Is Online School Free in Missouri? What Your Family Actually Pays

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In Missouri, online public school is free , and Stellar Hollow Virtual Academy is an example of a free online public school. There is no tuition, no application fee and no charge to enroll. Your student needs two things at home: a computer that meets our technology requirements and reliable internet. If your family needs a laptop, we can help with that too.

Between gas, groceries, childcare and school supplies, every school year adds up. Here is where the money goes when your student learns with us, where it doesn't, and where Missouri families can find support for the costs that remain.


Why is online school free in Missouri?

Because the state funds the seat. Stellar Hollow is an approved full-time provider in the Missouri Course Access and Virtual School Program (MOCAP), the state's program for online public school. When your student enrolls full time, they become a student of our host district, Cole County R-1, and state aid is paid directly to the host district. The state pays for the seat, so your family doesn't.

That makes a free online public school a different category from a private online academy. We are state-funded and state-accountable, our teachers are licensed and based in Missouri, and any student age 5 to 18 who resides in Missouri is eligible to enroll in grades K-11.

What does tuition-free mean at Stellar Hollow?

It means you don't need to factor tuition into your budget at all. Here is the full picture:

  • Tuition: none

  • Enrollment or application fee: none

  • Curriculum and course materials: included and built into every course

  • Teachers, tutoring and student support: included

  • Computer: your family's own, or a school laptop for families in need

  • Internet: your household service

What supplies does a student need for online school in Missouri?

A computer and reliable internet are all the supplies your student needs. Our courses are built on the BrightThinker curriculum and delivered online, so lessons, videos and other instructional materials are linked and ready when your student logs in.

That means no textbooks, workbooks or course software to buy, and no classroom supply list to shop for in August.

What is the cost difference between online and in-person school?

Even at a free public school, in-person learning comes with out-of-pocket costs that add up over a year. Learning from home removes or reduces many of them:

  • Transportation: no daily drop-off, pickup or carpool, and no bus stop waits on icy winter mornings

  • Clothing: fewer back-to-school shopping trips

  • Supply lists and classroom donations: materials are built into our courses

  • Meals and snacks: lunch comes from your own kitchen

  • Schedule-driven childcare: our program is asynchronous, so the school day can be arranged around your work hours instead of a bell schedule

Does Stellar Hollow provide a laptop?

Yes, laptops are provided for families who need one. No child's education should be limited by their family's financial situation, so we supply laptops for school use to families in need. During enrollment, our team makes sure your student has a device that meets the technology requirements. If you already own a laptop or desktop, ask us to check it before you buy anything. The computer you have may already be enough.

Reliable internet connection is vital. Optional live lessons with teachers are offered daily, along with one-on-one and small group sessions, so check what your internet plan can accommodate and upgrade accordingly. Test the connection in the room where your student will work, at the time they will be working, with everyone else in the house online.

Not sure your setup is ready? Call our enrollment team at (915) 306-3446 and describe what you have before you spend anything.

Where can Missouri families find help with internet and household costs?

Support is available for families in need. These programs help Missouri households with internet access and everyday expenses:

  • NDIA Honor Roll of low-cost plans: the National Digital Inclusion Alliance's list of affordable home internet plans from providers across the country.

  • Local libraries and nonprofits: some offer free Wi-Fi, hotspot lending or device repair for students.

  • 2-1-1: dial 2-1-1 to reach your local information and referral helpline for housing, utility and emergency support.

  • Missouri Department of Social Services: where Missouri families apply for SNAP food benefits, and for help with home energy bills through the state's utility assistance programs.

Our enrollment team is happy to talk through your setup and point you toward the right resource when you call.

Is Stellar Hollow a public school in Missouri?

Yes. Stellar Hollow Virtual Academy is a tuition-free public virtual school serving families from Kansas City to St. Louis. We are an approved MOCAP full-time provider for 2026-27, authorized through Cole County R-1 School District. Like every public school student, ours take Missouri's state assessments, the MAP and end-of-course exams, and high school graduates receive their diploma from the host district.


We serve grades K-11. High school opens up more choices: students can earn dual credit through local institutions and work toward a technical certificate through our career and technical education pathways. If your student is heading into high school, ask our enrollment team how those options fit the courses you are choosing.

What support is included with Stellar Hollow enrollment?

Everything on this list is part of enrollment, not an add-on:

  • Licensed, Missouri-based teachers who build a real relationship with each student

  • Optional live lessons daily, plus one-on-one and small group tutoring and teacher support by email, text and phone

  • Counselors, including an Academic Services Counselor who helps place your student in the right courses

  • Accommodations and IEPs for students with disabilities

  • Learning Coach support for parents

  • Clubs, student government and in-person field trips

How much adult availability does online school take?

Adults availability for online schooling varies by age and student needs. Students log in and work at least 4 hours a day, 20 hours a week, and how those hours fall across the day is up to you. Every student works with a learning coach, who is the adult at home keeping their student on pace. 

A kindergartner needs someone nearby to log in, follow the day's plan and reach out to a teacher with questions. A high schooler mostly needs regular check-ins and a quiet place to work.

When considering our school, talk through who will take on that role and how many hours a week they can realistically give. Here's more information on the role of a learning coach.

How do you build a family budget for online school in Missouri?

You don't need to factor tuition into your budget. Instead, consider these:

  • One-time: a computer, only if the one you own doesn't meet our technology requirements and you don't need a school laptop

  • Monthly: your internet service, plus any upgrade your plan needs

  • Adult Availability: learning coach hours, which vary by grade

  • Savings: the commuting, school meals and supply lists you no longer pay for

Before you decide, get a clear answer to these four questions:

  1. Does the computer we own meet the technology requirements, or should we ask about a school laptop?

  2. Does our internet hold up in the room our student will use, at the hours they will work?

  3. Who will be our learning coach, and how much time can they give each week?

  4. If our student is in high school, which dual credit or career pathway fits their plans?

How do you enroll at Stellar Hollow?

Students are eligible to enroll if they live in Missouri, and will be between age 5 to 18 before September 1st. This is true for students coming from public school, private school, homeschool, or students just moving into the state. Full-time MOCAP enrollment does not need approval from your local school district. You will need these enrollment documents:

  • Proof of Missouri residency (a utility bill dated within the last 30 days, a lease or mortgage statement, or a bank statement)

  • Proof of age, such as a birth certificate or passport

  • Immunization records following Missouri guidelines, or an approved medical or religious exemption

  • A completed student health form

  • Recent report cards (grades 1-8) or a transcript (grades 9-11), plus homeschool documentation if it applies

As a public school, we try to make online learning as accessible as possible. Call us at (915) 306-3446 or start your enrollment today.