When searching for an online high school, start by filtering out options that are not accredited. Accreditation is the most fundamental indicator of quality and should be your first screening criterion.
Accreditation is more than just a credential. It is a rigorous review process conducted by recognized oversight bodies to ensure a school meets established standards for curriculum, instruction, student support, and academic integrity. Choosing an accredited program also helps protect your investment by increasing the likelihood that your student’s credits will transfer, which is especially important if college is part of their future plans.
Finding out if a school is accredited is only the first step when you’re choosing an online high school. Often, online schools can gain accreditation but are not necessarily the right fit for a student. This is especially true if you’re looking for schools to help with learning differences like ADHD, dyslexia, or sensory processing disorder.
The best online high school programs should support students:
- Academically, by helping them meet their learning goals
- Personally, by helping them explore their interests in a supportive environment
- Socially, by helping them connect with other students to build meaningful friendships.
In this article, we’ll look at what defines an accredited online high school, why we chose accreditation for our online school, Fusion Global Academy, and what the learning experience is like in a fully accredited, fully personalized online program.
Many online high school programs are built around video lectures, large online classes, or self-paced study. Our model is different. At Fusion Global Academy, high school students participate in virtual, personalized classes led by experienced teachers and have access to quality online learning tools to help them master key concepts. Our programs can help with credit recovery, resolve scheduling conflicts, accelerate a student’s studies, and let them explore a wider range of courses than most traditional schools can offer. Find out more here.
How Is Fusion Academy Accredited?
Accreditation is a complex process handled by a range of nonprofit agencies nationally and by region. This means that school accreditation can vary from state to state, and our online school has a different accreditation profile than some of our in-person campuses.
That being said, Fusion Global Academy is fully accredited by:
- Cognia, a national accrediting organization that accredits our in-person campuses as well as our online high school. Cognia serves preK–12 and postsecondary institutions, and they’re known for providing expertise and actionable ideas as well as school evaluations.
- WASC, a regional accrediting agency. The Accrediting Commission for Schools: Western Association of Schools and Colleges evaluates schools across the U.S. and internationally.
- MSA, the Middle States Association Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools. MSA is another global leader in both accreditation and school improvement.
- NEASC, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, a respected regional accrediting organization that supports public and independent schools through rigorous standards focused on student learning, institutional effectiveness, and ongoing improvement.
In the U.S., high school accreditation is a voluntary process. At Fusion, we choose accreditation for our in-person and online schools to:
- Examine ourselves against rigorous high standards of education and integrity, as set by each accrediting agency that assesses our schools.
- Strive for continuous improvement. As well as evaluating the current standards in a school, the accreditation process involves creating a well-developed plan for the school’s future. This means accreditation helps us grow professionally and improve the experience we offer our students.
- Build trust with students and families. Accreditation shows current and prospective students they can trust the programs our school provides.
- Smooth students’ transitions to the next stage of their education. When students complete a class at Fusion, our accreditation lets them trust that the credits they earn will be recognized by another school or college. Because our approach to education—with one-to-one classes, custom schedules, and flexible teaching methods—is very different from the public school system, accreditation validates our unique approach.
Now, let’s see what it looks like to learn through a high-quality, accredited online platform.
Fusion Global Academy: A Fully Accredited, One-to-One Online High School
Fusion Global Academy offers a 100% online education for students in grades 4–12. Students at Fusion Global Academy have live classes at times that suit their schedules, as well as access to a vibrant online community where they can connect with other remote learners.
Many traditional online high schools are built around packed virtual classrooms or even pre-recorded lessons. While this can work for adult learners or highly motivated high schoolers, it can also be an isolating and confusing way to learn. Our online courses are built on our one-to-one model, matching each student with a dedicated teacher. For students who want it, we also offer small group classes of up to five students enrolled in the same course. During class time, students get immediate answers to their questions, and teachers can customize their delivery and lesson materials to the student on their screen.
