About Our School

Pacific Crest Online Academy serves students of all levels in grades 6-12, whether at grade-level, advanced, or struggling.

Pacific Crest Online Academy (PCOA) is Richland School District’s fully online, teacher-directed, tuition-free public school. Students connect online to teachers, classmates, curriculum, and resources, while learning from home with the support of their parents.

PCOA fosters a caring community of online learners who support each other in accomplishing their individual learning plans. We deliver flexible, dynamic, and relevant virtual learning opportunities for every learner to receive high quality instruction in a student-centered environment.

Learning for students in grades 6-12 are provided both asynchronously (through online reading assignments, activities, and videos) and synchronously (through live online classes, small groups, individual support sessions, and office hours). For High School courses, students earn 0.5 credit for each course. High School courses are NCAA approved and meet graduation requirements. We offer Honors and AP courses.

FLEXIBLE:

Flexible scheduling allows students to take more or fewer classes per grading period as needed.

Learners can move faster or slower each grading period based on ability level and time available.

Those with consistent interruptions to a regular school schedule find success with our Alternative Learning Experience:

Athletes spending multiple hours per day in the gym or on the field.
Students splitting time between parents in different cities.
Patients receiving intensive medical treatment at hospitals throughout the Northwest.

RIGOROUS:

Washington certified teachers hold live online classes 2x per week in every credit area for graduation.

Excellent instruction delivered with kindness is our goal.

Significant variety of choice available as fully asynchronous courses:

23 AP courses
15 English (including Honors)
7 World Languages (including ASL)
20 Science (including Honors)
12 Math (including Honors)
18 Social Studies (including Honors)
58 Assorted electives like Game Design, Health Science Careers, Entrepreneurship and more!

UNIQUE:

Our students are:

Athletes in need of flexible scheduling (our classes meet 2x per week instead of 5)
Young people of all ages working through major health difficulties but continuing school with hope for a better future
Pre-Collegiates working to graduate with advanced courses.
Hands-on learners who want to spend time perfecting their trade while attending school.
Scholars interested in part-time Tri-Tech or Running Start programs.
Every-day kids working through anxiety and social pressures.
Juniors and Seniors interested in graduating early

Online Learning

Pacific Crest Online Academy offers a combination of asynchronous and synchronous learning to best meet the individual needs of each student:

Asynchronous Learning

This type of learning can take place at any time. Your children can work at the times that they are most alert and when best fits in their unique schedules. Asynchronous learning includes reading texts, watching videos, taking notes, working on projects, and a myriad of learning activities. Our teachers provide pacing charts so you and your children know if they are track to finish by end of the grading period, but you have flexibility on the moment-to-moment when the learning occurs.

Synchronous Learning

This type of learning takes place at a specific time. However, instead of the 6 1/2 hours per day that are scheduled in a traditional brick-and-mortar school, only part of the day is scheduled and the rest of the day is flexible for you to schedule in your own individualized way.

Synchronous Learning consists of live teacher-scheduled sessions. These could include:

live class sessions
small group workshops
1:1 support
office hours

Monitoring Progress

Students have their own learning plans, with syllabi and pacing charts specific to the courses they are taking. Students must make two-way contact with each of their teachers every week. Every month, each student's progress is reviewed and determined if it is adequate to complete the course on time. If a student is not making adequate progress, then an intervention plan is developed for the student.

Building Relationships

Connecting students with themselves, their teachers and the community is critical to their educational growth and well-being. Here are ways our schools helps support those relationships.

At School

With Teachers

Outside of School

In the Community

Statement of Understanding

Difference Between HBI and ALE

In accordance with the Alternative Learning Experience Implementation Standards, reference WAC 392-550-030(10), a school district or charter school that provides alternative learning experience courses or course work to a student must include a description of the difference between home-based instruction (HBI) pursuant to chapter 28A.200 RCW and the alternative learning experience (ALE) course(s).

Summary Description

Home-Based Instruction

Is provided by the parent or guardian as authorized under RCW 28A.200 and 28A.225.010.
Parent has filed an annual Declaration of Intent with the district.
Students are neither enrolled nor eligible for graduation through a public high school unless they meet all district and state graduation requirements.
Students are not subject to the rules and regulations governing public school, including course, graduation, and assessment requirements.
The public school is under no obligation to provide instruction or instructional materials, or to otherwise supervise the student’s education.

Home-based Instruction (HBI) students may have access to ancillary services and may enroll in a public school course on a part-time basis (less than full time) where space is available. Students are responsible for maintaining acceptable attendance and for meeting the course and school requirements for courses in which they are enrolled. They maintain their Home-Based Instruction student status.

Alternative Learning Experience Courses

Are authorized under WAC 392-121-182.
Students are enrolled in public education.
Students are subject to the rules and regulations governing public schools, including course, graduation, and assessment requirement for all portions of the ALE.
Instructional materials used for coursework meet district standards and are free from sectarian control or influence.
Learning experiences are:
Supervised, monitored, assess, and evaluated by certificated staff (weekly contact and monthly review).
Designed learning experiences planned together with student, parent and teacher.
Provided via a Written Student Learning Plan (WSLP). Provided in whole, or part, outside the regular classroom.

District and School Report Card Information

Are you interested in knowing how your child's school did on state assessments? Visit the Washington State OSPI Report Card at: https://reportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us.

The Report Card contains valuable information about test results as well as other statistics about our schools. To find results for our district and your child's school, use the webpage drop-down menu to find Richland School District and press GO.

Pre-K & Elementary

Middle Schools

High Schools

Choice Schools