How do I track my child's progress?

Guardians can access the Guardian Portal by going to the MTDA website.

From there they can access the Student Activity screen, the Gradebook screen, and login to Canvas to take advantage of the Canvas Observer Role.

How do students track their own progress in their courses?

Students have a wealth of information about their own progress within MTDA's Student Information System called Genius and within the Canvas platform.

It is a good idea for students to look at their grades first thing each day before beginning their studies. It is a little like weighing yourself frequently. If something goes awry, it's easier to get things back on track sooner than later!

The Student Handbook as a tutorial on Checking Grades for Students. Notice the content on the right. The tutorial shows how to look for grades in the Genius View and how to look in the Canvas View.

Where can my child get tutoring?

Students have access to 24-7 tutoring through a service called Tutor.com. Typically a service families or schools would pay for, MTDA contracts with Tutor.com to ensure free access to MTDA students when they access it from within their course on the Canvas platform.

There are two access points for students on the main page of their class. Students may click a link in the left menu or choose 24/7 Tutoring from Tutor.com in the very top module of their classroom space.

Once a student enters the Tutor.com platform, they are connected to a live tutor who will discuss their questions with them like a teacher would. The tutor asks what they already know, and takes them through a learning process rather than giving them answers.

The only personal data Tutor.com receives about the student is their first name.

The MTDA Student Handbook has an illustrated section on Using the Tutor Service.

Where do we access the textbooks?

MTDA courses are designed to be self-contained without the use of textbooks, but there are exceptions. In those cases, the school or individual student is responsible for acquiring materials, except where noted in the course syllabus found in the course catalog and at the top of the course in Canvas.

MTDA English courses often require students to read novels. These novels can easily be obtained through schools and public libraries. Students should be mindful of deadlines and necessary access to novels when seeking to acquire these materials.

NOTE: Novels are listed in the syllabus which can be found on the MTDA webpage under Resources --> Course Catalog. Using the search filters, under "Program" choose Core Program; under "Term" choose a HS Original Credit term; under "Subject Area" choose Language Arts. In the titles of English courses, Roman numerals are for years 1, 2, 3, 4 of high school.

Very few MTDA courses require specific software packages for student work. Each course instructor will provide information on required software packages and any technical requirements will be included in the course syllabus.

Can students move at their own pace?

MTDA utilizes a cohort model for courses. This means that students move through the course at a similar pace, which benefits classroom discussions. Students have weekly due dates however, they can choose when they work during the day to meet those due dates. Students are most successful when they spend 4-7 hours per week in each course that they are taking.

As MTDA serves schools from across the state with different schedules, it has its own academic calendar. Local school calendars may not align with the MTDA calendar so it is a good idea for students to work ahead when they have upcoming school vacation days, school activity absences, or other planned events so they don't fall behind.

Typically, teachers open material a week in advance to allow for students to work ahead when necessary, but not too far ahead as to separate them from the rest of the class and its current content.

The MTDA semester might also start or end on a different schedule than the local school. MTDA has specific instructions for exiting early in the spring. Graduating seniors must communicate with their MTDA teachers by MID-APRIL about their date of graduation if it is before the last day of the MTDA spring semester.

How large are the classes at MTDA?

MTDA sections are capped at 25 students to maintain a class load similar to face-to-face programs.

Where do MTDA teachers come from?

Students work hand in hand with licensed Montana teachers who are actively teaching at a Montana public school or are recently retired, all of whom work for MTDA part-time to ensure student success.

Click "Next" to move to the Student Support at MTDA Module.
Or visit the main modules page to browse topics.