For high schoolers, the Fusion Global Academy offers:
- Essential courses that fulfill high school graduation requirements
- College Preparatory courses designed to provide a standard academic foundation for students with their eyes on college admission
- Honors courses, which offer advanced, challenging coursework for students seeking greater academic depth
- AP® courses, college-level courses where students can earn college credits on successful completion of the exam.
Next, we’ll cover the academic, social, and emotional benefits of Fusion Global Academy.
Interactive, Personalized Curriculum
After your student enrolls at Fusion, we typically provide two assessments: Measures of Academy Progress (MAP®) and Mindprint. Both of these assessments help to inform instruction and serve as a basis for developing a Formal Education plan.
This unique Fusion plan focuses on leveraging a student’s strengths and supporting growth areas. As teachers get to know their students better, they have the opportunity to further personalize the classroom experience.
Then students can enroll in classes they need at the level they need. This includes academic core classes like Algebra, Spanish, US History, Chemistry, or Statistics, as well as a range of electives oriented to a student’s passions, career interests, or course choices for college.
A student’s course load at Fusion Global Academy is also very flexible.
For example, if a student needs to supplement the classes available through their local school district, they can enroll in individual classes for credit while they stay at their current school. This type of dual enrollment curriculum is perfect for:
- Credit recovery after failing a course at their own high school
- Making up credits missed due to personal circumstances or illness
- Taking a unique course that’s not available in their school
- Diving into the next level when they’ve mastered the material in their current course.
If a student wants to switch to a full-time online high school education, they can also build their own schedule from scratch. This flexible, full-time option works well for, for example, twice exceptional students looking for an online high school because their needs aren’t being fully met in their current school.
A full-time course load at Fusion might include:
- Essential courses in the core subjects they need to complete their high school diploma
- Honors or Advanced Placement® courses in subjects where they excel
- Elective courses connected to the subject they want to study at college. For example, a student who wants to go into STEM might opt for electives in Artificial Intelligence, Biotechnology, Engineering, or Game Design.
- An additional mini course in wellness, resilience, or organization, which helps them stay grounded through high school and prepare for the next steps of their educational journey.
Personalization at Fusion doesn’t end with the student’s curriculum. When a student works with our experienced online teachers, they’ll also benefit from individualized lesson plans and online learning resources.
In our one-to-one classrooms, teachers get to know the individual strengths, interests, and learning preferences of the student. Using that, along with the MAP® and Mindprint testing information, they personalize their lessons to the student. For example, if a student historically hasn’t enjoyed reading in English class, the teacher can use their interests to find an appropriate level novel that they’ll enjoy.
Our teachers also use available tools and resources to help them create more customized learning plans. For example, online math teachers have access to a range of virtual teaching programs to make learning more interactive and engaging. Instead of simply walking a student through chunks of the textbook, teachers can use tools like MagicSchool, which generates quizzes, practice questions, or word-based problems for the student’s grade level to demonstrate new mathematical concepts.
MagicSchool is particularly popular with our teachers because it lets them customize materials to a student’s personal interests. For example, if a student’s passion lies with visual arts, but they need to complete the math class to graduate, their teacher can supplement the textbook material with math problems based on crafting and design.
Our math teachers also have access to ALEKS, an adaptive platform, which means it uses machine learning to create a unique learning path for each student and adjusts based on their progress. We find this helps keep students engaged with the subject, as they’re neither bored by math that’s too easy nor overwhelmed by problems they’re not ready to tackle.
Whichever subjects a student enrolls in at Fusion, our curriculum and lesson planning are based on their personal motivation, interests, school history, and learning preferences.
Fusion’s personalized approach also extends to how we communicate with families. Our teachers send daily updates to parents and guardians summarizing what was covered in class, how their student showed up that day, and what progress they’re making. For families whose children are learning from home, this transparency is especially valuable—it means you’re never left wondering how your child’s day went or whether they’re keeping up. It also creates a feedback loop that helps teachers continuously adjust their approach based on how a student is progressing.
To view all the core and elective classes available for high school students at Fusion, view our complete course catalog.
