Download File

Invitation to Bid / Request for Proposals

 Virtual Curriculum and Instructional Platform

Grainger County Virtual Academy (GCVA)

Grainger County School District

Date: April 30, 2026  |  Due Date: May 15, 2026

Grainger County Virtual Academy (GCVA), a TN public virtual school serving Grainger County students in grades 7-12, is seeking sealed bids from qualified vendors to provide a comprehensive virtual curriculum and instructional platform.

The selected vendor will deliver an all-inclusive online product that supports core instruction that completely aligns with the Tennessee Academic Standards across all content areas, includes real-time student progress monitoring and attendance tracking, and supports teacher integration of district level content in a fully virtual learning environment.

Bids will be opened on May 18, 2026 and procurement will be conducted in accordance with applicable requirements of Tennessee Code Annotated and Grainger County School policies.

The awarded vendor shall provide a complete virtual curriculum solution that includes but is not limited to the following.

1. Curriculum Content

1.1    Full course offerings aligned to Tennessee graduation requirements for core academic areas, including English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Computer Science, Foreign Language, and Fine Arts for grades 7–12. Courses should be clearly organized into units and lessons that promote logical progression of content and support student mastery. Instruction must extend beyond simple recall and require students to demonstrate understanding through reading, writing, and application of content.

1.2    Elective and Career & Technical Education (CTE) course options. The platform shall provide a range of elective and CTE courses that support student interest, career readiness, and the development of focused programs of study.

1.2.1.1  Programs of study for grades 9–12 shall include clearly defined areas of focus consisting of a minimum of three (3) sequenced courses that support career pathways and postsecondary readiness- math, science, humanities, and CTE.

1.2.1.2  Career exploration and planning for grades 7–8 shall include age-appropriate opportunities for students to explore career interests, develop awareness of career pathways, and build foundational skills for future academic and career planning.

1.3     Standards-based assessments aligned with TCAP/EOC requirements and national ACT college and career readiness standards. The platform shall include assessment tools designed to support measurable improvements in student performance, including increased success on Tennessee End of Course (EOC) assessments and strengthened readiness for ACT benchmarks. In addition, the platform shall promote overall academic growth by incorporating features that support student independence, time management, and accountability for learning.

1.4    Credit recovery opportunities. The curriculum should include built-in supports for students who are off course for graduation while maintaining academic rigor. Students should be able to progress at an appropriate pace while demonstrating mastery of required content.

1.5    Special populations and diverse learners. The platform should provide supports that meet the needs of special populations and diverse learners, including those requiring additional support and those ready for advanced work. It must enable teachers to adjust pacing, assignments, and expectations to meet individual student needs.

1.6    Built-in accommodations and differentiation tools. The platform shall include features that allow teachers to adjust instruction to meet diverse student needs, including modifications to content difficulty, pacing, and assignment requirements. Tools must support differentiation through varied instructional formats, scaffolding, and targeted supports to ensure all students can access and engage with grade-level content.

1.7    Support for RTI² and special populations interventions. The platform shall include tools and data reporting features that support the identification, monitoring, and intervention of students requiring additional academic support. The system must allow for progress monitoring aligned to RTI² frameworks, enabling teachers to track student performance over time, implement targeted interventions, and adjust instruction based on data. Features should support documentation of interventions and outcomes to ensure compliance and effectiveness for special populations.

1.8    Mastery-based progression options. The platform shall support instructional pacing aligned with the expectations of a traditional school setting, including approximately 50 minutes per subject per day for middle school students and 90 minutes per subject per day for high school students. Instructional design shall incorporate a balanced combination of reading, writing, and interactive elements that require active student participation throughout the assigned instructional time. The platform must promote sustained engagement and accountability, ensuring students demonstrate meaningful progress toward mastery rather than completing minimal or surface-level tasks.

1.9    ADA accessibility compliance to ensure equitable access for all learners. The platform should be compatible with assistive technologies and include accessibility features such as closed captioning, text-to-speech, and speech-to-text to support diverse student needs.

