Academics at Gateway Online Academy of Ohio

This education option gives students a personalized way to guide their learning. Credit flexibility is one way to increase a student’s interest in school and motivation to learn. It provides equitable access to various course options to all students throughout Ohio.

Credit flexibility is the personalization of education to the learning styles and interests of individual students. Students demonstrate what they know and move on to advanced content. They learn subject matter and earn course credit in ways not limited to “seat time” or the confines of a school building. Credit flexibility includes personalization of students’ learning around their interests and needs, which might include flexible schedules and a choice of environments (such as online learning or work- and community-based experiences), as well as options to pursue their interest areas, combine subjects, and demonstrate professional skills.

Each student, their family, and school create the credit flexibility plan together, based on the local district’s requirements, including how the student will demonstrate competency in subject areas. The district’s policy typically contains a credit application, which would include information on the course, how much credit the student seeks, and how the student will be assessed for course credit.

Gateway Online Academy of Ohio offers the Credit Flexibility Program (CFP) to all students; however, the following prerequisites for participation apply:

Any student may participate in the CFP at any time

All CFP plans must be submitted and approved before the start of any related learning experiences

Students may earn credits by:

• Completing coursework
• Testing out of or demonstrating mastery of core content
• Pursuing one or more “educational options” (e.g., distance learning, educational travel, independent study, an internship, music, arts, after-school/tutorial program, community service, or other engagement projects and sports).

Credit flexibility is intended to motivate and increase student learning by allowing:

• Access to more learning resources, especially real-world experiences
• Customization around individual student needs
• Use of multiple measures of learning, especially those where students demonstrate what they know and can do, apply the understanding, or document performance.

Work-based learning experiences are conducted at a work site during or after school. They are designed to provide authentic learning experiences for students that link academic, technical, and professional skills. Business and education partners work together to evaluate and supervise the experiences, which must be documented with training or learning plans and evaluation forms. Additional guidelines may apply (eligibility, required competencies, credit granted, etc.) around these experiences.

A guidance counselor and student success coach will work with you/your student to determine eligibility.