Question 1

Is virtual education free for all students in Missouri

Accepted Answer

Any student who is a resident in the state of Missouri qualifies for free virtual education.

Question 2

What is MOCAP

Accepted Answer

MOCAP stands for the Missouri Course Access and Virtual School Program. It allows all Missouri students to attend part-time or full-time virtual school paid for using your child's state education funding. You can learn more on the official MOCAP website.(https://mocap.mo.gov/)

Question 3

What is a virtual vendor or provider?

Accepted Answer

Vendors/providers are organizations that provide virtual education programs and courses. There are currently 18 vendors in Missouri. Of those 18 vendors, eight have partnered with Missouri school districts or institutions of higher learning to provide full-time virtual education programs at no cost to families. The other 10 programs are more focused on providing individual virtual courses, although it is possible to create a full-time virtual program using some of them in conjunction with your local school district.

Question 4

How do I choose a program?

Accepted Answer

There are many different types of programs serving a range of different grades. Some providers offer live online instruction and some offer self-paced courses and others a combination of the two. There are other factors such as whether or not they provide technology and other learning materials, clubs, dual credit, and AP classes. See here for more information on the variety of options available.(https://www.missourivirtualed.org/how-to-choose-a-provider)

Question 5

What paperwork is required to enroll in a virtual education program or course?

Accepted Answer

Guardian ID, report card, transcripts, child’s birth certificate (some providers allow other proof of DOB). Other forms may include: District Approval Form, Enrollment Verification Form, Family Income Form (some vendors supply materials and technology to families who qualify for free and reduced lunch)

Question 6

What is "private" vs "public" pay?

Accepted Answer

“Private” pay means you are responsible for payment to the virtual provider. There are a wider range of courses available to private pay families and they are available to non-public school students. “Public” pay are the courses paid for by your local school district or the state and are approved by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as official MOCAP programs or courses. Make sure when you are researching providers that you are viewing the public pay courses. You can download a list of all official MOCAP courses and programs here.(https://mocap.mo.gov/catalog/documents/CourseCatalog-InstructionCombined_000.pdf)

Question 7

Does a student have to maintain residence in Missouri while enrolled in a full-time in MOCAP?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The host district is responsible for ensuring the student maintains Missouri residency

Question 8

Does a student have to request full-time MOCAP enrollment through the district of residence?

Accepted Answer

No. A student who wants to enroll full-time in a MOCAP program should notify their district of residence of their intent to enroll in a full-time virtual program but is not required to seek the approval of the resident district.  The student must be first enrolled in their district of residence in order to be eligible for MOCAP enrollment.

Question 9

Does a full-time virtual student who was accepted by a full-time virtual provider need to go through a disenrollment process from their resident district?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Once a student has been accepted by a full-time virtual provider, the resident district or charter school must disenroll the student from its district, and the student will then be enrolled by the host district.

Question 10

If a student with an Individual Education Plan (IEP) seeks to enroll as a full-time MOCAP student, what happens next?

Accepted Answer

The student’s IEP team must meet to decide enrollment. If the team decides that enrollment is appropriate, the student’s MOCAP request may be approved.
 • Next, the MOCAP provider (host district) will review the enrollment request and approve or deny it.  
 • Then, if the MOCAP provider approves the request, the host district will request a copy of the most recent evaluation report and current IEP from the resident district in accordance with the IDEA in-state transfer process.
 • The full-time MOCAP virtual-provider shall serve as the student’s building under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B.  
 • The host district will claim any such students for attendance purposes; as a result, the host district will be responsible for providing IDEA Part B services to the students.  
 • The student’s IEP governs their ESP; if their ESP includes services that cannot be provided through virtual methods, the provider should pay the district for the services

Question 11

Will a student who is participating in a full-time MOCAP program receive a diploma from the host district or from the resident district?

Accepted Answer

The diploma will be awarded by the host district.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT VIRTUAL EDUCATION IN MISSOURI