High School FAQs

What is Tustin Connect High School?
TCHS is an online and blended learning high school in the Tustin Unified School District. The mission of TCHS is to provide a flexible, yet rigorous, alternative education solution within a caring community that cultivates success, resilience, and advocacy for themselves and others.

What type of student is a good fit for TCHS?
Tustin Connect caters to the needs of many different types of students. Successful students typically manage time efficiently, are self-motivated, have strong support from home, and have academic skills at or above grade level.

How does TCHS prepare students for college and careers?
TCHS is fully accredited by WASC and offers UC approved “a-g” courses that are approved by the NCAA. Students also have unique opportunities for internships and dual-enrollment at local community colleges or at one of our local comprehensive high schools. Students are assigned a guidance counselor to help them navigate college and career opportunities.

How many courses do students take per semester? Can students accelerate?
Students typically take 3 courses every quarter, which adds up to 6 courses per semester. Students wishing to accelerate can take additional courses through local community colleges, ROPs, and the comprehensive high schools. 

What courses are offered?
TCHS offers all courses required for graduation. TCHS courses also satisfy all “a-g” requirements with the inclusion of all history/social science, English, mathematics, Spanish, visual/performing arts, and college prep electives.  Additionally, most lab sciences including biology, chemistry, oceanography, and physics are offered as well. Students interested in taking other lab science courses would need to do so at their resident TUSD comprehensive high school, local community college, or through summer school.  There are also a limited number of honors and AP courses available to all students.   

What curriculum is used?
The curriculum is aligned with the TUSD adopted curriculum and standards and is adapted primarily from Florida Virtual and Schoology learning platform with limited courses from UC Scout using the Canvas learning platform.  

What is required of students?
Students are required to complete all of their weekly assignments by the due date, show up for their weekly appointments, and participate in all assessments. In addition, students must show satisfactory academic growth. If these conditions are not all met, an evaluation meeting will take place to discuss student placement.

What is required of parents?
Since much of the learning at TCHS occurs outside the physical classroom, successful students at Tustin Connect have a high level of parental involvement. Parents need to ensure that students attend their weekly appointments and that they are successfully completing their weekly assignments.

Who are the teachers and what is their role?
Highly qualified and fully credentialed teachers from Tustin Unified are carefully selected to provide students with a rigorous and engaging learning experience. Students are assigned a supervising teacher who oversees their learning. Teachers are available to support students in person or remotely during school hours.

How do the weekly appointments work?
Students must check-in with their teacher to submit work and receive new assignments weekly. In most cases, students have recurring weekly appointments with their supervising teacher. At the appointment, students submit completed work, receive feedback, take proctored assessments, and receive new assignments.  All lab sciences, Spanish and Honors/AP courses have a required in-person/virtual synchronous weekly learning component.  Math, English, many of our electives, and social studies courses have a voluntary in person component.    

What additional support is available on campus?
TCHS students can be on campus to receive support from their teachers and to work on their assignments with peers anytime between 8 am and 3 pm M-Th.  There is also a counselor and mental health professional on campus and available to students and families.  

What type of technology do students need?
Students may use a district-issued laptop or use their personal computer or tablet. Access to the Internet is necessary to complete the online assignments.

Can students participate in extracurricular activities and take courses at the comprehensive high schools?
Yes, students are eligible to take up to 2 courses at their high school of residence and participate in extracurricular activities. Students on interdistrict transfers may take courses and participate in extracurricular activities at the least impacted high school in TUSD (currently Tustin High School). Athletic participation in CIF sports is available to students at their school of residence or at Tustin High School for students that live outside of the TUSD boundaries.

Are Tustin Connect High School courses NCAA approved?
Yes, TCHS has been approved by NCAA and offers NCAA approved courses.

Can students take courses at TCHS while primarily enrolled at another high school?
As a general rule students can only take online courses at TCHS if it is their primary school of enrollment.  Some returning students take 1-2 classes at TCHS while enrolled at their comprehensive high school.     

Does TCHS offer online summer school courses?
No, TCHS does not offer summer school or any online courses during the summer.  TCHS students do have full access to all of the summer school options that all TUSD students have.  

When can students enroll?
Enrollment is ongoing and eligible students can enroll throughout the spring and summer prior to the upcoming school year. Students can also transfer to Tustin Connect during the school year (before April 1) if there is available space.  For high school students, enrollment is recommended at the beginning of the year or at the semester in order to insure that students do not fall behind in credits.  Enrollment at other times is handled on a case by case basis at the high school level.  

Who can enroll at Tustin Connect High School?
Any interested student in grades 9-12 who are in good standing and on track with credits may enroll at TCHS. Students who reside outside of the Tustin Unified School District attendance area may enroll after completing an interdistrict transfer with their current district of residence and submitting the form to the Tustin Unified District Office. TUSD must approve all transfers.

Can a student with an IEP enroll?
Special education students may not participate in independent study unless it is specified as an instructional method in their IEP (EC Section 51745 c). Please contact your school’s IEP team regarding possible enrollment.

I want to start the enrollment process or I have other questions.
Interested students and parents should complete the interest form located on our website or through this link.  Once the form is complete, someone from the TC office will be in contact typically within 72 hours or less during the school year or within 7 days during the summer months.  If you would prefer, you can always call our offices at 714-430-2052 to request an appointment with the counselor or principal. Please bring an updated transcript to your appointment.