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Alternative Education

Harvest Grove Virtual Academy is an alternative school of choice open to all TK-8 students in BUSD who thrive in a virtual learning environment, are independent and self-motivated, would like to accelerate their learning, and/or need a flexible learning option.  Our program promotes student voice and choice, student goal setting and monitoring, critical thinking, community, and collaboration.  Harvest Grove Virtual Academy is an option for students and families who are looking for an alternative to a traditional brick-and-mortar school. Our comprehensive, online curriculum is aligned to grade-level standards. Students are enrolled in Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies classes. In addition, our online curriculum offers a wide range of elective courses that students can add to their schedules. Instruction is geared to student needs and can scale up for deeper instruction or fill gaps where students might have challenges. At Harvest Grove, in-person interaction is important to us, so we offer many opportunities for students and families to meet and build friendships. We work hard to bring experiences 

Per AB 130 law, students in grades TK-3 will have daily synchronous instruction with their teacher. Students in grades 4-8 will have daily live interaction and weekly synchronous instruction with their teacher. Our teachers all have office hours for additional support. “Synchronous instruction” means “classroom-style instruction or designated small group or one-on-one instruction.” “Live interaction” is an interaction between the student and educational staff for the purpose of maintaining school connectedness. If your student is enrolled at Harvest Grove, they will no longer be enrolled at a school site. A student may transition back to in-person learning at any point during the year by completing an intra-district transfer form, however, school placement is based on enrollment and availability. BUSD will have a plan to return students to the classroom within five instructional days. To become a Harvest Grove Hedgehog, parents must complete and submit the Harvest Grove Virtual Academy Enrollment Form online. 

Harvest Grove Virtual Academy Website

Angela Mullen
Principal
925-525-7847
Email Angela Mullen

Lauren Bellone
Secretary
925-525-7845
Email Lauren Bellone

Site Based Independent Study

The Site Based Independent Study Agreement is an educational plan for students who are going to be out of school for one (1) or more consecutive days not to exceed fifteen (15) for reasons other than illness or injury.

  1. The Site Based Independent Study Agreement length is from 1 to 15 days.

  2. The Site Based Independent Study Agreement is required and must be signed by the parent, student, teacher and site administrator  prior to commencing Independent Study. 

  3. The agreement specifies the amount of work to be completed, the amount of time to be spent each day, when the work will be turned in to the teacher and how the work will be evaluated.

  4.  Agreements must include a written reason for requesting Independent Study.

  5.  No individual with exceptional needs, as defined in Education Code 56026, may participate in Independent Study unless his/her individualized education program specifically provides for such participation. 

  6. A Site Based Independent Study Agreement must be requested at least five school days prior to a planned absence to ensure teachers can prepare materials. 

  7.  A Site Based Independent Study Agreement WILL NOT be issued for the first two weeks or last two weeks of school. 

  8. The Independent Study Agreement must be approved and completed BEFORE the student is out of school. 

For more information or to apply for Site Based Independent Study please contact your child's school.

Notice of Alternative Schools

California state law authorizes all school districts to provide for alternative schools. Section 58500 of the Education Code defines alternative school as a school or separate class group within a school which is operated in a manner designed to:

  •   Maximize the opportunity for students to develop the positive values of self-reliance, initiative, kindness, spontaneity, resourcefulness, courage, creativity, responsibility, and joy.


  • Recognize that the best learning takes place when the student learns because of the student’s desire to learn.

  • Maintain a learning situation maximizing student self-motivation and encouraging the student in their own time to follow their own interests. These interests may be conceived by the student totally and independently or may result in whole or in part from a presentation by the student’s teachers of choices of learning projects.


  • Maximize the opportunity for teachers, parents, and students to cooperatively develop the learning process and its subject matter. This opportunity shall be a continuous permanent process.


  • Maximize the opportunity for the students, teachers, and parents to continuously react to the changing world, including but not limited to, the community in which the school is located.

In the event any parent, pupil, or teacher is interested in further information concerning alternative schools, the county superintendent of schools, the administrative office of this district, and the principal’s office in each attendance unit have copies of the law available for parent information. This law particularly authorizes interested persons to request the governing board of the district to establish alternative school programs in each district. (Ed. Code, § 58501)