FAQ - Miscellaneous Questions

Q: Does the state of Tennessee require a church-related school to have a physical campus?

A: HLA is a state recognized church-related school. Having a "campus" would not make HLA more of a legal school. There are other state recognized schools in TN that have been in operation longer than HLA and do not have physical day schools.

What makes HLA a legal school:

1. A listing with the TN Department of Education as a recognized church-related school: HomeLife Academy is a state recognized church-related school, listed with the TN Department of Education. This is the list that all counties refer to when transferring records to other schools. It is also in the hands of other facilities in TN such the Department of Motor Vehicles.
2. Membership with a state approved organization, such as the Association of Christian Schools International: ACSI also recognizes HLA as an official school in TN and validates this to the department of education.
3. Incorporation with the TN Secretary of State as a legal entity is also renewed each year.

The church-related laws under which HLA is governed do not specify the need for a physical campus. Note the wording from the statute:

(a) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires, "church-related school" means a school operated by denominational, parochial or other bona fide church organizations, which are required to meet the standards of accreditation or membership of the Tennessee Association of Christian Schools, the Association of Christian Schools International, the Tennessee Association of Independent Schools, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the Tennessee Association of Non-Public Academic Schools, the Tennessee Association of Church Related Schools, or a school affiliated with Accelerated Christian Education, Inc.

There are two requirements for a church-related school:

1. That it be "a school operated by denominational, parochial or other bona fide church organizations".
2. That it "meet the standards of accreditation or membership of ... the Association of Christian Schools International."

HLA meets both of these requirements and that is why HLA is approved each year by the state of TN and ACSI.

HLA respects the opinion that "a school" is an implied third requirement. However, it should be assumed that the Church-related School statute refers to "schools" and, therefore, only sees this as part of the entire phraseology. HLA also respects the opinion that "a school" implies a physical building; however, this has not been proven in a court of law. Many believe that in today's new world of online schools and internet classrooms, the definition of "a school" has changed to include such as these. HLA's staff, board of directors, and legal advisors believes that this new understanding of "school" is why HLA, and other umbrella schools in TN, have not had problems getting recognized by the state of TN.

Furthermore, HLA recognizes that this opinion is based solely on incidental wording in the Jeter Memorandum and not statutory language or definitions. The Jeter Memo is not the Church-related school statute. The Jeter Memo is not the law but only an opinion itself. The goal of the Jeter Memo was not to define school but to determine if parents may be considered teachers for the church-related school and stay home to teach their own children. Here is the opening question: "May parents comply with the Tennessee compulsory attendance law by having their children attend a church-related school as defined by Section 49-50-801 of the Tennessee Code Annotated while the instruction is being provided in the home with the parent as the primary teacher?" Notice that the basis for defining church-related schools is the statute and not the memo: "as defined by Section 49-50-801."

Kaye Jeter, having presented her findings, concludes with the following: "Accordingly, parents who are contemplating this approach should first insure that the school will meet the accreditation or membership requirements of Section 49-50-801 in order to be defined as a church-related school." Notice again that "in order to be defined as a church-related school" the criterion is said membership requirements of Section 49-50-801. These HLA has and will continue to meet.

Could there ever be trouble over this issue? The only way for this to become an issue is if a local superintendent decided to ignore the fact that HLA is recognized by the TN Department of Education and take it upon him or herself to take action, probably in the form of continuing to count a student absent. Such action is very unlikely since it does not follow a normal order of operations, that being to look on the list of state-recognized schools. If such action were going to be taken by a superintendent it probably would have already happened with one of the other schools in existence without physical day schools.

In conclusion, whereas the TN Department of Education recognizes HLA as an official school and has HLA listed on the state's approved schools list, whereas the Director of Homeschool for the state of TN continues to refer families to HLA, whereas HLA meets all the annual requirements of ACSI and is therefore defined by Section 49-50-801 as "a school," the HLA leadership is very confident of our legal status and subsequently feel parents and all other parties should share the same confidence.

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Q: Is HomeLife an accredited school?

