3 Years Early, Temecula Student Enters Grade 9

CORRECTION: This story was modified from its original version to more accurately reflect Cade Murchison's progress.

You’d expect 11-year-old Cade Murchison would be attending his school’s promotion ceremony this Friday to celebrate his entry into sixth grade, but he's not. As a full-time online school student, Cade will be a speaker at the ceremony for his own promotion to ninth grade—three years ahead of schedule. 

Cade lives in Temecula and studies at California Virtual Academy online, a tuition-free public school.

The school offers the core subjects as well as honors and advanced placement courses. Cade is already taking an honors high school geometry class.

“I appreciate the checks and balances, support and excellent K-12 curriculum that CAVA provides,” said Cade’s mom Ann-Britt Murchison. She enrolled her son several years ago when he became bored in his brick and mortar private school.

The school plans in-person class outings almost weekly, so the students can get some time socializing with other students, Ann-Britt said. There are also online and offline clubs, student forums, and assemblies.

Cade is also a member of Boy Scouts, a lacrosse and a baseball team and he volunteers at his church, she said.

-- By Erica Corioso, spokesperson for California Virtual Academy