What Ontario Virtual School does

Ontario Virtual School (OVS) is a private, for-profit online high school founded in 2010 and headquartered in North York, Toronto. The school is accredited by the Ontario Ministry of Education (BSID#665804) and issues Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) credits equivalent to those from Ontario public schools, accepted by universities and colleges through the OUAC and OCAS systems. OVS delivers asynchronous, self-paced courses across grades 6-12 to 25,000+ lifetime students globally, supported by a roster of 200+ Ontario Certified Teachers led by Principal Gary Michael.

The core product is a multimedia online learning platform featuring narrated PowerPoint video lessons, animations, embedded videos, simulations, formative quizzes, and teacher-driven assessments, with proctored final exams for credential integrity. STEM-specific interactive Gizmos are used in Math and Science courses. The product surface spans a Full-Time OSSD Program, individual part-time credit courses, accelerated Summer School (21-day fast-track), Upgrade/Repeat courses, French Immersion, ESL, International Languages, free non-credit courses, and free guidance counselling for OUAC/OCAS applications. Course distribution is direct-to-consumer via self-serve online registration, supplemented by regional channel partners (Northern PreUniversity for Quebec, JG Online for China) and in-region directors for China, Japan, and Mexico.

OVS monetizes on a pay-as-you-go per-course basis (one-time license) using the website's checkout flow; a coupon (OVS-150) provides $150 off a two-course fast-track bundle. Customer segments include traditional grade 9-12 students, course-upgrade students, mature/adult learners, international and out-of-province students, and homeschool families. The school reports a 4.9/5 user rating, 99% five-star reviews, a 98% post-secondary acceptance rate, and over 30,000 OSSD credits issued. OVS holds no external funding and is led by CEO Charlie Iscoe with an in-house software engineering team.

Name

Ontario Virtual School

Legal name

Ontario Virtual School Inc.

Website

https://ontariovirtualschool.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ontario Virtual School is a private, Ontario Ministry-accredited online high school founded in 2010, delivering self-paced OSSD credit courses in grades 6-12 to students worldwide via a multimedia LMS staffed by 200+ OCT-certified teachers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (611), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Time Virtual K–12 Schools (Statewide/Cyber Charters & District Programs) (EDAJADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Virtual Homeschool Programs & Online Curriculum Schools (EDAJADAJ), Virtual School Course Providers (Single-Course/Part-Time Enrollment) (EDAJADAE), Virtual Test Prep & Online Supplemental Instruction (K–12) (EDAJADAI)

Keywords

• Online high school
• OSSD credits
• Virtual secondary education
• Online courses
• Distance learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Course Enrollment Fees: Revenue is generated through individual course registrations. Students pay to enroll in courses to earn OSSD credits toward their Ontario Secondary School Diploma. Additional fees may apply for fast track completion options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ontario Virtual School is an Ontario Ministry of Education-accredited online school offering self-paced, teacher-supported OSSD credit courses for students in grades 6-12. Students register directly through the website, pay per course, and gain 24/7 access to interactive multimedia lessons, STEM simulations, and proctored final exams delivered by 200+ OCT certified teachers. The school enables completion of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma entirely online or via individual credit supplementation, upgrade, or summer school formats.

