Who can register with HLA?

HLA accepts families from all across the United States as well as international families. However, only those families living in TN, FL, AL, CO, and SC will be exempt from filing with their state and meeting any other homeschooling requirements of their state. All others must comply with the regulations in your state or country. Refer to Homeschooling in Your State for more information.

How do we register with HLA?

IMPORTANT: Your child/children should continue attending their current school until you receive the Confirmation of Enrollment email from HLA.

  • Gather all the information for your Education Plan.
  • Gather the former school’s contact information for ALL your students.
  • Complete the online application – Only one application is needed per family.
  • Make a payment – online, over the phone, or mail a check. NOTE: HLA will not process your application without payment. Checks are accepted but will delay the application process.
  • HLA will contact you via email with enrollment information (Confirmation of Enrollment, Teacher Verifications, etc.). Be sure to save your login information for your myHLA account.
  • ONCE YOU RECEIVE THIS INFORMATION, YOU MAY WITHDRAW YOUR STUDENT(S) FROM THE PREVIOUS SCHOOL.
  • Once your enrollment has been verified, HLA will request the student(s) records from the school.
  • Begin teaching your student(s) at home!

What is an Education Plan?

An education plan is a list of courses and the book titles, publisher, and other materials/resources your student will be using at home for each course. NOTE: HomeLife Academy does NOT provide books or other course materials. High School students must have detailed information concerning the books and other resources being used for each course. For more information, please visit our Education Plan page.  HLA will not process applications without an appropriate education plan.

The education plan can be any of the following (or a combination of):

  • List of resources or textbooks used (title and publisher).
  • Description of the course (if parent designed courses).
  • Description of the course if you use life as your classroom.
  • Ex. In-depth research using online resources, library, and weekly reports. List any specific resources that may be used.
  • Name of the tutorial, co-op, or college where the class will be taken (no abbreviations, please).
  • The following resources will not be approved without further details – “online,” “course titles – ex. English”, “hands-on,” “various,” the use of symbols (*), etc.
  • Do NOT list the books your student is currently using in the public school. Please list the books your student will be used upon leaving the public school.

Will HLA take care of getting my child’s records from the previous school?

Yes.

Once your enrollment is approved, and we have the necessary previous school information, we will send an official Records Request to the last school via the information you provide to us on the enrollment application. This document does two things;

  1. It alerts the previous school that you have enrolled in our school and subsequently withdrawn from that school.
  2. It asks them to release to us all your student(s) records. Once we receive the records, we will notify you via email.

For high school students – We will post all previous high school credits into Applecore (grade reporting system) once they are received in our office.

Are immunization records required?

Immunization records are required for TN, AL, and CO families. These records are part of the requirements for private, independent, or church-related schools in these states. We do not require immunization records to be submitted for any other states. Medical, Religious, and Personal exemptions are available in these states. Please visit our Immunization Records page for more information regarding the immunization laws.

Under what circumstances can a family or student be denied enrollment?

There is rarely a situation in which HomeLife Academy is unable to enroll a student. In certain limited situations in which HLA’s typical services may be inadequate, the NEST Program can provide the needed support to a student or family transitioning to homeschooling through HLA. If any of the following apply, NEST may be required. We encourage families to submit your application – you will not be required to pay until you are approved. Our Admissions Team will review your application, you will have the option to speak to an Admissions Counselor to help with your decision, and you will not have to pay your registration fees until your application has been approved. Visit our Enroll Now page for more info.

However, HLA now offers an option for those students who find themselves in situations such as those listed above. Call our office for more information about our HLA-NEST Program.

Does HLA accept enrollment year-round?

Yes, HLA accepts students all year. However, families will pay full registration fees regardless of the time of year you enroll. Fees are NOT prorated. Open enrollment for each school year ends May 1.  If you need to enroll after May 1 for the current school year, please call our offices for prior approval.

Note: We recommend high school students complete the semester before transferring to HLA.

Does HLA provide books and lessons?

No. It is 100% the parent/guardian(s) responsibility to provide lessons and teaching materials for their student(s). If you are interested in enrolling in HLA’s online courses, refer to the HomeLife Online page for additional information. We do have guidance counselors available to help you determine what materials/curriculum or the program will work best for your family & student.

How long does it take to receive records from the previous school?

It can take up to 4-6 weeks for records to come into our office (and sometimes longer in the summer). When these records are received, you will be sent an email notification.

Can I homeschool another person’s child?

HLA’s policy is that a student’s education is conducted or directed by their parent(s) or legal guardian(s). Parents/legal guardians can outsource courses or hire a tutor if needed. Please contact our office for additional information.

Is testing required?

HLA does not require standardized testing. Families living in TN, FL, AL, CO, and SC, where HomeLife Academy provides legal covering, are not subject to the standardized testing requirements for homeschoolers in those states. Families living in other states will need to contact their local board of education or another homeschool resource (such as HSLDA) for that answer.

Does HLA offer testing?

No. But if you would like to have your child tested, you can order from Homeschool Testing Services. They offer both online and pencil/paper at-home options.

What is the deadline for re-enrollment?

HLA families should re-enroll before school begins in your area. To avoid increased fees, please enroll by August 1. Returning Families who have not re-enrolled by September 1 will automatically be withdrawn from HLA.

Will I be assigned a counselor?

No, HLA does not assign counselors. You are welcome to contact or request the counselor of your choice. However, our counselors do have specialized areas, so some questions may require you to work with a different counselor on occasion. The counselor you work with most often will refer you to the appropriate counselor for those questions when necessary.

Is HLA Accredited?

HLA is a member of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). There is a difference in Membership and Accreditation with ACSI. Being a member of ACSI is all that is required by church-related laws and the TN Department of Education to be considered an “approved” non-public, church-related school in the state of Tennessee. There is no requirement for membership or accreditation in Florida, Alabama, or Colorado. Please see Homeschooling in Your State page for further information.

Accreditation requires that a school must use a standard curriculum, and due to the nature of our program and the fact that we desire to give parents choices and not dictate which curriculum they must use, Category IV schools are generally not accredited. You cannot gain accreditation without dictating the curriculum. Parents lose the right to choose what they teach their children. HLA is continuously looking at options for accreditation that does not sacrifice our freedom and flexibility.

Our transcripts are readily accepted at colleges, universities, military academies, and recruitment offices all over the country, and in most cases, colleges are not looking for accreditation. Should you have further questions, please do not hesitate to call to discuss this topic.

What happens if I don’t meet HLA’s requirements for re-enrollment?

The following information is also listed on the first page of registration. You must choose to AGREE TO ALL before you can proceed with the registration process. If you have submitted registration for the school year, then you have read and agreed to these terms.

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To complete your enrollment for each school year, you must meet the following requirements.

  • Final grades and attendance for the Fall and Spring semesters of the previous school year must be reported.
  • An education plan for each registered student for the upcoming school year must be submitted.
  • Grade levels for the upcoming school year for each registered student must be updated.
  • Family contact information must be current.

All of these must be completed by August 1.

Note: You will not receive your Confirmation of Enrollment, and your account will not be Active until the above items are completed.

Fees increase after August 1.  Failure to complete these before August 1 of each year will result in increased fees for not completing enrollment requirements by the reporting/registration deadline. You will be responsible for any additional registration fees based on the fee schedule in place at the time you meet these requirements.

Failure to complete all of these requirements before September 1 of each year will result in the cancellation of your registration and immediate withdrawal from HLA. If you have been withdrawn for failure to meet these requirements but still need to be enrolled with HLA, please contact our office to be reinstated. There will be a $50 reinstatement fee required.