The Foreign Service Journal, December 2010

74 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 S CHOOLS S UPPLEMENT a catch-up class or a special-interest class. During the regular school year, students with learning differences (dyslexia, attention deficit disorder or even being gifted) or special situa- tions (raising their own children, par- ticipating in elite-level sports, dealing with difficult medical conditions) may not be able to adhere to the school’s day-to-day schedule. Though these situations can happen to any teen, those who live at posts abroad find them even more challenging. Online courses can meet other needs, too, says Julie Linn, director of international business develop- ment for K¹² International Academy, a private online school that offers a complete and nationally accredited high school program. “A ninth-grad- er working at a sixth-grade math level (but ninth-grade level in everything else), may feel more comfortable, and therefore be more productive, taking a lower-level math class on- line,” she explains. Numerous online schools offer classes at various levels. K¹², for exam- ple, offers four versions of the core courses: basic (for a struggling stu- dent), comprehensive (for an average student), honors and Advanced Place- ment. Some exceptionally motivated stu- dents may not be sufficiently chal- lenged in international schools, where many of their fellow students are struggling with just learning the basics in a second (or additional) lan- guage, for instance. Through online learning, students can access rigorous courses taught by native English speakers. In addition, overseas schools An array of educational issues confront teens in FS families.