Frequently Asked Questions
Is Braintree Academy a Public Charter/District School or a Private School?
Braintree Academy acts as a bridge between school districts
and families who want to educate at home.
Students throughout all of Arizona are invited to apply and receive
FREE resources and support as they learn from home.
How much does the Braintree program cost?
An education through Braintree Academy is personalized and FREE.
In addition, parents also receive access to a supplemental learning fund which can be
used to select customized learning resources for their children.
What does the school calendar and daily schedule look like?
Students follow a traditional school year calendar.
Parents do submit attendance on a google form. We understand that students are learning
at home all day, every day. Parents decide what they want their daily schedule to look like.
Does my child's schooling need to be done on a
computer if we are part of this program?
We believe parents should have the flexibility to choose the best format for their student’s learning. Some families prefer technology-based schooling 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.
Families in Braintree Academy are required to have access to a computer/tablet and internet to be able to fulfill the state testing requirements that are part of the program. Families will also need to upload submissions digitally and may need to join live virtual meetings for classes, clubs, or other school meetings.
What curriculum and learning resources are provided?
Free Online Curriculum
Braintree Academy will provide comprehensive online curriculum resources to all students at no cost to families. Other learning resources are also offered at no cost to families. These include:
Brainpop and Brainpop Jr.
Epic (during school hours)
Generation Genius
Khan Academy
Salsa Spanish
Tangy Tuesday
Teach Your Monster to Read
Opt-in Programs for 2023-24 (Optional Homeroom Resources)
Note: 2024-25 resources should be similar.
Students will have the following additional learning resource options available as opt-in programs. The funds for each program will be deducted from the student’s learning funds. Parents can opt into any of these programs. Additional information about each resource can be found in Sign-Up Central - launching this year!
Math:
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ALEKS
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Beast Academy Online
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CTC Math
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Dreambox Math
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Frax Math
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Mathletics
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Mathseeds
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My Math Academy
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Prodigy Math
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Reflex Math
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Sumdog
Language Arts:
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Adventure Academy
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Accelerated Reader
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Exact Path
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Hairy Reading
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Headsprout/RAZ Kids
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Lexia Core5
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Lexia Power Up
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MIWrite (grades 3-12)
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Moby Max
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Nessy Reading and Spelling
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Reading Eggs/Eggspress
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Quill
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Vooks
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Waterford
Electives:
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Adobe Creative Cloud
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Centervention
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Code Monkey
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IXL Spanish
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Microsoft 365
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Sign it: ASL!
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The ULAT
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Touch-type, Read, Spell
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Tynker
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Typing Club
Multi-Subject Resources:
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Education.com Premium
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Exact Path
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IXL
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Moby Max
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Study Island
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Braintree Academy teacher-led online classes
Social Studies and Science:
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IXL
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Kids Discover Online
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Moby Max
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Mystery Science
What happens if my preferred learning resources are not
part of the provided free curriculum?
We believe parents should have the flexibility to choose the learning resources that fit their student best. Many additional resources are available through direct order or through reimbursement. As Braintree Academy is in partnership with the public education system, only secular materials are approved for reimbursement or direct orders.
Can I select religious-based curriculum as part of my approved program?
Parents are free to supplement their child’s education with religious materials using their own private funds. As this program is in partnership with the public education system, only secular materials are approved for direct orders and reimbursements.
What if I need help choosing the learning resources that
are best for my child?
We would love to help! Our Homeroom Teachers are qualified to assist you in finding the appropriate curriculum that works for you and your family. Once you are assigned a Homeroom Teacher, you will be able to contact them directly with any curriculum questions you may have. Need help before receiving a homeroom teacher? Reach out to your state coordinator and they will make sure your questions get answered. (Arizona@BraintreeEd.com)
What are supplemental learning resource funds?
Each student in grades 1st through 8th will receive $3400 in
supplemental learning funds each year ($850 per quarter).
Kindergarteners receive $2050 each year.
These funds can be used to supplement the free resources that are already provided. Educational items such as curriculum, online subscriptions, computers/tablets, internet fees, extracurricular classes, tutoring, museum passes, gym memberships, tech items and so many more things can be purchased with the supplemental learning funds. Parents get access to these funds through direct purchases and/or reimbursements.
Do we get to keep the learning resources we receive
through the supplemental learning fund?