Learn on Your Schedule
Fusion Global Academy offers personalized learning on a custom schedule.
Our online school is open from 5:30am–11:30pm ET, which means many of our online students take classes well before or after they would be able to attend their local school in person.
Some students thrive on a consistent, full-time school day. Others need flexibility to balance learning with life. At Fusion, both are possible.
Fusion students can group their classes in the way that plays to their strengths. Even our full-time online students are under no obligation to attend live classes from Monday to Friday. If they would rather group their classes into three days and leave two days for self-study, we can accommodate their needs.
This flexibility helps all our students build a schedule that suits the way they learn best.
- Students who want to stay enrolled in their current high school can schedule a Fusion class in the evening.
- Students who have other commitments—like student athletes or actors—can schedule their course load around training and rehearsals.
- Students with learning differences who have regular appointments with, for example, an occupational therapist, can attend those appointments without disrupting their education.
- Students with anxiety about school can arrange a shorter school day, plan time to decompress after class, or schedule classes they dislike earlier in the day or the week so they can focus on looking forward to the subjects they enjoy.
Fusion’s flexible scheduling also extends to hybrid learning options. Students who live close to one of our 80+ campuses in the US can sign up to attend some classes online and some in person.
We’ve found that this hybrid model is particularly useful for students who are new to online school and independent learning, or students who have been away from school for a while due to personal circumstances.
We operate a system of open enrollment at Fusion. Whenever a student needs to begin a class during the school year, you can reach out to our admissions team to request information and discuss the options.
Additional Academic Support
Along with our full-time online program, Fusion also offers:
- Tutoring packages that can be focused on a specific course or on helping students develop better study habits and executive functioning skills.
- A math remediation program for students who are a grade level or more behind in their math studies.
- A reading remediation program for students who are reading a year or more below their current grade level.
Be Part of a Vibrant Online Community
Fusion Global Academy offers all this personalization and flexibility without sacrificing socialization.
To ensure online student life is still an enriching social experience, we’ve organized a range of virtual clubs and social events. Many of these events are inspired by student interests noted by our teachers and designed to help students connect with like-minded peers around the world.
For example, our online students have recently enjoyed open mic night, movie night, gaming, fitness, and art clubs, and Winterfest.
Each summer, we also organize a regional field trip open to all Fusion students and their families. This trip, called Fusion Nation, pairs with an optional mini course, allowing students to study the architecture, cuisine, culture, and history of the city or region from the classroom before students meet up to learn on location. Our destinations so far have included New York City and Colorado.
Online students also collaborate online, even if their classes are all one-to-one. Online students have time scheduled in the Global Homework Café—an online hub facilitated by our Global Community Team—where they can work on their assignments and executive function skills in a series of virtual spaces.
The Global Homework Café includes subject-specific breakout rooms where students can access support and real-time guidance from teachers. These rooms include:
- Math Meetup
- Science Lab
- English Corner
- History Hub
- “What the Tech?”, where students can seek help with technical problems
- The Hangout, a general space for socialization and games
Alongside the academic and social support in the Global Homework Café, Fusion students and their families also have access to The Neighborhood, a password-protected site that acts as the online home to all things Global Community. In The Neighborhood, you can access our events calendar, important resources, and much more.
Prepare for Life After High School with Post-Secondary Counseling
Often, students move from in-person to online high school courses because their sights are set on higher education. Fusion Academy has a dedicated national team of post-secondary counselors who go above and beyond the traditional guidance available in schools to support our students’ goals.
Fusion Global Academy students can access post-secondary counseling online. This live, one-to-one support can start in their Freshman or Sophomore year, as counselors help them begin their planning, extracurricular selection, and resume building. Counselors help our students explore their course and school options, understand the testing process and study timeline, and can also show them options for accessing college financial aid. For students who are more interested in exploring career pathways, our counselors are also on hand to guide them through all their options.
Fusion’s approach has delivered exceptional results.
