Kaupe’a Virtual Learning

About the Program

The Kaupe’a Virtual Learning Program offers a home learning opportunity for students in grades K-8 on Hawai’i Island ONLY, through Laupāhoehoe Community Public Charter School.  Kaupe'a partners with the curriculum provider Venture Upward to offer a comprehensive, standards-based curriculum for each grade level.  

Successful learners in this program must have the support of an adult from home, be independent and motivated learners and be able to utilize technology to communicate and submit weekly work.  

Important Information

While Kaupe’a can offer a unique learning environment for your student(s), it is essential to understand the following regarding how to be successful in this program before completing an application:

1) The parent is the primary teacher and must therefore be available to assist their student(s) regularly.  However, virtual support is available from the Kaupe'a teachers as well as from Venture Upward.

2) Students are required to complete and submit weekly assessments in core courses via the Venture Upward Learning Management System (TalentLMS) for report card grades and attendance.  Therefore, access to a computer and reliable internet is mandatory.

3) Your student will technically be a public school student and will therefore be required to participate in state testing. NWEA testing for grades K-11 is in the Fall and can be done from home.  SBA Testing for grades 3-8 is in Spring and MUST be done at a physical location with a certified proctor (Kaupe'a teacher).  The in-person test is offered in Kona, Hilo, and on campus at LCPCS.  Scheduling is done in October so that families can plan accordingly for April/May testing dates. 

4) Students with a 504/Individual Education Plan (IEP) must have a meeting with the Student Services Coordinator (SSC), Kaupe’a teacher, and LCPCS Administrator before the school year starts to determine if a virtual program is the best environment.

5) Students who are English Language Learners (ELL) must participate in testing on campus at the beginning of the year and mid-year.

6) Contact information, including phone number, email address, mailing address, and physical address, must remain current throughout the school year.  If changes occur at any time, prompt communication is requested.

How to Apply for ‘26-27 SY

The Kaupe’a Virtual Learning Program Application for the ‘26-27 SY will be available on this page starting January 5, 2026.  

Applications for new High School students who haven’t been a part of the Kaupe’a program are reviewed and accepted on a case-by-case basis.  The student must show academic excellence and/or have extenuating circumstances to proceed with acceptance.  

Families must submit the complete application electronically via email attachment to [email protected].

Phase I: Open Enrollment (January 5, 2026 - June 1, 2026)

During Phase I, received emailed applications will be reviewed. If complete, families will be notified of accepted applications, but enrollment will not be guaranteed at this time.  Families with applications that have missing information will be notified so that corrections can be made.  Open Enrollment will close at 11:59 pm on June 1, 2026.

If there is enough space for all applicants in Phase I, ALL students will be accepted, and families will be notified by email by June 3, 2026. 

If the number of applicants exceeds the space available for the ‘26-27 SY, all complete applications received during Phase I will go into a lottery.  If the lottery occurs, you will be notified by email by June 5, 2026, whether your student is accepted or not accepted.  An email response from the family, either accepting or declining, MUST be received by June 12, 2026. Failure to respond will result in your student(s) being waitlisted for Phase II.

If there is space remaining after Phase I, then Phase II will take place.

Phase II: If space allows (June 2 – July 15, 2026)

If space remains available, Phase II will take place.  

During Phase II, received emailed applications will be reviewed. If complete, families will be notified of accepted applications, but enrollment will not be guaranteed at this time.  Families with applications that have missing information will be notified so that corrections can be made.  Phase II will close at 11:59 pm on July 15, 2026.

If there is enough space for all applicants in Phase II, ALL students will be accepted, and families will be notified by email by July 17, 2026.  

If the number of applicants exceeds the space available for the ‘26-27 SY, all complete applications received during Phase II will go into a lottery.  If the lottery occurs, you will be notified by email by July 21, 2026, whether your student is accepted or not accepted.  An email response from the family, either accepting or declining, MUST be received by July 24, 2026. Failure to respond will result in your student(s) being waitlisted.

If your student is not accepted during Phase I or Phase II and a space opens up during semester 1, you may be contacted at the beginning of December to see if you are interested in enrolling for the second semester.

If there is space available once the school year begins and you are interested in enrolling your student for the second semester, complete applications must be received by December 4, 2026.

 

Post-Acceptance Process

Once a student has been accepted to Kaupe’a, a series of intake steps must be completed, including a Geographic Exception Request (for those living outside the Laupāhoehoe catchment area), completion of school, state, and federal forms, and grade level course selection. 

Due dates for the intake steps will be provided, and families are expected to abide by them so that students are prepared to begin the new school year on schedule. 

If you have questions, please email your questions to [email protected].