Pricing, Flex Plan & Payment Policies

Pricing for 2024-2025

At One Spark Academy, our goal is to keep our courses as reasonably priced as possible.

Families whose students attend just a few courses each session can find our course prices on our Course Schedule. Single course rates average $34 for a 1.5 hour class. Figured into this cost is supervision for up to 1/2 hour before and/or after class.

Families whose students attend 4-5 days a week, or when single-course fees exceed our per-session rate for our Flex Plan, a child will automatically be moved to the Flex Plan. Our Flex Plan offers a discount (15% on average) for coming “full time”. It is essentially a cap on class costs. However, Flex Plan families should budget for $800- $1200 in additional fees over the course of the year IF students take specialty courses with lab/material fees and/or attend our annual big outdoor adventure. Please note: the Flex Plan increases in 2024-2045 after no increases for the past two years.

Our Flex Plan rate for 2024-2025 is $11,800

The Flex Plan includes mix-and-match core and enrichment courses, study sessions, and lunches M-TH, up to FOUR courses daily. It also includes supervision before and between classes. All courses are first come, first served.

Not included: Additional lab fees, text costs, field trips, yearbooks, tutoring supplements, Imaginession (our “mini session” at the end of the year), or summer programming. Fees must be paid as an added supplement, in advance.
Please note: Our Flex Plan rate did not increase for two years. Even at $11,800, the rate is discounted about 25% from a full schedule of single course rates. The full value cost for an OSA student taking three-four classes per day, five days/week, is approximately $16,000/year. Generous donations help defray this difference.
Our goal has always been to make One Spark Academy accessible, but OSA is an expensive program to run with such a low ratio of students to adults (average is about 7:1). If you have the means to make a tax-deductible donation, we would greatly appreciate it! Although we don’t provide official scholarships, we often offer additional classes to families in need, thanks to donations. Donations ensure more students can attend OSA, and more students attending means more options for all.

Flex Plan Payment Options:

By session. Fees must be paid by the deadline BEFORE each session begins, usually two weeks prior to the start of the session.

Session 1 (seven weeks, 8/26 – 10/11): $2,800

Session 2 (eight weeks, 10/21-12/20): $2,975

Session 3 (nine weeks, 1/13-3/14): $3,125

Session 4 (eight weeks, 3/24-5/30): $2,900

By month, starting on or after August 12, 2024: $1,325/mo* for 9 months (ending by May, 2025, or after nine monthly payments). Auto payment only, or hand delivered check before the due date. Penalties may apply for late payment. Payments for families who join OSA after the year starts, and who elect this option, must pay the extra amount (if needed) to be on schedule. *Final payment amount varies, depending on any additional lab fees added to registration fees during the year.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION for Charter School families:

One Spark Academy is an approved vendor with Golden Valley Charter School and Blue Ridge Charter School. These schools provide funds that can be used for our courses, but these funds are received 30-90 days after each Session begins, dependent upon when an invoice is sent to the charter school. OSA relies upon cash flow to manage our monthly expenses, and we cannot offer services without payment. Therefore, charter school families must pay up front for their first Session of attendance. After OSA receives a purchase order or an enrichment certificate, we will send an invoice for that amount. Once funds are received by OSA, these funds will either be:

Applied to the next Session’s classes as payment.
Refunded when the student completes their final Session in the year, and/or when all previous balances are paid in full.

Important information about payments:

We can’t operate OSA without your on-time payments, combined with generous donations from our community members and contributions to our fundraising efforts. It’s as simple as that!

Please note:

Participants will not be able to attend OSA classes unless full payment is received prior to the start of the session, or unless a payment plan is secured and partial payment has been received to cover the time the student is on site.
All pre-arranged payment plan fees for each session must be paid in full prior to the subsequent session’s registration starting. In Session 4, full payment must be received no later than two weeks into the course for students to continue in their courses.
We accept cash, check (preferred, made out to One Spark Academy), ACH deposit, or credit card by request. A 3% surcharge will apply for credit card payments.
Fundraising: We ask that ALL families include in their budget a contribution (small or large) to our annual fundraiser/s. Our fundraisers help ensure our classes remain accessible to a variety of learners.

Our Payment Policy and Refund Policies Can Be Read Here

One Spark Academy – Payment Policy

One Spark Academy (OSA) is dependent upon prompt payment so that it may provide the quality education program that each student deserves. The fact is, we can’t operate OSA without your on-time payments (combined with generous donations from our community members). It’s as simple as that!

