Academy of America Policies

By registering for a course, the student (and their legal guardian, where applicable) expressly agrees to the following terms and conditions:

At Academy of America, we uphold the highest standards of academic integrity. Students are expected to complete all coursework, assignments, and exams independently, and to conduct themselves with honesty, trustworthiness, and responsibility. Violations of academic integrity may result in disciplinary action.
General Testing Policies
Students must follow all testing policies, including specific exam instructions and directions from approved proctors. Any indication of dishonesty—such as using unauthorized materials, receiving outside help, or violating time limits—may result in the voiding of test scores or course grades.
Academic Misconduct
Cheating
Cheating includes, but is not limited to:
- Copying from or allowing others to copy your work during tests or assignments
- Using unauthorized materials, notes, or devices during exams
- Working with others without instructor permission
- Taking or completing coursework for someone else or allowing someone to do it for you
Use of Generative AI
Tools like ChatGPT (GenAI) may support learning, but are only permitted when explicitly allowed in assignment guidelines or the course syllabus. Unauthorized use is considered a violation of academic integrity.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is using others’ words, ideas, or data without proper citation. This includes:
- Direct Plagiarism: Copying word-for-word without credit
- Paraphrased Plagiarism: Rewording someone else's ideas without attribution
- Mosaic Plagiarism: Mixing borrowed and original content without acknowledgment
- Insufficient Acknowledgment: Failing to fully cite a source
Forms of plagiarism:
- Intentional: Deliberate misuse of someone else's work
- Inadvertent: Accidental citation errors due to carelessness
- Misrepresentation: Falsifying or fabricating information, such as fake sources, data, or misquoted content
Other Violations
Academic misconduct also includes:
- Sharing or receiving unauthorized academic information
- Conspiring with others to cheat
- Offering or accepting bribes for academic advantage
- Altering grades or records
- Accessing unadministered test content
- Continuing work beyond allowed time
- Submitting the same work in multiple classes without approval
Consequences
Violations may result in disciplinary actions such as:
- Verbal or written reprimands
- Redoing the assignment or exam
- Lower or failing grades for the work or course
- Removal from the course
- Ban from future Academy of America courses
- Referral for institutional review and further sanctions
Once a course is completed (after all assignments and the final exam are graded), the final grade and course completion date are posted online. If the student provided a name of an educational institution when registering, a course completion notice will be emailed to the counselor.
A permanent academic record for each student that records the course work attempted or completed is kept by Academy of America. Access to these records is strictly controlled by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). See Academy of America’s Privacy Policy.
Academy of America is committed to ensuring accessibility for all students and their families. We strive to follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Levels A and AA provide helpful recommendations to make our online content accessible and user-friendly.
We are equally committed to providing a supportive learning environment that reasonably accommodates individuals with disabilities who are otherwise qualified to participate in our courses. Discrimination based on disability is strictly prohibited.
Students seeking accommodations for disabilities or specific learning needs must complete the Academy of America Accommodation Request Form and provide supporting documentation from a qualified healthcare professional. For secondary school students, a current IEP or 504 Plan from a school counselor or parent/guardian may also be submitted. Documentation should be specific and dated within the last three years.
Accommodation requests should be submitted before beginning coursework. While most requests are processed within a few weeks, some may require additional time.
Please fill out the accommodation request form to proceed.
Item description
Generally, a student must be at least 14 years old to take Academy of America high school courses and 12 years old to take seventh- and eighth-grade courses. Academy of America may, at its sole discretion, consider exceptions on a case-by-case basis where a student can demonstrate his or her ability to succeed in the course.
All assignments must be submitted online according to the instructions in your course. Some assignments are graded automatically upon submission; instructor grading will take longer.
Please refer to your course syllabus for further details on the resubmission policy specific to your course. After you have taken the final exam, you may not resubmit any assignments or mid-course exams.
Course Discussion Boards:
Course instructors are responsible for monitoring and administering the discussion board related to his or her course. Provided in the course are instructions and guidelines for acceptable and unacceptable discussion board posts. Any posts that are unseemly, profane, or contain solicitations or requests for a student email address, physical address, or other personal contact information, are not permitted, will be deleted, and may subject the student to discipline pursuant to the Academy of America Student Code of Conduct.
Grading
The syllabus provides a grading scale for the course. Many assignments are graded automatically. Assignments and exams that require instructor grading should be posted within 10 business days. The course grade is not posted until the final exam has been graded and posted.
Response and Grading Times:
Instructors are expected to respond to student inquiries within 2–3 business days. Instructors are also expected to post grades for student assignments within 10 business days.
Appointments:
Some courses require students to make appointments with the instructor or TA. In the event the student must cancel an appointment, he or she must do so at least 24 hours before the scheduled appointment time. Students must schedule appointments at least six hours before the planned appointment. Should a student miss a scheduled appointment, he or she will receive no score (zero points) for the missed appointment and generally may not reschedule the missed appointment. If an instructor misses the appointment, he or she will work with the student to reschedule the missed appointment, and the student will not be charged a fee for the missed appointment.
Course Completion Notices
Contact customer support to request a course completion notice when the final grade is posted.
Course Expiration
Course expiration dates are 365 days from the date and time of enrollment, unless specified otherwise in your course. Courses that expire without being completed will not be listed on the transcript. All coursework and exams including any available retakes must be completed before the course expiration to receive credit.
Course Extension
Unless otherwise specified in your course, a 90-day extension may be purchased once for $50. Extensions are 90-days from the original course expiration date regardless of the day the extension was purchased. For extenuating circumstances, please contact Customer Support.
Please consult with your academic counselor/advisor before enrolling in any Academy of America course to make sure the credit is transferable.
We strongly recommend that students do not register for BOTH parts of a two-part course series at the same time. Students should wait and register for Part 2 only once Part 1 is completed.
Please review all course policies before enrolling.

