Q: Is Sora accredited?

Yes! Sora’s middle and high school is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges , which allows us to meet the requirements of all 50 states and colleges and universities. The high school has a secondary accreditation with Cognia , which is widely recognized both within the U.S. and internationally. Additionally, our program is recognized and approved by the NCAA which provides students the ability to play collegiate sports.

Question 1

Is Sora accredited?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Sora’s middle and high school is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, which allows us to meet the requirements of all 50 states and colleges and universities. The high school has a secondary accreditation with Cognia, which is widely recognized both within the U.S. and internationally. Additionally, our program is recognized and approved by the NCAA which provides students the ability to play collegiate sports.

Question 2

How do students socialize at Sora?

Accepted Answer

Sora is a close-knit community that provides many ways for students to connect as often as they’d like in our remote culture. Students meet in their Houses twice a day, participate in about two synchronous Learning Expeditions daily, and have the ability to join student clubs, committees, pursue leadership opportunities, and attend office hours with faculty. Students also utilize our learning management system and other chat platforms to stay in constant contact with each other before, during, and after school.

Question 3

Does Sora offer in-person learning opportunities?

Accepted Answer

We believe school is about community, which is why we continue to provide new and innovative ways for students to connect online and in person. For students across the country, we connect families in the same geographic areas for local meet-ups like scheduled dinners, co-learning sessions, group projects, field trips, and more. Additionally, many of our students connect in person with one another during their travels across the country and the world!

Question 4

Does Sora support students with learning differences?

Accepted Answer

Sora’s model and curriculum can support a variety of learners, and some students with learning differences find great success in our program. However, Sora is not a specialized school for students with learning differences and/or those students who identify as neurodivergent. As an independent school, we are unable to provide IEPs, 504s, or any specialized learning plan outside of our typical individualization.

Question 5

How do students socialize online at Sora?

Accepted Answer

Sora is a close-knit community that provides many ways for students to connect as often as they’d like in our remote culture. Students meet in their Houses twice a day, participate in about two synchronous Learning Expeditions daily, and have the ability to join student clubs, committees, pursue leadership opportunities, and attend office hours with faculty. Students also utilize our learning management system and other chat platforms to stay in constant contact with each other before, during, and after school.

Question 6

How is the transition for new students?

Accepted Answer

We have a robust orientation process for all new students and their families to understand how to excel in our unique program. This includes a series of informative workshops, “foundations” expeditions, guided registration planning with your student’s advisor, and icebreaker events for students to bond with their new housemates.

Question 7

What is the typical schedule for students?

Accepted Answer

There is no typical day at Sora, and every student’s schedule is as unique as they are. The daily school schedule generally falls between 10:00 AM and 4:15 PM EST (or between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM for students on the West Coast), with additional opportunities ranging from 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM EST. However, it's not like a traditional middle school or high school schedule, where students have block period schedules and are continuously sitting in class for several hours. It's much more similar to college, where students will have some required meetings and expeditions throughout the day, with breaks and gaps in between. We do this so that students have time for both synchronous activities and asynchronous (or independent) work. Some days will be busier than others, and it's largely dependent upon the number of expeditions students register for, their math and world language meetings, the depth of their projects, and involvement in student life activities.

Question 8

What do universities think of Sora?

Accepted Answer

Our accredited transcript is a unique strength. Instead of showing a list of credits and GPA like every other school, Sora showcases each student’s individuality through project work and interest-based expeditions.

Question 9

Are there in-person learning opportunities?

Accepted Answer

Yes! We coordinate online groups around “regional hubs” so nearby families can schedule dinners, co-learning sessions, group projects, field trips, and more.

Question 10

How does Sora approach math?

Accepted Answer

Math Placement Testing will be incorporated into the student onboarding process in the near future and will be required for all incoming students. To satisfy High School graduation requirements, Sora students are required to take 4 credits of Math in the High School Program. These requirements are reflective of most state standards. Additionally, all ninth graders must begin at least Algebra 1 in order to successfully complete the required 4 credits of Math. Click here to learn more about math at Sora!

Question 11

Is there homework at Sora?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but students have more flexibility when they do it than at a traditional school. As students only attend each Sora expedition twice per week, they are able to do their independent work and projects during the day. A student should plan for six hours of work per expedition per week; two hours are synchronous sessions with an expert and peers, and up to four hours of independent work. If students desire, they may complete all their work during the school day, leaving their evenings for family, friends, or other activities.

Question 12

Why does my student have an advisor?

Accepted Answer

Relationships are at the heart of what we do at Sora. Every student is a member of a House, and each house is guided by a faculty House Advisor. The advisor builds relationships with each family and co-designs their Sora journey, based on their goals and interests. Furthermore, each advisor is always on the look out for coachable moments to push your student to become the best version of themselves.

Question 13

How many students are in each expedition, and what are their grade levels?

Accepted Answer

Each Sora expedition is made up of a group of approximately 15-20 students, led by a faculty member, who we call Learning Experts. Expedition groups are mixed-grade level and expeditions are typically open to all students on their respective campus: 6-8 grade for Middle School Expeditions, 9-10 grade for High School Foundations Expeditions, and 11-12 grade for High School Capstone Expeditions.

Question 14

How much parent involvement is required at Sora?

Accepted Answer

Sora is student-centered, with accountability built into the program structure through our faculty, house advisors, and even other students. We are different from a homeschool program, where parents directly teach the curriculum, and we are different from a traditional in-person school, where students are away from home all day. As an accredited school, our faculty work with students to assign projects and tasks to help them learn and grow. As a parent, you will have access to a parent view of their tasks and projects via Sora Home, which is our very own learning management system, which shows the student’s learning journey, academic progress, which academic credit has been earned, and tasks to complete.

Question 15

What language options do you have available at Sora Schools?

Accepted Answer

Sora students are required to complete 2 levels of a world language, which is offered in partnership with Rosetta Stone. Students have access to 25 different World Language options through Rosetta Stone, the world leader in individualized language instruction! Unlike other Sora learning expeditions, the World Language ® courses are structured to allow students to move at their own pace in an asynchronous model. Live tutoring assistance is available through Rosetta Stone for: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), French, and Spanish.

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