So many kinds of families choose Prisma! 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 just weren't meeting the needs of their children: due to rigid, dry curriculum; 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 offered by learning online to travel the world, spend more time together at home, or pursue deep interests (some Prisma kids are professional actors or athletes). And some other Prisma families simply realized that the old way of educating kids just wasn't making sense for the 21st century. and decided to join the revolution!

Learners who choose Prisma may be extroverted, introverted, funny, opinionated, pensive, gregarious, eager, reserved, a little bit rebellious, and everything in between! A bit of curiosity and adaptability goes a long way in enabling learners to flourish in our community, and basic digital skills for navigating online learning are important too (We can help with this). Our goal is to see every child who learns with Prisma brimming with self-esteem, the confidence to be their authentic selves, a strong sense of personal agency, and passion for at least one thing that deeply excites them. We also are committed to fostering a collaborative and community-oriented environment that encourages kids to thrive.

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. 

• Whole-person development - We equip kids with life-skills and habits that prepare them for the real world, foster wellbeing, and contribute to lifelong happiness.
• Relevancy - At Prisma, learning occurs within real-world contexts. Kids know why what they’re learning is important and how it impacts them, their communities, and the world. 
• Project-based curriculum - Our world-class curriculum team has designed a comprehensive, interdisciplinary set of themes that cover all required subjects (and many more real-world topics) in a hands-on, interactive way.
• Small, supportive cohorts - We group our learners into small cohorts that meet daily and that are led by the same coach, who can stay with their cohort for multiple years. Every child is assigned a mentor coach that meets weekly with their learner. Our vision is that Prisma learners get the best of both worlds: the intimacy and support of a “one-room schoolhouse” (the cohort) and the breadth and diversity of a large virtual learning community (the network) 
• Informed by the end-user (i.e. kids themselves) - We are committed to continually refining our model according to the experiences and feedback of kids and their families. 
• Connection and support paired with independence and self-direction - Prisma learners split their time between collaborative live group experiences and independent learning. ‍
• Social interaction - In addition to our curriculum, which provides multiple opportunities for kids to form friendships (via daily coach-facilitated ‘stand-ups', synchronous workshops, group projects and team challenges), we facilitate dynamic cohort bonding through social clubs, our virtual learner forum, an annual ‘kickoff’ week, our service learning cycle and other experiential learning opportunities.

Prisma is accredited by Cognia, a nonprofit organization that provides quality assurance for schools, school districts, and education service providers around the world.

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).

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We also are registered with the US College Board under CEEB code no. 950237, which is the number used when applying to universities.  

There are as many different schedules as there are kids at Prisma! Learners live in different time zones, have different interests, and have varying outside commitments. Each schedule is built collaboratively with you & your learner's mentor coach when you enroll.

If you are wondering if Prisma could work for 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.

Below is a sample schedule: 

• Standup (30 min): Daily cohort bonding, announcements, and a meaningful day-starting activity like learning to organize your workspace, taking a group picture for the Yearbook, or writing thank you notes to an expert guest visitor from last week
• Optional Support Squads (30 min): Time to check in with your learning coach, work with peers on a group project, or sign off to begin independent work!
• Independent Work Time: Learners have gaps in their days to complete independent tasks in math, reading, writing, and their theme projects. Tasks are managed through a custom Prisma start page, task lists, and chat platform with learning coaches. This time is flexible, and learners are encouraged to build the schedule that works for them and allows them to get outside, participate in extracurricular activities, and pursue their passions!
• Workshop (60 min): Depending on the day of the week, this might be Project Workshop, Literacy Lab, or Collaborative Problem Solving. Coaches facilitate engaging, interactive workshops that connect to the current curriculum theme and build academic & real-world skills.
• Math Lab (3x/weekly at time of day based on math grouping and preferences, 45 min): Math schedules & workshop lengths differ by your learner's math level. Our math workshops are fun—yes, really!—and ask kids to solve interesting, real-world problems in groups, while also making sure they understand the math missions they are working through independently.
• Independent Work Time, Coach-Led Enrichments, or Free Time (Depending on how learners choose to organize their time, and if they choose to sign up for coach-led Enrichments such as Songwriting or Cooking or Foreign Language Classes, they may choose to add more afternoon workshops)

• Provide detailed written & verbal feedback on learner work
• Meet with each learner one-on-one regularly to check-in, discuss progress toward goals, and give feedback 
• Facilitate daily live workshops, during which learners discuss, debate, and create 
• Plan and supervise social meetings of the cohort, including virtual parties & spirit days
• Conference with learners and families regularly to discuss progress toward goals, strengths, and growth areas

Annual tuition is based on the USD currency and is $10,430 for our middle school (Grades 4-8) or $11,630 for our high school (Grades 9-12). Families choose whether to pay annually (with a discount), by session (3 times per year), or monthly, and tuition is pro-rated for mid-year entrants.
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Families who receive need-based scholarships typically receive between 10-40% off the full-year tuition. Learn more about tuition and Prisma Scholarships here.

Over half of your child's tuition goes toward employing their expert Learning Coach, who leads their small, tight-knit cohort and mentors each learner 1-on-1! Parents of learners in grades 4-8 who are excited to take on the role of Mentor Coach can apply to join our Parent-Coach Program ($4,875 annual tuition). This program is ideal for parents who are experienced homeschoolers or educators who feel equipped to serve as their child's mentor coach, regularly meeting with your child and giving them feedback on their academic work. Learners who are part of the Parent-Coach program still experience every other aspect of Prisma (project-based curriculum, daily live workshops, extracurricular opportunities, official transcripts, etc.). The only difference is the 1:1 mentorship, feedback, and support comes from you as a Parent-Coach instead of from a Prisma educator.

We have learners with a wide range of special needs thriving at Prisma - from ADHD and dyslexia to dysgraphia and processing disorders, among others. Given the flexible and customizable nature of our program, we can be an especially good fit for some learners with disabilities, though we certainly don't claim to be the right fit all learner with special needs. 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 feel they need fewer supports at Prisma than in a traditional environment due to this flexibility.

All of our learning coaches are experienced educators with training in supporting 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. Then, they will collaborate with your family to customize the Prisma experience to best suit your learner's needs. We also have a counselor on staff available to work with learners who may need additional support as needed.

Many families of learners with special needs report the Prisma peer community to be the most accepting & welcoming of any learning environment they've tried. Prisma parents of learners with special needs also connect with each other to share resources, connect, or attend Prisma guest speaker events in topics like executive functioning.

Our academic year is organized into 12-week sessions (Fall, Winter, and Spring). High schoolers do one theme every 12 weeks, and 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. Learners get a 2-week Winter Break in December and a 1-week Spring Break in late March or early April each year, as well as no Prisma workshops on all US federally recognized holidays.

(Prisma Asia & Oceania annual calendar differs slightly)

Our Admissions page has all the details regarding the application process and what to expect!