A: There is a difference in Membership and Accreditation with ACSI. Being Members of ACSI is all that is required by church-related laws and the TN Dept. of Education in order to be considered an "approved" Church-related school. HLA is recognized by and listed with the TN Dept. of Education as a Category IV, church-related school, covered by the provisions of T.C.A. 49-50-801.Click here for TN Church-related laws. Also, TN Dept. of Ed's website discussed option three as "Additional Educational Option" on this page: http://www.tennessee.gov/education/homeschool/

This is different from the accreditation which public schools go through (see below).

Colleges/and universities are more interested in ACT/SAT scores, plus the official transcript and portfolio, than the actual name on the diploma. If a student scores a 21 or higher on the ACT most colleges/universities are happy to accept because it raises the status of the college. They use ACT/SAT scores as the primary measuring stick for acceptance and for marketing. Accreditation is usually not a factor when ACT scores are this high. Click here for more on ACT/SAT.

We are committed to providing the very best school possible while maintaining the highest level of freedom for parents.

Does full accreditation make a difference in college placement?

NO. The US Department of Education states that:

“Accreditation does not provide automatic acceptance by an institution of credit earned at another institution, nor does it give assurance of acceptance of graduates by employers. Acceptance of students or graduates is always the prerogative of the receiving institution or employer. For these reasons, besides ascertaining the accredited status of a school or program, students should take additional measures to determine, prior to enrollment, whether or not their educational goals will be met through attendance at a particular institution. These measures should include inquiries to institutions to which transfer might be desired or to prospective employers and, if possible, personal inspection of the institution at which enrollment is contemplated.”

~US Department of Education

David R. Wagner, M.I.T. is a college admissions officer for one of Washington State's baccalaureate institutions with over four years of admissions counseling experience for both private and public baccalaureate institutions. Mr. Wagner states,

“Never once in my career has accreditation for a high school been problematic. Hundreds of high schools across The United States are not regionally accredited. Even private, college-preparatory high schools are often not accredited by the regional accreditation agency.

The fact is, regional accreditation is not necessary for a high school. Regional accreditation is not a criterion for admission to college or universities, nor is it usually a factor in the transferability of high school credit.”

If accreditation is not the number one criteria for college placement what is?

A: The following is the main criteria for college placement:

1. ACT/SAT scores are the primary measurement for placement and scholarships. Click here for more information regarded ACT/SAT.
2. Transcripts. Colleges look carefully at transcripts to make sure a prospective student has had the necessary pre-requisite courses. Our College Preparatory Course of Study, if completed in its entirety, provides these necessary courses.
3. Portfolio. Does the student stand out compared to other applicants? Our Portfolio features add a great deal of weight to the official transcripts.

Will other public high schools accept credits when we homeschool our son if we're part of HomeLife?

The public school system is accredited by the state and requires a standardized curriculum which is nearly uniform in every school. This allows public schools students to transfer from one school to another without question of grade placement. Many church-related schools go through an accreditation process that is a near equal to the public schools, allowing their students to transfer to a public school, also without question. However, the drawback is the lack of freedom. HLA is a Category IV church-related school, exempt from state accreditation. We do not seek state accreditation for several reasons. You will be considered a private teacher for HomeLife Academy and not a "homeschooler" under TN state law. This allows you to have maximum freedom to develop an educational plan that will cater to the specific needs of your student(s).

However, the drawback is that if you decide to transfer from a Category IV, church-related school to a public school, the public school has the right to test your student(s) for grade placement, to make sure they are ready for the grade level you say they are. This is usually not a problem, however. In ten years, I have never actually talked to a parent whose child was put back a year because of the grade placement test. Still, we generally recommend home education as a long term solution and not a short one.

What is happening is very exciting: Homeschooling has changed all the rules in the last two decades. High school accreditation used to be an indicator of the quality of the student; however, quality of the student is now completely redefined by homeschooling nationwide, to the point that colleges and universities are not even asking if the high school is fully accredited. Even the military is making changes to their admissions policies due to the rising success of home educated students (some of which have transcripts printed from mom and dad's computer). Colleges are seeking out homeschoolers in every state.

Basically, we have not found a single college or university that requires full accreditation for admission. Instead they consider these three things without even asking about accreditation:

1. ACT/SAT scores are the primary measurement for placement and scholarships. Click here for more information regarded ACT/SAT.
2. Transcripts. Colleges look carefully at transcripts to make sure a prospective student has had the necessary pre-requisite courses. Our College Preparatory Course of Study, if completed in its entirety, provides these necessary courses.
3. Portfolio. Does the student stand out compared to other applicants? Our Portfolio features add a great deal of weight to the official transcripts.

