Truancy, suspension, expulsion, misdemeanors, pregnancy...

[HLA Staff]

HLA POLICY

HLA bylaws and policy, as prescribed by our Board of Directors, prohibits the enrollment of students where the following applies: truancy, suspension, expulsion, misdemeanors, and pregnancy outside of marriage, or where student has been remanded to an alternative school. Please contact your local Board of Education for further options. This new policy became official as of April 16th, 2006. HLA's request for records to the previous school includes a yes or no question: "Has the above named student(s) been charged with truancy, suspension, expulsion, and misdemeanors, or been remanded to an alternative school?" The previous school answers the question and faxes/mails our form request back to us. There will be a $10.00 processing fee to do an Enrollment Reversal. The remaining Registration fee will be refunded to you within 5-7 business days.

When can I enroll in HLA?

You must either be free of the charges for one calendar year or have been accepted in another school for six months, making satisfactory progress. Then you are welcome to transfer to HLA and we will request records and you can begin total home education.

ALSO PLEASE NOTE:

Enrollment for the current school year ENDS MAY 1ST OF EACH YEAR. HLA does not accept applications for the current school year after May 1st.

You can pre-register for the next school year by going through the online registration here http://homelifeacademy.com/registration.php.

Some umbrella schools do not have this policy ( e.g. http://www.familychristianacademy.com/129.shtml ). However, our Board decided on this last year after receiving nearly 400 requests to transfer to HLA after the students had gotten in trouble at school. In our experience, in most cases, switching to home education as a reactionary decision as opposed to a proactive decision leads to burnout or more issues at home. Thus, the policy. However, we do not have this policy in order to be exclusive but to support the homeschooling movement and help steer families to programs which are designed to handle more complex issues.

[HLA Staff]

I just want everyone to know all of us have really, really struggled with this decision for a couple of years. We have all prayed and prayed about it. However, for many reasons, we must make this new policy.

We consider HLA to be a ministry to home educators and we hate to exclude anyone. We hope and pray God will open doors for new ways to serve families whose children have gotten in trouble. In fact...

Our first goal (and still one for the future) was to start another program called Archway, that would provide additional support. Family Christian Academy has a similar program called Home Builders. However, it is just not feasible at the moment.

Our counselors are still available to help and pray for parents and their children, regardless of whether they are enrolled with us. Lani, Lynn, Karen, April, Kim, myself, and many others are here to listen to, pray for, and encourage anyone who calls. And we will help parents find good options for their children when they do call.

Again, this has been a very difficult decision. If you have more concerns and/or questions and would like to talk with me personally please call me: 888-560-0774. I will do my very best to explain. Blessings in Christ,

[HLA Staff]

It is not the absence of grace which supports this policy.

Pregnancy is only included here because we are concerned about the reason a person chooses to home educate. In our experience when the choice is made as a result of difficulty or trouble they often do no better at home and in short time transfer out further behind than before.

Here is a valid question recently on one of the list serves:
[There is a] stony silence regarding male students who impregnate females or those who have premarital sex without pregnancy, says much more to me than it does not say if that makes sense.

>> This is true. However, in 13 years I have never seen a "male students who impregnate females" turning to home education as a last resort because he had done so. If this were true we would have similar advice, that a reactionary decision to Homeschool increases the chances of Homeschool burnout. I hope this makes sense. It is primarily about the reason one chooses to educate at home. The reason most often determines the outcome. (However, we do make exceptions - see below.) It is not the absence of grace which supports this policy.

If it is teen sex that the school is opposed to, then by all means
include THAT among the practices that will result in nonacceptance.
>> We are opposed to "teen sex." But, again, teen sex is not leading to last minute decisions to Homeschool.

Technically, a young woman could enroll in HLA if she chose to abort
a pregnancy as opposed to carry it to term.
>> If she did this she is far more likely to stay in the current school. If she came to HLA as a response to an abortion we place the case before our counselors and board of directors for a decision. HLA maintains the right to dismiss students for any reason, because although we do not require a statement of faith, we still encourage high levels of ethical conduct in line with the teachings of Christ.

Having said all of this, we DO make exceptions in regards to pregnancy on a case by case basis. (We only make exceptions for pregnancy and not the others listed above.) I interviewed a great teen pregnancy center in Texas while in grad school and I know that the girls are often victims and need a second chance. We are very ready to give a second chance. However, the deciding factor is always the reason to choose home education and the levels of preparedness in the student and the teaching-parents.

We walk a fine line between ministry and academics. I pray you understand our hearts regarding this issue.

Sincerely,
David Parkerson, Administrator
http://www.homelifeacademy.com