A new K-12 online school, American Virtual Academy, has begun its operations in April 2024, offering a distinctive educational model that centers on American values and rejects the inclusion of DEI, CRT, and transgender issues in its curriculum. The school charges between $5,000 and $6,000 per year, catering to families nationwide who are looking for alternatives to traditional public education systems. Its founder, Damian Creamer, stated that the institution was created with the intent of providing an education that aligns with the values of its students and parents, avoiding what he describes as ‘woke ideology.’
American Virtual Academy is positioned as an all-virtual, accredited institution serving students from kindergarten through 12th grade. It has already enrolled 600 students and aims to increase its numbers to 10,000 within the next three years. Creamer emphasized the school’s commitment to core academic subjects like reading, writing, and mathematics, while explicitly excluding the ideological content that has become a contentious topic in educational policy.
The launch of American Virtual Academy is part of a broader trend of parental dissatisfaction with the current state of public education, with many opting for homeschooling or alternative schooling programs. This shift has prompted several states to pass universal school choice legislation, enabling more families to access the educational options that best suit their values. New Hampshire, for instance, has recently enacted such legislation, joining a trend seen in other states with Republican leadership.
The presence of such schools reflects a growing demand from parents for educational environments that prioritize traditional content and values over contemporary ideological frameworks. This evolution in educational models is seen as a response to a perceived liberal bias in public education, where educators and unions are accused of promoting a political agenda over academic instruction. As these alternative schools expand, they are increasingly meeting the demand for a more ideologically aligned educational experience.