A–E

All coursework must be completed (or excused) prior to taking the final exam, including all other exams. No assignment resubmissions are allowed after the final exam has been completed. All exams must be taken by the course expiration date. You must pass the final exam in order to pass the course. All course exams can be retaken for a $15 fee.
Exam grading: Most exams are graded automatically. Grades for instructor-graded exams should be posted within 10 business days.
A course is considered complete once the original final exam and exam retake, if available, have been graded.
All exams must be completed before the course expiration date.
Credit is awarded only upon full course completion and is based on the traditional Carnegie Unit System. While “seat time” isn’t measured in online courses, each course is carefully designed—factoring in readings, assignments, exams, and study time—to equate to the instructional hours of a traditional classroom setting.
To earn:
- 1 full credit (Carnegie unit): Approx. 120 hours over 32–36 weeks
- 0.5 credit: Approx. 60 hours
- 0.25 credit: Approx. 30 hours
Academy of America courses are asynchronous and largely self-paced. Certified, highly qualified educators collaborate to design coursework that meets the rigor and content expectations of semester-based, in-person high school classes.
Academy of America offers a variety of course formats to support diverse learning needs. In most courses, students may contact their instructor directly using the information provided in the course introduction. Instructors and teaching assistants (TAs) work together to provide consistent feedback and subject-specific support.
Some courses also include a course liaison who assists with grade concerns, overdue assignments, or technical issues, and routes questions to the appropriate person (e.g., instructor or instructional designer). For general assistance, students can always contact Customer Support.
Students have up to 12 months to complete each course. Since most Academy of America courses are asynchronous and self-paced, students can progress according to their ability to master the material. However, students are generally expected to spend at least eight weeks to successfully complete a course.
For details on how credit is granted, see the Granting of Credit section.
We are committed to providing products and services free from unlawful discrimination. Unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, religion, age (40 and older), veteran status, genetic information, and/or disability will not be tolerated.
Academy of America is committed to maintaining a safe, supportive, and respectful online learning environment for all students, including minor participants (under age 18). The following policies apply to all online interactions:
- Parental Involvement:
  Parents/guardians are welcome to attend any online interactions with their minor student.
- Conduct and Dress Expectations:
  Participants (and their parents/guardians) must comply with the following expectations or risk removal from the session or program:
  - Follow all instructions provided by Academy of America staff.
  - Dress appropriately in neat and modest attire (e.g., clothing must cover shoulders, stomach, and chest).
  - Refrain from graphic, profane, or disrespectful communication (verbal or visual). Harassment, bullying, or disruptive behavior is strictly prohibited.
  - Ensure any visible surroundings are appropriate and free from private or inappropriate content.
- Instructor Interaction and Support:
  Academy of America provides a variety of course formats to support diverse learning needs. Most courses include direct access to course instructors via contact information in the course introduction.
  Instructors and teaching assistants work together to offer consistent feedback and subject-specific support. In some cases, a course liaison will handle student communication, including concerns about grades or course errors, directing inquiries to the appropriate individual. Students may also contact Customer Support for help at any time.
- Monitoring and Privacy:
  Online interactions may be recorded and stored securely for quality assurance. Recordings will not be used for any other purpose without express parental/guardian permission.
  One-on-one interactions may also be randomly monitored by Academy of America supervisors.
- To help ensure a safe and supportive learning environment, all Academy of America staff—including instructors, TAs, and course liaisons—are thoroughly vetted and required to pass background checks prior to working with students.
Academy of America is committed to protecting the privacy of student education records and the confidentiality of personal information in compliance with applicable privacy laws, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
Access to Education Records
Academy of America protects the confidentiality of student records. Before releasing any personally identifiable information, we must:
1. Verify the student’s identity.
2. For third-party requests (e.g., from a parent, guardian, or school counselor), we must verify both the identity and relationship to the student.
3. Confirm that the individual has been granted access through the student’s signed FERPA permissions form, or that they fall within a category for whom student permission is not required by law.
Transfer of FERPA Rights
When a student turns 18 years old or enters postsecondary education (regardless of age), FERPA rights transfer from the parent to the student. For non-university courses, Academy of America will only release records to the student or their current/target school once FERPA rights have transferred.
Students may grant access to a third party by submitting a signed FERPA release form specifying the individual permitted to access their records.
Tax Dependency Exception
Parents of students over 18 may access education records if they can provide proof of tax dependency for the previous tax year (e.g., if the student was claimed as a dependent). In these cases, both the FERPA release form and tax documentation must be submitted with each request.
Sharing Records with Educational Institutions
Academy of America may share student records with schools where the student is concurrently enrolled or is planning to enroll. For example, if a student is also enrolled in a high school and has identified that school, Academy of America may communicate course progress and grades to that school.
School officials must create a verified Counselor Portal account to view student information. Students may request copies of any records shared with another institution.
Account Security and Login Credentials
To safeguard sensitive student information, students and guardians must use a secure login and password provided by Academy of America.
- Sharing login credentials is strictly prohibited. Doing so violates privacy standards and may result in disciplinary action under the Academy of America Student Code of Conduct.
- Each student (or parent/guardian for youth registrations) must log in individually to ensure the protection of personal, financial, and academic information.
Repeating Failed Courses
Students who fail a course may retake the course to earn credit. However, both the original and the repeated course grades will remain on the student’s transcript. The repeated course will not replace the previous grade, and both attempts will appear on the permanent academic record.
Final Exam Retakes
Most courses allow one final exam retake if the original final exam is failed. To qualify:
- The student must request the retake before the course enrollment expires.
- Once both exams have been graded, the higher of the two final exam scores will be used to calculate the overall course grade.
If the student does not request the retake before the expiration date, the failing grade will remain and the student must re-register for the course if they wish to earn credit. In this case, the course will appear twice on the transcript, each with its corresponding grade.

