Homeschool academies offer classes, usually on an a la carte basis, to students who are homeschooled. The classes usually meet once a week. Students access additional resources provided by the teacher and work on assignments at home on days they don’t attend class.
Are homeschool academies schools?
They aren’t schools because they don’t retain student records or report to the state government as schools do. They connect teachers with parents and allow parents to outsource certain activities of the homeschool. Officially, the “school” the student attends is the home school even if he or she takes a full schedule of academy classes.
Are homeschool academies co-ops?
Generally speaking, academies aren’t co-ops. Homeschool co-ops usually offer classes that are taught by moms or dads who are part of the group. In a co-op, all members pull their weight by committing to regular duties like teaching a class, assisting in a class, staffing the nursery, planning social events, or serving on the board or leadership committee. Co-ops work well during the elementary school years, but when students reach junior high and high school, most parents don’t feel confident teaching academic classes to other parents’ kids—and often not even their own. Often parents cut back on co-ops and opt for academies when children reach their teens. That way, students can learn from qualified teachers, and parents don’t have the heavy time commitment that co-ops expect.
What classes can students take?
That varies with each academy, but high school offerings are often based on the state-required high school graduation standards so that parents can select classes that will help create a high school transcript that reflects the same classes a student might take in public school. For example, Mid-Metro Academy in St. Paul offers all the core academic subjects for junior high and high school: math, science, English, social studies, and languages. In addition, students can take classes in visual arts, drama, music, dance, design, technology, business, study skills, and personal development.
How many classes should a student take?
It’s completely up to you, the homeschooling parent. If you’re comfortable teaching most subjects to your student but need help with one or two (such as English and math), then you can enroll your student in just one or two classes per semester. If you want to outsource more of the teaching to professional teachers and/or want your student to have more social learning experiences, you can build your student’s entire schedule around academy classes. In that case, your student might take 5 – 7 classes each semester and attend two days per week—if the academy has that many options. For example, Mid-Metro Academy meets on Mondays and Wednesdays with four periods each day. Some students come for a full day on Monday and a half-day on Wednesday—or vice versa. Many academies offer study halls so students can stay on campus during any periods they don’t have a class.
How much is tuition?
Your student can take a full schedule of classes for a fraction of what you’d spend at a private school. For instance, private high school tuition in the Twin Cities metro area is about $13,000 per year, but six classes per year at Mid-Metro Academy costs under $3,500. Tuition varies by academy and by class. Academies also require an annual membership fee, which helps offset some of the costs of administration and staffing.
How can I learn more?
Find more information about Mid-Metro Academy and register for classes at www.midmetroacademy.com. If you have questions, email director@midmetroacademy.com.
