For homeschoolers who wish to follow a curriculum and/or earn a standard high school diploma, one option is to register with a distance school that offers correspondence courses (paper assignments sent by mail) or online courses (delivered over the internet). We list here some of the schools of which we were aware at the time of publishing this page.
- Ontario elementary grades
- Ontario high school credits - publicly funded
- Ontario high school credits - private online schools
- Ontario high school equivalency
- Other Canadian high schools
- American schools (elementary and secondary)
OFTP attempts to keep this information as up-to-date as possible. If you have any difficulty contacting anyone on this list please notify us .
Ontario elementary grades
Non-school options
There are not many distance schooling options at the elementary level, but there are plenty of online lessons available for K-8 grades. See our page of Online or Downloadable Lessons, Worksheets, Activities for resources like KhanAcademy.org (free video lessons), TeachersPayTeachers.com (lesson plans, printable worksheets, and more, some free), Arcademics.com (free multi-player or single-player educational games, or pay for additional features like video lessons), and other such resources.
BrightMinds Online School
Private school, around $500/course
https://brightmindsonlineschool.ca/k-8/
This private online high school in Ontario includes courses for grades 6, 7, and 8.
Christian Virtual School
Private, multi-denominational Christian, online school, $79/course for grades 5 to 8, plus optional teacher support for $249
https://www.christianvirtualschool.com/
Asynchronous courses (start when you want, go at your own pace) aligned to the Ontario curriculum and rooted in a Christ-centered worldview. New as of fall 2020, so some courses are not yet available but will be added.
Note: also offers secondary school courses (will be for OSSD credits once the school has been granted the accreditation they're seeking from the Ministry of Education).
STEM Village
Private, subscription-based, online course provider, around $50/month
Online supplemental education in science, technology, engineering, and math. The math and science are tied to the Ontario curriculum (currently grades 5-8). The technology and engineering offer supplemental introduction to additional critical skills required in today's digital economy.
| Website: | http://www.stemvillage.com |
| Facebook: | https://www.facebook.com/stemvillage |
| Contact: | Doug Walker |
| Email: | info@stemvillage.com |
| Phone: | 416-304-9698 |
| Address: | 171 East Liberty Street, Suite 303 Toronto, ON M6K 3P6 |
Educational Subjects: Algebra, Biology, Mathematics, Science
Grade Levels: 5-8
Virtual Elementary School
Private online course provider, around $80/course for parent-led Independent option or $400/course for teacher-led Facilitated option
Virtual Elementary School offers online courses for middle-school level students living around the world.
Students may register any day of the year and progress through the course at their own pace, with or without the assistance of a certified teacher.
Homeschoolers are especially welcomed and accommodated.
| Website: | http://www.VirtualElementarySchool.com |
| Facebook: | https://www.facebook.com/VirtualElementarySchool/ |
| Email: | InfoVES@VirtualElementarySchool.com |
| Phone: | 1-866-679-9377 |
| Address: | 27 Main St North. P.O. Box 402 Bayfield, ON Canada N0M 1G0 |
Educational Subjects: Language, Mathematics, Science
Grade Levels: Grades 6, 7, 8
Ontario high school credits - publicly funded
Avon Maitland District Elearning Centre (AMDEC)
Publicly funded, available to Ontario students enrolled in a day school with elearning permission from the day school's principal
Website: www.amdec.ca
AMDEC is the Avon Maitland District School Board's on-line school. They provide:
a) Ontario Secondary School credit courses for students wishing to complete their high school diploma on-line;
b) Guidance and Career counselling to assist students in making academic choices;
c) The option for students to begin courses at any time during the school year between September and mid-February, and complete courses at their own speed (within established minimum and maximum work completion rates);
d) E-textbook support, allowing for material and resources to be available on-line for many of the courses offered
e) Certified Ontario teachers to teach all courses and
f) A wide variety of co-curricular activities and remediation.
It is necessary for the student to be enrolled at his/her local high school, the principal of which will need to sign forms granting permission for the student to take the AMDEC courses. The local high school will hold the OSRs and AMDEC will forward the grades. The local school will also receive the funding for the student and must transfer a designated amount of it to AMDEC to cover the e-learning courses.
Independent Learning Centre (ILC)
Publicly-funded non-profit provider of online OSSD-credit courses, $40/course
Website: www.ilc.org
Telephone: 1-800-387-5512 or (416) 484-2704 between 1pm and 5pm
Service in French is available by calling 1-800-265-0454 or 416-484-2722.