Fusion Academy students’ achievement scores in reading grow 70% more than their national peers in a school year, and their math achievement scores grow 81% more than the national average. (Based on Fusion students’ year-over-year average MAP growth rate compared to the average MAP growth rate of their national grade-matched peer group.)
Additionally, in our Class of 2025—which saw 1,032 graduates—applicants from Fusion achieved a 99% college acceptance rate, with 87.5% attending their first-choice institution. 41% of graduates received merit scholarships, with an average award of $58,303.
(Read more about how we measure success here.)
Self-Directed Courses With Fusion Academy
Fusion Academy also offers self-directed courses. These are ideal for motivated students who thrive with independence, our self-directed option offers the ultimate flexibility without compromising support or academics.
Courses are text-based with interactive, audio, and visual supplements—so students aren’t just passively watching videos; they’re actively engaging with their learning.
Every student is paired with a qualified grader who monitors progress and provides feedback to fit the student’s goals. Self-directed students also have access to our Global Homework Café for connection, questions, and academic support.
Contact us now to learn more.
Getting Started with Fusion Global Academy
Getting started with Fusion’s online courses is straightforward, and enrollment is open year-round.
Enrollment starts with meeting our admissions team and one of our heads of school. These interviews help us understand a student’s needs and create a personalized academic plan. We’ll also review a prospective student’s academic standing through transcript review and standardized tests to evaluate their level in core subjects.
Contact us now to learn more.
More Accredited Online High Schools to Consider
Acellus Academy: Accredited Programs for Elementary, Middle & High School
Acellus Academy is an accredited online elementary school, middle school, and high school owned by the International Academy of Science. Their WASC-accredited programs are self-paced, and enrollment is open throughout the school year.
The modules at Acellus are pre-recorded and video-based. Alongside these video lectures, students have access to practice problems, extra help problems, reviews, and exams. Once enrolled, students will have a dashboard where they can track their progress through the courses they’re taking.
The American Academy: High School Diploma and Homeschool Programs
The American Academy is a pure online high school. Unlike many of the other options on this list, they don’t cater to elementary or middle school students. Instead, they focus on high school classes, diploma classes, and summer school.
The American Academy also offers an online homeschool program, where high school students can complete a structured online learning program and have their assignments evaluated and graded by state-licensed teachers.
Crimson Global Academy: Online International School
Crimson Global Academy is one of Europe’s leading online private schools. It’s accredited by WASC, as well as many other international accrediting bodies, and is recognized by organizations like Cambridge Assessment. The school offers both a British and an American curriculum for ages 7–18.
Crimson employs more than 200 teachers around the world, which means the school is able to provide one-to-one and small group classes. This gives students more face-to-face time with educators, rather than making their way through material at their own pace.
This school also has a strong focus on an online student’s social life, and students have access to a global community with in-person meetups and virtual clubs.
Excel High School: Asynchronous High School Program
Excel High School is another fully asynchronous, self-paced high school program. Students here are responsible for showing up, making their way through the pre-recorded lessons, and studying to master the content. This can be a good option for students who need to make up a class or for adults who are highly motivated to earn their high school diploma equivalent.
Excel’s courses include standard high school courses, honors courses, summer school and credit recovery, and a high-quality adult diploma program. The online school is accredited by Cognia and MSA and has several additional state and specialized approvals.
Stanford Online High School: Independent School for Grades 7–12
Stanford Online High School offers live, online discussion seminars on a college-style schedule. Each class is based on an interactive virtual classroom system. Targeted toward academically driven students seeking more challenge, the school offers “rigorous” middle school classes, early college-level and college major equivalent courses. This offers students an opportunity to try out subjects that interest them or earn college credits while still in high school.
Start your Online High School Journey at Fusion
Fusion Global Academy’s fully accredited online high school serves students around the world with personalized one-to-one classes. Whether your student needs to make up high school credits, move to online schooling full-time, or explore their interests through a wide range of electives, Fusion Global Academy will collaborate with you to design a custom online high school program for your child.
Reach out to us and we’ll respond to any questions you may have.
