Frequently Asked Questions

The TTA Arizona ESA program is a new educational opportunity. The Arizona Educational Scholarship Account Program provides students throughout the state of Arizona access to the educational environment that best meets their learning needs. Parents of eligible students, or emancipated eligible students, will have the opportunity to spend dedicated scholarship money on approved educational programs, therapies, services, tuition and fees, and other expenses related to the student’s education.

The TTA ESA program allows families the opportunity to use funds provided by the state that are set aside for educational services, to choose this option of educating at home. There is no out-of-pocket cost to families. Enrolling in the TTA ESA program does use most of the student’s ESA funds and then the student has access to the TTA supplemental funds to decide which extra educational resources and opportunities would be the best fit.

Students follow a traditional school calendar. We understand that students are learning at home all day, every day.  Parents decide what they want their daily schedule to look like. Optionally, for their own records families can verify five hours of daily instruction for each learning day and to complete 180 days of instruction for the school year. This is done through a check box system in InfoCenter.  

No, we believe parents should have the flexibility to choose the best format for their student’s learning. Some families prefer a technology-based curriculum while others want to do learning using textbooks. Others prefer hands-on activities and real-world learning and many choose a mix of all three. It is our goal to support parents as they choose the ways their student learns best. It is the parents who will decide how much time the student spends on the computer, if any.

Provided Resources, Group Buys, and Direct Courses 2022-23

We are excited to offer many resources as part of the program and group buys for the 2022-23 school year.

Provided Resources – Part of the program

• Learn 360 
• Brainpop and Brainpop Jr.
• Epic (during school hours)
• Generation Genius
• Khan Academy
• Salsa Spanish
• Tangy Tuesday
• Teach Your Monster to Read

Optional Homeroom Resources – Fees deducted directly from student supplemental funds

We anticipate offering the following resources. Links are provided for additional information. The group buy fees associated with each resource can be found in InfoCenter. There may be changes as we work to add new resources and negotiate contracts with each company. If a resource does not have a minimum number of student requests, it will be canceled. Requests for resources are made within Infocenter. 

Comprehensive Standards-Aligned Curriculum:

• Education.com Premium
• Evan Moore Toolbox
• Exact Path
• IXL 
• Moby Max
• Study Island
• Tech Trep Academy teacher-led online classes

Language Arts:

• ABC Mouse
• Adventure Academy
• Accelerated Reader
• Dreamscape
• Flocabulary
• Hairy Reading 
• Headsprout/RAZ Kids
• Lexia Core5
• Lexia Power Up
• MIWrite (grades 3-6)
• Moby Max 
• Nessy Reading and Spelling
• Night Zookeeper
• Reading Eggs/Eggspress
• Quill
• Squiggle Park
• Vooks
• Waterford

Math:

• ALEKS
• Beast Academy Online
• CTC Math
• Dreambox
• Frax Math
• Mathletics
• Mathseeds
• My Math (Included with ABC mouse)
• Mr. D Math
• Prodigy Math
• Reflex and Frax Math
• ST Math
• Sumdog

Social Studies and Science:

• IXL
• Kids Discover Online
• Moby Max
• Mystery Science
• Time/Edge

Electives:

• Adobe Creative Cloud
• Centervention
• Code Monkey
  
• Edutyping
• IXL Spanish
• Kiwi Crates
• Microsoft 365
• Prodigies Music
• Sign it: ASL!
• Tech Trep Direct Elective Courses (computer programming, photography, google ninja, engineering, etc.)
• The ULAT
• Touch-type, Read, Spell
• Tynker
• Typing Club

Writer’s Workshop

Writer’s Workshop is a weekly interactive virtual class led by Tech Trep teachers for grades 3-8.  Over the course of the school year students will:

• Practice the main genres of writing from the state standards during weekly mini-lessons.
• Use MIWrite (writing/editing program), ReadWorks (reading/writing comprehension program), and Fanschool (classroom blog) – all included in the cost of the class.
• Receive weekly individualized feedback and support from a teacher (through one on one conferencing).
• Have the opportunity to share and publish their writing with other Tech Trep students on a safe blog (Fanschool).
• Prepare and feel more confident for the writing portion of the ISAT.
• Have fun improving their writing skills as they share and interact with teachers and other students.

