Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

New Virtual Public School Approved for Students in Grades K-12 in Washington

  • 03/17/16

Olympia, Wash.  — Washington Connections Academy (WACA), a full-time virtual public school, has been approved by the Mary M. Knight School District to serve students in grades K-12 statewide. Washington Connections Academy will begin serving grades K-8 in the 2016-17 school year and an additional grade will be added each subsequent school year. The new school will deliver technology-enhanced, tuition-free, public school online to students statewide.

Enrollment for the 2016-17 school year is currently open for students across the state. Interested families are encouraged to attend one of the information sessions being planned across the state and online to find out if virtual school is the right fit for their students. For a complete list of events, visit: www.WashingtonConnectionsAcademy.com/events.

Dr. Ellen Perconti, Superintendent of the Mary M. Knight School District, commented: “We believe that a variety of learning options, including online courses and programs, are critical for 21st century learning and look forward to providing students across the state with this innovative, enriching public school option. Our mission is to provide students a personalized, positive, challenging, and safe learning environment with support from Washington-certified teachers, parents, and the community.”

The academy will combine Washington-certified teachers, an award-winning curriculum, technology tools, engaging electives, and social experiences to create a supportive and successful online learning program for families and students who want an individualized approach to education. As a public school, there are no fees or tuition to attend and all students are required to take the same state assessments as traditional public school students.

A virtual school approach serves a wide range of students, including those who are significantly ahead or behind in the classroom, those who need a flexible schedule or learn at a different pace from their peers, and those who need more individualized attention or live in isolated rural settings.

All Washington Connections Academy students will participate in the nationally accredited Connections Academy program that combines high-quality resources from leading publishers with cutting-edge, yet easy-to-use, technology tools and hands-on materials. Learning from home, students will work closely with licensed Washington teachers using detailed daily lesson plans that can be personalized to meet individual student needs. A parent, or another adult “Learning Coach,” monitors progress in the home. Curriculum and other services are contracted through Connections Education, a leading provider of high-quality, highly accountable online learning that has been supporting schools for over a decade. Connections Education is accredited by AdvancED.

In preparation for its inaugural academic year, the district will be identifying a teaching center in the Olympia area and hiring a Principal and team of teachers who will be based in Washington. For more information, visit www.ConnectionsAcademy.com.

Featured

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.

  • Johns Hopkins Starts Construction on New Residence Hall, Dining Facility

    The Homewood Campus of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., recently began construction on a new residence hall and dining facility, according to university news. The work involves demolishing the existing Alumni Memorial Residence Hall I, which was built in 1923, to make room for the new facility.

  • UT-San Antonio Begins Residence Hall Renovations

    The University of Texas at San Antonio recently began a $6-million renovation project to one of its residence halls, according to a news release. Originally completed in 1986, Chisolm Hall measures in at 120,860 square feet and is the oldest and largest residence hall on campus.

  • St. John Fisher University

    Classroom Revitalization – Basil Hall Room 216

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. St. John Fisher University's Basil Hall Room 216 Classroom Revitalization has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of Spaces.