Yes, as long as you meet all program requirements for the year and do not withdraw, the learning resources are yours to keep. Program requirements include state testing, bi-weekly reporting, and weekly attendance check-ins. If a family chooses to withdraw from the program before the end of the school year, or does not meet program requirements, all materials, curriculum, and technology must be returned to the program in a timely manner (unless Braintree Academy classifies materials as consumable). Return postage is the responsibility of the parent. Parents may also have the option of purchasing the items from Braintree Academy instead of returning them.
How do I access the supplemental learning fund?
Each child is wonderfully unique and with the supplemental learning funds parents can choose the resources that will benefit their child the most. Students in grades 1-8 have access to $3400 in their supplemental learning fund, kindergarteners have $2050. Those amounts are split up by quarter throughout the school year. ($850/quarter available to grades 1-8, $512.50/quarter available for kindergarteners).
Supplemental Learning funds can be accessed in multiple ways:
Direct Braintree Courses – Virtual clubs and online courses have a fee associated with them. When parents sign-up their students for these resources, the fee will be deducted from the students’ supplemental learning resource funds.
Optional Homeroom Resources – Parents will find a list of optional homeroom resources in Sign-Up Central at greatly discounted group-buy prices once enrolled. The purchase price will be deducted from the student’s supplemental learning fund.
Reimbursements – Beginning in May, of the upcoming school year, parents can begin purchasing learning resources and classes. Receipts can be submitted for reimbursement at the appropriate time.
Direct Order – Braintree Academy can purchase your approved supplemental learning resources from places like Amazon.com, Lakeshore Learning, Costco, and Rainbow Resource and have the items shipped to you directly. This service is FREE. Parents can find additional information about the supplemental learning funds, how to access direct ordering, and a list of items that are NOT approved for reimbursement in the Parent Guidebook after they are enrolled in Braintree Academy.
What subjects or classes are required?
K-8 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.
Students in Arizona, 3rd-8th grade, are also required by the state to show one work sample of cursive for the year.
How often do students/parents turn in student work?
K-8 families turn in student learning assessments every two weeks for the four core classes. There are also work samples/reporting on electives twice a year. 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!
Are students required to participate in State testing?
Yes. All students are required to participate in state tests.
Do you offer field trips?
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.
Braintree Academy also offers virtual field trips. A few of the events our families have enjoyed include attending online book clubs and tea parties, viewing exotic reptiles, watercolor classes, storytime, learning about severe weather, exploring the constitution, meeting authors, touring a TV station, and enjoying a virtual tour of Jamestown!
What courses or clubs are offered as electives?
There are SO MANY fun ways for K-8 students to fill elective requirements. Families are welcome to create their own custom elective plan – gathering their own resources using the supplemental learning fund.
Braintree Academy offers virtual teacher-led clubs that students can participate in. Fees for virtual clubs can come from the student’s supplemental learning fund.
Braintree 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.
Do you offer teacher-led courses or classes?
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 each core subject for each grade level. These classes have fees which will be deducted from the student’s supplemental learning resource funds.
Many families also enjoy the virtual clubs which are teacher-led
and cover a wide variety of interests.
Can my child enter kindergarten early?
Children who are 5 by August 31st are old enough to enter kindergarten. Children who will turn 5 between September 1st and December 31st may be screened to enter kindergarten early. Access the early screening form at: azdl.org – go to the “Learning Paths” tab, then select “Early Entrance Kindergarten Readiness Screening”, and look for the link to the form. An AZDL staff member completes all entry kinder screening. All evaluation determinations are final.
If/when my child is accepted, will I receive additional information?
Yes! Once enrollment has been completed, an acceptance email will be provided with additional information, including the Parent Guidebook.
What is the enrollment process?
Step 1: Parents will first submit an application on our website.
Step 2: Once the application is received, parents will than receive an automatic response email with a NEXT STEP link to complete the registration. Parents will need to complete one registration form per student to register for Braintree Academy.
Step 3: Enroll with our partner school district, Sequoia Choice AZ Distance Learning.
Step 4: After all information provided is approved, you will receive a confirmation email letting you know your student is fully enrolled.
If you have questions about the process, please reach out to Arizona@BraintreeEd.com for help and support in enrollment.
How can I get connected with fellow Braintree Academy
families and students?
Great Question! We offer a community support group for Arizona Braintree Academy families on Facebook. Additionally there is a Braintree Facebook page and Instagram account that offers weekly educational resources and inspiration for families!
Follow Us @Braintree4Me
I have additional questions. How do I get more answers?
Contact Us with your questions by reaching out to our State Coordinator.
Arizona@braintreeed.com - Alicia Rooney