Is CVA a school?
CVA is a program, not a school. Students remain enrolled at their local CCSD school and the student’s Counselor recommends and approves the appropriate CVA courses. Most of our students take 1 or 2 CVA courses at a time. You will need to consult with your student’s Counselor to determine the courses your child could take online with CVA.
What are Student Participation Expectations?
Cobb Virtual Academy students are expected to attend and participate in their online education courses as fully as they would attend and participate in a face-to-face classroom course. For the best and most successful experience, students should plan on logging and submitting work in daily. All courses contain a 'Course Schedule' that lists all assignments and due dates. Students may work ahead in the course but should not get behind.
What is the CVA Work Policy?
- All course work must be completed by the due dates listed in the 'Course Schedule' Course work submitted late may be subject to a deduction in grade.
- Students MUST submit all course work electronically through CTLS, CVA's Learning Management System. Cobb Virtual Academy will not accept any work not submitted through the course.
- No coursework will be accepted after the 'Last Day to Submit Course Work' date listed in the Course Schedule. This date is also posted in the term schedule on the website.
- Students are required to take final assessments at the date, time, and location posted on the CVA website. There are NO makeup dates for EOC or final exams.
How much time do I need to spend working on each course during the week?
Students should plan to spend about an hour per day working on each half-credit course and up to two hours per day working on each full credit course. Students who take all of their courses online should plan to spend 6-8 hours per weekday working on their courses and submitting coursework: about 40 total hours per week. The time of day doesn’t matter, but the amount of time spent learning and submitting coursework each day is important! Students may submit work during the weekends as well and may work ahead in their courses
Which and how many courses can students take?
Because local schools monitor a student's progress toward graduation, parents and student should work with their school counselor to identify the most appropriate online course selection.
Due to the compressed schedule, CVA recommends that summer term students take no more than one full unit. This may be comprised of two half-unit courses or one full-unit course.
What is the cost of taking an online course?
Just like classes taken at the local school during the Fall and Spring terms, there is no charge for courses taken as part of a student's regular school day (state-funded school schedule).
Courses taken in addition to the regular school day and all summer term courses are tuition courses. Tuition is $275 for a .5 unit course and $550 for a 1.0 unit course.
Cobb Virtual Academy ONLY accepts payment by money order, credit card, or electronic fund transfer (electronic check). We do not accept cash or personal checks. Tuition does not have to be paid at registration. When courses are verified by the local school counselor, students and parents receive a "CVA Course Approved: Tuition" email. Payment must be received within 5 calendar days of receiving the "CVA Course Approved: Tuition" email or by the end of online registration, whichever is earlier. If appropriate payment is not received by the deadline, course registrations may be canceled to accommodate other students.
Credit Card and Electronic Funds Transfer: Credit card/electronic funds payment information is included in the "CVA Course Approved: Tuition" email sent to parents and students when courses are verified by the local school counselor. Note: The credit card/electronic funds transfer payment option includes a $15 non-refundable enrollment convenience fee (paid to the credit card processor, FACTS) in addition to the tuition fee. The credit card or bank statement payments should read as "Facts Tuition payment" or "ACS Tuition payment". Also, FACTS is not integrated with the CVA registration system. If this is your first time taking a CVA tuition course, you must set up an account with FACTS.
Tuition Student - Withdraw with Partial Refund
Cobb Virtual Academy allows withdrawals, less a $75 registration fee, through a pre-determined date. For the specific withdrawal date, see Academics > Term Information > Tuition Student - Last Day to Withdraw with Partial Refund. After that date, refunds will not be given for student withdrawals.
Withdrawals are not official until the Withdrawal Form (PDF) and all textbooks, Polar Equipment, and/or supplemental resources are returned or the replacement cost is paid. All textbooks and supplemental materials must be returned to the school they were distributed from by the designated date/time.
Tuition Student - Withdraw with No Refund and Withdrawal Form
No refunds are provided to students who are failing or are in danger of failing. Tuition students may withdraw until a pre-determined date prior to the CVA final exams without the course grade being posted to their academic transcript. For the specific withdrawal date, see Academic > Term Information > Tuition Student - Last Day to Withdraw with No Refund. This date is also included in deficiency notices. Withdrawals are not official until the Withdrawal Form (PDF) and all textbooks, Polar Equipment, and/or supplemental resources are returned or the replacement cost is paid. All textbooks and supplemental materials must be returned to the school they were distributed from by the designated date/time.
Students who take the course as part of their regular school day (state-funded school schedule) may not withdraw from Cobb Virtual Academy.
CCSD Student Enrollment Requirement
Cobb Virtual Academy only serves students enrolled in the Cobb County School District. Students who withdraw from the Cobb County School District will be withdrawn from Cobb Virtual Academy.
Students wishing to take CVA summer term courses prior to enrolling in the Cobb County School District for fall term should contact the local school and CVA office.
How does a student or parent communicate with the teacher?
While the primary form of communication with students is email, all Cobb Virtual Academy teachers are available to talk to students or parents via email, telephone, or text.
Check your SPAM folder if you are not receiving communication from CVA staff and teachers. Teacher contact information is located in the Teacher Information area of all CVA courses.
Are accommodations made for Special Education Students?
CVA reviews IEPs, 504s, ELPs, and IHCPs and sends an Online Academic Accommodations form to the student, parent and CVA teacher. The Online Academic Accommodations form outlines the accommodations available in the online environment. Not all accommodations are applicable to online courses and some are not possible. The local school remains responsible for meeting all provisions in the IEP/504/ELP/IHCP on file with the Cobb County School District.
How are grades and credits reported at the end of the course?
CVA final course grades are entered into the CCSD student information system and are reported on the local school transcript.
Do CVA courses meet NCAA eligibility requirements?
Cobb Virtual Academy courses are certified by the NCAA, the primary governing body of intercollegiate athletics. College-bound student athletes are able to complete academic core courses through CVA that meet eligibility requirements to play in NCAA Division I and Division II athletic programs.
May my student repeat a course to replace a grade?
No, state and district administrative rules do not allow students to repeat a course that was previously passed or to replace grades or credits for courses already successfully completed. A student may only repeat a course in which a grade of F was received. Both grades (the failing and passing grade) must be recorded on the cumulative record and calculated in the grade point average.
May my student enroll in a CVA class after graduation?
No, students who have graduated are not eligible to enroll in the Cobb Virtual Academy.
Textbooks and Supplemental Resources
All textbooks, Personal Fitness equipment and supplemental resources must be returned. Payment must be made to the Cobb County School District for the replacement costs for all lost textbooks or supplemental resources. If payment is not made, the student's local school will be notified and a hold will be placed on the student's record.
Can I access my CVA class if I am traveling to another state?
Yes. You will need a laptop or desktop with reliable internet access.
Can I access my CVA class if I am traveling outside of the United States?
Cobb Virtual Academy (CVA) classes are delivered via the Cobb Teaching and Learning System (CTLS). CTLS is geo-restricted so it is only accessible within the physical boundaries of the United States.
Using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) while traveling outside the United States may help you access content that is geo-restricted. Below are some general steps for utilizing a VPN service while traveling internationally.
VPN Tips for getting started:
- Choose a reliable and reputable VPN service.
- Install the VPN on your laptop and test it before you travel. When connecting to the VPN, choose a server located in the United States.
- Understand local laws and regulations. Some countries may restrict or even ban the use of VPNs.
Please note:
- Cobb County student laptops will not allow installation of an additional VPN, so you will not be able to use a student laptop for CVA classes when traveling internationally.
- CVA cannot guarantee international CTLS access and is not responsible for troubleshooting CTLS access outside of the United States.
