For Independent Learners with Parent-Led Instruction
Flexible Support for Parent-Teachers
At Pioneer Online Academy, we understand that every homeschooling family is different — and that your role as a parent-teacher may vary from day to day, or year to year; we learned that while homeschooling our six children!
Our curriculum is thoughtfully designed to adapt to you, not the other way around.
Here’s how it works:
- Independent Study Ready: Each course is written for independent student use — with clear, step-by-step lessons, self-guided activities, and auto-graded quizzes.You do not need to learn the material yourself, lecture, or grade (unless you want to!).
- Teach As Much (or As Little) As You Want: If you love to teach, you are welcome to explain, discuss, and expand on the material however you like. If you’re busy and prefer to let your student work independently, the curriculum fully supports that too.
- Need a Little Backup? If your student struggles with a concept, just reach out — we can provide teacher guides, extra explanations, or helpful tips to smooth the path.
- Flexible Use of Courses:
- Complete full courses and request Certificates of Completion.
- Focus on specific subjects or topics, and skip others
- Use the curriculum like a learning buffet — picking and choosing what works for your family
- Diploma Option: If you wish to earn a full high school diploma through Pioneer Online Academy, your student simply needs to complete all required courses, quizzes, and project submissions.
In short: we’re here to serve you, not control you.
Use as much or as little of the curriculum as you want, at the pace and depth that fits your family’s goals and daily life.
We’re flexible because real education works best when it fits real life (not the other way around).
What Is the Parent Taught Private School Plan?
Pioneer Academy offers two educational plans for families with homeschooling and independent learners. The first is a traditional online private school where our faculty teaches students through our online curriculum and learning management system, offering grading, feedback, and encouragement as needed.
Our curriculum-only private school plan is designed for homeschooling families who want a structured, high-quality high school curriculum while remaining actively involved in day-to-day instruction.
With this program, your student is enrolled full-time in our private school, which is designed to qualify you for the full $8,000 Utah Fits All (UFA) Scholarship, yet you — the parent — take the lead on instruction and daily support. Quizzes are taken online and automatically graded; assignments (essays or projects) are uploaded to be verified by Pioneer, but not graded or scored. This helps homeschooling parents focus on their families, while Pioneer offers outside encouragement to keep children progressing and on track. This way, you can offer as much support as you like, without the hassle of lesson planning.
This option gives you maximum flexibility and scholarship benefit while ensuring your teen is working through a complete, college-prep curriculum with documentation from an official private school.
What’s Included
- Full access to all curriculum for grades 9–12
- Courses in English, Math, Science, History, Humanities, and Life Skills
- Self-paced structure, available 24/7 online, for 12 months
- Lessons are designed for independent learning (no lectures needed)
- Auto-graded quizzes after each lesson
- Project upload system to track student progress
- Curriculum record and certificate of completion or diploma (see below)
- Ongoing access to our faculty for guidance or questions (non-evaluative)
- If you like, use our curriculum as a “learning buffet,” adding or skipping topics as needed
- Eligible for full Utah Fits All Scholarship funding
Diploma Eligibility: Yes, You Can Graduate with a Diploma!
Students in the curriculum-only program can earn a high school diploma from Pioneer Online Academy if the following requirements are met:
- Completion of all required courses (grades 9–12)
- All quizzes completed and passed
- All major assignments and projects uploaded
- Final review request submitted by the parent
While we do not grade these assignments, we verify student completion and confirm all requirements are met before issuing a diploma.
Families who prefer not to pursue the diploma can request a Certificate of Completion instead.
How Does the Program Work?
- Parent as Primary Instructor
You may help guide your student through the course material as much (or as little) as you like. Each lesson includes clear reading, videos, activities, and projects. You can adapt pacing or add enrichment as desired. - Student Self-Paces Through Lessons
Our platform allows students to progress at their own pace. Most courses are designed to follow a 9-month academic calendar, but this is as flexible as needed; go as quickly or slowly as needed. -
- Quizzes are automatically graded.
- Projects are uploaded and stored as documentation of work.
- No formal grading from Pioneer faculty in this plan.
(Want instructor grading and feedback? Consider our Full Private School Program.) - Assessments Built-In
- Records and Graduation
You can view progress, download reports, and request transcripts or certificates at any time.
Is This Right for Your Family?
This plan is ideal if:
- You’re a homeschooling parent who wants structure and access to a complete curriculum
- You want to keep full involvement in your student’s learning
- You’re looking for a budget-friendly private school option that qualifies for full ESA scholarship support
- You prefer to maintain control over instruction without losing the benefits of private school enrollment
Enroll Today or Learn More
- Tuition: $1,750/year
- Designed to be covered by the full Utah Fits All Scholarship so families keep $6,500
- Year-round enrollment
- Work at your own pace