Best Online High Schools in California for the 2022

Choosing an online high school in California can be very challenging. Not all online high schools may be the best fit for your child. It would be a time-consuming exercise if you were to research and rank online high schools depending on their course offering, course flexibility, accreditation, fee structure, use of technology, among other various notable services.

Well, no need to worry anymore. If you’re situated in or outside California and considering to attend classes in an online environment. We’ve compiled a list of top TEN best online high schools in California. To assign rankings, we’ve compared these schools on the following different matrices:

• Number of accreditations;
• Number of courses offered;
• Fee structure and flexibility of payment;
• Reviews from school alumni;
• Technologies used to facilitate students;
• Other notable services, if any.

Based on rankings, the following is the list of TEN best online high schools in California:

#1 – American High School

Incorporated in 2004, American High School has had the privilege of teaching more than 36,000 students from all over the world. With a course offering of 500+, it offers a rich and quality online learning experience for its students, which is custom-tailored to attend different niches all the way from academic to technical.

The School has several accreditations including, but not limited to, AdvancED, The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement, National Council for Private School Accreditation and Accreditation International. The School is also NCAA-approved, making it an ideal online high School for students and athletes.

Among the many pros, the most noteworthy is the flexibility in payment of fees. The School provides several monthly payment options to make it easy for the students to attend their courses without paying a huge lump-sum fee at once.

Overall, there aren’t any cons besides the hefty tag of $2,895 per course, which can be mitigated to an extent thanks to the payment option scheme, which ranks it the number 1 spot for 2020.

#2 – Stanford Online High School

Founded by Stanford University in 2006, Stanford Online High school offers a high number of accelerated AP and University level courses for students worldwide. Their curriculum is one of a kind and is taught by one of the best faculty in California as over two-thirds of their teachers have doctoral degrees and are former university professors. This brings with itself the extensive experience which is transferred down to the line to the students.

The School is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), and it primarily focuses on students that are gifted and intellectual risk-takers. This is a pro for these types of students as the environment in which they’re taught comprises of all-competitive students. This not only brings the best out of them but forces them to strive for their place and ranking.

Among the many pros, there are a few cons that one should seriously consider before applying. These include:

• You need to spend at least 50 hours a week to attend five classes at minimum, which can further increase depending on your course selection and electives;

• Social activities are relatively limited as most of your time will be occupied attending different lectures;

• The minimum fee is $4,150, which needs to be paid up-front, making it difficult for students belonging from unprivileged families.

If you’re solely focused on academics and challenging your limits, then this is the right school for you, which ranks it at number 2 on our list.

#3 – Laurel Springs School

Laurel Springs School is a WASC accredited online high school offering custom-tailored courses to students who like to study in a flexible environment. Pioneered with an approach that allows students to have a one-on-one relationship with teachers and individually graded assignments, it makes up for a unique study experience.

Among their course offerings, their exceptional services include their approach to online schooling. As a first step, the student is provided counseling by professionals to enable them to understand what is their best niche. Upon selection, a course outline can be skimmed, which can then be tailored at flexible times to avoid the risk of skipping a class. The School then asynchronously delivers these courses, ensuring that all content, including tests and quizzes, can be viewed at any time round the clock 24/7.

Talking about cons, the only we could find was the hefty fee associated with their course offering, amounting to an average of $13,000 per year. You can avail of a 10% discount if you have a sibling who’s currently studying or has previously studied at this School.

If you want to study from one of the best accredited online high schools in California and you like the element of personalization, then ranking at number 3 – Laurel Springs School would be the best fit for you.

#4 – NorthStar Academy

A highly accredited school from Cognia, ASCI, and NCAA, NorthStar Academy is an online private Christian School offering various courses, including a diploma program.

Courses spanning to more than 200 with an average fee of $450, which can further be reduced by availing discounts, NorthStar Academy is a valid contender for one of California’s best online high schools. The courses are custom-tailored, and the ratio of student to teacher is kept minimal to ensure adequate attention is given to all students whilst maintaining a professional decorum round the clock.

All online lectures and other course material are uploaded on the learning management system of The School on a priority basis enabling students to have access to it 24/7.