The completion of the registration process creates a contract between each family and One Spark Academy, with the agreement that the family will provide timely payment of registration fees. One Spark Academy has adopted the following registration fee collection policies:

Participants will not be able to attend OSA classes unless full payment is received prior to the start of the session, or unless a payment plan is arranged, and partial payment has been received to cover time student is on site.
All pre-arranged payment plan fees for each session must be paid in full prior to the subsequent session’s registration starting. In Session 4 of each year, full payment must be received no later than two weeks into the course for students to continue in their courses.
Invoices will be emailed each Session.

Acceptable forms of payment are:

Check or money order
Automatic bank deduction (required for monthly payment plans)
Credit card payment, with 3% added to the invoice.
Cash payments, made in person. A document of receipt will be emailed.

Late Payment

When an account becomes more than 1 week delinquent, the OSA business office will contact the family. Contact is made in written form (email) and/or by phone. Documentation will be made of each attempt to contact the family.

If an account becomes 2 weeks delinquent, a letter requesting immediate payment will be sent to the family. If an account becomes 1 month past due, the family will be requested to immediately bring the account current or agree to automatic bank deduction or credit card payment for the remaining payments, or the student will be withdrawn from OSA.

FAILURE TO PAY REGISTRATION FEES IN A TIMELY MANNER IS UNFAIR TO THOSE WHO PAY PROMPTLY AND ADVERSELY AFFECTS THE FINANCIAL POSITION OF ONE SPARK ACADEMY.

Cancellations, Withdrawals, and Refunds

Any refunds will be handled directly with the OSA business office and may not be done online. Withdrawal requests from the program or a course must be in writing (email), submitted within the timelines outlined below, and must fall within the guidelines of our policy. Refunds are provided by check only, regardless of the original method of payment, and returned by mail up to four (4) weeks of request. Those who fail to notify OSA of withdrawal will be held accountable for payments.

If a family decides to ‘withdraw’ from any or all One Spark Academy courses, refunds will be granted only as follows:

A refund will be granted if OSA is notified with at least five (5) business days’ notice prior to starting the first class. 90% of the total amount will be refunded if cancellation is made in the week preceding the start of the program, with at least one (1) working day notice. 10% will be held, plus any applicable online service charges. Lab fees are non-refundable.
A refund will be granted on a pro-rata basis if OSA is notified prior to the close of the second week of class(es). There will also be a 10% charge for late cancellation, plus any applicable online service charges. Lab fees are non-refundable.
Refunds will not be granted after the second week of classes.*

*Requests for refunds due to a serious medical reason which would disable a child from any further attendance will be approved up to 50% of the remaining Session, less the cost of any lab fees in full. The request must be accompanied by an explanation of the medical situation and how it relates to the course(s) in question, as well as written medical release by a physician.

*A full refund will be provided if OSA cancels a course for any reason, prior to the start of that course. A partial reimbursement will be provided on a pro-rata basis, for any remaining classes, if the course is cancelled prior to the conclusion of the session.

Denial of Services to Participants

The intended environment at One Spark Academy is one that is inclusive, safe, healthy, considerate, and positive. Participants, instructors, and parents should strive to promote these ideals. We reserve the right to deny services to anyone whose choices infringe upon the rights of any other participant to enjoy their learning as it was intended. Participants are asked to sign a Participant Agreement prior to the start of classes at One Spark Academy. In case of early termination of services due to negligence on the part of the participant, no refund will be granted. Infractions, such as but not limited to the following, may result in a request by OSA to deny services either immediately or at the close of the Session, depending on the severity of the infraction. In addition to a refusal to adhere to rules outlined in our Participant Agreement (repeatedly, or in part, dependent on severity), students may be removed from our program upon the following circumstances:

1) Bringing onto our site or to an OSA-sponsored event: illegal drugs, weapons, or anything deemed to present a safety hazard to others. Please review our 2015 Board-Approved Drug and Weapon Policy;

2) Bullying, physical violence, intent to harm, threats or other behavior that may lead others to feel unsafe;

3) Little or no attempt to demonstrate willingness to complete assignments during class or during study sessions, and/or non-compliance with classroom expectations, and/or causing disturbances to other participants that negatively impact their learning environment;

4) Leaving the premises during class time without permission or disappearing in a way that OSA staff must go looking for a student. This policy also applies to OSA sponsored activities and field trips;

5) Blatant disregard of any other One Spark Academy expectation as outlined in the Participant Agreement.

(OSF Board-Approved, 2017)

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