Prisma is the world's most engaging virtual school. Our comprehensive, accredited program for grades 4-12 offers an innovative, research-backed approach that equips learners with the skills they need to thrive in the future while cultivating a lifelong love of learning. Our fully remote team of expert educators and curriculum designers now serves just shy of 500 learners in over 20 countries across 5 continents.
Prisma is technically a US-based, Florida-accredited private school. Some learners who attend Prisma consider themselves homeschoolers, and others don't. This choice may largely depend upon where your family lives, and in many areas you get to choose.
Learners who graduate from Prisma receive an accredited US private high school diploma that meets university entrance requirements and includes all courses required for graduation.
Some long-time homeschoolers or parents who feel excited and equipped to take a leading role in their child's education choose the Parent Coach program, where they—instead of a Prisma educator—serve as their child's mentor coach. This option is available for grades 4-8 only and has lower tuition because the parent takes on the mentor coach role.
Yes. Prisma is accredited by Cognia, a nonprofit organization that provides quality assurance for schools, school districts, and education service providers around the world. Cognia is the most globally well-respected K-12 accreditor (recognized in over 70 countries internationally) that's also approved in all 50 US states.
Cognia, formerly AdvancED, recognizes schools that meet rigorous standards focused on productive learning environments, equitable resource allocation that meets the needs of learners, and effective leadership. Earning accreditation from the Cognia Global Accreditation Commission means that Prisma is accredited, and that Prisma is recognized internationally and in every U.S. state as a school that meets Cognia Standards of Quality, and maintains a commitment to continuous improvement.
Dr. Mark A. Elgart, president and CEO of Cognia, stated, “Cognia Accreditation is a rigorous process that focuses the entire school and its community on the primary goal of preparing lifelong learners in engaging environments where all students can flourish. Prisma is to be commended for demonstrating that it has met high standards, and is making progress on key indicators that impact student learning.”
Cognia is the parent organization of the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI).
Prisma learners graduate with an accredited US private high school diploma.
Many online schools simply transfer textbook material and testing to a digital format, provide virtual teacher-centered lectures, and then expect students to successfully learn. Prisma’s approach is entirely different and also offers so much more:
On our Mission page, you can see 6 short videos where Prisma's CEO, Kristen Shroff (who's been with Prisma since day 1!), talks about what makes Prisma so unique.
Our mission is to ignite a lifelong love of learning and prepare learners to thrive in a rapidly changing world. We believe that to thrive means to be able to engage in fulfilling work, form and maintain positive relationships, and cultivate well-being, while being driven to create a positive impact.
The Prisma community is incredibly diverse! Some Prisma families are experienced homeschoolers who are looking for a bit more community or support teaching higher level academic subjects in an engaging way. Some Prisma families were previously enrolled in public or private schools that weren't meeting the needs of their children: due to rigid, dry curriculum; limited opportunity to accelerate or deepen learning; ineffective teaching; lack of inclusion for kids who learn differently; a toxic peer culture; or some combination of the above. Some Prisma families want to take advantage of the increased flexibility available by learning online to travel the world, spend more time together, or pursue deep interests (some Prisma kids are professional actors or athletes). And other Prisma families simply believe that the old way of educating kids doesn't make sense for the 21st century and decided to join the revolution!
Prisma's lower and middle school programs serve grades 4-8 (years 5-9 UK), and our high school program serves grades 9-12 (years 10-13 UK). Prisma learners range from age 9-19, and we admit new learners transferring into Prisma through grade 11.
A key part of Prisma’s mission is to create a global network of young people who learn and grow together in mutually enriching community. As such, we are expanding the time zones in which we have cohorts as quickly as sustainably possible.
As of now, learners need to be fully fluent in English (including reading and writing at a native level). Prisma is available globally for grades 4-8, and for high school Prisma learners currently reside time zones UTC-10 to UTC+2. We plan to offer Prisma High School in Asia & Oceania starting in August 2026 and already have a small group of Asia-based learners asynchronously enrolled in Prisma High for the 2025/26 academic year.
Want Prisma in your time zone? Join our waitlist for a new cohort launch by filling out this form.
We believe that:
See What we believe about learning for more!
Our mission is to prepare learners to thrive in a rapidly changing world. Studies show that 65% of today’s elementary school students will work in careers yet to be invented. We must cultivate learners who are adaptable, with the skills to teach themselves anything. The Prisma Powers are the core capacities that allow people to thrive in uncertain situations. Everything we do is centered around building these four superpowers in learners:
The Prisma Powers
When learners experience a rigorous, project-based curriculum grounded in decades of research that offers lots of choice and the freedom to explore their interests within a supportive, collaborative environment, outcomes (as conventionally measured) are also incredibly strong!
And, Prisma learners achieve these results without an emphasis on traditional testing or a stress-provoking, highly competitive school culture that prioritizes rote memorization and 'teaching to the test.' 100% of Prisma seniors have a goal for their future that they're excited about and actively pursuing, and the education they've experienced along the way has truly been personalized to them. While growth in learner autonomy, self-esteem, self-direction, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving aren't as easily quantifiable as growth in Math, the lifelong value of these skills can't be overemphasized.
See our Learning Framework for more!
