Frequently Asked Questions

Texas Essentials Academy is a self-paced, private, nonaccredited online secondary education program. You enroll, get tentative portal access immediately, and an academic advisor is assigned within a few days. You then work through your courses on your own schedule. Each full credit course has 20 topics with lessons, practice questions, and a final exam.

No. Texas Essentials Academy is a private, nonaccredited school operating under the private-school exemption in Texas Education Code §25.086(a)(1), recognized in Texas Education Agency v. Leeper. There is no state accreditation for Texas private schools to obtain, and we do not hold or claim any. Texas public colleges and universities must treat completion of our program as equivalent to public high school graduation (Tex. Educ. Code §51.9241); all other colleges, employers, and agencies decide acceptance for themselves.

Yes! A diploma from Texas Essentials Academy is a legal diploma in the State of Texas. We offer a complete course load for high school that is informed by the TEKS and designed to provide students with an alternative, legal path to a high school diploma.

Most students can complete the program within 6 months, and all students are capable of completing within 12 months. The program is entirely self-paced, so how long it takes depends on how much time you dedicate each day. There is no maximum time limit — you can take as long as you need.

The standard graduation track is 26 credits. If you have valid transcripts from a previous school, any successfully completed courses will be credited towards graduation.

Yes! You can have multiple courses in progress at once. Most students find it easier to focus on one or two at a time, but the choice is yours. Talk to your advisor if you'd like guidance.

You get two attempts at every final exam. The passing score depends on whether you completed the course: if you complete the entire course, including all of the practice questions, you need a 70% to pass. If you choose to "test out" of a course without completing all of the practice questions, you need an 80% or above. If you don't pass after two attempts, you'll need to retake the course. Retake mode unlocks lessons in order and requires a 70% on each lesson's practice quiz before you can move on. On a retake, your recorded final exam score is capped at 70% (a C-), so a retaken course cannot earn a higher grade than one passed within the first two attempts.

No. Every course is fully self-paced and asynchronous. There are no live classes, no set times, and no real-time peer interaction. You learn on your own schedule.

For current pricing, please see the home page of our website: https://texasessentialsacademy.com.

Yes. The enrollment fee is fully refundable, for any reason, within 15 calendar days of enrollment, provided you have not accessed course material (opening a lesson counts as accessing course material). Signing in, viewing your dashboard, or messaging your advisor does not affect your eligibility. Once course material is accessed, or after the 15th day, payments are final. Renewal fees are non-refundable. To request a refund, use the billing page in your student portal or message your advisor; if you cannot access the portal, email the Registrar at [email protected].

All students are capable of completing within 12 months. If you need more time, a renewal fee is charged at the 6-month mark to maintain your enrollment. This is a manual renewal that you pay in the student portal. There are no automatic renewals or surprise billing.

Use the "My Advisor" page in the portal. Messages are typed, asynchronous (not live chat). Your advisor responds within a few days. If you don't have an advisor assigned yet, email [email protected].

Your advisor can answer questions about course content, help you plan your schedule, troubleshoot technical issues, discuss academic pacing, and connect you with additional resources. They're your single point of contact at Texas Essentials Academy. Please note: advisors cannot give direction or answers on test or exam questions.

Once you've passed all required courses, your advisor processes graduation. You will receive an official diploma in the mail within 2-3 weeks. Unofficial Transcripts are available on demand from your account for download on the My Progress page; Official Transcripts may be requested by emailing [email protected]. The first two official transcripts are free, additional copies are $10 each.

Yes. Every student is enrolled in the full program when they sign up. Once you email your transcript to [email protected] or we receive your course-completion records from your prior school, your advisor reviews them and marks the matching Texas Essentials Academy courses complete in your portal. You only do the work for what courses you have left. Contact your advisor for more information.