California Virtual Academy @ San Mateo School

Posted: September 21, 2023

We decided to give online school a chance for my daughter who just started High School. She's always been a responsible student. She's thriving and loved it so far! The communication between parent and teachers in my opinion is efficient. Not too much with time flexibility, cause like a brick and mortar school students need to be present on all live online classes.

Posted: September 21, 2023

Posted: September 21, 2023

Posted: September 21, 2023

Posted: September 21, 2023

Posted: September 21, 2023

Posted: September 21, 2023

Posted: September 21, 2023

Posted: December 1, 2021

CAVA is a horrible school with a lack of administrative capability. The most disappointing aspect of our experience with this school has been the attempt to transfer to a new (and better) school. It has been a *month* since my child transferred to a new school and CAVA still has not sent the transcripts. As you can imagine, this has caused considerable difficulties at his new school. It is 2021. It takes less than 5 minutes to email over the transcripts and yet after numerous unanswered emails and phone calls, they still have not arrived.

We had similar issues while my child was attending CAVA. No responses from staff and yet they penalize students for not immediately responding. I do not agree with policies that hold children to higher standards than adults. This is completely unacceptable.

Do not send your child here if you care about their education or socio-emotional health.

Posted: December 1, 2021

Posted: December 1, 2021

Posted: December 1, 2021

Posted: December 1, 2021

Posted: December 1, 2021

Posted: December 1, 2021

Posted: December 1, 2021

Posted: December 8, 2020

We used CAVA from 2010-2012 for my older child and now in 2020 for my youngest. My oldest was pulled from traditional public school in California because the elementary school he was attending had issues with bullying, were teaching well below the grade level and did not have adequate resources for his IEP/504 plan. He flourished using CAVA/K12 and received the help he needed to go from a C student to an A+ student. His last year with CAVA, they had given him the support and tools he needed to be successful and his IEP/504 plan was removed.
Summer of 2019 we moved from Florida to California. My youngest is a GATE student as well as an accelerated reader. We placed her in a highly rated public school that supposedly would have met the needs of a GATE student. However, all of the course work was review (1-2 grade levels behind what she had been learning) and when the transition to online learning happened in the Spring the school failed miserably. CAVA has been a breath of fresh air. She is receiving a well rounded education this year of combined online and hand on work (including science projects and art projects). Math & ELA are assigned daily, with Science, History, Art, German (subbed for music class) multiple days during the week. Due to this format they are not only able to cover more material, but be more in depth with all topics. She completes her work at her own pace, participates in clubs, and has access to accelerated work. We are very pleased with CAVA/K12.

Posted: December 8, 2020

Posted: December 8, 2020

Posted: December 8, 2020

Posted: December 8, 2020

Posted: December 8, 2020

Posted: December 8, 2020

Posted: August 14, 2018

Work is done at home- they're is no such thing as 'homework' because you are home schooling all day, 5 days a week.

Posted: August 14, 2018

In the past 4 years, we had one good teacher. He communicated to us very well and showed compassion and understanding for my child who has special needs and required accommodations. However, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th were all substandard and poor teachers.

Posted: August 14, 2018

Posted: August 14, 2018

Posted: August 14, 2018

Posted: August 14, 2018

Posted: August 14, 2018

It's a 'good' school- not great, not bad. They need to improve on social gatherings and many of the teachers are ill-equipped to teach kids with Learning Differences.

Posted: July 30, 2017

Posted: July 30, 2017

Posted: July 30, 2017

Posted: July 30, 2017

Posted: July 30, 2017

No experience With this topic. Thank you

Posted: July 30, 2017

No experience with this topic. Not applicable for us.

Posted: July 30, 2017

It was absolutely perfect! Through CAVA, our Family was enabled to travel a good portion of the World while still earning credits through Online studies. An incredible combination of Education. Life Changer for Travelers. Michael George

Posted: August 7, 2015

This school is a total joke. They make you believe that his is a real instruction, but it is a scam.