Therefore, it appears that the only reasons to pursue full accreditation at this point are for the purpose of public opinion (which is also changing) or to insure that a student can transfer without hassle to a public school. Neither of these reasons seem worth the money (several thousand dollars) nor time involved in becoming fully accredited.

David,

I can only add that when I talked to a woman in admissions at the Air Force Academy, she said that the problem of accreditation had never come up and didn't make any difference to them. She said that they are accepting more and more homeschoolers, and that the only thing they do differently with them is weigh their ACT/SAT scores a little more. I've also talked to some people either in the military or going into the military and they said that the military has traditionally required GED scores from certain private schools or homeschoolers. This is the standardized test they use to make sure the student has received the equivalent of a high school education. Colleges require the ACT or the SAT, but the military does not require those because many going into the military out of high school have not taken (nor do they plan to take) those tests. So they use the GED (General Education Development) as their standardized test. While it is true that they don't require this test for students who have graduated from accredited schools, it shouldn't be a problem for homeschooled students – after all, the military needs some way to make sure all students come in with a certain level of knowledge. But actually, the Army has revised its position concerning homeschooled students and removed the GED requirement because homeschoolers have proven that they could score at least as well as those in public schools on the Armed Forces Qualification Test. It's only a matter of time before the other branches of service follow suit. Weighing both sides of the issue, I do not believe that accreditation will make enough of a difference to anyone to be worth the thousands of dollars it will cost. And until you get a college who will not accept a student from HLA because we lack accreditation, I don't think you should even consider it.

Just my two cents worth.

Lani Carey, HLA High School Guidance Counselor

David,

Here are a few of my thoughts on accreditation. Use as many or as few as you wish, with or without attribution. You may freely use any of it for any purpose (I trust you) as you see fit, and there is no need to give me credit. I'm just glad to be of help. The more my ideas are spread, the better! If it helps to use my name, go ahead. I don't mind at all.

1. In the modern market, colleges and universities are competing for qualified and/or high-quality students. Funding for public colleges is often based on enrollment, budgets of most private colleges are tuition-driven. Therefore, it is very rare for a college to turn down a capable student. Because of the growing number of homeschool students, colleges are eager not to shut themselves out of that market. In fact, some even actively recruit homeschoolers, by such methods as placing recruiting booths at homeschool conventions. Because a large number (the great majority?) of homeschoolers do not graduate from an accredited institution, to make accreditation a requirement would effectively shut themselves out of the market. Even if such students comprise only 2% or 3% of the prospective student pool (it's much higher at some private colleges), that's significant to the bottom line of any college. And because many private schools also are not accredited, the actual impact of an accreditation requirement would likely be larger than stated above.

Additionally, colleges have other means by which to judge the potential quality of incoming students. If a high school student scores high enough on a standardized entrance exam (ACT or SAT), there's not a college in the country that will turn them down (of course, each college determines what "high enough" means). Many colleges are placing a higher priority on the portfolio of a student, the activities in which a student participates in high school can tell a college more than you think. In particular, for a homeschooled student, those activities can give college assurances that, even in the absence of accreditation, a student has had a quality educational experience.

2. Many homeschooling families choose this educational option for their children because they have a significantly different worldview than what is taught in public schools, and they wish to instill their own values and worldview in their children. The majority of accrediting agencies, however, do not share the same worldview, and many (at least at the level in which I see them) are increasingly not worldview neutral. In fact, this has caused concern to many faith-based colleges, because some specialized accrediting agencies are beginning to actively question whether accrediting certain aspects of faith-based educational programs is compatible with their goals (many of which include requirements to teach certain views that are, in the opinion of many, not in harmony with scripture).

Here is the key: once accreditation is sought and granted, the accrediting agency has a stick to wield against the school/college/program, namely the threat of revoking accreditation.

That leads to control. When an accrediting agency makes demands, it is normal for the school to attempt to meet those demands. This can occasionally lead to better education, but increasingly it is leading to control of content. But isn't freedom to teach our children what is right, to control the content and worldview they are taught, the reason why many of us homeschool in the first place?