E-R

Students enrolled in Academy of America courses are expected to uphold the highest standards of personal honor, integrity, and respect in all coursework, examinations, and interactions with peers, instructors, and staff.
Academic Dishonesty
Students must avoid all forms of academic misconduct, including but not limited to:
Plagiarism: Presenting someone else’s words, ideas, or data as your own without proper attribution. This includes:
- Direct plagiarism: Copying word-for-word without citation.
- Paraphrased plagiarism: Rewriting ideas without credit.
- Plagiarism mosaic: Mixing original and uncredited source material.
- Insufficient acknowledgment: Failing to fully cite sources.
- Using work created by others, including AI, and submitting it as your own is also plagiarism.
Cheating: Attempting to gain unfair academic advantage. Examples include:
- Copying or allowing copying during exams or assignments.
- Using unauthorized materials or help.
- Unauthorized collaboration.
- Taking or completing work on behalf of someone else.
Fabrication or Falsification: Misrepresenting sources or data. This includes:
- Citing fake or unrelated sources.
- Distorting or inventing research or results.
Other Misconduct
All students must maintain respectful and honest communication. Dishonest, profane, or disrespectful behavior is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct.
Disciplinary Action
If misconduct is suspected, students will be notified and given a chance to respond. Based on the evidence, Academy of America may impose disciplinary actions, such as:
- Written reprimand
- Re-doing affected work
- Lower or failing grades on assignments or the course
- Course removal or grade rescission
- Ban on re-enrollment or further participation
Preventing and Responding to Sexual Misconduct
In accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Academy of America prohibits unlawful sex discrimination in all its educational programs and activities. This includes prohibiting all forms of Sexual Misconduct, such as sexual harassment, sexual assault, stalking, dating violence, and domestic violence, whether committed by or against students, staff, or any participants in Academy of America programs.
Reporting Sexual Misconduct
All Academy of America personnel in instructional, supervisory, or administrative roles are required to report any incidents of Sexual Misconduct that are brought to their attention, regardless of how the information is received (e.g., through coursework, email, messaging, or conversation).
To report an incident, please contact us at (602) 480-4797.
Reports will be handled promptly, fairly, and in accordance with applicable laws and Academy of America policies.
Support & Resources
While Academy of America does not operate physical offices or provide on-site support services, we are committed to responding to reports of Sexual Misconduct with care, professionalism, and appropriate action. We will work with individuals to identify supportive measures and take all necessary steps to ensure a safe and respectful learning environment.
Once a student has successfully completed a middle school or high school course and the final grade has been posted, an official transcript can be requested and sent to the desired institution(s).
Only completed courses with final grades will appear on the official transcript. Courses that are in-progress, withdrawn, or incomplete will not be included.
How to Request a Transcript
To order a transcript, please follow these steps:
1. Visit the Academy of America Transcript Request Page.
2. Complete the Transcript Request Form in full.
3. Carefully follow all instructions to prevent delays in processing.
Allow at least five (5) business days for standard transcript processing. Additional time may be required during high-volume periods.
Transcript Delivery Options
- Electronic Delivery (Preferred): Secure PDF sent directly to the receiving institution (if accepted).
- Mail Delivery: Physical transcript sent via standard or express mail (additional fees may apply).
- Student Copy: Unofficial transcript for personal records (clearly marked as unofficial).
Transcript Fees
- First transcript request: Free
- Additional standard transcripts: $5.00 each
- Express shipping (domestic): $25.00
- Express shipping (international): $50.00
Payment instructions are included on the request form.
Student Privacy (FERPA Compliance)
Academy of America complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Transcript information will only be released to:
- The student (if 18 or older)
