Who can take courses through One Schoolhouse?
Any secondary student anywhere in the world who meets the course requirements can enroll in One Schoolhouse courses. One Schoolhouse courses are challenging courses designed for college-bound students. Students are expected to work between 8-10 hours a week in an AP course, or 6-8 hours a week in a non-AP course. Most students in our courses are from One Schoolhouse consortium schools, a network of some of the best independent schools in North America.
Our school is not a consortium school--can our students still enroll?
Yes! Students and faculty do not need to come from consortium schools to take courses. About 5 percent of students come from outside of our consortium schools. Consortium schools receive at least a 10% discount on student and faculty courses. If you are not sure whether your school is part of the consortium, click here.
What types of courses do you offer?
One Schoolhouse is designed to supplement the courses that our consortium schools offer on campus. We select our courses based on their needs and interests. Students can register for year-long AP and non-AP courses as well as first-semester and summer courses. Our classes are designed to be challenging and relevant for college-bound students. One Schoolhouse is fully accredited with the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools & the Western Association of Schools and Colleges through December 1, 2025, and courses are approved by the College Board and NCAA when appropriate. We offer courses in both girls-only and all-genders sections.
What are classes like?
In many ways, classes at One Schoolhouse have the familiar feel of an independent school class. Teachers care about their students and want students to succeed. In all of our classes, teachers and students set goals at the beginning of the year and work collaboratively to meet those goals. Our students develop strong relationships with each other through discussions and group projects. In our courses, students regularly complete a range of assignments including: reading assignments, watching lectures and videos, collaborating in discussion boards, writing essays, engaging in group projects, practicing problems, and completing traditional and alternative assessments. Course sections are small, ranging from 10-25 students, with an average of 15 students per section in the 2022-2023 school year.
We add to what’s familiar by guiding students to master two core competencies during their time with us:
We add to what’s familiar by guiding students to master two core competencies during their time with us:
- Engaging constructively in a diverse and changing world - Students develop an inclusive world view when they encounter people and ideas that are different from their own, practice empathy, work collaboratively, defend their position with facts respectfully, and demonstrate mastery through real-world application.
- Gaining academic maturity - Courses are scaffolded to promote iteration and designed to reward persistence. Students practice responsibility, intellectual adaptability, interpersonal flexibility, self-regulation, and organization. Because students are given voice and choice in how they progress through the course, they set measurable goals around efficiency and effectiveness.
Who are the teachers?
Our teachers are caring individuals who have taught at independent schools, including some of the top schools around the country. Eighty percent of our faculty holds a master’s degree and/or a terminal degree. Teachers are experienced teachers in their disciplines and adept at creating and managing personalized online learning spaces.
How do students connect with their teacher and other students?
Building an authentic relationship between student and teacher and student and classmates is the foundation of learning and at the heart of One Schoolhouse courses. Teachers and students maintain regular contact with each other during the course. Students connect with classmates and teachers through written and video discussion boards, email, text, video chat, and engage in a combination of these on a weekly basis. These regular contacts will help to ensure that students are continually engaged in their coursework and not falling behind. Teachers also hold weekly virtual office hours, post their phone number and Skype username, and always respond to students within 24 hours.
How challenging are the courses?
97% of our students report that our courses are appropriately challenging or difficult. In our yearlong courses, students spend between 8-10 hours for AP courses and between 6-8 hours for non-AP courses a week. In summer courses, students spend about 20 hours per week on their coursework. These estimates include direct engagement with new material, student self-assessment, practice, application, collaboration with peers, and assessment. We recommended that students map out their schedules in advance for working on an online course to be sure that time is available.
Can students do work on their own time?
Our asynchronous courses are course-paced (not self-paced). Students do enjoy the flexibility in their schedule that online courses allow. There are no scheduled class meetings, but students have weekly assignments and must be able to set meetings as needed with the teacher and classmates. Teachers assign a week or two of work at a time and post deadlines for all assignments. Successful students are self-disciplined and report that they log into their online class daily
How does One Schoolhouse support students?
Just like in any great school, most support for students comes from their teachers. But, knowing that this is the first time that many students choose to take an online course, One Schoolhouse has several layers of additional academic support for students. We partner with a school contact (an on-campus academic administrator) to ensure the student is having a successful online course experience. There is constant communication between One Schoolhouse and the school contact to ensure that students are continually engaged in their coursework and not falling behind.
In addition, One Schoolhouse takes a growth mindset in all that we do. We firmly believe that a large part of any effort to improve should come from the suggestions of our students. We value each student’s voice and the student experience in the classroom. For that reason, we ask students to provide evaluative feedback about the class regularly. Teachers are also provided with anonymous survey results. They use student feedback to refine their practice and to hone that particular course.