1. Platform Requirements

2.1  Centralized dashboard for monitoring student engagement and performance. The platform shall provide a comprehensive, centralized dashboard that tracks student engagement through measurable indicators such as time on task, assignment completion, and system activity. This data must be readily accessible to teachers and administrators to support attendance tracking, progress monitoring, and timely instructional intervention.

2.2  Differentiation between active engagement and passive interaction. The platform shall distinguish between meaningful student engagement and passive system activity by providing measurable indicators such as active participation, assignment completion, and interaction with instructional content. The system must prevent reliance on simple login time as a measure of engagement and instead provide data that reflects authentic student work and participation to support accurate attendance reporting and instructional decision-making.

2.3  Parent access to student progress through a parent portal or equivalent system. The platform shall provide parents or guardians with access to student progress information, including grades, assignment completion status, and activity data. This access must support transparency, accountability, and effective communication between the school and home.

2.4  Single sign-on compatibility with Google accounts. The platform shall support single sign-on (SSO) integration with Google accounts to provide secure, streamlined access for students and staff. This functionality must reduce login barriers, minimize time spent navigating multiple systems, and support efficient access to instructional content.

2.5  Teacher control and instructional flexibility. The platform will allow teachers to maintain control over instruction and pacing. Teachers must be able to assign, modify, and adjust coursework; reopen assignments; provide written feedback; and integrate teacher-developed supplemental content and instructional materials. The platform should also allow teachers to develop a course completely form state approved curriculum if needed.

2.6  Data privacy compliance (FERPA) and academic integrity. The platform shall comply with all applicable student data privacy requirements, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The system must also support academic integrity by providing tools to discourage and prevent dishonest work. These features shall include, but are not limited to, limiting the ability to copy and paste responses from external sources, requiring original student work, and enabling teacher oversight. The platform should also include assessment security features such as randomized questions, question banks, and monitoring tools to ensure that student work reflects individual understanding.

1. Implementation and Support

3.1  Implementation, onboarding, and support. The vendor shall provide initial system setup and configuration to ensure the platform is fully implemented and operational by the start of the 2026–2027 school year. The vendor must provide comprehensive training for teachers to support effective use of the system. Ongoing technical support shall be available to address issues during implementation and continued use. The transition from the current system must be seamless and minimize disruption to student learning.

3.2  Teacher and student onboarding. The vendor shall provide a structured onboarding process for both teachers and students to ensure successful implementation and use of the platform. This shall include clear guidance, training resources, and support materials to familiarize users with system navigation, course access, and key features. The onboarding process must promote a smooth transition and support immediate, effective use of the platform. Training resources shall be accessible in multiple formats (e.g., live sessions, recorded modules, and written guides) to support varied user needs and promote sustained, effective use of the platform.

3.3  Ongoing technical support. The vendor shall provide ongoing technical support to ensure consistent and reliable operation of the platform. Support must be timely and accessible to both staff and students and include assistance with troubleshooting, system issues, and user access. The vendor will also provide clear support channels, response time expectations, and regular system updates to maintain functionality and performance.

3.4  Advertising program for recruitment, community outreach, and implementation awareness. The vendor shall provide support for advertising and outreach efforts to promote program awareness, student recruitment, and successful implementation of the platform. This may include the development of communication materials, digital marketing resources, and strategies to engage students, families, and the broader community. All materials and messaging must align with district guidelines and branding.

The cost of the platform must be reasonable and competitive on a per-student basis or as a site-license agreement. Proposals should clearly outline all associated costs, including licensing, training, and support services.

In addition to cost, the overall value of the program will be considered. This includes the platform’s ability to improve student outcomes, support teachers, and align with the goals of the Grainger County Virtual Academy.

All questions must be submitted Grainger County Virtual Academy Administration via email to GCVASupport@gcs123.net 5 days prior to close of bids.

All bids must be received in a sealed envelope with identification information on the front.

{Vendor Identification}

Bid for Virtual Curriculum and Instructional Platform

Submit to:

Grainger County Schools

Grainger County Virtual Academy

7850 Rutledge Pike

Rutledge, TN     37861