The Independent Learning Centre (ILC) provides a wide range of distance education courses that allow individuals to earn secondary school diploma credits, upgrade basic skills or study for personal development. You can obtain services directly from ILC or from one of the access sites in your area.
OpenSchool
Publicly-funded program providing online OSSD-credit courses, no tuition fees for Ontario residents
OpenSchool is an asynchronous, continuous intake online school for senior high school credits. This school offers Ministry approved online courses. Enrolment is first come first served.
| Website: | http://openschoolontario.ca |
| Email: | vlcadmin@virtuallearning.ca |
| Phone: | 705-328-2925 |
Educational Subjects: Arts, English Vocabulary, English Writing (Composition), Geography, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies
Grade Levels: Grade 11, Grade 12
Virtual Learning Centre
Publicly-funded school providing online OSSD-credit courses, no tuition fees for Ontario residents
The Virtual Learning Centre is part of Trillium Lakelands District School Board and offers a full secondary school online program. The VLC is Ontario's oldest operating online school. The Ministry approved courses are delivered through both live web classes and asynchronous learning.
| Website: | http://virtuallearning.ca |
| Email: | vlcadmin@virtuallearning.ca |
| Phone: | 705-328-2925 |
| Address: | 230 Angeline St. South, Lindsay, Ontario K9V 4R2 |
Educational Subjects: Arts, English Reading, English Vocabulary, English Writing (Composition), Geography, Language, Mathematics, Music, Science, Social Studies
Grade Levels: All Secondary Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Ontario high school credits - private online schools
Blyth Academy Online
Private school with online OSSD-credit course options, around $500 to $600/course
Blyth Academy Online (BAO) is a private online high school offering more than 100 Ontario Curriculum courses.
Students can sign up and start anytime throughout the year. Students can complete their assignments, access their account, and produce work any time of the day or night. Courses can be completed at your pace and in an environment of your choosing.
Enrolling with BAO for grade 12 provides homeschooled children with a customized home education while allowing them to graduate with an Ontario Secondary School Diploma.
| Website: | https://blytheducation.com/blyth-academy-online/group-solutions/home-educators/ |
| Facebook: | https://www.facebook.com/BlythEducation/ |
| Email: | admissions@blythacademyonline.com |
| Phone: | 1-519-204-6037 |
| Toll-free Phone: | 1-866-960-3552 |
| Address: | Blyth Academy Head Office 160 Avenue Rd. Toronto ON M5R 2H8 |
Educational Subjects: Arts, English Reading, English Vocabulary, English Writing (Composition), Geography, Language, Mathematics, Music, Science, Social Studies
Grade Levels: All Secondary Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
BrightMinds Online School
Private online, OSSD-credit course provider, around $500/course
A fully online private high school registered and inspected by the Ontario Ministry of Education, catering to a global community of learners from different countries and different backgrounds, from homeschooled students, to those with athletics and/or other specialized training on their daily schedule, to students with different learning abilities and styles.
As a self-paced Ontario Secondary school, the provided education follows the most current guidelines and expectations set forth by the Ontario Ministry of Education and takes advantage of latest educational software and technologies to provide you the opportunity to learn and earn OSSD credits while improving your learning skills and abilities.
| Website: | http://brightmindsonlineschool.ca |
| Facebook: | https://www.facebook.com/brightmindsonlineschool/ |
| Contact: | Sue Guan |
| Email: | info@brightmindsonlineschool.ca |
| Phone: | 647-931-9070 |
| Address: | 103-8312 McCowan Rd Unionville, ON L3P 8E1 |
Educational Subjects: Arts, Biology, English as a Second Language, French as a Second Language, Geography, Health & Physical Education, History, Language, Mathematics, Science, Social Sciences, Social Studies, Visual Arts
Grade Levels: 9-12
Christian Virtual School
Private, multi-denominational Christian, online school, $449/course for grades 9 and 10, $549 for grades 11 and 12, including teacher support
https://www.christianvirtualschool.com/
Asynchronous courses (start when you want, go at your own pace) aligned to the Ontario curriculum and rooted in a Christ-centered worldview. New as of fall 2020, so some courses are not yet available but will be added. Courses will earn OSSD credits once the school has received the accreditation they're seeking from the Ontario Ministry of Education.
Note: also offers courses for grades 5-8.
