Homeschool Students

OVS Offers Families Flexibility

Traditional education models are not suited for all learners, but that doesn’t mean students should miss out on the benefits of an accredited high school education. Ontario Virtual School is here to help you provide your child with the best education possible, in a context that suits their individual needs and strengths.

“Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.”
– The UN’s 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights: The Right to Education (Article 26, Part 3)

Online Learning as an Alternative to Homeschooling

Homeschooling is an increasingly popular option for students seeking an alternative to traditional models of learning. Unfortunately, Ministry regulations make it difficult for homeschoolers to earn official credits towards the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).

Enrolling with an accredited online school, like OVS, can be an excellent alternative to homeschooling for many families. OVS offers a flexible approach to learning that combines the alternative benefits of homeschooling with the traditional advantages high school education.

Our asynchronous, parent-friendly format allows you to stay involved in your child’s education, without it being a full-time job. With a Ministry-inspected school like OVS, you can attend to other aspects of your day-to-day, with the comfort of knowing your child is being supported by our certified teachers and dedicated guidance and administrative staff.

Why OVS?

At OVS, we know the landscape of our world is rapidly evolving, which is why our courses emphasize the development of key life skills that help prepare young learners for future success. We offer quality content in a safe and accessible online environment, with many added benefits, including…

Wide Variety of Course Offerings

As an accredited online high school, OVS offers students access to all the courses they need to earn their Ontario Secondary School Diploma. Our course catalogue offers a wide range of courses, so students can study exactly what they want and what they need. Thanks to our Ontario Certified Teachers, parents do not need to be experts in all subjects – no more struggling through teaching complicated subjects!

Flexible Self-Set Schedules

Like homeschooling, OVS offers an asynchronous approach to coursework. We know that the rigid schedule of a traditional high school education isn’t for everyone. That’s why our courses can be done in-home, anytime day or night. Students have the ability to move as quickly or as slowly as they like through concepts or skills. They can complete a course in as little as 1 month or take up to 1 year to complete a credit.

Transition Between Models Gradually

OVS courses can easily be used with other content resources to expand an existing homeschool curriculum or to help your child prepare for high school. Ontario Virtual School (OVS) provides comprehensive online courses in the core areas of English (language), math, and science for Grades 7 and 8. Our online learning environment supports learners through engaging content, aligned with the Ontario curriculum, while helping them to develop critical e-learning skills that will prepare them for success in the 21st century world.

Superior Support

Every OVS course is supported by an OCT-certified teacher who is available daily to answer questions, mark assignments, and provide feedback on all coursework. Our courses include:
• Interactive, video-based lesson content
• Practice activities with solution documents to self-check
• Tools to track student achievement, including progress reports after each assignment
• An official report card issued upon completion

FAQs for Homeschool Registration

Do I still need to submit a *Letter of Intent if my child enrolls with OVS?

While individual OVS courses may be used to supplement a homeschooling curriculum, students taking a complete course load would be considered full-time students of Ontario Virtual School, a registered private school. Thus, there is no need to continue submitting annual letters of intent. Instead, the student would be demitted from their local school and their records would be transferred to, and maintained by, OVS.

*What is a Letter of Intent? In Ontario, home educators are asked to submit a Letter of Intent to their local school board and day school each year they intend to homeschool their child.

How do I know what grade level to start my child at through OVS?

If you have not been following a formal homeschooling program and are looking to transition to OVS to complete the OSSD, it’s important to keep in mind that grade level and age do not always align. When selecting content levels, it’s a good idea to read the learning goals of the courses you’re considering, or connect with our Guidance office to discuss placement arrangements.

Generally speaking, Ontario students usually fall into the following grade level-age brackets:
Grade 7: Ages 11-12
Grade 8: Ages 13-14
Grade 9: Ages 14-15
Grade 10: Ages 15-16
Grade 11: Ages 16-17
Grade 12: Ages 17-18