If you need and request a school laptop, fill out the computer loan agreement provided with your enrollment paperwork and one will be made available to you. If you are in the local Las Vegas area you can make arrangements to come to the school and pick one up. If you live outside the Las Vegas metropolitan area, one will be shipped to you via UPS within a few days of submitting the computer loan agreement.

Yes, each student will have a one hour live "Elluminate" session with each teacher once a week. Other sessions can be set up to assist the student.

Beacon Academy of Nevada is a tuition-free, accredited, online public high school sponsored by the Nevada State Board of Education. We support the online student in ways other school’s don’t--through mentoring, certified instruction, leading-edge technology, parental tools, and 24/7 on-demand academic and technical help; we offer a highly individualized program with multiple academic paths, innovative curriculum, and over 120 courses. Additionally, we offer a series of free social services to students and their immediate family.

Yes, you will need a computer to attend Beacon Academy of Nevada. You may opt to use your own computer or you may get a loaner computer from the school.

The minimum connection requirement for students who attend our schools is dial-up speed. Faster transmission speeds and more powerful computing platforms may provide a richer experience, but are not required.

Yes, Beacon Academy does offer tutoring for students in both their regular class work and in preparation for the High School Proficiency Exams (HSPE).

Cyber predators today are something that all schools, online or not, must deal with. At BANV, the education we deliver and the tools for virtual socialization we provide (discussion boards) are located behind secure, password-protected servers. Beacon-issued laptops are outfitted with software to block the more sensitive sex-and-violence-oriented sites, which can be areas where cyber predators seek out children. Although nothing but strong parenting coupled with educating our children of the risks of cyber predators can stop predators from being completely successful, our program encourages students to socialize online behind safe 'doors'.

Students can submit an enrollment application anytime during the year. Fall classes officially start in August and Spring classes start in January. However, students can enroll after those timeframes.

Beacon Academy of Nevada is a public school, thus all students who wish to enroll and are legal residents of Nevada under the age of 21, are admitted.

No, in accordance with the Nevada Department of Education, students must attend Beacon Academy of Nevada full time.

Students must be a graduate of 8th grade and 20 years of age or younger prior to September 24, of the school year for which they are enrolling. Students who turn 21 years old after September 24, may remain enrolled until they complete that school year.

You will receive notification by email after we have received all required enrollment documents. You will also be contacted by the counselor to discuss course selections. If your transcript is included in your document submission, the counselor will assign you to the courses you require for graduation.

Generally we will enroll a student under current expulsion from another district. Each case will be reviewed based upon records from your current or former school district. As a public school, Beacon Academy of Nevada will evaluate and may honor current expulsions from another district on a case-by-case basis.

Students may start in 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th grade, but must complete a minimum number of credits to earn their diploma from BANV. The state of Nevada determines a student’s status by the number of credits earned - not by age or number of years in school. A 19 year old student may enroll with BANV and be classified as a junior - because they have 14 credits - but at Beacon Academy, that student may enroll in any course that is appropriate for their skill level or credits needed.

The level of socialization a student wants is a decision of the family and the student. However, Beacon offers both virtual and face-to-face opportunities to interact with other students and families. The classes that students take provide many opportunities for interaction through discussion threads and 'virtual classrooms' where students are together at the same time communicating through two-way voice over IP, instant messaging, and application sharing. Virtual socialization also includes participation in clubs (e.g., debate, newspaper, student government, chess) organized and run virtually. Face-to-face socialization includes periodic events organized by Beacon and held in different locations across the state of Nevada such as bowling, skating, hiking, picnics, dances, proms and formal graduation ceremonies. Students have told us that they found they could build great relationships with other students through the community-building opportunities we provide.

Beacon Academy of Nevada does hold dances and hosts graduation ceremonies in Las Vegas and the Reno metropolitan area. Periodic field trips and events are also held in different geographic locations throughout the state.

Beacon Academy of Nevada does not yet sponsor high school athletics as part of our program. We will facilitate a student's participation at the student's local school as determined by state law and school district policies. Beacon Academy of Nevada students can participate in other activities like band, drama, etc. at their home district only if that district allows them to do so. Students who participate in alternative athletic opportunities (examples: skiing, calf roping, barrel racing, baseball) or other types of competitive sports can enroll in our Student Athlete course to get credit for that activity.

Beacon Academy of Nevada has been evaluated and approved for corporate accreditation by the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools, which means that our curriculum and instructional model have received approval from the accrediting body. All Nevada high schools are required to accept transfer credits from accredited institutions.

Beacon Academy of Nevada is funded by the state and federal sources just like any other public school. Student funding provided by the state “follows” the student to the school district they attend.

Some courses require books. Beacon Academy of Nevada provides required books to all students.

We have a set of courses that emphasizes individual physical fitness and nutrition. These courses require the student to form, measure and report on their individual fitness as they complete individual physical fitness exercises. Our Student Athlete course is designed specifically to give students credit for a wide variety of alternative athletic activities.

It is important that students complete assignments and stay within close proximity to a schedule. Staying current with assignments will allow teachers to provide group as well as individual assistance more effectively. Completing assignments will provide the student with knowledge necessary to be successful in future coursework. Our curriculum provides due dates for assignments. Students should complete assignments on the assigned dues dates.

