What are Homeschooling, Home Education, Shared Responsibility and Distance Education?

Homeschooling simply means “doing school at home.” But in the homeschool world, there is a spectrum of different methods of delivery that all have different levels of authority and responsibility. On one end, there is Home Education which is when parents have full authority over their child’s education. Parents are the curriculum planners, the teachers and the assessors. The Home Education board (ACA At-Home) provides guidance, oversight and community. Parents are able to receive some government funding for their responsibility in educating their child.  

On the other end of the spectrum, there is Distance Education which usually includes synchronous or asynchronous online classes. In Distance Education, the teachers are fully responsible for all planning, delivery and assessment of the students. The school is the authority and receives full funding for the student. At this time, ACA At-Home only offers distance education in high school, grades 10-12. 

In the middle is the world of Shared Responsibility. In this case, parents and the school share the responsibility of having educational authority over the student. Usually, this means a Home Education student takes one or two classes at a brick and mortar school (like ACA) or an online school that they are “sharing responsibility” with. The funding for shared responsibility students gets split between the two parties based on the percentage of time spent under each authority.

ACA At-Home offers a full range of home education to distance education programming. 

Since you are a Christian School, what are your faith-based enrollment requirements?

ACA At-Home is an extension of Airdrie Christian Academy which is an Independent Christian School with a closed enrollment policy, meaning, families enrolling at ACA must meet faith-based requirements. ACA At-Home follows this enrollment policy for all programs which includes Home Education Enrichment, Airdrie Classical Enrichment, Hybrid High School, and our Home Education Programs.

Can our family join ACA At-Home mid-year?

Short answer, no. Our programs are typically full in the spring or summer before school even starts. There may be special circumstances where late enrollment is possible but it would come with tuition fees. 

What is a Home Education Facilitator?

Our ACA At-Home Facilitators are Certified Alberta Teachers who specialize in coaching families through a year of Home Education. They will be your main contact and resource during your school year. ACA At-Home facilitators will contact you at the start of the school year and set up a year plan with you that will include a planning meeting and at least two home visits for consultation and student evaluation. Our facilitators are on your team, guiding, helping and encouraging you through your family’s journey. They are NOT the authority, your boss, your child’s teacher, etc. We are partnering with your family to provide you the best unique service you require.

Are there in-person opportunities for my child in ACA At-Home?

Yes! In person is what our board is all about! Our Enrichment programs offer a mix of in-person and distance learning. As well, we offer Community Days in each location for your family. Lastly, Activity Clusters are offered throughout the year in Airdrie for an extra cost. 

Can I choose my own curriculum?

Yes, for home educated subjects! Home Education parents are the authority on all curriculum you choose for your children. We are here to help, guide, answer questions and provide a selection of time-tested resources, but the decisions are always up to you.

Do I have to follow the Alberta Program of Studies in Home Education?

Home Education parents are the authority in all decisions for their children, including whether or not to use the Alberta Program of Studies. You can choose to use an aligned approach, choose to use the Schedule of Outcomes or a blend of both.  We will support and facilitate you regardless of which you choose.

Can our family join ACA At-Home if we don’t live in Alberta?

Alberta Education requires that you reside in Alberta to enroll in an educational institution in Alberta. Home Education may provide your family with more travel flexibility, but your primary residence needs to be in Alberta.

Do I need internet access and an email address?

Yes, you need both to enroll and engage in ACA At-Home. A parent email is required for our application and enrollment process. Some of your family meetings may be virtual via video conferencing therefore a computer with internet access is needed.