So, why not simply seek accreditation, and when the accreditors make demands we cannot meet in good faith, simply decline to be accredited?

Wouldn't that be better than not having sought it in the first place?

In practice, it would actually be much worse. How many headlines do you see saying "such-and-such a school has decided not to seek accreditation?" That won't happen, because there are too many schools that do not seek accreditation. It's not news. But when accreditation is revoked, that makes news! The resulting publicity would reflect poorly, and often unfairly, upon the school and its graduates, because the common assumption would be that there must be something wrong with the school for the accreditation to be revoked. Hence, it is better not to seek such accreditation at all than to later have accreditation revoked on grounds of faith.

In summary: accreditation is not needed for college admission, and it can lead to content control.

I hope that helps!

Bryan Dawson, Professor, Union University

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Q: Will other public high schools accept credits if we’re part of HLA?

A: Yes, they will accept the credits.

However, the public school system is accredited by the state and requires a standardized curriculum which is nearly uniform in every school. This allows public schools students to transfer from one school to another without question of grade placement. Many church-related schools go through an accreditation process that is a near equal to the public schools, allowing their students to transfer to a public school, also without question. However, the drawback is the lack of freedom. HLA is a Category IV church-related school, exempt from state accreditation. We do not seek state accreditation for several reasons. You will be considered a private teacher for HomeLife Academy and not a "homeschooler" under TN state law. This allows you to have maximum freedom to develop an educational plan that will cater to the specific needs of your student(s).

But this also means that if you decide to transfer from a Category IV, church-related school to a public school, the public school has the right to test your student(s) for grade placement, to make sure they are ready for the grade level you say they are. This is usually not a problem, however. In ten years, I have never actually talked to a parent whose child was put back a year because of the grade placement test. Still, we generally recommend home education as a long term solution and not a short one.

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Q: Can you give us a breakdown on how our fees are used?

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Q: What are HLA'S top priorities?

A: We have set these priorities and goals with James 4:13-16 in mind: “If it is the Lord’s will.”

A. Ongoing Priorities/Goals

1. Answer Email (quick, personal care)
2. Answer/Return Phone Calls (quick, personal care)
3. Recruit/Equip Staff and Counselors
4. Increase Web Site Benefits and Usability
5. Contact HomeSchool Organizations about HLA, HSTP
6. Network with Homeschool leaders
7. Network for F.I.C. ministries (Families in Christ)

B. Short Term Priorities/Goals 3-5 years

1. Expand HLA's office space to accommodate growth.
   
2. Film more video tutorial projects to benefit homeschoolers
3. Serve students and parents in every state
   
4. Research Accreditation Status options
   
5. Expand ministry to include more information on support groups
   
6. Staff elementary and high school counselors in each state
   
7. Integrate grade reporting under HLA web site

CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO HOMELIFE ACADEMY! THANK YOU!

Q: Won't parents abuse all the freedoms that HLA provides?

A: The bottom line is, we trust our parent-teachers. I have not always had this trust, however. When I first got involved with the homeschool movement and church-related schools over 10 years ago I had the same philosophy as many leaders--parents cannot do this by themselves. They need leaders to control most aspects of education for them, from their choices of curriculum to grading to daily assignments. If you let them have control over their own kids they will ruin them. I thought freedom was the antithesis to education.

Today, after years of seeing homeschooled kids absolutely soar--academically, socially, and spiritually--I am more convinced than ever that freedom is essential to education. Sure, there are a few (very few) who neglect or abuse the freedoms we give them. However, 98-99% of homeschooling parents choose to give up their own time and energy and begin homeschooling, not because they want to neglect their kids, but because they want the very best for their kids. It's a large commitment on the part of parents that has some of the best rewards you could possibly imagine.

This is why we have created a credible school while still giving parents control over their child's education. This is why our motto is Bringing Education Back Home!

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Q: How do I withdraw my student to go to another school?

A: The first step is to enroll in the school your kids are transferring to. Most of the time the new school will require a grade placement test. The new school will then fax or mail us a record request. Once we receive this request we will go through our steps of withdraw and forward the records. You will receive the following (sample) email as confirmation.

IMPORTANT: All your grades must be submitted in order for the transfer to be complete.