Posted: August 7, 2015

None, the classes do not take the 60m min, they take 15 min to complete adn are totally worthless.

Posted: August 7, 2015

They lied to us, entirely destroyed my child's respect and love for school. What kind of a model are they?

Posted: August 7, 2015

All seemed well when my daughter started Grade 6 curriculum. She completed all her ssignments at or near 100%, so I was shocked to see that her grades were Bs and Cs. I immediately called the school and was assured by her homeroom teacher that these grades would only be her final grade if she quit the school at that very moment and not finished the year. She further assured me that all her work was complete and she was on track to receive As. To my great shock, her report card was exactly as I feared, Bs and Cs. The homeroom teacher then told me that there were some assignments she did not complete, despite the fact that she reassured me two weeks before the end of school that all was done. The curriculum is a joke. Grade 6 is at Grade 4 level, sometimes even lower. There is no accountability, the staff will lie to you and there is nothing you can do to redeem your child's grades later. I wish I recorded the phone call, although I do have emails assuring me that all is being done. STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE!!!!!!!

Posted: November 6, 2013

CAVA--San Joaquin. DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD TO THIS HIGH SCHOOL. This "school" does not inform parents upon enrollment that their child's courses will not get them into California state universities. We moved to CA from the east coast two months ago, enrolled our child in CAVA, and just discovered these requirements. We are now removing our child and enrolling in another school. And though our child has spent time earning A's and A+'s at CAVA, our child now will start the year over so as to remove these useless classes from her transcript. If this school is representative of California's public schools, the system is a joke.

Posted: August 21, 2013

DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD TO CAVA OR ANY OTHER ONLINE SCHOOL IF YOUR CHILD HAS GOALS TO ATTEND A UNIVERSITY STRAIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT A-G APPROVED. FOR CA STUDENTS, CHECK DOORWAYS WHICH LIST SCHOOLS AND THEIR COURSES THAT ARE QUALIFIED FOR UC AND CSU SCHOOLS. MY SON TOOK BIOLOGY AND WORLD HISTORY. THESE COURSE ARE WASC ACCREIDTED AND GOOD FOR HIM TO GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL BUT NOT FOR A UNIVERSITY. ITS WORSE WITH INSIGHTS, THAT SCHOOL ISNT ON THE LIST PERIOD. CAVA AND OTHER ONLINE SCHOOL WORK GREAT FOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADS ONLY. PLEASE DO YOUR HOMEWORK MOM'S AND DAD'S. GOOD LUCK, MOM

Posted: June 18, 2013

CAVA California Virtual Academies was a huge mistake. I wish I had never heard of it. My daughters teacher allowed me to believe she was doing very well, then I get a report card that says her work was unsatisfactory and all D's. Now I have to take her summer away from her and send her to summer school. Booo on CAVA for doing nothing to help and having terrible customer care when there is a problem. My kid could get a better education in Darpur.

Posted: April 29, 2013

My son began at this school to remove him from the abusive environment he endured in the "traditional public schools" around where we live. He had been scoring so poorly in regular school, and was assaulted weekly due to his medical issues, and the school provided no support for him even disregarding when one teacher would verbally abuse him during classes. So I decided to try CAVA, and we were placed in CAVA-San Mateo district last school year. This program gave me back my child. We had freedom to work on his medical treatments, no lapses in his education during hospital stays, doctor's appointments didn't mean he missed any lessons, and his attitude changed so much. I had a happy child again, who smiled freely and had no reason to fear bullies anymore. His grades improved drastically and his test scores shot back up. This was the best thing that happened to my son's education in years. And his teacher has been beyond amazing, supportive, and so helpful. I even loved that when our area was transferred to CAVA-San Joaquin this year, that he got to keep the same teacher. This was the best academic choice ever for him. I'm so grateful for this school program.

Posted: December 17, 2012

As a student, I prefer online over traditional school. I'm able to focus without social distractions and I've learned to manage my own time. Also, I have more available hours to work and volunteer.