Looking to learn from the best? Look no further and secure your seat at the NorthStar Academy, which ranks at number 4 on our list of best online high schools in California.

#5 – California Virtual Academies

California Virtual Academies is a complete eco-system of nine high-quality charter schools. Founded in 2002, it is accredited by WASC, offering individualized learning material for each student.

A course offering of more than 90 and a learning plan custom-tailored for each student guarantees success for students during and after their high school. Among the many pros, this School plays an active role in involving parents by providing them an up to date progress of their children such that it can be monitored in real-time at the convenience of their phones and tablets. Further, it encourages students to participate in extra-curricular activities, thereby enabling socialization and lobbying among students.

The best part is that it’s absolutely FREE to attend, making it the most viable choice for students who want access to quality education without having to pay a hefty fee, which ranks it at number 5 on our list.

#6 – Redlands eAcademy

The Redlands eAcademy is an accredited online high school by the WASC engaged in the provision of custom-tailored courses for students at ZERO fee. Having a student-to-teacher ratio of 6 to 1, Redlands eAcademy ranks as one of the best face-to-face online and independent learning.

The School makes use of Edgenuity as its technology partner to provide these courses to the students. Talking about the many pros, the most notable is the functionality of families’ functionality during the schooling process. Parents can monitor their children’s progress through the Edgenuity Parent Portal and provide feedback to help the School improvise its offerings.

The School does not have any noticeable cons, which ranks it at number 6 on our list.

#7 – Learning Post High School

Part of Learning Post Academy was founded in 1980; The School has been actively providing education to students for more than 40 years. Accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the NCAA, the School is offering various courses to students and athletes worldwide.

The unique offerings of this School include the following:

• Flexible learning environment;
• Timely availability of lectures and other course matter;
• One on one teacher support;
• Online counseling; and
• Student financial aid.

If you’re looking to acquire quality lessons and bright future prospects, then Learning Post High School is the best fit for you. Giving due regard to its pros, this School ranks at number 7 on our list.

#8 – ILead Hybrid

Founded in 2015, ILead Hybrid has been serving many students across the globe, providing top of the line education. The School is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and focuses on providing a student-oriented learning platform. ILead Hybrid is a FREE public charter school where each family is assigned a credentialed facilitator who then customizes the learning plan for each student.

Among the many pros, the notable ones of the School are as follows:

• Tuition-free learning platform accredited by the WASC;
• Qualified and experienced teachers;
• Timely availability of online course material;
• Flexible high school options;
• Webinars for students and family members; and
• Complimentary subscription of BrainPOP.

Are you having trouble accessing quality education at a premium? Look no further and choose ILead Hybrid, which ranks at number 8 on our list.

#9 – Orchard View

Accredited by the NCAA, Orchard View has provided education services to over 2,600 students in the past whilst its Community Education has facilitated over 30,000 individuals in the community in areas of education and community resources.

The School uses a non-traditional way of teaching its students by minimizing the ratio of student to ratio. It treats every student as unique and thus has a custom-tailored program designed to suit its respective students’ niches. Further, the student also meets regularly with a supervising teacher who works closely together with their parents to discuss their progress and make changes to the curriculum, if needed.

Offering a wide array of courses at a minimal fee, which includes Social Studies, English, Mathematics, Science, Foreign Language, Visual and Performing Arts, Practical Arts, Applied Arts and Technology, Orchard View ranks at number 9 on our list of the best online high schools in California of 2020.

#10 – IHigh Virtual Academy

Being NCAA-approved, IHigh Virtual Academy offers a variety of online courses to its students at the ZERO fee. The School is a public high school providing the following benefits to its students:

• Manage your work from home;
• Access to a curriculum and other course material round the clock;
• Progress tracking;
• Ability to schedule learning hours at your convenience; and
• Access to test results in real-time.

All students are provided an independent teacher who supervises the learning progress whilst commenting on the student’s test results.

The only con associated with The School is the need to report to the School’s campus for proctored midterm and final exams for each core subject.

IHigh Virtual Academy wraps up our 2020’s list of best online high schools in California by securing the number 10 spot.