Learners who attend Prisma are prepared with all the prerequisite skills to be successful in any rigorous academic program. They also graduate with a unique portfolio of projects in all subjects, service learning experiences, and authentic writing assignments. They complete a year-long capstone, an internship, and have the opportunity to tackle dual enrollment, AP, and advanced/honors coursework. Portfolios and projects are becoming increasingly recognized as essential in developing a standout college application.
Learners who have graduated from Prisma Middle School have been accepted to competitive private high schools and accelerated programs such as Cooke Young Scholars. In the words of one parent whose child was accepted to a competitive program after Prisma: "I firmly believe that her time at Prisma made that possible. The application questions were big open-ended things that she knew just how to digest, research, and respond to, and that gave her a real leg up. Plus, all the cool hands-on, photo-worthy projects she had completed made her application stand out from the crowd!"
Prisma High School graduated its first class of seniors in 2025. (100% of Prisma seniors applying to university were accepted to more than one, including a top 75 university and at least one of their top 3 schools of choice!) All high schoolers graduate with an official diploma and accredited transcript that meets, and often exceeds, university entrance requirements. Our innovative LaunchPad program prepares learners for the next stage of their lives through a rigorous college & career exploration process, preparation for tests like the SAT & ACT, and individualized college application support. Learners also have the opportunity to participate in optional pathways like Merit Scholars, Impact Fellows, the Duke of Edinburgh program, AP, and dual enrollment. Mentor coaches provide personalized letters of recommendation and advice. We also support learners in designing a capstone project, completing an outside internship, and writing a dynamite college essay.
Prisma lower & middle schoolers (grades 4-8) get a cycle report every six weeks that shows badges earned and a narrative assessment as well as a transcript at the end of the year that shows all badges earned and competencies mastered over the course of the academic year. In this video, Prisma's Head of Curriculum for grades 4-8, Helen Reinecke, illustrates how Prisma's interdisciplinary, project-based themes map to a comprehensive set of competencies and standards that ensure high school readiness.
Prisma high schoolers (grades 9-12) receive a conventional transcript that's easily digested by university admissions officers. The transcript includes courses taken, credits earned, and their cumulative & weighted GPA. This more traditional transcript is achieved through innovative means and maintains Prisma's interdisciplinary, personalized, learner-centric approach. In this video, Prisma's Head of High School, Leena Williams, explains Prisma's approach to mastery-based assessment, grades, and transcripts.
The 2025/26 Prisma year begins on Monday, August 25th!
Our academic year is organized into 12-week sessions (Fall, Winter, and Spring). High schoolers do one theme every 12 weeks, and lower & middle schoolers (grades 4-8) do one theme every 6 weeks. At the end of each 12-week session, parents, coaches, and learners meet for conferences to discuss learner progress and set goals.
Orientation typically begins the last week of August, and Prisma runs until early June. There's a 2-week break in December and a 1-week break in late March or early April each year, as well as no Prisma workshops on all US federally recognized holidays.
Prisma's Asia & Oceania annual calendar differs slightly from January through June.
There are as many different schedules as there are learners at Prisma! We live in different time zones, have a wide range of interests, and engage in varying outside commitments. Prisma allows for substantial flexibility while also prioritizing collaboration and community. You'll get to build your child's schedule collaboratively with your learner's mentor coach when you enroll.
If you are wondering whether Prisma could work with your family's schedule, the answer is likely yes! But if you want to have a sense of how you could build your learner's day, read on.
Sample Schedule:
Chat with us 1-on-1 to see how your child's current weekly schedule could line up with a well-matched Prisma cohort.
When we surveyed new learners, 86% said they had made friends at Prisma after just 6 weeks. Prisma provides considerable opportunities for kids to form friendships, from our Standups, where learners meet daily with their coach and cohort to share their thoughts and have fun, to team challenges, small-group exercises, and group projects.
From Coding to Dungeons & Dragons to Art to Cooking, we also have many popular learner-led Clubs, coach-led Enrichments, and partner-program Amplifiers as well as a vibrant online learner forum. We also incorporate lots of one-off celebrations and extra events, from the annual Talent Show to the Prisma 100th Day Party to cohort Family Game Nights.
Many Prisma families also choose to organize in-person regional meetups and mini microschool-style learning hubs. The Prisma Parent Community also organizes a few large-scale learner Endeavors each year! Parents use Prisma's Mighty Networks community space to connect with one another, post upcoming events, and sign their learner up for fun extras!
All of the optional enhancements mentioned here are included in your child's tuition except for Amplifiers, which are run by either carefully vetted partner programs, like Coco Coders, or by Prisma coaches when Prisma's on break!
We've designed Prisma to be highly flexible and also provide the level of structure and support that matches each individual family and learner's needs. Some families have consistent daily learning routines that provide a consistent, stable learning environment and others are much more 'go with the flow' as they travel for family adventures and competitive tournaments, prioritize time together in nature when the weather's nice, etc. A wide range of approaches can work great! The key is to partner with your child's Prisma coach to create the level of consistency, flexibility, and structure that empowers your child to do their best work and feel supported.