2003-2004 CONFIRMATION OF WITHDRAWAL

Student Name(s):

Date of Withdrawal: April 13, 2004

THANK YOU: It has been a privilege for us at HomeLife Academy to serve you and your family. Although we are sad that you have decided to transfer, we understand that we cannot meet everyone's needs all the time.

RECORDS: As soon as we receive a records request for your student(s), we go through a process to withdraw them from our school. Here are the steps we go through:

1. Enter WD (Withdrawn) and reasons for withdrawal in the notes section of your account.
2. Check HSRO (HomeSchoolReportingOnline.com) for grades and attendance Click here for Grade Reporting FAQ
3. Email Confirmation of Withdrawal
4. Move email address from HomeLife Families to Newsletter group
5. Print transcript from HSRO and mail/fax to next school
6. Mail/fax all records to next school
7. Place records request and Confirmation of Withdrawal into file folder and place in INACTIVE status
8. Notify LEA of the WD status
   

As you can see from our steps of withdrawal, we send all student records to the next school. This includes all records from the previous school, as well as the records from HLA.

YOUR FILE: Once we have completed the steps of withdrawal, we classify your account as INACTIVE and place your file in a special filing cabinet. If at any time you wish to re-enroll in HLA, just send us an email. Reactivation only takes a few clicks! Ah, the wonders of modern technology!

NEWSLETTERS: If it's alright with you, we would like to continue sending you our monthly updates and newsletters. This is just to keep you informed of the new and exciting things HLA is doing. If at any time you want us to take you off the list, please email .

QUESTIONS: Our counseling staff and administrators are more than happy to continue to answer any questions you may have. Please do not hesitate to email or call us.

Q: I am not able to log into Home School Reporting Online, can you help?

A: We’d be happy to.

1. Request your password. Type in your email address into the appropriate field and your password will be sent to you. When you registered, you received 1 password for both sites.
   
2. We've found that people using AOL and CompuServe had problems with logging on to and using our sites. Most internet sites are used with Internet Explorer in mind, because IE is the most commonly used internet browser. Your computer should have Internet Explorer loaded already. Check your start-up menu.
3. If you’re using AOL, then we recommend using your AOL browser to login and then minimizing it and using IE for any online forms.

If you've all of these suggestions, and you still can't logon to HSRO, please email us, and we'll try to figure out the problem.

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Q: Do you provide Photo I.D. Cards?

A: Yes! We provide both student and teacher photo I.D. upon request. After you register simply login to your account and create a new request in the Request Manager. The fee for the IDs is only $5, shipping included. Because our annual registration fees are so low,our budget does not allow room for IDs for every family. We would have to raise fees to cover them and not all families need them. You are not required to have a Photo I.D. card but they are handy for discounts. The Confirmation of Enrollment letters and Teacher Verification letters serve the purpose of verifying enrollment.

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Q: What internet security measures does HLA take?

A: First of all, HLA keeps NO credit card information. For credit card processing we use PayPal. Paying them 2.29 percent for each transaction is worth the level of security they are able to provide (they process for Amazon, Ebay and several other large companies which depend on the maximum levels of security).

"As security threats have grown to encompass more than viruses, security experts have adopted the term malware to describe all malicious code. Combating this stew of invaders requires defense in depth--multiple barriers between the malware and your system. PC World evaluated 16 firewalls, virus scanners, spyware removal tools, and security suites to find the best arsenal."

In order to keep YOUR family and student information secure we use six levels of security:

1. Maximum security and encryption at the server level. In addition to the regular security HLA purchases the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificate each year. Secure Socket Layer (also known as Transport Layer Security) provides strong encryption to protect data between web pages.

2. Built in Firewall protection using the professional router. Using a router makes all our computers invisible on the internet. The router carries internet connections to each computer.

3. Software firewalls on each computer. Software firewalls provide an additional level of invisibility to hackers as well as alert the user to every unauthorized access attempt the computer makes. The program is set to automatically download and install firewall updates whenever they are available.

4. Software virus scanner is loaded on each computer. Software virus scanners are used on each HLA computer to insure the highest level of protection. The program is set to automatically download and install virus updates whenever they are available. Every single email we send and receive is scanned. In addition, our entire system is scanned each night while we sleep. We are happy to say we have never had a virus nor sent a virus to anyone else. Your email address is safe with us!

