Connect
Impact

Spark Online Academy: Designing a Learner-Centered Online Public School

Guest Author
Authentic Learning

By Julie Johnson, Principal, Spark Online Academy, in collaboration with Learner-Centered Collaborative

Spark Online Academy Case Study

Spark Online Academy is a public, multi-district online and blended learning school serving Colorado Springs School District 11. Building upon community input and bright spots that some families and learners experienced with online learning, Spark Online Academy set out to create a school where all children would be safe, happy, and in love with learning. Learn how the team approached designing and launching a learner-centered, online and blended school steeped in personal connection and engaging learning experiences with real-world application.

View the full story

Related Posts
Blog
Debunking the Math Myth: How Learner-Centered Classrooms Deepen Understanding
In a learner-centered classroom, math is about more than numbers and formulas—it’s about curiosity, exploration, and making sense of the world.  Picture this: It’s 10:00am in Ms. Kim’s 3rd grade classroom and students are gathered on the rug around a chart. Two students have just finished sharing their strategies with the whole class on…
Tools
Durable Skills Learning Experience Accelerator App
Welcome to the Durable Skills Learning Experience Accelerator (LEA) App! If you are an educator looking to embed Durable Skills into your learning experiences, lessons, units, and projects you’ve come to the right place.  Trained with the Pathsmith™  Durable Skills Framework from America Succeeds and learner-centered strategies from Learner-Centered Collaborative, this powerful tool supports…
Big Moves
Teaching Teams & Mixed-Age Cohorts
Overview With a shift to learner-centered learning and in the age of AI, the role of the educator is also shifting and so are school-centered structures of one teacher teaching a group of students all the same grade level. This means roles are shifting beyond traditional boundaries where educators are also leaders and work…

It’s Your Journey

Explore More Topics

Blog
Reading, Writing, and Rising: Centering Literacy in Learner Centered Education
By Stephanie Buelow and Charlotte Frambaugh Kritzer, Professors of Literacy at the University of Hawaii at Manoa Literacy is the cornerstone of a learner-centered education—it unlocks the ability to think critically, communicate effectively, and engage meaningfully in a rapidly changing world. Few leaders embody this understanding as powerfully as Dr. Lori Gonzales. A visionary…
Blog
Debunking the Math Myth: How Learner-Centered Classrooms Deepen Understanding
In a learner-centered classroom, math is about more than numbers and formulas—it’s about curiosity, exploration, and making sense of the world.  Picture this: It’s 10:00am in Ms. Kim’s 3rd grade classroom and students are gathered on the rug around a chart. Two students have just finished sharing their strategies with the whole class on…
Blog
Leading at the Edge: Navigating Uncertainty With a Local R&D Strategy
We are living at the “edge of chaos.” It’s a phrase coined by chaos theory physicist Norman Packard, and one that feels right at home for educators today. Artificial intelligence is accelerating change. Public trust in education continues to dip. And funding, data, and policy supports that once anchored decision-making have shifted or entirely…
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. If you continue to use this site, you agree with it. Privacy Policy