How live time works at Prisma:
Every Prisma learner is part of a well-matched peer cohort that meets daily Monday through Thursday for interactive live workshops! The exact makeup and quantity of live time depends upon which program a learner participates in. (Lower School for grades 4-5 has more frequent, shorter live literacy-focused workshops, for example, whereas the High School has more independent learning that's highly personalized and feedback-driven.) Fridays are a customizable, flex day with lots of opportunities to meet live for optional activities like learner-led Clubs, coach office hours, and expert guest speaker series.
On average, learners spend about 2-2.5 hours daily in live, synchronous workshops (i.e. classes) led by Prisma coaches (i.e. teachers) over Zoom. Your child's cohort and math placements set the live workshop times each day, and we have several options that map to different time zones, academic rigor levels, grade levels, personality and interests, etc. Learners typically are part of the same cohort with the same coach and schedule all year long! Some learners even have the same mentor coach and continue to learn together with largely the same peer community for 2-3 years.
What Prisma doesn't offer:
While Prisma is highly flexible, we purposefully don't offer "ultimate flexibility." We've intentionally chosen to prioritize connection & collaboration with peers and inspiring mentorship & engaging live instruction from Prisma coaches, which means we need to show up with one another to create an engaging, vibrant learning community. With ultimate flexibility comes boring recorded lectures, never-ending multiple choice quizzes, and a lack of connection & support—a tradeoff we aren't willing to make!
That being said, if your child needs to miss a live workshop here and there, that's totally fine! They can access the workshop recording and partner with their coach to stay on track. Some families even take a week off here and there to travel! What wouldn't be ideal is if your child were to miss their Literacy Lab workshop every week, for example, because the live/synchronous aspects of Prisma work in tandem with the independent/asynchronous aspects of Prisma. If a learner consistently misses live time, they'd both begin to struggle and would also impact their small team within their cohort when it comes to team-based challenges and collaboration.
We also don't offer a fully structured school day where your child is live on Zoom for 5-6 hours jumping from one class to the next and expected to engage in their work amidst the distractions of being online with others. At Prisma, each learner spends 2-3 hours per day deeply engaged in independent, personalized learning that matches their unique growth needs and interests and offers them space to enter a flow state without outside distractions. The asynchronous, personalized learning time can happen whenever you'd like, so there's a lot of flexibility woven into each day!
Lastly, we don't offer à la carte, part-time, or summer school versions of Prisma. Prisma is accredited, comprehensive, and full time. Learning at Prisma is much more purposeful and efficient than a typical school day, and Prisma empowers each child to pursue their interests & passions, including beyond Prisma. Learners at Prisma often engage in outside enrichments, hobbies, tutoring or therapies, sports, etc. and are encouraged to get out in their local communities to foster local connections, make friends, volunteer, and prioritize daily physical movement!
At the beginning of each theme, families and learners are given a detailed guide to all of the academic work for the cycle. Tasks are managed through a Prisma start page, Google Classroom, task lists, and chat platform with learning coaches. When your learner signs on for the day, they will see their upcoming due dates and be able to access all of their work from their start page. When your child finishes a task, they check it off their task list and submit it to their mentor coach for feedback. Support and reminders for upcoming tasks are given during live workshops, Standup & support time, and 1:1s. Coaches also send parents regular updates on their learner's progress.
It's our goal that all Prisma learners develop the Initiative & Follow Through to manage this process independently. However, especially when new to Prisma, some learners need more parent support in getting started on tasks, staying on track each day, and planning work time to comfortably meet deadlines. Our mentor coaches are experts in gradually building task management and executive functioning skills and will partner with you in this process!
Your level of involvement will vary depending on the needs of your child. Some children are able to quickly navigate Prisma fully independently. Others need more support, especially at first. We expect parents—together with their child’s coach—to periodically evaluate how much autonomy is right for their child. This is an evolving process, with learners progressing toward greater self-direction as they move through their Prisma journey.
If your learner is a self-starter who can consistently initiate and complete academic work, including writing, independently, you'll likely spend less than an hour per day supporting them. If your learner needs lots of support getting started on work or struggles to stay on track or write independently, you may need to spend more than two hours. Many learners begin Prisma somewhere in between, and all learners grow their self-management skills with Prisma's focus on Initiative and Follow Through.
We believe there are highly valuable ways for kids to use screens (e.g. for research, learning about topics of interest, and collaborating with kids from other places) and less valuable ways for kids to use screens. We (and a body of academic research) disagree with the idea that screen time is inherently bad.
Prisma learners participate in engaging, live online workshops with their cohort (typically 2-2.5 hours per day), and they're online for some aspects of their asynchronous learning and projects (e.g. to write responses & read materials, an average of 2 hours per day). We also believe there is great value to off-screen, hands-on learning, so we include as many off-screen options into our curriculum as possible. For example, a theme may include a project where learners could visit a historical landmark in their area, conduct a hands-on science experiment, or choreograph & film a dance performance.
Our curriculum allows learners to go at their own pace, make choices about how to demonstrate their learning, and connect learning to their interests. Some learners with special needs need fewer supports at Prisma than in a traditional environment due to Prisma's flexibility, interest-driven approach, 1:1 mentorship, and personalization.
Our learning coaches are experienced educators who are trained in neuroinclusive education best practices and equipped to support learners of all abilities. They will work with your family to understand what kinds of accommodations have worked and not worked for your learner in the past, any challenges they may face interacting with our curriculum, and what lights them up as a learner. They will collaborate with you to customize the Prisma experience to best suit your learner's needs. We also have a neuroinclusive education specialist available to provide counseling and work with learners who may need additional support.
