Virtual Learning Academy

Before applying, it is important to decide which instructional format best fits your high schooler's learning style and schedule:

• Full-Time Virtual: Your student will attend school almost entirely online. This option requires minimal to no in-person attendance.
• Full-Time Hybrid: This model combines both online and face-to-face instruction. Your student will attend in-person classes at their zoned BISD campus, including school-based CTE, fine arts, and athletics, also allowing them to participate in extracurricular activities.

Because this is a pilot program restricted to grades 9-12, your student must be of high school age. Furthermore, the state of Texas has established specific eligibility requirements for these programs:

• Grade Level: Must be entering grades 9–12 for the 2026–2027 school year.
   
• Residency: Must reside within Belton ISD boundaries or have a processed Out-of-District Transfer application. All out-of-district transfers must meet the requirements established in Board policy FDA(LOCAL).
   
• Attendance Stability: Must have fewer than 10 absences during the 2025–2026 school year (exceptions may be made for documented extenuating circumstances).
   
• Academic Standards: All virtual students must participate in required state and local assessments, demonstrating prior academic success and grade-level proficiency via previous STAAR/EOC results, an official final report card, transcript, or equivalent records from their prior educational setting. High school applicants must also submit their academic history to verify they remain on track for a four-year graduation timeline.
   
• Student Conduct: Students must be in "good standing" to enroll in the standard virtual program. Must agree to abide by the BISD Student Code of Conduct, the Student Handbook, and the Virtual Academy Contract.

For Full-Time Hybrid Programs: Any student who is currently eligible to enroll in a Texas public school is automatically eligible to enroll in a full-time hybrid campus.

For Full-Time Virtual Programs:To qualify for a fully virtual program, your high school student must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Prior Texas Enrollment: Attended a Texas public school for at least six weeks in the current or previous school year.
• New Resident: Recently moved to Texas and was not required to attend a Texas public school due to non-residency during the previous school year.
• Military Family: Dependent of a member of the U.S. military who has been deployed or transferred.
• Substitute Care: Placed in substitute care within the state of Texas.

Successful virtual learning requires a partnership. By applying, families agree to:

• Full-Year Enrollment: Commit to the program for the duration of the entire 2026–2027 school year.
• Active Engagement: Ensure the student is actively participating in the virtual classroom daily. Under state guidelines, funding is based on daily attendance and engagement, requiring 240 minutes of scheduled instruction daily for full-day status.
• In-Person Sessions: Attend mandatory in-person assessments.
• Guardian Responsibility: Designate an adult to monitor participation, facilitate engagement, and maintain consistent communication with the teacher.

As part of our commitment to a comprehensive student experience under the TEC Chapter 30B framework, virtual and hybrid students may participate in extracurricular activities. Our guidelines ensure students still have the opportunity to engage in school-sponsored clubs, fine arts, athletics, and CTE offerings. Students must maintain academic eligibility, meet daily engagement expectations (in and out of season), and adhere to standard UIL eligibility rules and BISD extracurricular code of conduct.

• BISD Residents: Students enrolled in virtual and hybrid learning are assigned to their zoned campus based on their primary residence.
• New Tech @ Waskow (BNT@W): Admission is application-based.
• Out-of-District Transfers: Students are assigned to the campus in closest proximity to their primary residence unless they apply to BNT@W.

• For Students not attending their zoned campus (BNT@W and Out of District Transfers): 
  • To be eligible for UIL athletics, students must attend at least four hours of in-person instruction on their BISD campus every school day during their first year of enrollment to satisfy UIL residency requirements. The student would only be eligible for subvarsity athletics during their first year as a virtual student
• For Students attending their zoned BISD campus (BHS or LBHS):
  • Home Campus Exception: Students attending their designated home attendance zone campus (the school they are zoned for by address) are eligible for subvarsity and varsity athletics.

All out-of-district transfers must meet the above criteria and all requirements established in Board policy FDA(LOCAL). 

Campus Enrollment: If accepted, students remain enrolled at their designated home campus.

Course & Activity Limitations: Virtual students may have limited course electives and restricted access to certain extracurricular activities compared to in-person instruction.

Admission Status: Enrollment in the Virtual Program is competitive and is not guaranteed. Each application undergoes a comprehensive review by our admissions committee to ensure this environment is the right fit for the student.

The BISD Virtual Learning Academy is an option that allows qualifying high school students to complete their core academic coursework virtually,  Students engaged in virtual learning will have access to full comprehensive courses delivered by TEXAS-certified educators. The full course catalog is coming soon.

No. Students in the BISD Virtual Learning Academy remain proud Tigers, Broncos, or Dragons. You are still officially enrolled at your home campus, ensuring you can still graduate with your peers and access campus resources.

While the program offers schedule flexibility, state law requires consistent, daily engagement. Students are required to engage in academic coursework for a minimum of 240 minutes per day to be counted present and maintain full-day funding and enrollment.

Absolutely. This was a primary goal in designing the BISD Virtual Learning Academy. Students can take their core classes virtually and travel to their home campus to participate in specific face-to-face Extracurricular Activities (Fine Arts, CTE, Clubs, Organizations, and UIL Athletics programs)

No. By state law, all mandatory state assessments (STAAR/EOC) must be administered in person. Virtual Learning Academy students will report to their designated district testing sites on testing days.

No, GPA and Class Rank will follow Board Policy EIC(LOCAL) for all BISD students. 

Students will:

• Engage in the platform daily (on school days)
• Make adequate progress in a course
• Act with academic integrity
• Maintain passing grades
• Attend all required on-site testing (State, Local Benchmark, Screeners)
• Abide by the Belton ISD Code of Conduct
• Abide by Belton ISD Student Handbook
• Abide by Belton ISD Virtual Academy Contract

Failure to follow through with the expectations will require a student:

• Be moved to Probationary Status
• Removed from the Virtual School and moved back to face-to-face instruction or have their transfer revoked for out of district students
   

Families will be responsible for transportation to and from campus during the school day. Students traveling off campus for extracurricular activities will be provided transportation.

Yes, all accepted Virtual Leaning Academy students will be issued a student device with the same tech support offered to all students.

All virtual students must participate in required state and local assessments, demonstrating prior academic success and grade-level proficiency via previous STAAR/EOC results, an official final report card, transcript, or equivalent records from their prior educational setting. High school applicants must also submit their academic history to verify they remain on track for a four-year graduation timeline.

Absolutely. We want to provide options that best fit the needs of families in our community and can fully enroll without a waiting period per TEC 30B.

The Full-Time Virtual model is almost entirely online with minimal in-person attendance. The Full-Time Hybrid model combines online learning with face-to-face instruction, allowing students to attend in-person classes at their zoned BISD campus for CTE, fine arts, and athletics.

Yes, successful virtual learning requires a partnership, and families must agree to commit to the program for the duration of the entire 2026–2027 school year.

Yes, the comprehensive course catalog includes choices for On-Level, Advanced Placement, Honors (Advanced), and dual credit courses.

No, out-of-district students may apply, but they must have an approved Out-of-District Transfer that meets all requirements established in Board policy FDA(LOCAL).

For the first year of enrollment, out-of-district transfers are only eligible for sub-varsity athletics, and they must attend at least four hours of in-person instruction, for one school year, to satisfy UIL residency requirements for varsity eligibility the next school year. Students who have been enrolled in Belton ISD the for the entirety for the previous school year have already established residency for UIL purposes and would have established varsity eligibility.

No. The district is contracting with a third party to offer these services. All teachers are TX certified and have significant training in virtual instruction.

While the ratio may vary based on the course being offered, we anticipate the ratio being 1:30.