Parents Praise California Connections Academy @ Ripon in Annual Satisfaction Survey

California Connections Academy @ Ripon, a tuition-free online public school serving students in grades K-12 in Alameda, Amador, Calaveras, Contra Costa, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Santa Clara and Stanislaus counties, continues to receive high marks from parents, a new study shows. In its 2014 Parent Satisfaction Survey, 90 percent of parents gave the online school an “A” or “B” grade and 93 percent said they would recommend California Connections Academy to other parents.

Parents gave California Connections Academy high marks for its academic rigor, program flexibility and the high quality of its teachers, among other attributes. Key findings included:

· 98 percent of parents said they were satisfied with the helpfulness of their children’s teachers, specifically praising their responsiveness and accessibility, and 93 percent felt that the teachers were improving their student’s learning experience

· 96 percent of parents found California Connections Academy’s curriculum to be high quality, and 96 percent reported their child was satisfied with the program

· 93 percent of parents agreed that the use of technology is improving their child’s learning experience

· 84 percent of parents are “more satisfied” with Connections Academy than with their previous school

Although no individual survey responses were accessible to Connections Academy, parents were invited to share their thoughts on what they like most about the school and agreed to be quoted. Select parent quotes include:

”We like so many things we can barely choose: The courses and lessons are well done, and fun! Our support from staff is excellent, the field trips are great and the program encourages seamless additional learning through ‘connections’ between all courses and ‘real life’ experiences.”

- Harold Niesen, California Connections Academy parent

“The individualized self-paced program allows my student to learn at a rate that best suits her needs. This supports self-motivation and the desire to fully understand material that is presented in an environment free of distraction.”

- Lorie Carlsson, California Connections Academy parent

Entering its third school year in 2014-15, California Connections Academy expects to serve more than 1,100 students throughout eight counties in the Bay Area and North San Joaquin Valley. State-credentialed teachers work with students and Learning Coaches—generally a parent or other caretaker—to develop customized learning programs that address each student’s personal education needs, while maintaining a curriculum that meets rigorous state education standards.

“We really look to tailor our approach to what works best for each individual student and family,” said Amy Hunt, site administrator at California Connections Academy. “The positive feedback from the annual Parent Satisfaction Survey affirms that our individualized approach and integration of technology are improving students’ learning experiences, and continually helps us improve our effectiveness.”

Enrollment for the 2014-2015 school year is now open, with local information sessions throughout the region for families interested in learning about its online program and individualized approach to education. For more information on California Connections Academy, visit www.CaliforniaConnectionsAcademy.com.

Survey methodology
Connections Academy conducts the annual Parent Satisfaction Survey to find out how parents, guardians and Learning Coaches grade the program in several key areas. The 2014 survey was conducted from January 14 to February 28, 2014 by Shapiro, an independent market research company which created the questionnaire, collected the data, and tabulated the results. No individual responses were accessible to Connections Academy. Parents of all students enrolled at the time of the survey were invited to complete the survey online. A WebMail invitation was sent to each parent, and one response per household was submitted. Approximately 43 percent of households with students enrolled in California Connections Academy at the time of the survey responded.

About California Connections Academy @ Ripon

California Connections Academy @ Ripon is a tuition-free, high-quality, highly accountable virtual public school serving students in grades K-12 in Alameda, Amador, Calaveras, Contra Costa, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Santa Clara and Stanislaus counties. California Connections Academy is fully accredited (grades K-12) by the Schools Commission of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). The school opened in 2012 and is authorized under state law by the Ripon Unified School District. California Connections Academy provides students with the flexibility to learn from anywhere with an innovative curriculum that meets rigorous state education standards. The combination of state-credentialed teachers, a proven curriculum, unique electives such as the Juilliard eLearning program, technology tools and community experiences creates a supportive and successful online learning opportunity for families and children who want an individualized approach to education. For more information, call 800-382-6010 or visit www.CaliforniaConnectionsAcademy.com.