In high school, our LaunchPad program supports learners with special needs in their post-secondary transitions, including providing support in applying for accommodations on ACT/SAT testing as well as assisting in ensuring learner accommodations follow them into their next phase.
Many families of learners with special needs report the Prisma peer community to be the most accepting and supportive of any learning environment they've experienced, and parents of learners with special needs can also connect with each other to share resources, support one another, or attend Prisma guest speaker events with topics like executive functioning.
In order to participate in Prisma, learners need a strong internet connection and consistent access to a laptop or desktop computer (not a tablet) with a camera and a microphone designated for the learner's daytime use. Mac and Windows operating systems are both great! We just recommend an internet speed of at minimum 25 mbps and that your child's device has at least 8 GB of RAM so they don't experience technical challenges navigating live workshops or digital learning tools. We also strongly recommend learners have access to a quiet and private learning space that’s free from distraction.
If any materials are needed for a project-focused workshop, you'll have plenty of advance notice, and the supplies are simple (easily obtained from a local grocery store or already in your house). We don't utilize physical textbooks, and all Prisma curriculum is delivered and accessed virtually.
Prisma offers a robust orientation and onboarding ramp-up experience that shows learners how to utilize the tools and platforms we navigate at Prisma. If your child can't yet independently navigate online live video or virtual learning tools, we'll support them along the way to grow their tech skills. If your child can't yet type or doesn't know the basics of how to navigate a computer, we recommend you support them to grow these skills in advance of joining Prisma so they feel more confident when they begin.
Prisma coaches are caring, inspiring individuals who love kids and are deeply motivated to facilitate their growth. All Prisma coaches have extensive teaching experience, and many have been honored with prestigious teaching awards, such as the Golden Apple, Teacher of the Year, and New Teacher of the Year. We call them coaches instead of teachers because of their role. (This video shows why we made that choice!) Learning Coaches go through a rigorous selection process that includes multiple interviews, a written assignment, extensive reference checking, and a thorough background check. We even ask prospective coaches to facilitate a 'trial workshop' for Prisma learners, and then survey learners themselves on what they think of the candidate. We hire less than 1% of coach applicants, and our coaches are part of our core team with competitive salaries and benefits.
100% of coaches are returning to Prisma for the 2nd year in a row, so cohort and mentorship bonds are stronger than ever! Check out this video to see what mentor coaching is like at Prisma!
At Prisma, each learner is matched with a best-of-the-best educator to motivate, mentor, and guide their learning journey through 1-on-1 academic feedback and support.
Mentor Coaches are responsible for the following:
If you select the Parent Coach program, you take on the mentor coaching role for your child!
Some long-time homeschoolers or parents who feel excited and equipped to take a leading role in their child's education choose the Parent Coach program, where they—instead of a Prisma educator—serve as their child's mentor coach. This option is available for grades 4-8 only and has lower tuition because the parent takes on the mentor coach role.
If you want to go on your child's learning journey together and be an active part of their day-to-day Prisma experience, including tackling personalized academic feedback, assessment, and mentorship, you may enjoy being your child's coach.
What both options have in common:
How the options differ:
The Parent Coach program can be a great fit for parents who are experienced homeschoolers, educators, or otherwise feel both competent and have the daily time capacity to take on the above roles in their child's education.
*Families who choose Parent Coach can add Prisma Math Coaching. Learn more.
**Prisma Scholarships aren't available for the Parent Coach program.
Parent Coach is a program option available to learners in grades 4-8 only.
Within the Parent Coach program, there are two routes:
How are they different?
If you choose to be your learner’s math coach (Parent Coach program without Prisma Math Coaching), here’s what you can expect:
If you choose to opt into math coaching with a Prisma math coach, here’s what you can expect:
We view the relationship between Prisma coaches and learners' parents/families as a partnership! Coaches view connecting with a learner's family as an opportunity to collaborate and strategize around how to best support each unique learner. By working together, we can co-create the most beneficial possible experience for your child. You’ll have direct contact information for your child’s coach and are invited to reach out any time.
When you join Prisma, you and your child will meet with their coach to get to know one another and set goals for your child's growth. After that, you'll conference at least every 12 weeks to reflect on your child's progress. Some coaches and parents meet more regularly than this, and you are welcome to book coach office hours as the need arises.
Parents receive weekly updates on their learner's progress and have lots of visibility into their work. Prisma coaches also regularly post highlights and updates on Mighty Networks, Prisma's interactive parent community platform.
One of our coaches’ primary roles is to provide proactive, caring mentorship, accountability, motivation, and support to your child and other learners in their cohort. Whether connecting your child with a different learning resource to better match how they learn best, unpacking roadblocks in moments when they feel stuck, empowering them to shoot for a wild goal that is achievable with effort, or simply supporting them during a difficult day, your child’s coach is engaged and eager to lend a hand where beneficial!