Canada eSchool
Private provider of online OSSD-credit courses, around $500 to $600/course
Canada eSchool is a private high school authorized by the Ministry of Education in Ontario, Canada to grant credits in over 100 online high school courses. The courses offered lead to the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), and are accepted by universities and colleges in Canada, the UK and around the world. Courses completed through eSchool are accredited and added to your child’s Ontario Student Transcript for university entrance.
| Website: | http://www.canadaeschool.ca |
| Facebook: | https://www.facebook.com/myeschool |
| Email: | info@myeschool.ca |
| Phone: | 905-296-2506 |
| Address: | 1033 Main Street West Hamilton ON L8S 1B7 |
Educational Subjects: Biology, Geography, History, Language, Mathematics, Science, Social Sciences, Social Studies
Grade Levels: All Secondary Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Ontario Virtual School
Private provider of online OSSD-credit courses, around $450 to $550/course
- Continuous enrollment - start courses anytime.
- Finish an online course in as little as 4 weeks or as long as 12 months
- Certified teachers, all in good standing with the Ontario College of Teachers.
- Interactive lessons that encourage mastery before moving forward
- 24/7 access from anywhere in the world
- Marks directly sent to OUAC, OCAS, and day school
Grade Levels: All Secondary Grades: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Toronto eSchool
Private provider of online OSSD-credit courses, around $600/course (more if not a Canadian/permanent-resident residing in Canada)
Toronto eSchool is both an online high school and a tutoring centre offering grade 9 to 12 credit courses to local and international students on a part-time or full-time basis. Tutoring and programs provide individualized and customized academic support. Classes are available for English language and test preparation for students with English language needs.
| Website: | http://torontoeschool.com |
| Facebook: | https://www.facebook.com/torontoeschool |
| Contact: | Natalka Vetere |
| Email: | info@torontoeschool.com |
| Phone: | 647-352-6288 |
| Address: | 41 Metropolitan Road. Toronto, ON M1R 2T5 ( Highway 401 / Warden ) |
Educational Subjects: Algebra, Biology, English as a Second Language, English Grammar, English Literature, English Reading, English Vocabulary, English Writing (Composition), Geography, Health & Physical Education, History, Language, Mathematics, Science, Social Sciences, Social Studies, Visual Arts
Grade Levels: All Secondary Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Uchenna Academy
Private provider of online OSSD-credit courses, around $430 to $580/course
Uchenna Academy is accredited and inspected by the Ontario Ministry of Education, offering high school credit courses leading to an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). Offering ongoing enrollment, additional academic support, and a flexible schedule with all courses.
All homeschooled students are required to demonstrate their readiness for their chosen course through valid documentation. If no prerequisite course was taken, an equivalency test must be completed. Uchenna Academy staff offer academic assistance and resource sharing to prepare the students for the test.
Uchenna Academy & University Applications: guidance department serves as a bridge between students and university admissions offices (OUAC). Will individually provide support with the OUAC applications to ensure all students meet the criteria and deadlines during their university application process. In addition, Uchenna Academy will host several university representatives, providing students with comprehensive information about post-graduate programs, courses of study and future career paths.
| Website: | https://uchennaedu.org/ |
| Facebook: | https://www.facebook.com/uchennaacademy/ |
| Contact: | Claudia Mandekic |
| Email: | claudia.m@uchenna.ca |
| Phone: | (416) 855-5572 |
| Address: | 1205 St. Clair Ave. W. Toronto, ON M6E-1B5 |
Educational Subjects: Algebra, Biology, English Grammar, English Literature, English Reading, English Spelling, English Vocabulary, English Writing (Composition), History, Language, Mathematics, Science, Social Sciences
Grade Levels: 10-12
Virtual High School (Ontario)
Private provider of online OSSD-credit courses, around $480 to $580/course
Website: www.virtualhighschool.com
Phone: 1-866-679-9377
Fax: 1-519-565-4100
Email: Principal@virtualhighschool.com
VHS is the oldest accredited online high school in the Province of Ontario. Students may start course(s) any day, move through course at their own pace, and write final exam on any day (limit of 18 months). No textbook required. All content, unit tests, assignment submissions and final exams are online. Desire2Learn Learning Management System. Individual Education Plans (IEP) for students with special learning needs requiring course accommodations. Ontario College of Teachers qualified teaching staff. Homeschoolers are especially welcomed and accommodated!
