Virtual Public & Private Schools

Virtual Public School vs. Homeschool

In Massachusetts, there are two online public schools. The Greenfield Commonwealth Virtual School and TEC Academy.

The process for enrolling in one of these schools is different than the process to begin homeschooling. For more information, refer to the DESE's Parents/Guardians document under Commonwealth Virtual Schools.

The documents on the DESE website indicate the following processes for withdrawal from and notification to your local district:

1. If a child is enrolling in a Massachusetts Public Virtual School (Greenfield Commonwealth Virtual or TECCA), these schools are responsible to report to the MA districts the children who are attending.

2. If a child is enrolling in Private Virtual School LOCATED IN MASSACHUSETTS, the private school reports their enrollment to the school committees/districts.

3. If a child is enrolled in a Private Virtual School that is NOT LOCATED IN MASSACHUSETTS, the parent / guardian are required to follow the same educational plan submission as a homeschooled student.

Virtual Public Schools vs. Homeschool at a Glance

Virtual Private Schools in Massachusetts

For virtual schools that are not recognized as Commonwealth Virtual Schools, parents and guardians should follow the same process as other homeschooling parents.

Examples of virtual private schools:

• Keystone School (K-12)

• K12 International (K-12)

• Study.com (7-12)

• Penn Foster (9-12)

• View High School (9-12)

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