We regularly receive emails, like this one from Eli's mom, Rachel, shouting out the responsiveness and skill of our coaches:
"I’d like to give kudos to Eli’s coach, Chioma. I truly believe when a good job is done it should be recognized. Chioma has been nothing but professional in all of our interactions but it goes further than that. As Prisma’s environment is very new to us, her patience with our questions and issues has been very welcome. Chioma has taken our inquiries and concerns and has thoughtfully and respectfully incorporated them into her responses and workflow. With a specific concern regarding measurements of Eli’s progress she has devised a rubric to help us better understand where he stands. I believe this will enable us to help him on our end with more specific guidance to make the Prisma experience the best it can be. Chioma actively listens and responds and the care she takes with us, as well as Eli, is evident and much appreciated. Sincerely, Rachel"
And, your child doesn't only receive support from their Mentor Coach. We offer co-working time, math Boosts and intervention, a NeuroNest Enrichment to support neurodiverse learners in growing executive functioning and social-emotional skills, 1:1 life coaching with a Prisma counselor, 1:1 executive functioning support coaching with a neuroinclusive education specialist, etc. If you ever are feeling like your child needs more support, just reach out! We likely have a solution to support your family.
The goal of our curriculum is for learners to master all the most essential skills for future success: both academics and real-world skills like innovative thinking and collaboration. We don’t believe these skills should be an ‘add-on’ to literacy, social studies, and science. At Prisma, these competencies are authentically fused together in interdisciplinary themes like Cities of the Future or Unsolved Mysteries.
Every theme includes both independent work and live workshops where learners collaborate and debate. Learners start by exploring foundational concepts, then create their own projects, which they proudly present at our Expo Day celebration.
Each year at Prisma is a journey through a set of themes covering different skills and subjects. Our curriculum team has carefully mapped our scope of themes using international standards to ensure comprehensive coverage. All learners walk away from a theme having learned the same core skills, and they have immense choice within the theme to tailor it to their interests.
Unlike most schools, Prisma does not expect its teachers to also serve as curriculum developers. Our Learning Coaches focus on building bonds with kids, giving them personalized, actionable feedback on their work, and building community.
Our interdisciplinary, project-based curriculum is built by a team of innovative, experienced designers. They've brought to Prisma a range of experiences creating cutting-edge curriculum for organizations like the George Lucas Foundation, Achievement First, major school districts like BPS with TNTP, Sesame Workshop, Scratch, and the Virginia Department of Education. Our team has expertise in all subjects from literacy to math to coding to art, and they're laser-focused on designing projects, workshops, and missions that are 'hard fun.'
Each piece of curriculum your learner experiences goes through multiple rounds of edits and aligns to our own Learning Framework that includes our own competencies as well as key standards from Common Core, Next Generation Science Standards, international standards, and more. We also ask learners what they think about the curriculum and use their ideas to create even better learning experiences!
We believe that learners are more than a test score and that many skills essential for future success cannot be reliably assessed via traditional assessments. We use our badge system at the lower & middle school level and credit system at the high school level to measure learner progress in all competencies, from academic skills, like Reading, Math, and Writing, to key life skills, like Goal Setting, Oral Presentation, and Media Literacy. We believe that measuring what learners can do when applied to a real-world project is much more meaningful than selecting the correct answer from a list of multiple choices.
That said, Prisma learners take the internationally-recognized NWEA MAP assessment three times per year to help us understand where each learner is in certain academic skills and to ensure that we're meeting the goals of our families. Per this adaptive assessment, which measures an individual learner's growth relative to expected growth, Prisma learners, on average, grow 204% in Math and 168% in Reading each year.
We also support Prisma high school learners in preparing for the SAT and/or ACT, though as a virtual school, we cannot proctor the exams ourselves. Prisma upperclassmen achieve an average SAT score in the 93rd percentile (28% above the US national average).
Grading as practiced in traditional schools is broken. The purpose of assessment should be to track development of essential skills, but in many schools it becomes a) the only way to motivate kids to complete work and b) more about checking boxes than measuring knowledge.
Our assessment looks more like feedback does in the real world, combined with a transcript system using mastery-based grading. Before earning badges or credits, learners get ample feedback and revise their work until it's truly their best, rather than turning it in once and forgetting about it.
Lower & Middle School learners (in grades 4-8) earn badges for mastering skills. At the beginning of each year, parents are provided with a theme map that outlines the subjects, skills, and topics that will be covered. At the start of each theme, families are invited to a curriculum preview to learn about the upcoming cycle.
Each project is broken into multiple badges based on the academic standards covered (for example, they might earn a Physics: Forces & Motion badge, Design Thinking badge, and Model Engineering badge for a toy design project). Learners can earn all, none, or some of the badges based on the quality of their efforts and the assessment of their coach. They also have the opportunity to earn badges with distinction (meaning they went above and beyond in their mastery).
During each theme, you'll have full access to your learner's work, tasks, and feedback. Theme resources are also shared with parents on Mighty Networks. You'll receive regular updates from their Mentor Coach with their progress toward earning badges in each skill or concept we are focusing on in the theme, including written feedback on what they need to improve to earn any badges they aren't on track to earn. At the end of the theme, you'll receive an assessment from your child's coach that includes which badges they've earned and a narrative explaining their strong and weak points during the cycle. This information will go on their transcript.
High School learners (in grades 9-12) receive traditional grades and earn traditional credits because these are more understandable in the college admissions process. (Prisma's university acceptance rate is currently 100%, with all Prisma seniors being accepted into at least one of their top 3 choices!) However, our process is more akin to a review process in a job than traditional high school grading.