5. Ad-Aware spyware program is used to prevent unwanted files from making it onto a computer while searching the internet. Google provides a free toolbar which can be set to block the majority of spyware. But Ad-aware runs silently in the background monitoring spyware attempts and preventing them from imbedding in our systems.

With these five levels of security your email address is safe and your family and student information is safe. The recent worms, viruses, and other malware have NOT affected our systems even once. We take security very seriously and will continue to research and update our security measures in order to keep your information and our computers safe from hackers and malware. Even with this fortress around our hard drives we choose to back up information daily.

6. Backups are the final level of security. First, each of our computers use a battery backup in order to protect against surges. Second, our accounting information, as well as address books, documents, and other information is automatically backed up each night to an external hard drive both locally and out of the office, using Retrospect duplication software. In the event of hardware failure we can re-install the entire hard drive with a couple of steps, and be back up and running. A similar process is used at the server level.

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Q: What are some recommended Internet Filters?

A: We recommend Bsafe Online.

Here are some details on this filter:

A message to Crosswalk subscribers:

The Supreme Court recently struck down a law intended to shield kids from Internet pornography. In the 5-4 decision, the justices essentially ruled that the "free speech" of pornographers is more important than protecting children from hard-core porn. The decision, a loss for the Child Online Protection Act, also pointed parents to only one possible solution: Internet filtering software.

Clearly, despite the efforts of Congress and the Justice Dept., it's up to us to protect our loved ones from Internet pornography. We at Crosswalk believe in the Bsafe Online filter, which works with any Internet connection, doesn't slow down your computer, and costs less than $50 per year.

90% of children between the ages eight and 16 have viewed pornography on the Internet, not because they are looking for porn, but because porn is looking for them. You simply can't afford to assume that your home is safe -- unless you take steps to make sure. Click below to try Bsafe Online's software, and porn-proof your home today with America's #1 Internet filter.

Bsafe Online's Internet filtering software and porn blocker technology makes it easy to stop pornographers and spammers in their tracks. Endorsed by leading family associations and ministries, Bsafe Online's Internet filters and parental control software keeps you and your family safe online. Download your own copy of Bsafe Online, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Thank you again for your continued support of Crosswalk.com!

Tom Perrault

Executive Editor

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Q: Do you require church attendance or signing a statement of faith?

A: No. However, we are a Christian school, believing that Jesus is the ONLY way to eternal life: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). We believe the good news (that there is eternal life for those who have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ) is for everyone. Therefore, we do not exclude anyone but we DO ask that every student and parent-teacher agree to the following Code of Ethics.

Why do you not require a statement of faith and are there any religions that will be turned down?

For us it is simply a means of serving (Eph. 6:7-8 ), like giving a glass of water to those in need. Jesus said to give a glass of water to those in need, anyone in need is implied. If someone comes to our door and needs food we're not going to say, "Well, are you a Christian? Because we only feed Christians in here." No. Being followers of and believers in Christ means that we are most interested in serving as Christ would, in whatever the circumstance. That is the spirit of our decision not to require church attendance or the signing of a statement of faith.

Code of Student and Parent-Teacher Ethics for the 2004-2005 Academic Year:

1. All students and parent-teachers of HomeLife Academy are required to uphold our Code of Ethics. HomeLife Academy reserves the right to dismiss a family for personal and/or academic misconduct that takes place either inside or outside of the teaching home at our discretion. Fees will not be refunded.
2. Any activity which compromises the academic integrity of HomeLife Academy and undermines the educational process will not be tolerated and will be grounds for dismissal. This sort of academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to, cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, unauthorized use of resources, violation of published academic regulations, and facilitating academic dishonesty.
3. Physical or verbal threats or abuse of school personnel will be grounds for dismissal.
4. Conviction for violating Tennessee criminal codes or those of your residential jurisdiction will be grounds for dismissal.

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Q: Can we teach the children of someone else?

A: Our Bylaws clearly state "Parents must be the primary teachers." However, if you have special circumstances or know of someone with special needs--for example, if the student would have no choice but to return to a harmful or unproductive situation--please contact us at 901-380-9220. Since HLA is a private school and NOT a homeschool under TN state laws, there are some other options we can consider which may help.

