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About First Student Academy

A fully online private school built around the belief that where you are should never limit who you can become. We serve students in grades 6 through 12 with personalized learning, live instruction, and a dedicated mentor for every student.

Students learning at First Student Academy
6–12 Grades Served
Our Story

Built on Belief.
Driven by Results.

First Student Academy was founded with a single, powerful conviction: every student deserves a learning experience built specifically for them. Traditional schooling too often asks students to adapt to a fixed pace and a fixed place. FSA was created to flip that model, building the school around each individual learner instead.

As a fully online private school, FSA serves students in grades 6 through 12 from anywhere in the world. Our platform supports instruction in 74 languages, making high-quality education accessible to families regardless of where they live. Every student is matched with a dedicated Academic Mentor and follows a personalized Growth Map that reflects their strengths, pace, and goals.

FSA is a private school operating under First Student Academy Inc and is currently pursuing accreditation through Cognia, the same body that accredits thousands of public and private schools across the United States. Our mastery-based, mentor-driven model means no student advances until they have genuinely understood the material, setting a higher bar than most traditional classrooms.

6–12Grades Served
74Languages Supported
5:1Student to Teacher Ratio
5 hrsStructured School Day
2 DaysApplication to Acceptance
What We Stand For

Our Core Values

Every decision at First Student Academy is measured against these principles. If a choice does not protect one of them, we change the choice, not the principle.

🎯

Mastery Over Speed

No student advances until they have truly understood the material. Faster is not better. Mastered is better. We check understanding after every small step, not at the end of a semester.

🤝

Personal Mentorship

Every student is paired with a dedicated Academic Mentor who tracks progress weekly, adjusts the learning plan as the student grows, and ensures no one ever learns alone or falls through the cracks.

🌍

Educational Freedom

We use technology to remove location barriers entirely. A student in Florida or anywhere else in the world receives the same high-quality, structured education with the same live teacher presence and accountability.

💡

Purpose-Driven Learning

Students must understand why they are learning what they are learning. We spark curiosity before delivering content, connect every topic to real life, and teach students to evaluate and apply knowledge, not just pass a test.

How We Teach

A Curriculum Built for
Every Learner

First Student Academy runs a hybrid model that pairs theory with practice and project-based learning throughout. Every lesson follows a Learn, Practice, Mastery cycle: students engage with direct instruction, immediately apply it through hands-on tasks, and then demonstrate mastery through a project or real demonstration before moving on. No concept is left abstract.

The Cycle

Learn, Practice, Mastery

Every lesson begins with direct instruction, moves immediately into practice problems and hands-on tasks, and concludes with a mastery demonstration. Students advance only when they have genuinely learned the material.

Personalization

The Student Growth Map

Each student receives a personalized Growth Map built around their starting point, goals, and pace. Whether a student needs extra support or wants to accelerate, the plan adapts to them, not the other way around.

Live Instruction

Small Groups, Real Teachers

Classes run with five to seven students per teacher. Every live session features a real educator who is present, watching, guiding, and answering questions in real time, never a recording. Students choose a morning session at 9 AM or an afternoon session at 12:45 PM.

Applied Electives

AI Literacy, Entrepreneurship and Self-Advocacy

Beyond core academics, students complete individualized project-based electives including AI Literacy, Entrepreneurship, and Self-Advocacy, turning their own interests into applied, real-world learning experiences.

Live learning session at First Student Academy
Our People

The Team Behind Every Student's Success

Our educators are experienced, credentialed, and deeply committed to every student they serve. Every staff member completes Florida Level 2 Background Screening and FBI fingerprint clearance before their first day with students.

Academic Mentors at First Student Academy

Academic Mentors

Personalized Student Support

Every student at FSA is paired with a dedicated Academic Mentor who provides weekly one-on-one sessions, tracks progress through the student's personalized Growth Map, and adjusts the learning plan as the student grows. No student ever learns alone.

Qualified teachers at First Student Academy

Qualified Instructors

Live Instruction, Grades 6–12

Every FSA Academic Coach holds three or more years of verified teaching experience or specialist credentials. They lead live sessions in small groups of five to seven students, present for every question and every moment of the lesson.

Leadership team at First Student Academy

School Leadership

Administration and Enrollment

Led by Principal Eric Tanner, the FSA leadership team oversees academic standards, student safety, and family communication. Our admissions team guides families from their first inquiry through acceptance, with a two-day turnaround from application to decision.

Take the Next Step

Ready to Start Your Student's Journey?

Schedule a free 30-minute online tour with our enrollment team. No commitment required, and we respond within two business days.