Coaches provide ongoing feedback to support revision and iteration. Learners collect evidence from their explorations and projects proving their work meets the standard required to earn each credit, and at the end of the theme, they submit a competency-aligned grade justification form, suggesting which grade their work deserves, along with supporting evidence from their project and other assignments. Academic coaches review and verify the evidence submitted and give a grade that confirms the learner's mastery level. Sometimes, they'll suggest revisions learners can make to earn the grade they proposed.
We believe that Reading & Writing are essential skills not only for future academic success, but for success in any field of interest. To show learners the real-world importance of literacy, we take an interdisciplinary approach, and weave reading & writing skills through our themes.
Each theme includes a corresponding Literacy Journal with reading and writing activities tailored to your learner’s level. Live Literacy Lab workshops incorporate instruction in key skills, fun collaborative writing exercises, and opportunities to share work with peers.
In Prisma Lower School (grades 4-5) and Middle School (grades 6-8), all learners read, analyze, and discuss a shared book connected to the theme. Writing activities build intentionally throughout the year and throughout your child’s time at Prisma. Learners work up from building foundational grammar skills in small groups to completing an end-of-year capstone essay.
In Prisma High School, learners choose a text of their choice to analyze each session and can also elect to participate in advanced Honors Book Clubs. Literacy Journals prepare high school learners for college-level writing, with extra focus on research, citation, and structure while maintaining an emphasis on free expression and creativity.
Additionally, Prisma learners focus on authentic writing that serves a purpose in the real world, rather than simply writing essays for a teacher to read. For example, past writing projects have included investigative journalism articles, business pitches, artist statements, video game reviews, and advocacy letters to local governments.
Our math curriculum aims to build more than just surface-level understanding of formulas and operations. Our program equips learners with deep conceptual understanding of mathematical ideas, the ability to apply these concepts to abstract & real-world problems, and a strong math mindset that helps them see the value in persisting because they believe Math is useful.
Learners are placed into a small math group based on their math level. Each group works through a series of math missions throughout the year. To learn the concepts covered in the mission, learners complete daily practice using adaptive math technology, which has been proven in research to be more effective than traditional instruction alone. They participate in dynamic, interactive workshops where they can ask questions, share insights, and solve complex problems together, making learning both enjoyable and engaging.
At the end of each Zearn mission, learners tackle a Prisma mission checkpoint that asks them to apply the concepts they've learned to a real-world math problem. Math coaches give individualized feedback to determine if learners have achieved mastery.
In high school, learners complete performance tasks at the end of every ALEKS module that apply the math concepts a learner just mastered to a real-world context. All high school math courses include Honors options, and Prisma also offers advanced Maths, including AP Calculus.
Stuck or struggling? Our math coaches offer extra small-group support in workshops and office hours. And learners can switch math groups at any time if they find the content too challenging or not challenging enough for their needs.
Science and Social Studies are woven into our interdisciplinary themes. Our curriculum team has developed a proprietary Learning Framework of all essential content knowledge & skills across these subjects, which we use to map out our scope of themes.
In Lower School (grades 4-5) and Middle School (grades 6-8), all Next Generation Science Standards are covered through themes like Wild Inventions—where kids learn about organism structure & function to inspire biomimicry inventions—or Food Lab—where kids learn food chemistry & design their own experiments. C3 + National Social Studies Standards are covered through themes like What If?—where kids research a historical event and imagine an alternate history story—or United Nations—where kids research a country and represent their viewpoints in an international debate.
In Prisma High School, all core graduation requirements in Science—Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Physics—are covered through themes like The Habitable Zone or The Future of Home. Similarly, Social Studies graduation requirements are covered through themes like 2050: Who Rules? (World History) or Propose a Policy (Civics). Additionally, learners who are passionate about these subjects can explore elective credits through Dual Enrollment or AP courses.
Art & Technology are subjects regularly incorporated into our themes. Sometimes, they are the focus of a whole theme (for example, when learners code digital games for the Games for Change theme), and, more frequently, learners can choose an art or technology project as one of the options within a theme. For example, learners who choose the Podcasting project in our Unsolved Mysteries theme learn how to use audio editing technology. In our 8 Billion Stories theme, learners have the choice to complete a filmmaking, dance, music, or theater project.
In high school, learners earn 2 Technology credits, 1 Art credit, and have the opportunity to craft custom art or technology focused electives in partnership with their coach.
Learners can also choose to join learner-led Clubs, coach-led Enrichments, or partner-program Amplifiers in topics like Coding, Art, Theater, and Songwriting.
Foreign Language: All high school learners take two years of a foreign language of their choosing either within Prisma or via our partnership with Outschool. Prisma lower & middle school learners can elect to participate in a foreign language Amplifier, which is run by a carefully vetted Outschool teacher.
Our curriculum team designs engaging, collaborative, and purposeful workshops. Your child will never sign on to a boring lecture or wonder "Why are we doing this?" at Prisma. We use a variety of workshop formats throughout the weekly schedule, and also vary workshops based on the theme.
