Curriculum & instruction

How Method actually teaches.

Mastery-based, standards-aligned, and built in-house. Method's instructional model is the reason families see real growth — not just a flexible schedule.

The model

Four ideas drive everything we teach.

Mastery over seat time

Students progress when they demonstrate mastery — not when a bell rings. Course pace is set with the Homeroom Teacher and adjusted in weekly 1:1 check-ins.

Small by design

A 19:1 student-to-teacher ratio with classes as small as 15:1. Every student is known by name, and every teacher has the bandwidth to actually teach.

Built in-house, not licensed

Method's online courses run on SmartFox®, our own learning platform. Every course is written and maintained by Method's curriculum team — not pulled off a shelf.

Data-informed, human-delivered

Frequent diagnostic assessments tell teachers exactly where each student stands. Live instruction and 1:1 support do the rest.

The platform

Method runs on a curriculum we built ourselves.

Most online schools license curriculum from a third-party vendor. Method doesn't. SmartFox® is built and maintained by Method's curriculum team — so what students experience online matches the rigor and voice of the school itself.

Powered by SmartFox

Method's online courses run on SmartFox, our own learning platform. Every course is built in-house by Method's curriculum development team — not licensed from a third party — so what students experience online matches the rigor and voice of Method itself.

No gimmicks

A full school experience — not an experiment.

You may have seen private models that hand students over to an AI tutor for an abbreviated school day and call it a revolution. That's not us. Method is a tuition-free public charter built on the things that have always worked in education — and improved by the tools that actually help.

Real, credentialed teachers

Live instruction, 1:1 weekly check-ins, and small classes led by California-credentialed humans — not a chatbot.

AI where it actually helps

We use AI to personalize practice and free teachers from busywork — never to replace the people in front of students.

In-person, all year

Field trips, clubs, dances, athletics, and community events keep students connected to each other — not just a screen.

Proven, accredited curriculum

WASC-accredited, UC a–g certified, and aligned to California standards. The full school experience, just delivered better.

What students take

A full academic program — plus the runway to go further.

Method delivers the full California curriculum for TK–12, then layers on the options students need to accelerate, recover, or specialize.

Core academics, TK–12

Full English, math, science, social studies, and elective coursework across every grade band.

Honors & AP options

Honors and Advanced Placement courses available in high school for students ready for college-level rigor.

Dual enrollment
Earn high school and transferable college credit at the same time through The Academy at Method Schools, in partnership with College of the Canyons.
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Career & Technical Education
Hands-on CTE pathways into real careers — built around the workforce students are actually entering.
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Special Education
IEP and 504 services delivered inside an inclusive online classroom by credentialed Education Specialists.
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MTSS support
A tier-driven Multi-Tiered System of Supports approach — academic, behavioral, and social-emotional — for the whole child. Led by Sarah Avanessian and embedded in every student's weekly 1:1 check-ins.
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The teachers

The model only works because of who's teaching it.

Flexibility, mastery, and small classes are nothing without the right people in front of students. Method recruits California-credentialed teachers who specifically choose flex-based instruction.

Credentialed California teachers

Every Method teacher holds a valid California teaching credential in the subject they teach.

Trained for flexible instruction

Our teachers are specifically experienced in flex-based, online, and small-group teaching — not classroom teachers improvising online.

A Student Success Manager for every student

Beyond subject teachers, every student is paired with a Student Success Manager who tracks progress from enrollment through graduation.

Who builds it

Meet the pros leading our curriculum & instruction.

Method's instructional model is shaped day-to-day by veteran educators and the systems team that keeps it all running.

Dr. Sarah Delawder

Director of Curriculum
sdelawder@methodschools.org
A former high school English teacher, professional development coach, and school administrator with over two decades in education, Sarah developed Method's practice of Standards-Based Instruction and Assessment — an equitable approach that lets students approach mastery at the rate that works for them.
BA, English (UC Santa Barbara) · MS, Educational Counseling (University of La Verne) · PhD, Psychology (Grand Canyon University)

Sarah Avanessian

Director of Learning and Experience
savanessian@methodschools.org
Sarah spent 21 years as an English teacher and Department Chair and 18 years as an instructional coach before helping launch a competency-based school in 2019. At Method, she leads a student-centric model that meets every learner where they are and empowers teachers to thrive.
BA, English (UCLA) · Secondary Teaching Credential (CSUN) · MA, Curriculum & Instruction (CSUB)

Tanaya Burnham

Data & Systems Manager
tburnham@methodschools.org
Tanaya keeps Method's academic data, student information systems, and reporting infrastructure humming — the behind-the-scenes work that lets teachers focus on teaching and lets families see clear, accurate progress for every student.

Standards & accreditation

Held to every standard a traditional school is — and a few more.

California state standards

Every course aligns to California Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards.

UC a–g certified

Our high school course list is University of California a–g approved for UC and CSU eligibility.

NCAA approved

High school courses are NCAA Eligibility Center approved — critical for student-athletes recruited at the college level.

WASC accredited

Both Method charters hold full WASC accreditation, the gold standard for California secondary schools.

Want to see the curriculum up close?

Talk to a Method enrollment specialist.

We'll walk you through sample courses, pacing options, and the right archetype for your student.