Beacon takes academic integrity very seriously and has a number of methods to prevent plagiarism and inappropriate collaboration. We use a number of online tools designed specifically for identifying plagiarism in typewritten assignments. Our online quizzes and exams require proctor passwords and the feedback for online quizzes is designed to include "flags" that signal instructors when a student is copying from another student. Date and time stamps and clocks that measure the amount of time spent on the online quiz can also be used to identify inappropriate student collaboration. A more subjective, but no less effective, tool for identifying cheating is the instructor's knowledge of the student's ability, past work and verbal "print". Keeping in mind that much of the relationship with the student is built via the written word, a student's "word print" is as unique and identifiable in an online classroom as a student's face is in a face-to-face classroom. Although no school-online or otherwise-can guarantee 100% academic honesty, we've taken all reasonable measures available to monitor student activities and to identify cheating when it happens. Instances of academic dishonesty will be dealt with immediately and in accordance with school policy. Prior to enrolling in classes, students and their parents are required to sign an academic honesty policy.

The content component and structure of our biology and chemistry classes are the same as for our other courses. We make use of the latest technology to walk students through virtual labs and dissections.

No. Although your son or daughter will benefit from your encouragement and knowing that you care about his or her progress, the Beacon Support Team is available for support. One benefit of our program is that your son or daughter can study at his or her own time, place, and pace-you will be able to observe your student "going to school" during your off hours.

Beacon Academy of Nevada is an accredited public online high school. As such, assuming students complete their courses satisfactorily; credits WILL transfer back into other high schools anywhere in the United States.

Summer courses are available as part of our program.

Parents are provided access to their student's grades and course login information 24/7, and can access the system at any point with a username and password. Grades are updated daily and Beacon Academy of Nevada instructors are always available to consult with parents by email or telephone. Additionally, starting around the third or fourth week of the semester, students and parents are emailed a status report on the progress of the student.

Beacon Academy of Nevada offers students support at various levels. First the student receives support from their course instructor. Secondly, they are assigned a mentor who will contact them on a weekly basis. Thirdly, they will have access to tutoring either face-to-face or virtually. Fourthly, the Technology Support Team is available to help families with course access issues, lost passwords and hardware issues. Fifthly our special education students have access to the Special Education Coordinator. Of course, all students have access to the school counselors and a feature unique to Beacon Academy of Nevada, students have a access to a number of social services.

Beacon Academy of Nevada offers a full spectrum of AP and Honors courses. While many school districts are cutting back on AP & Honors courses, we will continue to offer these courses regardless of the class size. Additionally, we offer an extensive list of interesting and new electives.

Yes. For many students, online independent study is an excellent way to develop personal strengths, and discipline. An online independent study program accommodates students with different learning styles. It also allows students to engage in meaningful one-to-one interactions with instructors in a more anonymous environment, one that rewards curiosity and exploration without retribution. Finally, it offers engagement through interaction and access to information made possible through technology at a pace and time that suits teens.

We sincerely hope that parents will be deeply involved in their student's experience at Beacon Academy of Nevada, although we recognize that for some students this may not be possible. While the level at which parents involve themselves is a family decision, we hope parents at least support their son or daughter in their studies, keep informed of their progress, and encourage them to stay on top of their work. Parents will be provided access to up-to-date information about their son's or daughter's progress throughout the semester via regular communication from the school. We also recognize that as students enter the high school years, they often seek to become more independent. Our program is designed to support exploration of that independence, while still providing necessary guidance and expertise through the Beacon Support Team when needed.

Due to the independent nature of an online school, to be successful a student needs to have or develop good time management, be self-motivated and willing to ask for assistance from their teachers and the school.

Instructors, all of whom are state certified, are able to focus their time on teaching, mentoring, and engaging with students rather than on classroom management because of the professionally prepared curriculum and the independent study nature of the program. Instructors are able to concentrate on building relationships with each and every student and understanding their particular needs because the means for interaction are primarily one-to-one. Instructors work closely with students as experts in their subject areas. They offer help with the exploration, comprehension, and application of course concepts. They also answer day-to-day questions and assess the student's performance through assignments, exams and quizzes. Instructors work closely with students and their families on the formation, progression, and evaluation of the student-learning plan.

Nevada students must have 22.5 credits to graduate.

Absolutely. When your son or daughter graduates from Beacon Academy of Nevada, he or she will have a valid diploma from an accredited Nevada high school. With that diploma comes all the records that are required for the college application process: valid transcripts, SAT/ACT scores and high school proficiency scores. There are incremental benefits for college-bound students who graduate from Beacon Academy of Nevada. First, students can choose from multiple academic options-AP, Honors, and College Prep-designed specifically to help them achieve the goal of getting into college. These academic options offer the necessary courses, preparation and challenge. Second, the view of colleges over the last several years towards independent study programs is that they do a better job in preparing students for college because of the time management and individual responsibility skills they impart. Colleges are finding more and more that students from programs such as Beacon Academy of Nevada make the transition into college more readily than their counterparts.

Beacon Academy of Nevada issues State of Nevada diplomas for all graduates.

Students who are enrolled as full-time students are required to participate in state testing. Please visit your school for specifics by state. Beacon staff will make arrangements to have students take the test in locations that are geographically close to where they live.

Yes, Beacon Academy offers the High School Proficiency Exams (HSPE) at the same time as all schools in the State of Nevada. These tests are offered at various locations throughout the State depending on the location of our students.

Students can be in 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade when they enroll. Generally speaking, students can transfer in high school credits or earn credit for home schoolwork to apply towards their graduation requirements at Beacon. Students who enroll with high school credits or with work from a home school portfolio must meet with an Beacon admissions counselor to evaluate satisfactory completion of the work as it relates to Beacon standards.