Here are a few examples of common workshop activities:
Here are just a few examples of the kinds of projects our curriculum team designs for Prisma learners:
Lower (grades 4-5) & Middle (grades 6-8) School:
High School:
We have a rolling admissions process, which means we don't have a hard application deadline, but, as cohorts fill up, we don't overcrowd them. We started the 2024-25 academic year full and had to turn families away until we launched additional cohorts for Winter session. We have limited space in each cohort, and if a spot isn't available in a cohort that's a fit for your child, we'd add them to a waitlist for the launch of a new cohort that matches their needs (e.g. academic rigor, grade level, time zone, interests, etc.).
We admit rising 4-8th graders (equivalent of UK Years 5-9) to our Lower & Middle School programs at the start of each 6-week cycle. We admit rising 9-11th graders (equivalent of UK Years 10-12) for the full academic year and, occasionally, at the start of Winter Session (which begins in early December). We typically don't admit rising 12th graders.
Learners who join Prisma later in the year still have an orientation experience with an intentionally crafted ramp-up. When a new learner joins an existing Prisma cohort mid-year, they're met with openness, support, and warmth, as Prisma learners are incredibly welcoming and kind!
Other virtual programs range from free (with limited peer & teacher interaction and often dry, repetitive curriculum) to traditional private schools (costing upwards of $40,000/year), Prisma's tuition is as low as it can be while sustaining our programs (which is why we aren't able to offer sibling, military, or other discounts). There's no added fluff!
Your child's tuition primarily goes to support the educators who power Prisma: Our Team
Check out our Grades 4-8 or High School program for more details about what's included in your child's Prisma tuition.
There's no fee to apply to Prisma. After you apply and complete your family interview, we'll send you an email with your child's admissions decision (along with an associated financial aid decision, when applicable). At that time, if you decide to join Prisma, you'd pay a $500 USD nonrefundable deposit to formally reserve your child's seat in their cohort. The deposit is applied toward your child's Prisma tuition, which is prorated to match your child's start date when joining mid-year.
After the deposit, billing options for your child's tuition balance are:
All tuition pricing and payments are in USD, and most non-US families submit tuition payments via the international payment platform WISE.
When joining Prisma for the full academic year, invoices go out in mid-July and are due by August 1st.
Because our programs are transparently priced as low as possible while being sustainable, we don't offer sibling, military, or other discounts.
If your pre-tax household income is below $150,000 USD/year, you can request a Prisma Scholarship within your child’s application. Prisma Scholarships are available for the full academic year for Prisma Mentor Coach programs only, so if you apply for the Parent Coach program or apply to join midyear, you'll see the scholarship application isn't available. Returning learners receive first priority for scholarships, so if you join midyear without one, you'll still be eligible to apply for a returning learner scholarship in the future!
How to apply for a scholarship:
Within your child’s application you'll be asked to state your current-year income along with what you can pay for Prisma. Please note that you'll need to upload your current-year tax return that shows your full household income (including for your child's other parent if you live in separate households). In the US, this is the tax form 1040. Please upload the international equivalent when applying from outside the United States. Be sure to block out any sensitive information, such as social security numbers. If your income is in a non-US currency, we'll match your income to the USD-equivalent when considering a scholarship award. If your financial documentation, isn't in English, please include a translation.
Given this information and any other factors you wish to share, we’ll evaluate your request for a scholarship. We have limited spots available at various tuition levels within our cohorts, so we recommend that you both state the maximum you can pay on an annualized basis (tuition can be broken into 10 monthly payments) and apply by March 1st to increase the likelihood of financial aid being available. Scholarships typically range from 10-40% off the annual tuition for our full programs. We also have a Parent Coach program for learners in grades 4-8 with substantially lower tuition since you take on the role of coaching your child.
The short answer is: We try not to. But, if visiting a live Prisma workshop or Expo Day is an absolute must for your child and you're willing to first complete their Prisma application and interview so we can select a better-matched workshop and cohort for them to visit, we're willing to make it happen!
Why limit visits?
Over the past 5+ years, we've experimented with a variety of ways to enable prospective learners and their families to see what Prisma's like. With each iteration, we've come to the same conclusion: A visit or shadow day, no matter how creatively or compellingly run, doesn't fully reflect what Prisma is like. It doesn't enable a child to truly experience Prisma. This is because each child's learning experience at Prisma is so personalized, relationship-driven, and interconnected.
Imagine your child comes to a Co-Lab Workshop and is in a breakout room with 3 other kids who've been on the same small team for the past 3 weeks. They're deep in collaboration around a design thinking challenge related to the current cycle's theme or they're preparing for a debate around a high school session. It's like dropping your child onto a moving boat in the middle of the ocean with no idea where it's coming from or where it's headed. In addition to potentially being a bit overwhelming or uncomfortable for you child, it can also be interruptive for the Prisma learners who cherish interactive live time with their peers and view their cohort as their Prisma family.
(We also don't share recordings of workshops with prospective families because we take child privacy and digital safety very seriously. Prisma parents appreciate this!)
How can I show my child what Prisma is like if a shadow day isn't the best option?
We recognize that choosing a school for your child is a big decision, especially with so many options out there! That's why we've chosen to make our website so comprehensive and transparent. We want to make sure you have the information and level of detail you need to feel clear and confident about your choice to join Prisma. But, we don't expect kids to read everything on the website and then try to picture what Prisma would be like for themselves.
