A newly launched virtual K-12 school is
positioning
itself as a conservative alternative to traditional education, emphasizing American values and pledging to keep progressive ideologies out of the classroom.
Damian Creamer, president of the American Virtual Academy (AVA), told Fox News Digital the school was founded in response to parents’ growing frustrations with what he described as liberal or “woke” content in public education.
“We’re focused on giving families an
opportunity
to place their kids in a school that respects their values—one that teaches American principles and offers a clear alternative to what they’re typically exposed to,” Creamer said.
The online, accredited private school launched in April and serves students in all 50 states. Annual tuition ranges from $5,000 to $6,000, depending on the grade level. In eight states—Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wyoming—families can use vouchers or school choice scholarships to cover tuition costs.
‘No DEI, CRT, or Gender Ideology’
Creamer emphasized that the school focuses on academic
fundamentals
—reading, writing, and math—while steering clear of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, critical race theory (CRT), and gender identity curriculum.
“Our families don’t have to worry about us pushing values that contradict their own,” he said. “We’ve been deliberate in how we designed this school, and part of that is removing all the woke ideology—no DEI, no CRT, no transgender agenda. That’s not something we teach.”
Currently, AVA enrolls around 600 students, but Creamer said the school aims to grow to 10,000 students within three years.
Rise in School Choice and Homeschooling
The academy’s launch comes amid a
broader
shift in American education. Since the pandemic, homeschooling and alternative education models have gained momentum, as more parents seek options beyond their local public schools.
Several states have responded to this trend by expanding school choice laws. Arizona led the way in 2022 by implementing a universal school choice program that provides families with $7,000 per child in tuition assistance. New Hampshire, which voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, recently became the latest state to pass universal school choice legislation—marking a bipartisan shift in favor of education reform.
Political Backing and National Trends
The Trump administration also
supported
school choice through a federal tax credit scholarship program, which allows individuals to donate to education funds in their state and receive tax incentives.
Conservative education advocates, like Corey DeAngelis of the American Culture Project, say the rise of schools like AVA reflects a backlash against politicized education.
“The teachers’ unions have made their anti-American agenda clear—parents just want their kids to learn, not be indoctrinated,” DeAngelis said. “And while some private schools are just as ideologically extreme as public ones, alternatives like American Virtual Academy are emerging to meet the demand.”
He added, “Parents are looking for something different, and now they finally have options.”
