General FAQs

TOPS offers full-time enrollment for grades 3–12.

Language arts, math, science, history, music, technology, and art are the core courses. Your child will also take physical education and health classes in grades 3–8. Visit our elementary, middle school, and high school curriculum pages for more details.

For students in grades 3–8, physical education (PE) is a public school requirement. The PE curriculum objectives break down to 30 minutes per day, for a total of 150 minutes per week. The physical activity your student logs must meet the PE Lesson Objectives for that week’s assignment.

Yes. We provide the textbooks and instructional materials needed to complete the program. These books and materials are sent to students directly. The amount and type of materials varies by grade and course. Generally, high school students receive fewer books and materials than elementary and middle school students, due to the different course requirements. Common household items and office supplies like printer ink and paper are not provided.

Yes. TOPS students are public school students, and they earn a high school diploma that is identical to any other diploma awarded by public schools in the state of Texas. Because TOPS is an accredited public school, our graduates have the same rights and privileges extended to them as any other Texas graduates when applying for opportunities at our state and nation’s colleges and universities.

While all grades have minimum progress and pacing requirements, some advancement and flexible pacing options exist.

In the younger grades, many of the online lessons include offline work. Students in grades 3–5 spend about 50–60 percent of their time online. Screen time increases in middle school, and by high school, most of the school day is online.

Depending on a child’s IEP, we can tailor your child’s learning experience to meet their needs. To discuss your child’s needs with us, please contact our office, and we will put you in touch with our special education team.

TOPS meets the needs of advanced learners in a variety of ways. The beauty of our elementary and middle school programs is that they’re flexible enough to meet children where they are in any given subject and take them where they want to go. Placement assessments taken online during the enrollment process allow us to place your student in the appropriate level of curriculum. High school students can take honors and AP® courses. And qualified students can participate in our unique relationship with The University of Texas of the Permian Basin (UTPB) and earn college credit toward both their high school diploma and a postsecondary degree.

Throughout the year, students are invited to participate in school outings, field trips (e.g., to historical sites, museums, zoos), picnics, and other social events. We expect local clusters of students and parents to get together on a regular basis in their areas. We also are exploring new ways to interact socially using the powerful reach of the internet. The online Family Directory provides a way for families to network with families in their region of the state. With online discussions and forums, new types of communities can be formed that are based not on geography and place but on shared interests.

There are no home visits as part of the program, and there are no other intrusions into your home. This school was created to help your child obtain a first-class education and serve your family’s needs. If you ever feel that it is not right for your family or your child, you can withdraw at any time.

Visit our  How to Enroll section for information on enrolling your student in Texas Online Preparatory School.