NOTE: You must gain approval from the HLA Board of Directors. Teaching someone else's child without gaining approval may be grounds for dismissal.

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Q: How do we obtain a DRIVER’s license or learner’s permit?

A: HomeLife Academy now fills thousands of requests each year. In order to improve our services to you we added a REQUEST MANAGER in the Member Login area. Just follow the steps to enter your request and then login later to view the status. We take note of your request within 24 hours and promise to complete it within 2 weeks. (They cannot be faxed because they are carbon copies.) The form is good for 30 days from the time we sign it. NOTE: ALL GRADES FOR THE MOST RECENT SEMESTER MUST BE SUBMITTED FOR DL FORMS TO BE SENT, unless you just started with HLA and the first grade period has not occurred.

IMPORTANT: It is not necessary to tell them you are home educating. Just hand them the form (they are very used to seeing this form because it is the same one all private schools use) and go on through the line. Many times, if you say you are homeschooling they will give you registration papers for state homeschool.

If you live outside of TN mail us your state’s Certification of Compulsory Attendance Notice (ask at the driver’s testing center) with all your student’s information filled out and a signed letter indicating your student is making satisfactory progress. We will sign the notice and send it back to you. Please allow one week for return delivery. Most states will not accept a faxed copy. NOTE: ALL GRADES MUST BE SUBMITTED FOR DL FORMS TO BE SENT, unless you just started with HLA and the first grade period has not occurred.

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Q: Are there extra fees for seniors?

A: Regular Annual Registration Fees are $50 for 1st student, $20 for each additional, $100 maximum per family. Fees are automatically calculated at the time of registration or re-enrollment. Fees include all services -- registration, legal covering and reporting, Home School Reporting Online account, diploma, transcript, portfolios, unlimited phone/email support, and more!

Plus $50 per senior: Extra expenses for seniors include:

• Staffing a full time Senior Guidance Counselor who ensures that your records are in good order prior to graduation and there are no missing credits or last minute surprises. This is one of the most important staff positions.
• Staffing a full time secretary for the Senior Guidance Counselor
• Nice graduation folder containing certified diploma, transcripts, and a letter from the Administrator and Counselors (8-10 day delivery)
• Unlimited number of official Transcript requests (8-10 day delivery)
• Unlimited number of official Portfolio requests (8-10 day delivery)
• Unlimited counseling phone calls with Senior Guidance Counselor or secretary
• Unlimited applications and referral letters for dual enrollment, scholarships, etc.
• Research for scholarship and grant money to add to HLA information

Extra Fees are automatically calculated at the time of registration or re-enrollment.

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Q: Am I required to submit my child's social security number?

A: No, we do not use social security numbers. We just go by the student(s) name(s).

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Q: Do I need to provide immunization records for my child?

A: No, we do not require immunization records. Basically, that is a rule for the public school because of the liability of the kids being all in one place together. We are happy to keep them in the file if you have them or if the previous school sends them to us with the records. But there is no law that says we have to require them from you. It's your choice.

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Q: Why do you even ask the question ‘Do you and your child(ren) regularly meet with other believers in Christ?’ in the registration process?

A: People can decline to answer the question and still be registered. These are not required fields. We only ask the question for informational purposes, for our counselors to help parents find the resources they need for home education.

We have some other non-required fields as well which are just for informational purposes, like “How did you hear about HLA” and “Has your student been diagnosed with a learning disability?”

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Q: Does the state of TN require all teachers to be Christians in order for the school to become a CRS?

A: No. The standards for becoming a CRS do not require that all teachers of HLA be Christians.

Q: What about transferring to public school after homeschooling?

A: Public schools are allowed by law to administer a grade placement test to any student at the time of admission. Therefore, if you transfer from HLA to a public school, it is probable the school will give your student an admissions-type of test to gain entry into their grade. Our experience—and many nationwide studies—show that home educated students surpass their public schooled counterparts by at least 2 grade levels of efficiency.

Higher levels of accreditation would eliminate the need for such testing. However, we have never heard of a transferring student not passing the grade placement test. And, more importantly, we do not want to relinquish so much control to the state and the accrediting body just so the 5% of transfers to the PS can have a more smooth transition. Of course, we understand there is sometimes the need to transfer, and our counseling staff are ready and willing to help with any transferring needs you may have.

