FAQS
General FAQs
What grades are offered by Texas Virtual Academy at Hallsville (TVAH)?
TVAH offers full-time enrollment for grades 3–12.
What subjects will my child study?
Language arts, math, science, history, music, and art are the core courses. There will also be other courses in the appropriate grade levels. High school students also take a world language and have access to honors and AP® courses as well as a variety of electives. High school students can take career-focused electives through the Stride Career Program at TVAH. Visit our elementary, middle school, and high school curriculum pages for more details.
Will my child have physical education classes?
For students in grades 3–8, physical education (PE) is a public school requirement. The PE curriculum objectives break down to 30 minutes per day, for a total of 150 minutes per week. The physical activity your student logs must meet the PE Lesson Objectives for that week's assignment.
Does TVAH provide textbooks and other instructional materials?
Yes. We provide the textbooks and instructional materials needed to complete the program. These books and materials are sent to students directly. The amount and type of materials varies by grade and course. Generally, high school students receive fewer books and materials than elementary and middle school students, due to the different course requirements. Common household items and office supplies like printer ink and paper are not provided.
Will my child have the same graduation opportunities as students in traditional public schools?
Yes. TVAH students are public school students, and they earn a high school diploma that is identical to any other diploma awarded by public schools in the state of Texas. Because TVAH is an accredited public school, our graduates have the same rights and privileges extended to them as any other Texas graduates when applying for opportunities at our state and nation's colleges and universities.
Can my child work at their own pace?
While all grades have minimum progress and pacing requirements, some advancement and flexible pacing options exist.
How much time do students spend on the computer?
In the younger grades, many of the online lessons include offline work. Students in grades 3–5 spend about 50–60 percent of their time online. Screen time increases in middle school, and by high school, most of the school day is online.
Do you provide curriculum for children with special needs?
Depending on a child's IEP, we can tailor your child’s learning experience to meet their needs. To discuss your child's needs with us, please contact the Special Programs Administrator, Kathy Richey at krichey@tvahallsville.org.
Can you accommodate the accelerated learning needs of my advanced learner?
TVAH meets the needs of advanced learners in a variety of ways. The beauty of our elementary and middle school programs is that they're flexible enough to meet children where they are in any given subject and take them where they want to go. Placement assessments taken online during the enrollment process allow us to place your student in the appropriate level of curriculum. For example, if your fourth grader is doing math on a sixth-grade level and reading on a fourth-grade level, we can adjust their courses to meet their abilities. High school students can take honors and AP® courses. And qualified students can participate in our unique relationship with The University of Texas of the Permian Basin (UTPB) and earn college credit toward both their high school diploma and a postsecondary degree.
How do students interact socially?
Students spend time with classmates online and through school outings, field trips, and other activities. In addition to school-based clubs, Stride K12 online national clubs help connect students with like interests and passions.
Will this program intrude into my home?
There are no home visits as part of the program, and there are no other intrusions into your home.
Where can I find the most recent Texas state, school report cards?
Under the ESSA, beginning with information from the 2017–2018 school year, report cards must be posted annually on district websites. (ESEA section 1111(h) (1) (A), (B)(iii) and (h)(2)(A), (B)(iii)). At the core of TVAH is the belief that all students can grow, and all schools can improve. While no student report card tells the full story of a child, no school report card tells the full story of a school. Education is far more than a single score or letter grade, but it is important that families and communities can see both strengths and areas that need support and improvement. Please find the report card on the state's dashboard.
Where can I find resources on bullying in Texas?
At TVAH, we believe every student should have access to a safe learning environment. Our students and their safety are important to us, and bullying is prohibited in both the virtual school environment and during in-person events, such as outings or state testing.
What is Bullying?
Per Section 37.0832, of the TEA Education Code, Bullying involves a pattern or series of actions or one single occurrence of significant proportions. It may be conducted by one person or a group of people and directed toward another student. Bullying may be written or verbal; it may be found electronically, such as on social media; or it may be physical. No matter how the bullying proceeds, it is characterized as an exploitation of unequal power which allows the bully or bullies to control or harm others. An act of bullying:
has the effect or will have the effect of physically harming a student, damaging a student's property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of harm to the student's person or damage to the student's property;
- is so severe, persistent, or pervasive that the action or threat creates an intimidating, threatening or abusive educational environment for a student;
- interferes with a student's education or substantially disrupts the educational process or the orderly operation of a classroom or school; or
- interferes with a student's education or otherwise infringes on the rights of the victim at school
The definition of bullying includes cyberbullying. "Cyberbullying" means bullying that is done through the use of any electronic communication device, including through the use of a cellular or other type of telephone, a computer, a camera, electronic mail, instant messaging, text messaging, a social media application, an Internet website, or any other Internet-based communication tool.
This applies to:
- bullying that occurs on or is delivered to school property or to the site of a school-related activity on or off school property;
- bullying that occurs on a publicly or privately owned school bus or vehicle being used for transportation of students to or from school-related activity; and
- cyberbullying that occurs off school property or outside of a school-sponsored or school-related event, if the conduct interferes with a student's educational opportunities or substantially disrupts the operations of school, classroom, or school-related activity.
How to Report Bullying
If a student believes that he or she has experienced bullying or has witnessed bullying of another student, it is important for the student or parent to notify a teacher, school office staff, the campus director or another district employee as soon as possible to obtain assistance and intervention.
The administration will investigate any allegations of bullying or other related misconduct.
If the results of an investigation indicate that bullying has occurred, the administration will take appropriate action. Disciplinary or other action may be taken even if the conduct did not rise to the level of bullying. The district will also contact the parent of the victim and of the student who was found to have engaged in the bullying. Available counseling options will be provided to the individuals, as well as to any students who have been identified as witnesses to the bullying.
Any retaliation against a student who reports an incident of bullying is prohibited.
If someone needs immediate assistance because they need medical attention or are threatening to harm themselves, call 911 to reach out to local law enforcement for help.
Students with suicidal thoughts can reach out to their counselors and school administration for help, but they can also reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline online or by calling 800.273.8255.
Resources
When bullying happens, it can be difficult to know what to do. Reach out to school administration for help. Be vigilant about bullying that may happen outside of school, and consider ways to protect against cyberbullying on social media.
Below are resources with information that can help prevent cyberbullying, educate students on what actions may constitute bullying, or provide resources for parents and families dealing with the aftermath.
StopBullyingNow.com has information about bullying and what parents and youth can do if they are experiencing bullying.
Visit Texas Young Lawyers Association for tips to stay safe. https://tyla.org/resource/r-u-safe/
If you need to report to a social media site about cyberbullying or abusive behavior, you can report the behavior. Below, the link to Bulliesout.com directs you to each social media company’s reporting information.
Bulliesout.com/need-support/young-people/cyber-bullying/report-bullying-abuse-social-media/
StopBullying.gov also has resources to help identify warning signs for bullying, the effects, and how disabilities or sexual orientation increase the risk for students to be bullied.
*Course materials vary by course and school.
