FAQs – About – Founders Classical Academy

Find answers to many of your commonly asked questions.

Will the curriculum be the same as other Founders Classical Academies?

The curriculum is the same as the Founders academies, but with some additions to accommodate state policies and online limitations.

What grade levels does Founders Classical Academy - Online offer?

Grades K-8 for the 2024-2025 school year.

Is this the same as home school?

No. Students will be taught in a live classroom setting and will be required to take state standardized tests.

How often would my child be online with their teacher?

Because classical education stresses the importance of teacher-directed instruction, your child will be online with their teacher for no more than 2 to 3 hours per day for grades K-2, no more than 3 to 4 hours per day for grades 3-5, and no more than 4 hours per day for grades 6-8. All core subjects - language arts, mathematics, history, and science - will be taught virtually during the school week. Asynchronous work will also be assigned.

What Learning Management System (LMS) is used?

Google Classical for asynchronous learning
Google Meet for synchronous learning
Bright Thinker / Buzz Agilix for certain classes

What days do students meet?

Monday is considered a Asynchronous day. Although students do not meet for live classes on Monday, they are still required to complete any given assignments.
Students are required to be online daily for their live synchronous classes. Synchronous classes meet every Tuesday-Friday.

Is my student eligible to enroll in Founders Classical Academy - Online?

Visit this page for eligibility requirements.

Is all instruction live, pre-recorded, or both?

Teaching occurs live with teachers (synchronously), but in certain cases may be accessed via recordings or through the Bright Thinker learning system. At times when a teacher knows she may be out in advance, a pre-recorded session might adlso be shared with students to minimize lost instructional time. There is also asynchronous work that will be provided each day.

How many teachers will my student be assigned?

Depends on the grade level. Grades K-5 will have one teacher for all content areas, including electives; Grades 6-8 will have at least five teachers (one for each core content area of mathematics, science, history, and social studies, and it varies with electives, like Latin and Logic).

Are all books online or will supplies be shipped to us?

Needed materials are either online or will be shipped to you. For grades 3-5, History and Science curricula are accessed online, while English Language Arts and Mathematics materials will be shipped to the student.

For grades 6-8, Science and History curricula are accessed online, while English Language Arts, Latin, and some history materials will be shipped to the student.

Additionally, there will be a need to purchase supplies similar to a brick-and-mortar setting (e.g. notebooks, writing utensils, paper, ruler, calculator, experiment-related items, etc.).

Is the curriculum self-paced?

No. There are daily and weekly progress expectations that will be communicated. All instruction is live and teacher-directed. Students will be required to do a little more independent work, reading, etc. than students at a brick and mortar Founders Classical Academy.

Can students finish early and move on to the next grade level? If so, which grades would this be allowed?

As a general rule of thumb, this is not encouraged. Our classical curriculum is rigorous and challenging and follows a prescribed sequence. There may be instances when a student’s mathematics abilities are exceptional and it would be academically beneficial to move that student into a math class above their grade level.

State Testing

Participation in STAAR exams is required for grades 3-8. All STAAR exams are conducted in person at an assigned testing location, generally one of our Founders campuses. The parent is required to provide transportation to/from the assigned testing location.

Eligibility for expelled students or students assigned to a Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP)

This is determined according to ResponsiveEd board policy on a case-by-case basis. Students with disciplinary history will still get accepted as long as they have completed any program they were assigned to due to the issue AND/OR they are not trying to use us to replace that program assigned to them.

Are students allowed to travel out of state for extended periods of time when enrolled in your school?

Students are expected to access their coursework, classes, and live sessions during all scheduled school days. The academic calendar is provided on the first day as well as during enrollment and online. In addition, students MUST attend state-required standardized testing in person at their assigned location.

What is the Connected Classroom?

The Connected Classroom is a new program for the 2024-2025 school year for grades 6-8. Students will receive live instruction from teachers at the Founders academy in Plainview, TX. Students will log in to synchronous classes and complete assignments according to the Plainview teachers' syllabi and standards. While there will not be live interaction during the synchronous classes, the students will engage with the same classical curriculum as their peers. Weekly office hours with Plainview teachers as well as homeroom with Founders Online staff will be held to monitor student progress and adress the needs of the students.

What is the best way to contact FCA Online?

Email is the best way to reach us. Emails can be found in the Staff Directory.