Once you withdraw from HomeLife, we will send the school OFFICIAL school records. Please do not try to send your personal records, as the school will likely not accept unofficial records.

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Q: How do we obtain a Work Permit?

A: Login to your account in the Member Login and create a request int he Request Manager. ( Note: All grades must be submitted up to the most recent semester’s end for us to verify.)

If you are planning to record the work experience count the hours and report it as "Distributive Education." 300 hours is considered a full credit. 150 hours is a half credit. The reason is, 150 hours goes by so quickly that we do not feel it would really qualify as a good work experience credit. As far as we know public schools do not give credit for working. It was Gateway Christian Schools that started it for home educators, I think. We are happy to extend the option to our students as well. Of course, we always encourage books to support the work experience. But that is optional.

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Q: Where did the public school come from?

A: John Taylor Gatto is perhaps the leading historian and critic of the modern public school system (modern meaning the last 100 years). You can now read his huge volume, The Underground History of American Education.

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Q: How do we fill out a Social Security form?

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Q: What if my student(s) has been withdrawn by HLA?

A: Each year parent-teachers are required to re-enroll their student(s). Re-enrollment can be done through your Member Login, by sending an email or regular mail notice, or over the phone. The requirements are that you login, update info, click re-enroll and pay the new year's fee. Pre-registration begins Jan. 15th and Re-enrollment begins each year on May 16th. Parents have until August 31st to Re-enroll.

After August 31st of each year, if you have not re-enrolled, you are given until May 1st of the school year to meet the requirements for re-enrollment (login, update info, click re-enroll, and pay the new year's fee). HLA sends 12 monthly reminder emails and 6 bi-monthly letters notifying you that it is time to re-enroll. If your student(s) are not re-enrolled by May 1st they are automatically "Withdrawn Due to Failure to Re-enroll" and a letter is sent to the superintendent in accordance with state laws. A letter is also sent to the parents notifying them of the auto-withdrawal.

Re-enrollment with HLA after an auto-withdrawal has been done is possible if the parents meet the following two requirements:

1. Parents must send proof of school work for the year in which the student was withdrawn and for each year the student was not enrolled afterward. Proof of school work must include chapter tests and final exams for each subject. If these are not available you may substitute grade-level proficiency tests from http://www.setonhome.org/testing . School work or test results should be mailed to our office: PO Box 11688, Jackson, TN 38308.
2. Parents must provide a letter from a sponsor who is currently enrolled with HLA. The sponsor must provide a progress report for the student for each of the years missed.

Both of these requirements must be received in our office and reviewed by our Board of Directors before the student(s) is considered for re-enrollment. Please allow two weeks for review once these two requirements are received. If either of these requirements cannot be met the student(s) cannot enroll with HLA for the current school year.

HomeLife Academy reserves the right to refuse service or withdraw a student for any reason. Although HLA does not require the signing of a statement of faith our Board of Directors does require that all students and teachers uphold the highest integrity and morality as representatives of HLA and the homeschooling movement.

In addition, if a family attempted to enroll without an educational plan three or more times using different account names and e-mail addresses their account may be locked out permanently. In both of these case examples the family would have to wait until the following school year to reapply, at which time the application and educational plan would go before our Board of Directors for review before approval.

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Q: What is a “scholarship report”?

The original question:

“I have a question concerning homeschooling in the state of KY if y'all can help please? Here is what I am asking about:

“‘All private and parochial schools (this includes homeschools) must keep an attendance register and **scholarship reports** in the same manner as is required by law or by regulation of the Kentucky Board of Education of public school officials.’

“My question is, what is a scholarship report? Is it our children’s schoolwork that I keep? Or is it something else?”

A: From the HSLDA website:

“Scholarship reports are defined as "including, but not limited to, a traditional report card, a portfolio of exemplary work, a narrative assessment, or other forms of assessment. Reports shall be summarized or tabulated in planned intervals throughout the year or at the same interval as the grading period of the local public school.”

Sounds like something that applies to homeschoolers just in your state. HLA does not have this requirement; however, since we can only offer record keeping in your state and not legal covering you would need to follow the homeschool laws. We would be happy to help with everything else.

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