Tips for a Smooth Mid-Year Transfer to Online School

December 12, 2024 byConnections Academy

4 min to read

A smiling teenager on a yellow background holding a yellow notebook.

This article was originally published November 2021 and has been updated December 2024.

There are many reasons families need to transfer their students to a new school. Maybe their child isn’t finding academic success at their current school, or they have social or health issues that require additional care than the school system can accommodate.

To address this, many families looking to transfer schools midyear are turning to online schools for their students.

If your family is thinking about making the switch to K-12 virtual learning, here are some tips to help with a seamless transition to online school. 

Our Top Tips for a Smooth Transition to Online School

1. Find an Online School Near You

Not all online schools are created equal. Do your homework to be sure you’re choosing a high-quality virtual school – one that employs professional and certified/licensed teachers and school counselors. Make sure the school is accredited and offers a wide range of courses and a proven curriculum developed by professional educators. Talk to parents with students currently enrolled in the school and get their insights into the school staff and curriculum.

2. Plan Ahead

The semester break is an ideal time to switch to online school. Large projects and other in-depth lessons are typically completed before the end of the semester, with teachers diving into new content areas at the beginning of the next semester. Making the change at the semester break allows your student to finish any projects at their old school and start their new online school at a time when new projects are just being assigned. Also, several online school electives and other courses are semester-long courses. Starting online school at the beginning of the new semester allows your student to enroll in those classes from the very beginning, limiting missed content.

If you are thinking about making the switch to online school, find out when the semester break happens, and use that information to set a target start date for the new school.

Of course, sometimes life throws you a curve ball—like surprise job changes or family matters. In that case, reach out to the virtual school’s guidance counselors and enrollment officials so they can help you navigate the school transfer smoothly.

3. Get Your Paperwork in Order

It takes time to complete the online school’s enrollment process, so parents should start it sooner rather than later. Check with enrollment officials at the new school for admission deadlines and a list of required documents, which could include:

Application forms
Transcripts
Birth certificate
Immunization records
Other state-specific paperwork

4. Pay Attention to Transfer Credits

Many schools don’t mail fall semester report cards until the spring semester, making it tricky for some parents to prove course completion and to get students’ credits transferred to the new online school. Parents facing this situation should check with their new school’s enrollment counselors to find out what alternative paperwork they can supply, and then they should request it from their previous school.

5. Maintain an Open Dialogue

Going through a midyear school transfer doesn’t end once your student starts classes. Be sure to listen carefully and address your student’s questions and concerns. Continue to communicate with school staff regularly. Teachers, counselors, and administrators are there to help. Maintaining an open dialogue with them is key to a smooth transition to virtual school.

Find your school for more details on transferring mid-year!

How Connections Academy Can Support You

Families who switch to a Connections Academy-supported online school can get support from our enrollment team throughout the enter process. Our enrollment specialists are here to answer your questions and help you get your student prepared for everything they need for their first day of online school from technology assistance to providing learning materials and helping you establish your optimal at-home learning environment.

It's Never Too Late to Make the Switch to Online School

At no time in history have parents had so many different options for their student’s education, including brick-and-mortar public and private schools, online public and private schools, homeschool, charter schools, and learning pods.

Learn why it’s never too late to make the transfer to online school. You can also join one of Connections Academy’s information sessions to learn more about our online public schools to see they are a good fit for your student’s learning journey.