Originally published on El Paso Mom on September 12, 2023
Families looking for the right school for their children have many factors to consider.
Sometimes, it’s best to just look at the bottom line: Does the school prepare students for college or a career?
At Texas Online Preparatory School (TOPS), where I work as a third-grade teacher, we focus on those things. And we know our program works because we have a 98% graduation rate. Other public schools in Texas average 90%.
Yes, we are a virtual school, not a traditional campus. But TOPS is a program of the Huntsville Independent School District, and we provide a state-approved education to students in grades 3-12. We are tuition-free, goal-oriented, and available to any student in Texas.
We know time flies for young people.
The future can seem far off, but before anyone knows it, it’s time to move on to higher education or a job in the real world. Whichever path they choose, we make sure students are ready for life-long success by cultivating high expectations and delivering challenging instruction.
Along with the classes you’d expect from any other public school—as well as extracurricular and social activities—we also help students take steps toward their next stage in life. That includes career-focused courses in fields such as the arts, audio-visual technology, business, health science, human services, information technology, and public safety.
Beyond the classroom, we provide career coaching so students can get a start with writing a resume, networking, interviewing, and applying for financial aid for college. We also offer live webinars geared toward people starting a career.
TOPS doesn’t look like the school you might be used to. But our results prove we help prepare children for adulthood by taking a broad view of what they need to learn and designing a program that works for their desires.
To learn more about Texas Online Preparatory School, visit https://tops.k12.com/.
