Frequently Asked Questions

FLEX Online School is a kindergarten through 12th grade online school in the Beaverton School District that provides curriculum and support services for grades K–12 in an online format. Families support students as they interact with BSD teachers to make progress on District learning targets.

Students who are self-motivated and like to work independently are often successful in online schools. This option is also a good fit for families who want the flexibility to work and learn at home with the support of qualified BSD teachers.

Some students enrolled in this school will complete work that is advanced for their grade level, while others will complete work at their grade level. Still other students will complete work supported by an IEP and a special education team.

FLEX Online School is a kindergarten through 12th grade online school for families who want online learning even after schools open again. Comprehensive Distance Learning (CDL) was an online option for families who want to stay enrolled in and connected to their neighborhood school during COVID-19. CDL is not currently offered in the district.

CDL was modeled after a typical school day - students spent most of the day in Zoom classes, on a schedule that was very similar to a day in their school building. At FLEX Online, students work at their own pace through the curriculum, with regular, but less frequent, scheduled group and individual Zoom session. 

Elementary Students: There is short whole group instruction time daily and some days there is time spent with a teacher in small groups as well.  Students need an adult at home (Learning Coach) who guides them through the curriculum, helps manage the calendar of assignments and live meetings, and encourages learning and progress. 

Middle and High School Students: FLEX Online School is different from CDL in that we don't try to recreate a typical schedule with Zoom video conferences for each class period. We have blocks of time on each A and B day when our teachers are available to answer questions and go over homework. This gives students flexibility in how and when they complete assignments and opportunities to learn at their own pace.  It can also be a significant challenge for students who can't manage their time or don't feel comfortable asking their teacher for help or responding to their teachers’ communications. Teachers have frequent office hours and respond quickly to their students.

Similar to other BSD schools, core courses include language arts, math, science, and social studies. Electives are offered at appropriate grade levels. For elementary students PE, Art and Spanish will be offered. Secondary offerings can be viewed on the Academic Planning Guide page. 

FLEX Online School uses the same learning objectives and standards as the other BSD schools. For more information about the curriculum at FLEX or to see a demo please visit the FLEX Academics Page.

For a full list of district standards, visit the District's learning target webpage.

For K–8 students, parents, guardians and even some grandparents act as guides who serve as face-to-face learning coaches, responsible for the students' day-to-day activities. Suggested weekly lesson plans are provided. The lesson plans can vary to accommodate students' pace and abilities. 

In the high school program, learning coaches still play an important supportive role in helping students stay on task and ensure completion of their assignments. However, high school students are expected to manage their own time and academic schedule.

Attendance is taken daily in each class. To be marked present, students must login to Canvas before 3:00 PM.

K-5th grade: In Canvas, head to your course homeroom module and click on the “Announcements” tab at the beginning of the day. Click on the most recent announcement posted by your teacher for that day. Watch/Read their morning message and follow their instructions for what to accomplish.

6th-12th grade: Students in grades 6-12 need to engage in modules in Canvas in every A-day class on A days, and every B-day class on B days before 3pm.  The A/B Day Calendar and Help Session schedule can be found here.

Videos about attendance: Elementary / Secondary

If you need to report an absence, please leave a voicemail on the attendance line (503-356-3721) or email flex-online-school@beaverton.k12.or.us

If you receive an attendance notification, please login to ParentVUE or StudentVUE and then click “Attendance” and then the red X on the date to see the specific class absence. 

No. Residency in the Beaverton School District is required for FLEX enrollment. We cannot accept enrollments of students residing, even temporarily, outside of BSD boundaries in the Beaverton, Oregon area. Residency, for the purposes of this discussion means where the student’s head hits the pillow – where they physically reside.

For vacations and travel, we follow the same policies as the in-person schools. Absences and travel outside the country for more than 10 consecutive school days will result in withdrawal.

There is no cost to attend FLEX Online School. The district provides a device and all instructional materials needed at no cost for each student. These devices and materials will be available for pickup at our school's physical location.

FLEX Online School works for students who need extra time or assistance to master a subject, as well as those who learn quickly. FLEX Online School is also designed to meet the needs of students identified as Talented and Gifted (TAG). 

FLEX Online School does not offer SUMMA or IB classes. For students who wish to participate in programs such as SUMMA or IB, they should remain enrolled in the school that offers those programs.  

FLEX Online School offers special education services in a Resource Room setting. FLEX does not currently have specialized programs. If your child is in a specialized program, FLEX may not be able to provide your student with a free appropriate public education (FAPE). If your student is placed in a specialized program, and you enroll your student in FLEX, your student's IEP team will need to meet to determine if your student's needs can be met with a Resource Room level of support. If your student cannot be served in a Resource Room setting, then the IEP team may determine that your student is not able to attend FLEX.

We don’t have a rigid structure like a traditional school. For attendance purposes, students must login to their classes in Canvas each day prior to 3:00PM. Students are allowed to continue work in the evening if they wish.

FLEX teachers will provide you with a pacing guide, progress monitoring and support. There are opportunities for live interaction with teachers both as a class group and individually. These may include direct instruction and chances to interact with classmates. Teachers also may offer support or small group sessions. We encourage you to contact your teacher any time if you have questions or concerns.

See below for a few sample schedules. 

Students will complete between 30 and 80% of their work online depending on their grade, ability to read and ability to work independently. However, they'll also do work offline: reading books, solving math problems on paper, drawing and conducting science experiments. Middle and high school students have more refined reading skills, so they'll spend more time online. High school students will spend an average of 6 to 9 hours per week for a regular course and 8 to 12 hours for an Advanced Placement (AP)® course. However, offline work will always be essential.

Clubs

Students can join a variety of student-led or teacher-guided clubs, connecting them to their peers around the District. Visit the Clubs and Groups page for more information.

IN PERSON MEETUPS

Teachers periodically hold optional in-person meetups for students at our school location and at local parks and libraries. During the 2020-2021 school year and the current 2021-2022 school year, our school location has been at Tumwater Middle School. We are excited to be at our new location next year for the 2022-2023 school year at the Capital Center!

Family Connection

Family connection and partnership is a key part of school success. We'll provide ways for families to connect with one another both digitally and in person. FLEX Online School will host in-person (when safe) and video-conferencing events that allow families to build school community and relationships. The Family Teacher Organization (FTO) is a volunteer-based organization that provides resources, programs, and support to FLEX Online students, teachers, and staff. Visit the FTO page for more information.

Athletics

Students attending FLEX Online School in grades 9-12 have the opportunity to play sports at their neighborhood high school. Visit the Athletic Registration page for more information.

FLEX Online School offers all English Language Development services virtually.  Courses are available at the different language proficiency levels: newcomer, emerging and progressing. It's strongly recommended that a school’s comprehensive student team review whether the student is able to access the language services remotely. Additional language support may be needed, especially for newcomers and students at the emerging level.

Every public school must be accredited through the state of Oregon. FLEX Online School is working through the accreditation process, which typically takes about 2 years. FLEX opened in September 2020.

Yes, FLEX Online School is approved by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.  This means student athletes wanting to play in college can now do so as our courses are approved by the NCAA. 

2021-2022 school year: FLEX students may register online to pick up a free 5-day meal bag. Pick-ups are on Wednesdays from 3:00 to 3:30 p.m. at either Beaverton or Westview High Schools. When students register, they’ll be asked to select a location.

No. Please see the BSD FLEX Program.