Product overview

Ontario Virtual School (OVS) operates as a comprehensive online high school platform offering Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) credit courses through a modular product structure. The core offering is the Full-Time OSSD Program, which allows students to complete their entire high school diploma online. Supporting this are part-time individual credit courses, summer school acceleration programs, and upgrade/repeat courses for mark improvement. Specialized offerings include French Immersion, ESL courses for English language learners, and an International Languages program with multiple language options. The platform provides supplementary free non-credit courses and includes free guidance counselling services for university and college application support. All courses follow Ontario Curriculum standards and are delivered asynchronously with teacher support, using interactive multimedia content including narrated PowerPoint lessons, animations, and simulations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Full-Time OSSD Program Complete Ontario high school diploma program enabling students in Grades 9-12 to earn all required OSSD credits entirely online, accepted by universities and colleges worldwide and delivered by Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) certified instructors.
• Part-Time Individual Credit Courses Individual Ontario Curriculum credit courses that students can take alongside their regular day school enrollment to supplement their education, upgrade marks, or complete prerequisites for post-secondary programs.
• Summer School Courses Accelerated OSSD credit courses available year-round, with a fast-track option enabling completion in as little as 21 days during July and August so students can get ahead or catch up on credits.
• Upgrade/Repeat Courses OSSD credit courses for students looking to improve their marks in previously completed subjects, with flexible pacing allowing completion in as little as 4 weeks via the fast-track option.
• French Immersion Program French language immersion courses that allow students to complete OSSD credits while studying in French, supported by regional directors for global students.
• ESL (English as a Second Language) Courses English language learning courses for international students and those needing English language support, aligned with Ontario Curriculum standards and counting toward OSSD credits.
• International Languages Program Courses in various international languages taught by native speakers, including Mandarin, Korean, Punjabi, Farsi, Spanish, and French, earning OSSD credits.
• FREE Non-Credit Courses Free introductory courses available without OSSD credit, allowing students to preview content or learn without commitment.
• Guidance and Post-Secondary Counselling Free guidance counselling and career counselling services including OUAC and OCAS application support, helping students navigate university and college admissions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% post-secondary acceptance rate
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability2 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Northern PreUniversity (NPU)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNPU is the designated registration partner for Quebec residents wishing to enroll in Ontario Virtual School courses. Students from Quebec are required to register through Northern PreUniversity rather than directly through OVS.
• JG Online (jgonline.ca)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJG Online is the designated registration partner for students from China wishing to enroll in Ontario Virtual School courses. Students from China are required to register through JG Online rather than directly through OVS.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• K12 Inc. (Stride): Stride (formerly K12 Inc.) is a large US-listed provider of online K-12 education serving full-time, supplemental, and career learning students. It is a broad incumbent in the same online K-12 category as OVS, though it operates primarily in the U.S. public-school-funded market rather than international fee-for-service.
• Connections Academy: Connections Academy operates tuition-free online public schools across 30+ U.S. states in partnership with school districts. It is a broad incumbent in the online K-12 space and overlaps with OVS in serving full-time virtual students, though anchored to U.S. state curricula and funding models.

Emerging players

• Crimson Global Academy: Crimson Global Academy is an international online school offering A-Levels, AP, and university-prep courses to students globally, with strong presence in Asia. It competes with OVS for international students seeking recognized high school credentials for top-tier university admissions.
• Dwight Global Online School: Dwight Global Online School is a premium online school offering the IB Diploma and AP courses to students worldwide. It targets the high-end international student segment that overlaps with OVS's 98% post-secondary acceptance positioning, though at a higher price point and with IB/AP rather than OSSD credentials.
• Outschool: Outschool is a venture-backed online marketplace for K-12 supplemental classes, including credit-bearing and test prep options. It overlaps with OVS's part-time and upgrade course use cases for parents seeking flexible enrichment, but lacks Ontario accreditation.

Direct peers

• TVO ILC (Independent Learning Centre): TVO ILC is the Ontario Ministry of Education's own online school offering OSSD credit courses free of charge. It is the most direct competitor to OVS's full-time and part-time OSSD programs, competing on the exact same Ontario curriculum and credential, but at zero tuition.
• International Schooling: International Schooling is an online K-12 provider offering American, British, and Indian curricula to students globally. It directly competes with OVS for international families seeking flexible, accredited online high school education with global university recognition.
• Blyth Academy Online: Blyth Academy Online is an Ontario-based private online high school offering OSSD credit courses and full-time online programs to Canadian and international students. It competes head-to-head with OVS for international families seeking flexible, accredited Ontario high school education.
• Virtual High School (VHS Learning): VHS Learning is a US-based non-profit online learning provider serving grades 6-12 with AP, credit recovery, and supplemental courses, comparable in offering breadth and self-paced delivery to OVS's full-time and part-time programs. It is a direct competitor for international students seeking English-language North American high school credentials.

Others

• Rosetta Stone for Schools / IXL Learning: IXL Learning (parent of Rosetta Stone, IXL Math, and Wyzant) provides online supplemental learning and language tools used widely in K-12. It is an adjacent player in the online K-12 space, more focused on supplemental practice than full diploma programs, but competes for the same family budget and attention.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ontario Virtual School