Harmony Public Schools to offer fully virtual option for students

On May 23, Harmony Public Schools announced it will offer full online learning options to all students during the 2022-23 school year, according to a press release from the charter school system.

The virtual school, dubbed Harmony Virtual Academy, is available for students who prefer or need to learn online and is approved for about 572 students in the fall 2022 semester. In 2021-22, about 400 students attended Harmony Virtual Academy, per the release.

The schools will still continue offering in-person learning to most of its 38,000 students at all 58 campuses, according to the release.

“We’ve learned during the pandemic that most students still learn best in the traditional classroom setting surrounded by their peers,” Harmony Public Schools CEO Fatih Ay said in the release. “But that’s not necessarily true for every scholar. For students who need to continue studying from home or who simply just learn better that way, we’re excited to continue offering a virtual school choice for fall 2022.”

Eligibility for the virtual schooling requires students to be enrolled at Harmony for the applicable school year, maintain at least a 90% attendance rate, have passed their most recent State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness and be passing in all core subjects.

“Parents deserve to have a choice in their child’s education,” Ay said. “And so many families have told us that a virtual option is a choice they still need. At Harmony, we listen to our families, and we’re committed to providing those who choose virtual learning the most comprehensive online education possible.”

As of May 23, Harmony Public Schools was still accepting applications for the 2022-23 school year both online and in person.