Tech Trep Academy Direct Tech/Entrepreneurship Courses 

Additional direct courses will be available through schedule builder. Fees will be deducted from the student’s learning funds.

We believe parents should have the flexibility to choose the curriculum that fits their student best.  If you prefer book-based or other curriculum provided, you can still receive this curriculum through a direct order using supplemental learning points. Religious curriculum can also be ordered.

Yes! Religious curriculum are approved for direct orders or reimbursement.

We would love to help!  We have several curriculum specialists who meet with parents to help them navigate through the curriculum options.  These specialists are seasoned educating-at-home moms and certified teachers. 

Each student (1st grade and up) receives $1700 in supplemental learning funds each year. Kindergarteners receive half that amount. This is split into quarterly amounts – $425/quarter. Using supplemental learning funds parents can order additional approved educational materials. These materials can be used to supplement the resources that are already provided.  Educational items such as curriculum,  online subscriptions, computers/tablets, internet fees, extracurricular classes, tutoring, museum passes, tech items and so many more things can be ordered with the supplemental learning funds.  A parent gets access to these funds through direct orders done through the school or through reimbursements. 

Yes, as long as you have met program requirements, the learning materials are yours to keep. If the student withdraws from the program mid-quarter you will work with the funding department to see if any items need returned.

Each child is wonderfully unique and with the supplemental learning funds system parents can choose the resources that will benefit their child the most. The amount is split up per quarter – $425 in funds can be accessed each quarter. Funds not spent during one quarter roll over into the next. All direct orders must be submitted by the end of the school year.

Supplemental learning materials are ordered directly by the school and shipped at no cost to the family’s home or family’s can submit for reimbursement.

Direct Tech Trep Courses – Tech electives, virtual clubs, online teacher-led courses, and the virtual Bridge program all have fees associated with them. When parents sign-up their students for these resources the fees will be deducted from the students’ supplemental learning fund.

Optional Homeroom Resources – Parents will find a list of optional homeroom resources in InfoCenter once enrolled that are available using supplemental learning funds.

Direct Order – Tech Trep Academy can purchase your approved educational materials from Amazon, Costco,  and/or Rainbow Resources and have the items shipped to you directly. There is no fee for this service. 

Close to the beginning of the school year, usually in July or August, direct orders will become available. Parents can create a wishlist on Amazon.com, RainbowResource.com, or Costco and send that to the direct ordering team. The school purchases the learning materials and has them shipped to the family’s front door, at no cost to them. Direct orders can be placed all year long until close to the end of the school year.

Students will have the four core classes:  Math, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies as well as two electives.  The electives can be PE, fine arts, foreign language, technology, or anything the student is interested in. 

All attendance and submissions are optional. Families will submit them if they want the records or feedback for their students from their homeroom teacher. Families can optionally turn in student learning assessments every two weeks for the four core classes. Weekly attendance is also optionally available. Optional submissions consist of a learning sample which can be in the form of a worksheet, test, paper, picture of a project, or video of your student explaining what they have learned. Our goal is to keep reporting very simple and easy!

No.  Students participating in the ESA program will NOT be required to take state mandated tests.

Grading will only happen if parents submit the optional submissions. The grading system is designed to help your child succeed. Grades are determined as teachers receive student learning assessments. The learning assessment process is designed to showcase your student’s strengths while keeping the reporting very simple and easy!

Yes!  We offer FREE field trips EVERY month!  These activities are free for our students and at least one parent.  Most of the time, additional siblings or parents can attend at a discounted rate.  These field trips are such a fun benefit of our program! We provide many activity opportunities throughout the year.  Field trips included outdoor activities, educational opportunities, and fun entertainment for the family.

Tech Trep Academy also offers virtual field trips. This year a few of the events our families have enjoyed include attending online book clubs and tea parties, viewing exotic reptiles, learning about severe weather and the constitution, meeting authors, touring a TV station, and enjoying a virtual tour of Jamestown!

