Connections Academy, a for-profit corporate provider of online school products and services to virtual schools for grades K-12, including full-time online schools with the name Connections Academy, in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...

and International Connections Academy for students residing abroad. Based in

Columbia, Maryland Columbia is a census-designated place in Howard County, Maryland, Howard County, Maryland. It is one of the principal communities of the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area. It is a planned community consisting of 10 self-contained villages ...

, Connections Academy is part of Pearson's Online and Blended Learning K-12 group. Online schools are an alternative to traditional public schools. Similar to charter schools, they are subsidized by the State. Although they contract with many non-profit schools, they are a for-profit corporation.

History

In the spring of 2001, Sylvan Ventures started a separate business unit to create a virtual school program with its first virtual schools in Wisconsin and Colorado. The company first began providing online school services to two schools in the fall of 2002. In September 2004, Connections Academy was sold to an investor group led by Apollo Management, L.P. The company now operates public schools under management contracts from charter schools or school districts. A new corporate entity called Connections Education was established in early 2011. In this same year, on September 15, 2011, Pearson, an international learning company, acquired Connections Education for more than $400 million.Connections Academy
retrieved 2012-08-01 Connections Education is currently Pearson's Online & Blended Learning division, which delivers the Connections Academy online public school program and other online learning services called Pearson Connexus to educational institutions and other organizations nationwide. A private online school called International Connections Academy serves students across the globe. In 2019 it was announced that UK-based Harrow school would deliver an online education option leveraging Pearson Connexus.

Notable alumni

Ashley Argota Ashley Argota (born January 9, 1993) is an American actress and singer. She is known for her roles on television, such as Lulu on the Nickelodeon sitcom ''True Jackson, VP'', and Kelly on the Nickelodeon sitcom ''Bucket & Skinner's Epic Adventure ...

, actress and singer * Kiri Baga, figure skater, Minnesota Connections Academy * Karen Chen, figure skater * Nathan Chen, figure skater, California Connections Academy *

Ria Cheruvu Ria Cheruvu is an American child prodigy from Gilbert, Arizona (U.S.). She graduated from high school in May 2015 at age 11.WITW Staf"Girl, 11, graduates from high school and is headed to Harvard Summer School"NY Times, Women in the World She re ...

, child prodigy, Arizona Connections Academy * Eugenia Cooney, internet personality * Grace McCallum, artistic gymnast * Mirai Nagasu, figure skater, Capistrano Connections Academy * Eric Sjoberg, figure skater, Capistrano Connections Academy * Vincent Zhou, figure skater, Capistrano Connections Academy

Notable staff

Cheron Brylski Cheron Michelle Brylski, (born 1958 in Cheektowaga, New York) is a writer, speechwriter, public relations director and activist who built a career helping minorities and women enter the political mainstream in Louisiana and improve their quality ...

, speechwriter, helped establish Louisiana Connections Academy *

Casey J Casey Janice Hobbs (born June 29, 1986), known professionally as Casey J, is an American gospel singer best known for her (cover) of the Will Reagan song "Fill Me Up", which reached number 1 on the ''Billboard'' Gospel chart. Early life Casey J ...

, gospel singer, elementary school math teacher at Georgia Connections Academy * Frank Riggs, politician, founding board president at Arizona Connections Academy *

Matt Wingard Matt Wingard is an American politician in the state of Oregon. He was appointed to fill a vacancy in the Oregon House of Representatives in 2008, and was elected to the seat in 2008 and re-elected in 2010. He represented District 26, which encompa ...

, politician, spokesman for Oregon Connections Academy

References

External links

AdvancED Accreditation Commission
{{Authority control Education companies established in 2001 Online K–12 schools Companies based in Columbia, Maryland Curricula Education companies of the United States American educational websites 2001 establishments in the United States 2004 mergers and acquisitions 2011 mergers and acquisitions