Ontario high school equivalency
General Education Development (GED)
Direct inquiries regarding GED to the Independent Learning Centre (ILC) at:
(416) 484-2737 or 1-800-573-7022
Website: www.ilc.org/ged
The GED is an international testing program for adults who have not completed high school. It is available in all Canadian provinces and territories, in all of the United States, and in several other countries. In Ontario, the testing is administered by the ILC and allows adults to earn the Ontario High School Equivalency Certificate which is issued by the Ministry of Education. The GED test consists of five tests in core high school subject areas: writing, social studies, science, literature/arts and mathematics. This test can only be written in Ontario by Ontario residents who are 18 years of age or older and who have been out of school for at least one year. According to the ILC website, "Candidates who are 18 years old must provide documentation that they have not attended a regular high school for at least one year. Home-school candidates must provide a letter from their Board of Education indicating that they have been home-schooled." Please note that the Certificate is not equivalent to the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) but the certificate can be used as one factor in admission requirements for mature students when applying to a college or university or when seeking employment.
Other Canadian High Schools
ICS Canada (International Career School)
Private online program for a high school diploma (not an OSSD), total program cost around $1000 to $1300
https://www.icslearn.ca/high-school
Not accredited by the Ontario government. Accreditation is by Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC). May or may not be accepted for admission to a given post-secondary institution.
American schools
Bridgeway Academy
Home School Academy
334 2nd Street, Catasauqua, PA 18032-2501
Phone: 1-800-863-1474
Email: office@homeschoolacademy.com
Website: www.bridgewayacademy.com
For grades K-12. Uses curriculum from ACE--School of Tomorrow and Alpha Omega (Christian). Tuition fees include a complete individualized, mastery based, package of curriculum in Math, English, Science, Social Studies and Word Building. Additional elective courses are available at a 20% discount. Placement tests allow parents to develop an individualized curriculum plan in collaboration with one of the academy's academic advisors. Also offers achievement tests, grade reports, transcript records, lending library.
Calvert Education Services
Website: www.calverteducation.com
Originally part of the prestigious Calvert School in Baltimore, Maryland, the Calvert options for homeschooling are now provided by Calvert Education Services as a separate dedicated company. Learning options include the following:
- Complete grade-based homeschool curriculum for grades K-5.
- Individual courses in specific subjects for grades K-12.
- Enrollment in Calvert Academy Online (private online school) for grade 5 through high school.
- Verticy Learning: curriculum based on the Orton-Gillingham teaching methodologies, designed for children who are struggling because of dyslexia or other learning disabilities / learning differences. Reading, spelling, writing: 4 levels; Literature, math: grades 3-8.
Classical Learning Resource Center
The Classical Learning Resource Center offers live, interactive, online classes to homeschooling children in a wide variety of subjects -- Classical Greek and Latin, Literature and Composition, Mathematics, History, Philosophy, Great Books, Mythology, and a variety of modern languages including Arabic, Russian, German, French, Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese. Most of the teachers have advanced degrees in their subject area (Ph.D or M.A.) and extensive teaching experience.
| Website: | http://clrconline.com/ |
| Contact: | Anne Van Fossen |
| Email: | annevanfossen@clrconline.com |
| Phone: | 208-267-5000 |
| Address: | 671 Stoney Trail Rd Naples, ID 83847 USA |
Educational Subjects: Algebra, English Grammar, English Literature, English Reading, English Spelling (warning: American resource = American spelling), English Vocabulary, English Writing (Composition), French as a Second Language, History, Language, Mathematics, Science
Grade Levels: 1-12 (not all subjects for each grade)
Clonlara School
1289 Jewett, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104
Telephone: (734) 769-4511
Fax: (734) 769-9629
Email: info@clonlara.org
Website: www.clonlara.org
Clonlara has a campus school program in Ann Arbor but also provides distance education in elementary and secondary programs. Graduates of Clonlara have been accepted at many colleges/universities in the U.S. (see the Clonlara website for an extensive list)
NorthStar Academy
3790 Goodman Road East,
Southaven, MS 38672, USA
Toll Free: 1-888-464-6280
Direct: 1-662-892-4380
Fax: 1-662-892-4385
info@northstar-academy.org
Website: www.northstar-academy.org
NorthStar is an evangelical Christian on-line school for students in grades 4-12 using the internet. It is fully accredited by AdvancED & ACSI and is a member of the Network of International Christian Schools organization.