That's why, with lots of feedback from Prisma families about what would have been helpful to see and understand about Prisma in advance, we've created comprehensive learner-focused resources (like our Inside Look for Kids for grades 4-8, which you can access by requesting a recorded overview). These resources have lots of illustrations, graphics, clips of live workshops and presentations, and specific examples that do a way better job of showing what Prisma's like in a fuller, more holistic way than a shadow day ever could. And, they're also available when Prismarians are on break!
While the vast majority of learners continue to learn and thrive with Prisma year after year, if at any point you feel Prisma is no longer the best fit for your child you can withdraw them by giving a 30-day notice. We don't want families to feel stuck, so we don't employ the continuous enrollment or year-long sunk cost enrollment policies that lots of other online schools utilize. We'd simply close out your child's account and apply a prorated refund, when applicable. We'd also give you ongoing access to your child's learner portfolio site and would send your child's transcript and records to their new school upon request.
Back when Prisma didn't yet offer high school, learners who had to leave after 8th grade easily transferred into elite private schools, progressive local charters, and a variety of top-tier programs.
If your child isn't among the 94% of Prisma high schoolers who choose to reenroll each year, our high school transcript includes courses, credits, GPA, and everything top high schools want to see to accept your child as a transfer student and award transfer credits for their Prisma coursework.
Prisma is an online private school, so you are not technically homeschooling in most areas when you enroll in Prisma. Because K-12 education is regulated at the state (and even local school district) level, we aren’t able to provide a singular response for what notification you may be required to provide or what steps you may need to take where you live. We’ve found that the majority of US states simply require a family to formally withdraw their child from public school—typically by filling out a form that can be obtained either online and/or at your local public school where you state the reason for not attending public school as attending private school instead.
A minority of US states classify students who attend an online private school not specifically based in the student’s state of residence as homeschooled. To our present knowledge, CA, LA, MA, MD, NY, PA, and WI operate this way. If you live in one of those US states, you can reach out to your local district to learn how to homeschool in your local area. If you live outside of the US, depending upon your home country of residence, your child may need to take locally required exams, which they'd be aware of in advance through Prisma's LaunchPad future planning program.
You can also read about homeschooling in your US state here or in your country here.
Prisma families are located in 20+ countries across 5 continents, and our team is fully remote and global, too!
Prisma seniors graduate with an accredited US private high school diploma, which sets them up for success regardless of where they live. If they don't want to attend a US-based university, the vast majority of first-rate international universities admit students with transcripts and diplomas from US high schools. There are equivalency charts to map GPA, SAT, and other US-normed metrics to their international equivalents.
Furthermore, there is no singular "American curriculum." Education regulation in the US varies at the state level, and mainly applies to public schools. That said, many US schools follow American curriculum standards for different subjects, such as Common Core for English & Math, Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for Science & Engineering, and the International Society for Technology Education (ISTE) standards for Digital Skills. These frameworks represent decades of research and are some of the most respected and commonly used standards worldwide. Prisma's curriculum is planned around these and other standards while also incorporating additional international standards and taking a global perspective in all of our materials. Any international student receiving an education based around these standards will be well prepared for higher education in all countries.
If you hit a prism with light at exactly the right angle, it makes a rainbow. We believe that, like a prism, every child is multidimensional and has the ability to shine. But just as it takes the right environment for a prism to create a rainbow, it takes the right learning environment for a child to show their true abilities.
Victoria Ransom & Alain Chuard founded Prisma in 2020. Victoria & Alain are impact-driven serial entrepreneurs who spent most of their careers in technology. Like many parents, their worldview changed upon the birth of their three children. Suddenly the world’s challenges and the rapidly changing future felt urgent and personal. This was the spark that ignited their dream to partner with the brightest minds in education to create a school that inspires a love of learning and equips kids with the skills they'll need for the rapidly changing future.
They assembled a dynamic founding curriculum & coaching team (you can read more about us here) with deep experience in education—from former school founders & principals to Harvard education researchers to Teacher of the Year award winners to curriculum designers with expertise in STEM, Humanities, and Instructional Design. The vision they shared with our founding families and educators is at the foundation of our program structure, curriculum, and coaching philosophy. One of those founding team members, Kristen Shroff, is now Prisma's CEO.
"Prisma gets a 5 out of 5 from me on taking the time to reach out and ask kids and parents how things are going! I wish more schools would ask parents and kids about what they think!”
-Gabrielle G., Prisma Parent
"We were amazed that we gave feedback and saw it implemented the very next cycle."
-Chapin S., Prisma Parent
We teach our learners that you can't build anything great without being open to feedback. What kind of school would we be if we didn't practice what we preach? We survey parents (and learners!) regularly to ask them what they think of our programs, curriculum, and coaches. We reflect on the data and written comments as a whole team every 6 weeks and set goals for continuous improvement. Members of our leadership team regularly meet 1:1 and in focus groups with parents to gather ideas and devise solutions. We believe any excellent school is a collaboration between parents, educators, and learners themselves!
Child safety is our utmost priority. We address safety in the following ways:
We are looking for gutsy, humble, can-do, driven team players to join us!
Have a look at our hiring needs. (We accept resumes and job inquiries via this link only. The team member responsible for hiring directly responds to top applicants.)
