Wake Forest Online High School
A diploma path for Wake County families the district calendar cannot hold
An independent online school serving grades 9-12 in Wake Forest, NC. No lottery. No WCPSS approval. A school-issued diploma for the student who needed a schedule the public school calendar was not built to support.
Online high school courses for Wake Forest students, grades 9-12
Every course is self-paced and taught by certified teachers. Browse the full high school course catalog or ask a counselor to match courses to your student’s existing WCPSS transcript.
The foundation year. Core academics, electives, and the credits that start the diploma path.
- Biology
- Algebra 1
- U.S. History
- Art History
- English 1
- Physical Education / Life Management
- Elective (foreign language, fine art, CTE)
Core academics deepen. Geometry, Chemistry, English II, and college-readiness coursework.
The year colleges look at hardest. Algebra II, U.S. History, English III, SAT/ACT prep built in.
- Pre-Calculus
- U.S. Government
- English 3
- Economics
- Foreign Language II
- Elective or honors course
Graduation path, senior project, college-prep English, economics and government.
Who families here bring to this school
Northern Wake County has grown faster than almost anywhere in North Carolina over the past decade.
The families who moved here came for jobs in the Research Triangle, for the school ratings, for the distance from the city. Some of those families, once they arrived, found that the schools were exactly what they needed. Others found that the school was fine but the student’s life no longer fit the school’s schedule.
The teenager who trains with a club team five days a week and whose tournament schedule runs straight through February and March. The student who took on a part-time job to help a single-parent household and needs to study at 9 p.m. instead of 7:45 a.m. The family that relocated here from another state in October and spent four months watching credits not transfer cleanly. The student who has the academic capacity but has been quietly falling behind after a stretch of chronic illness made regular attendance unreliable.
Whatever brought the family to this school, the first step is the same: speak with a counselor, send the existing transcript, and find out exactly how many credits carry over.
“Tournament season runs February through April. Every absence was an argument.
The competitive athlete
“She missed six weeks during treatment. The makeup work was worse than the diagnosis.
The chronically ill student
“We moved in November from Texas. Her credits finally got sorted out in March.
The relocated family
“I work closing shifts three nights a week. Morning class was not happening.
The working teen
An independent school, not a Wake County virtual program
WCPSS offers its own virtual and blended-learning programs. It is not. High School of America is an independent school, not a WCPSS program, not a charter, and not a state-run virtual option. Enrollment does not go through WCPSS or any county portal. The academic calendar does not follow the district school year.
Families who enroll file a Notice of Intent with the NC Division of Non-Public Education. That filing satisfies the state’s compulsory attendance requirement outside the district’s jurisdiction. The diploma and official transcript come from the school, not from the district. Colleges, military branches, employers, and the NCAA recognize independent school diplomas without a district stamp.
Ready to start? Enroll today or call (888) 242-4262 and a counselor walks through every step on the first call.
A schedule built around what students here actually do
Northern Wake County draws tech workers, healthcare professionals, and remote employees whose own schedules are not the standard nine-to-five. The student who lives in that household often has a schedule that is equally non-standard. Club sport travel, part-time employment, medical appointments, and mid-year relocations are not unusual here. The public school calendar was not designed to absorb them.
Every course at this school is asynchronous, with no live attendance requirement, no synchronized class period, and no absence policy tied to a fixed school-day block. A student who flies to a weekend tournament in Charlotte does coursework on the flight and in the hotel on Sunday night. A student managing a health condition works through the curriculum at whatever pace the week allows.
The monthly pacing target is set with the counselor. The student reaches it in the window the schedule provides. The diploma requirement stays constant regardless of when the work is completed.
Can a Wake Forest family enroll in an online high school mid-year without waiting for the WCPSS lottery or enrollment window?
Yes. This school enrolls students any month of the year. Unlike WCPSS magnet or charter programs that operate on fixed enrollment windows, this school has no lottery, no window, and no district boundary requirement. A family can begin the enrollment process the same week they decide to switch. The counselor reviews the existing transcript, maps accepted credits, and sets a start date that fits the family’s timeline without waiting for any district window to open.
Moving credits in from any school
Students arrive from WCPSS, from out-of-state transfers, from homeschool programs, and from other online schools.
Every enrollment starts with a credit evaluation. A counselor reviews the existing transcript and maps every credit earned against the diploma requirements before the first course is selected.
Students do not start over. A student who completed a year and a half at Wake Forest High School carries those credits into this program. A student who moved here from another state last month brings that transcript. A student who homeschooled for a year with recorded grades transfers those credits too. The evaluation is at no charge and happens before enrollment, so the family knows exactly where the student stands before committing to anything.
After enrollment, the credit transfer process takes one to two weeks. The counselor confirms which credits are accepted and builds a course list based on what remains. Students who are behind get a recovery plan. Students who are ahead get an accelerated path to graduation.
- Day 1Submit existing transcript to the counselor
- Days 1-3Counselor maps every credit, identifies gaps
- Days 3-7Course selection based on remaining requirements
- Week 2Student begins coursework with accepted credit record
What it takes to graduate
North Carolina sets minimum credit requirements for high school graduation. This school’s diploma program meets those standards and guides each student through them on an individualized graduation plan built at enrollment. A counselor reviews the transcript, maps remaining credits, and lays out a realistic timeline to graduation based on the student’s specific starting point.
Students who arrive with accepted credits from WCPSS or another school count those credits toward graduation. Students who fell behind during a difficult year get a credit recovery plan that does not require repeating courses already passed. Students who are ahead of schedule get an accelerated path. NCES data on high school completion shows that students who receive individualized guidance in ninth and tenth grade are substantially more likely to graduate on time.
The high school diploma issued at graduation is a recognized, school-issued credential. Colleges, military branches, employers, and the NCAA accept it. The official transcript records every course, every grade, and every credit. Both documents travel with the student wherever they go next.
Earn your high school diploma online in Wake Forest
Every student who finishes the credit requirements earns a school-issued diploma and an official transcript. The transcript is formatted and sealed for college applications, employer background checks, and military enlistment. Students who wrap up in spring can attend the graduation ceremony; those who finish mid-year receive their documents as soon as the final credit is recorded.
Schools, universities, and military branches across the country accept independent school graduates. The NCAA has an evaluation process for student-athletes from independent schools. Students from this area have used this diploma to attend NC State, UNC, Elon, and programs around the country. Questions? Call (888) 242-4262 or enroll directly.
For the athlete whose schedule broke the calendar, the working teen who needed mornings, the student who just needed a different pace: this is the document that says they finished.
Send your transcript, a counselor maps every credit
Upload your student’s current transcript and a counselor maps every credit earned against the diploma requirements. You will know exactly where the student stands and what comes next before the first course begins.
No lottery. No window. Enroll any month.
WCPSS magnet enrollment closed months ago. This school did not close. A student can start this week. Speak with a counselor today.
Questions Wake Forest families ask before enrolling
Does WCPSS or the state have to approve our enrollment in this school?
Is my student eligible for NCAA athletics if they graduate from this school?
What does a typical school day look like here?
Can my student return to a WCPSS school later?
We missed the WCPSS open enrollment window. Can we still start now?
Statewide, and growing
A statewide program with a local front door. Where Wake Forest families look next.