iQ Academy Minnesota (iQMN), a full-time, tuition-free public school program of Independent School District No. 544, Fergus Falls, is ready to kick off the new school year and give students throughout the state a consistent education option designed to help them reach their full potential. iQMN students and teachers will open their laptops to start the 2021-2022 school year today, September 7, 2021.

For most families, the new school year comes with cautious optimism. Many families realized during the pandemic that attending school online is a safe alternative that allows them to focus on their child’s future. According to a recent survey by Stride, Inc., 91 percent of parents agree that it’s important for their children to have multiple school options, including full-time online or a hybrid model that blends online and in-person learning. And almost two-thirds of parents would consider full-time online public school after their 2020 pandemic-driven virtual education experience.

“Last year, our students and teachers accomplished so much by operating business as usual during these unprecedented times,” said the Operations & Program Manager of iQMN Theresa Gallagher. “I’m confident that we can reach even greater heights this year, as we return to a bit of normalcy in our lives.”

Authorized by Independent School District No. 544, Fergus Falls and staffed by Minnesota-licensed teachers, iQMN offers a personalized approach to learning, delivering rich, engaging curriculum designed to assist students who seek alternative pathways to education. Despite wide-spread evidence of a “COVID slide” of learning loss for students in the U.S. during the pandemic, Stride K12-powered schools like iQMN reported lower learning loss rates than those reported in national studies. And in some cases, students enrolled in Stride K12-powered schools experienced learning gains.

Students choose online learning for a variety of reasons, including advanced learning, a bullying-free environment and the flexibility to support extracurricular pursuits or medical needs while maintaining a focus on academics. iQMN’s online platform gives students the opportunity to pursue their academic goals in a supportive environment and at an appropriate pace for their learning style.

iQ Minnesota Academy is still accepting enrollments for the 2021-2022 school year. To learn more about iQMN and how to enroll, visit mn.iqacademy.com or download the Stride K12 mobile app for iOS and Android devices - where families can enroll, prepare for the first day of school and monitor students’ academic progress throughout the school year.

About iQ Minnesota Academy

iQ Minnesota Academy (iQMN) is an online public-school program of Independent School District No. 544, Fergus Falls, serving students across the state of Minnesota. iQMN is tuition-free, giving parents and families the choice to access the engaging curriculum and tools provided by Stride, Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nation’s leading provider of proprietary K-12 curriculum and online education programs. For more information about iQMN, visit mn.iqacademy.com.

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