There are SO MANY fun elective options. Families create their own custom elective plan – gathering their own resources using the supplemental learning fund.

Tech Trep Academy offers virtual teacher-led clubs that students can participate in. There are also many virtual tech elective classes offered through Tech Trep Academy. Fees for virtual clubs and Tech electives can come from the student’s supplemental learning fund.

Tech Trep Academy virtual clubs provide opportunities for youth to participate in activities, interact with peers in a positive and supervised setting, as well as pursue interests and develop skills. Many students fulfill elective requirements while participating in these virtual clubs.

View a List of Virtual Clubs effective as of January 2021.

View the many fun Tech Electives offered through Tech Trep Academy

 

Yes, absolutely! Many parents prefer that some subjects be taught to their student by a certified teacher.

Virtual teacher-led classes are part of the optional resources parents have access to for their students. There are classes offered in science and social studies for many grades. Some of these classes will use the student’s supplemental learning resource points.

Many families also enjoy the virtual clubs which are teacher-led and cover a wide variety of interests.

View a List of Virtual Clubs effective as of January 2021.

 

 

No. Our goal is to help students gain valuable skills to be successful in college, career, and life, while encouraging them to pursue their interests. When selecting electives students may choose one of the courses we offer or they may choose some other skill they are interested in!  The sky’s the limit!

Families are welcome to create their own custom elective course designed specifically for their student.

View a List of Virtual Clubs which many students use as electives – effective as of January 2021.

See the many fun Tech Electives offered through Tech Trep Academy.

Yes – absolutely.  We believe the parent knows their child best and can decide if he/she would be able to handle a course that may be designed for older students.

The Minecraft STEAM course is broad and touches on Art, Engineering, Entrepreneurship, Math, Language Art / Social Studies concepts.  The course can be applied at multiple levels, depending of the skill level of the student.  Since it is very open, it allows students to do projects at their own level.  Experienced Minecraft players may know some of the Minecraft techniques already (how to make a character skin and how to use redstone), but will discover new concepts  such as basic art techniques, making scale models, and learning about circuitry with redstone.

The Minecraft Modding with Java course is fairly technical and focuses exclusively on creating and adding custom modifications to Minecraft using Java. The course is appropriate for any student 11+ that has a basic foundational grasp of coding and is comfortable with a little bit of troubleshooting.

Yes!  Visit TechTrep.com, and private pay parents and schools can purchase individual courses for students. Note:  Several partner schools and programs across the country are pre-approved to purchase via Tech Trep.

Yes!  Once enrollment has been completed in InfoCenter an acceptance email will be provided with additional information. 

• Parents submit an application for each child in the Tech Trep Academy InfoCenter.
• Once accepted, parents submit a complete enrollment packet in InfoCenter. The parent will also provide proof of residence, birth certificate, and signed ESA contract.
• Both student and parent need an active email account (see video for help with younger children).
• After the packet is approved, you will receive a confirmation email letting you know your student is fully enrolled.
• You will be able to access Parent Link and Announcements in InfoCenter for additional information.
• If you have questions about the process, please reach out to [email protected] for help and support in enrollment.

Absolutely! Go the parent testimonials to read what other families have experienced while enrolled in Tech Trep Academy.

Contact Us with your questions and/or check out the live Parent Information Meetings. We look forward to speaking with you!

In 2008, a full-time public school program called My Tech High was created to provide students in Utah with a personalized education experience focused on technology and entrepreneurship.  Interest in the Utah program has continued to grow each year with thousands of students now participating. My Tech High has added programs in Colorado and Arkansas.

Tech Trep Academy (‘trep’ is short for entrepreneur) started in 2015 to help part-time students outside of Utah to access the amazing technology and entrepreneurship curriculum.

Beginning in February 2017, a full-time Tech Trep Academy program became available in Idaho for students in grades K–8! As of fall 2022, Tech Trep Academy has also added programs for Arizona, Indiana, Tennessee, Wyoming, and North Dakota.