Parents Give Minnesota Connections Academy Top Marks

With the new school year just a few weeks away, many parents will be considering different academic options for their children. One of those options is Minnesota Connections Academy, a tuition-free, full-time online public school for students in grades K through 12, which continues to receive very high marks among its parents according to an annual survey.

In its 2019 Parent Satisfaction Survey, 97 percent of parents agree their children are satisfied with the program and 95 percent would recommend the online school to other parents. Parents specifically praised Minnesota Connections Academy’s curriculum and the learning activities provided to students. Ninety-six percent of parents believe the use of technology is improving the learning experience, and the same number of parents agree the curriculum is high quality.

Ninety-four percent of parents believe their children are making good progress in the online school, and 93 percent agree their children are enjoying the program. Ninety-two percent of parents also agree that their children are able to work at their own pace.

“All of us at Minnesota Connections Academy are proud to offer parents and their children access to a quality online school program that meets their individual needs,” said Minnesota Connections Academy Principal Melissa Gould. “It’s validating to know our families believe in our program and feel our curriculum, technology and the individualized attention by teachers enables students to learn and be successful.”

The annual survey also revealed parents’ various reasons for enrolling their children in Minnesota Connections Academy. Reasons include: a more flexible schedule (52 percent); dissatisfaction with local public schools (40 percent); a safe learning environment (30 percent); to avoid bullying (25 percent); to have more involvement with their child’s education (23 percent); and accommodations for health concerns (22 percent).

Minnesota Connections Academy’s high parent satisfaction ratings stand well above public school ratings from the 50th Annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools, in which only 70 percent of public school parents gave the public school their oldest child attends an “A” or a “B” grade.[1]

Minnesota Connections Academy provides students statewide with a high-quality, personalized online education. The online school combines certified teachers, a proven curriculum, as well as technology tools, and community experiences—online and in person—to create a supportive environment for those who want an individualized approach to education. Enrollment for the 2019-20 school year is currently underway, and real-time, virtual information sessions are available for families interested in learning more. For a complete schedule of events and to RSVP, visit http://www.MinnesotaConnectionsAcademy.com/Events.

Survey methodology

Connections Academy conducts the annual Parent Satisfaction Survey to find out how parents, guardians and Learning Coaches grade the program in several key areas. The 2019 survey was conducted from January 14 to March 1, 2019 by Shapiro + Raj, an independent market research company which created the questionnaire, collected the data, and tabulated the results. No individual responses were accessible to Connections Academy. Parents of all students enrolled at the time of the survey were invited to complete the survey online. A WebMail invitation was sent to each parent, and one response per household was submitted.

[1] The 50th Annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools, Langer Research Associates, September 2018.