    Exam/Test Retakes

    Attendance and Participation

    Class Attendance and Relevant Class Participation Grading Rubric

    Educational Accommodations

    Course Waiver and Archive Viewing Report

    Course Assignments Sheet

    “Save Your Grade” Day

    Quarterly Grading and Comments

    Full-Time Diploma Program

    Full-Time Diploma Course Registration

    Full-Time Diploma Admissions and Enrollment

    Transcript Grade Information

    Academic Calendar

    Each year a new Academic Calendar is released. This includes important dates such as the start and end of class terms, school holidays and breaks, midterm exams, orientation days, graduation, and more. You can view the latest academic calendar here. Note that this calendar is an overview of the school year. Any dates for exams, homework, or other events unique to a particular class will be detailed in the quarterly Course Assignment Sheets for each class.

    Frequently Asked Questions

      • Students should be able to type and have the ability to turn in assignments on their own. If your student isn’t familiar with typing, a parent needs to be ready to help type assignments and assist their students in uploading homework.

        Consider a Stepping Stones class prior to 3rd grade! Parents will sit with their child during the first semester of class until they are acclimated with our online learning environment. By second semester, students will have found their stride and become increasingly prepared for 3rd grade courses (and parents will by then be able to hand the reins to their children).

      • As mentioned above, we are a rigorous classical Christian education program. If you have a middle or high schooler and they haven’t done classical education before, we highly recommend a free consultation with a family consultant.

      • Our most successful VSA students and families have a parent overseeing coursework, though the appropriate level of oversight is determined by respective families. VSA is not a brick and mortar school, and the dynamic is certainly different. Parents are responsible for printing out and proctoring learning assessments like tests and exams.

      • This is dependent on the educational goals for your student and what you want your family life and daily school day rhythm to be. If you’re unsure of how many classes your student should take, get a free consultation with one of our Family Consultants. They’re eager to help you out!

        1. What if my child misses a class? If a student misses a class, they can watch the video archive of the class and fill out the archive viewing form for full participation credit. Students are still required to turn in assignments on time unless an assignment Extension Request is submitted and approved by the teacher. The Extension Request must be submitted a minimum of 24 hours before the assignment is due.

        2. What percentage of the entire grade is participation? Participation ranges from 10 - 20% of the overall grade, depending on the course.

      • Each course will have a quarterly Course Assignment Sheet (CAS) that will be shared among all sections of the course. Students will always refer to the Course Assignment Sheet for homework and assessment due dates. The CAS will list what assignments should be completed before attending class. The CAS will also list due dates for assignments that need to be submitted. It is important that a student completes all assignments listed even if the assignments are not submitted for grading. The material will be covered on the assessments, tests, and exams.
        Prior to the first day of class, students are expected to review the Course Assignment Sheet for each course to ensure they are prepared for the first day of class, as many classes have homework due on the first day of class.

      • As a parent you can make adjustments to any assignments; however, this will not change the submission requirements for your student or what material is tested. If your student requires Educational Accommodations, it is recommended that you complete the Educational Accommodations process listed below.

      • This will be different for every student and their educational background. The best way to prepare for enrolling in the diploma program at a later time is to have a homeschool consultation. Graduation requirements begin in 7th grade. One of our family consultants can help you navigate those requirements and help you create a plan to stay on track for diploma enrollment in 9th grade. However, this is not a guarantee of a Diploma plan and acceptance to the Diploma Program until you apply for the Diploma Program and complete the Diploma admissions process.

      • Each course listing will note what course prerequisites need to be taken prior to taking any given course and the age requirements for a class. If you are not in the Diploma Program and don’t work with a Family Consultant to choose classes for your students, it will be solely up to you to decide if your student is ready for a particular class.

      • Teachers will reach out first to the student and then to the parent via Schoology messenger. Teachers proactively reach out in the middle of each quarter to parents. It is important that parents monitor the student’s progress in Schoology. Parents can view assignment submission and grades online. Parents can also request a weekly or daily digest of all grades, submissions, and comments for their student.

      • They definitely can! Our program does offer educational accommodations that can assist students in their classes. If you would like to learn more about accommodations or how our program can work for your student, I strongly recommend a consultation with a family consultant. There are many families in our program who have students with the same diagnoses and are thriving!

      • All requests for student accommodations must come through Administration. If a child has a learning disability or other documented medical need that impacts his education, VSA would like to be as supportive as possible and provide the parent with reasonable accommodations. If the student has particular needs, the parent must complete the Educational Accommodation Request Form so that the administration might consider how to best support the parent and the child’s learning.

        If indeed it is determined that special accommodations are warranted, a fee of $50 per course will be assessed in an effort to recuperate a portion of the costs VSA administrative and teaching staff incur in the process. The minimum charge for any accommodations is $150 per student. The form can be found in the VSA Parent Group in Schoology.

      • Students in our full-time diploma program will receive official transcripts. If your student is not enrolled in the full-time diploma program, any live or self-paced classes will be included on a report card instead of a transcript. The report card will have to be requested through the Service Team in order for the live and SP classes to be listed together.

      • You can always message your student’s teachers through Schoology messenger. Teachers will provide quarterly comments to update you on what is going well and areas for improvement. Teachers will also send out weekly updates on what has and will be occurring in class.

      • There is no trial period offered for our live classes. I strongly recommend looking at some of our live class samples that have been recorded, posted above. This will give you a good idea of what our classes look like. If you aren’t sure which classes to look at, request a homeschool consultation and our family consultants will be happy to assist!

      • The most significant benefits of live classes are class discussions and interactions with live teachers and students from across the world. With “You Teach,” you will need to teach all concepts and do the grading of your students work. With the live online class, the teacher will take care of that for you!

      • Yes, included in the VSA Technology Handbook you will find tutorials on how to use and navigate Schoology, Adobe Connect, the account management site, and more!