In addition, One Schoolhouse takes a growth mindset in all that we do. We firmly believe that a large part of any effort to improve should come from the suggestions of our students. We value each student’s voice and the student experience in the classroom. For that reason, we ask students to provide evaluative feedback about the class regularly. Teachers are also provided with anonymous survey results. They use student feedback to refine their practice and to hone that particular course.
How do students access their course?
Students receive a username, password, and instructions on accessing the Learning Management System via email on the day before the course begins. Before each class begins, students complete an orientation that will introduce them to the standard learning technologies used at One Schoolhouse and to the help and support that they have. We encourage students to spend 2-4 hours working through the orientation to One Schoolhouse.
How do students take tests?
For tests, this varies from class to class. Classes may have assessments online, partly online, or not online at all. Teachers ask students to arrange for a proctor at their home school for major assessments. Proctors (normally the school contacts) must be arranged well in advance. The proctor ensures exam security and can call One Schoolhouse if the student encounters a problem while taking the test. In AP courses, AP-style testing is simulated in preparation for the exam.
How does One Schoolhouse approach courses that would benefit from a field trip or lab?
A number of our courses can provide virtual field trips – such as our AP Art History course which has access to virtual museums around the world, and our AP Environmental Science course that did a virtual tour of a city wastewater treatment plant. On occasion, there may be an option in one of the personalized pathways for a student to take a field trip. But we would not require it for all students since not all our students have access to transportation to go out and tour something.
In our science labs, we teach courses in which students receive a supply list and/or kits that they order as part of the courses. A teacher may do a demo lab and the student would be required to do the lab and report out on it, or students may work with assigned materials to design and perform experiments at home. They may be required to build, engineer or modify something from their kits. We find these options very effective in our science courses.
In our science labs, we teach courses in which students receive a supply list and/or kits that they order as part of the courses. A teacher may do a demo lab and the student would be required to do the lab and report out on it, or students may work with assigned materials to design and perform experiments at home. They may be required to build, engineer or modify something from their kits. We find these options very effective in our science courses.
How do students order books and supplies?
We send out a course resources list one month before the start of the course. The list contains detailed information regarding required software, textbooks, and lab supplies, and provides an optional link for purchasing the materials. While students are expected to have the correct items, there is no set website for textbook purchasing. Some courses do not have textbooks.
How do report cards and transcripts work?
Each school handles grades and transcripts slightly differently. Many schools add One Schoolhouse courses onto their student transcripts, while other schools attach the One Schoolhouse transcript to their own transcript. Some factor grade point averages into student GPAs, others do not. Some weight AP courses; others do not. We encourage schools to discuss this topic with the One Schoolhouse Academic Team, who have helped many schools determine policies that fit well with their school culture and policy guidelines – parents should check on this topic with an administrator at their child’s school. We send quarterly report cards with narrative comments to students, schools, and families. Students and schools receive an official transcript with semester and year-end grades that their sending schools can transfer to their own transcripts or send directly to colleges.
If students take an AP® course, are they required to take the AP® exam?
We expect but do not require you to take the AP® exam. A student will take the exam at the student's home school. Students will be expected to contact their home school’s AP® coordinator to make these arrangements. Our teachers will continue to offer review and help sessions after classes officially end until the date of your AP® exam.
What technology is required?
In order to provide a consistent experience to all our students, One Schoolhouse requires that student computers meet certain minimum standards to successfully participate in our online courses. Please see our Technology Requirements & Policies for more information.
Getting Started
How do students enroll?
For school year courses, we encourage schools to centralize registration within their school to one person. This will give the school internal control over registration of their students. Registration for school year courses opens in January.
For summer courses, either the school can enroll students or the individual student can enroll himself/herself. Registration for summer courses opens in January.
- Tuition for school-year courses must be paid by the school that enrolls the student from their permanent school program;
- Schools can still pass some or all of this cost along to families at their schools, but from the One Schoolhouse perspective, schools will be responsible for tuition for their students; and
- Schools may not charge any person more for One Schoolhouse courses than the stated tuition rate that the school pays—that is they may not “up charge” families for online courses through One Schoolhouse.
For summer courses, either the school can enroll students or the individual student can enroll himself/herself. Registration for summer courses opens in January.
What is the deadline for registering for courses?
We recommend strongly that students are enrolled before classes begin. However, we will enroll students through the end of the drop/add period, see our current academic calendar here.
When do courses start?
Our courses run from September through the end of April. First semester is September through December and second semester is mid-January through the end of April. We have an extended winter break but no spring break. Our summer courses run from June through August. Click here to access to the school calendar.
What is the add/drop policy?
Please find our policy here.
Can students withdraw mid-year from a course?
If a student decides to withdraw mid-year, transcript will indicate withdrawing with a passing or failing grade. Credit it not awarded until completion of the entire course in the spring. We provide transcripts to students, parents, and schools but not directly to colleges.