- A parent or legal guardian (if the student is a minor)
- An institution or third party with written consent from the student or guardian
Academy of America (AoA) offers accredited high school courses that are designed to meet graduation requirements. We understand that students may wish to transfer their credits to other educational institutions, and we want to provide clear guidelines on how this process works.
- Transferability of AoA Credits: Credits earned through Academy of America are designed to be accepted by most accredited high schools, but the final decision regarding the transfer of credits is always at the discretion of the receiving institution. Students should check with the institution they plan to transfer to in order to verify that AoA credits will be accepted.
- Transfer of High School Credits: Students who complete high school courses through Academy of America may transfer those credits to another accredited high school, provided the receiving institution’s policies allow for the acceptance of credits from AoA. We recommend that students request a transcript from AoA to facilitate the credit transfer process.
- Transfer of Diplomas: Academy of America issues high school diplomas to students who complete the full graduation requirements of our accredited program. If a student receives a diploma from AoA, it can be used for admission to most post-secondary institutions, though each institution may have its own policies for accepting AoA diplomas for enrollment.
- Recommendations for Transfer: We encourage students to consult with the institution to which they plan to transfer to understand their credit transfer policies. If needed, AoA will provide additional documentation or verification of coursework to help support the transfer of credits.
Academy of America offers courses designed to help students meet the graduation requirements for high school and post-secondary institutions. As part of our high school program, we award accredited high school diplomas to students who complete the required coursework and meet graduation criteria.
- High School Diplomas: Academy of America awards high school diplomas to students who successfully complete the required credits in our accredited program. Upon meeting all academic requirements, students will receive a diploma that is recognized by educational institutions and employers.
- Post-Secondary Degrees: Academy of America does not offer post-secondary degrees (such as associate’s or bachelor’s degrees) at this time. Our courses are designed to support high school credit completion and may be used for advancement to further education.
- Transfer Credits: Academy of America accepts transfer credits from accredited high schools. Students enrolled in our high school program can transfer credits from previous accredited high school courses, provided the credits align with our graduation requirements.
High School & Middle School Courses
- Standard Courses: $299 per 0.5 credit
- Credit Recovery Courses: $199 per 0.5 credit
Textbooks & Materials
- Textbooks and other materials are not included in tuition and must be purchased separately.
Course Fees
- Assignment/Quiz Resubmissions: $10 each
- Exam Retake: $15
- Course Extension: $50 per course (one available)
- Withdrawal/Refund: $50 per course
Shipping
- Standard shipping for materials: 7–10 business days.
- Express Mail: $20 extra (U.S. only)
- International Shipping: $20 extra + applicable customs fees
Transcript Fees
- High School Transcripts:
  - eTranscript: $8
  - Domestic Mailed: $12.75
  - International Mailed: $15.25
  - Domestic Express: $40
  - International Express: $65
Withdrawal Protocol
Students may voluntarily withdraw from a course at any time, provided they have not yet requested the final examination or completed the course. To initiate a withdrawal, please submit a written request via email to info@academyofamerica.org.
Refund and Voucher Schedule
Refund eligibility is calculated based on the number of calendar days elapsed since the date of registration.
- 0–8 Calendar Days: Students are eligible for a full refund of tuition paid, less a $15.00 administrative processing fee.
- 9–11 Calendar Days: Monetary refunds are not available. Students will receive a course voucher equivalent to 100% of the tuition paid, valid for future enrollments.
- 12+ Calendar Days: No refunds or vouchers will be issued.
For a comprehensive list of all applicable institutional policies, please visit: https://www.academyofamerica.org/course-policies

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