Red Oak Academy – Home School FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

1. Who can enroll? Students of any age at any grade-level anywhere in the world.

2. What kind of curriculum do you use? ROA’s curriculum is adopted from the State of Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills which teachers and parents are given to use. This outline of learner objectives covers every subject in every grade level.

3. What about textbooks? Textbooks are adopted from state textbook adoption lists and available from a variety of ROA partners including AMAZON, HalfPricedBooks, TheBackPack and others for nominal fees – through their used textbook resources. Textbooks prices range from $2.00 to $20.00 and are shipped directly to parents. A typical set of books can usually be purchased for under $30.00

4. Do public schools use your service? Yes. Public and private schools can and do contract with ROA to provide both home-bound and on-site instruction for special populations. In some cases, private schools have discovered that they can use ROA’s teaching staff to economize on their overhead expenses.

5. Where are your teachers located? Teachers, like students, are located all over the United States.

6. Are teachers certified? Our entire faculty is required to hold a higher degree and be certified in the state in which they reside.

7. What kind of technology does ROA use to deliver instruction at-a-distance? ROA began providing direct online instruction using Internet Relay Chat (IRC) programs in 1995. At that time, there were no other distance ed programs available across the internet. In the past 10 years, ROA has discovered and overcome every obstacle to successful internet schooling which now includes sole possession of totally synchronized audio and video transmission using the Internet as the media delivery system.

8. Are there provisions for students with disabilities? The faculty and staff of ROA are experienced in providing modifications to instruction for students with disabilities. ROA voluntarily observes all of the requirements of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act. This voluntary compliance is primarily comprised of assisting parents in obtaining private evaluations of their student’s specialized needs in their own home towns or surrounding areas AND implementing modifications to the home instruction plan. Once assessments have been completed, ROA meets with parents at-a-distance to engage whatever professional recommendation have been obtained from the private evaluation to insure their student’s academic success.

9. How much does it cost? Tuition for a fulltime student is $165 per month if parents grade and record student work; $265 per month if ROA does the grading.

10. We are a family on a budget. Is there Financial Aid? Yes, ROA provides a discount for families who submit financial statements on a sliding scale. Families in need may also apply to their local church, public school district and other community support organizations for tuition assistance.

11. How can you be sure parents won’t “cheat?” The methodology the ROA has developed to create online k-12 schooling has been proven over the last 10 years. Essentially, when home schooled families choose to grade the work themselves, parents grade daily and weekly assignments while ROA staff administers and grades final exams – live and online. A strong correlation should exist between parents’ grade sheets and students’ performance on final exams.

12. How much time should I allow each week for studying? If working independently on a full course load, students should work 4-5 hours per day. ROA provide live class schedules and a schedule template for students who choose to work independently.

13. What kind of computer skills do I need? Reasonable keyboarding ability, ability to manipulate the Windows or Mac Operating Systems; File management skills; Internet skills.

14. What about computer hardware, software, and Internet access? MAC – OS 8 or higher 128 MEG RAM PC – Pentium 3 computer or faster, running Windows 95, 98, NT, ME, or XP. Your computer needs at least 800 MB of available hard drive space and 256 MB of RAM to be able to install and run ROA’s communication software. You’ll also need Internet access through a DSL, cable or modem (28.8 or better) connection, a printer, and word processing software. ROA provides online communications software to facilitate live and on-demand istruction.

15. Will my diploma and transcript from ROA be accepted by colleges and universities? Yes. Colleges look at a variety of criteria in making admissions decisions. These include grade-point-average, class rank, activities while in high school, ACT and SAT scores, and their own admissions tests. Most community and technical colleges observe a policy of “open enrollment” for students who are 18 years of age. The Red Oak Academy high school diploma has not been refused by any U.S. College or University.

16. Will ROA help me get into the college or university of my choice? Yes. Students who have already selected the college or university they wish to attend may provide that information to ROA. An ROA administrator will contact the selected institution to discover any special protocols that may exist for home schoolers to gain admission into their institutions. Students may wish to participate in ROA’s early or dual college enrollment program whereby ROA arranges for the student to take a limited number of college courses in addition or simultaneous to their high school work at ROA. ROA arranges for students to register for and take the SAT/ACT and Advanced Placement (AP) Tests.

17. What percentage of ROA students go on to college? ROA has a 98% track record of facilitating college enrollment for the students who complete the ROA high school diploma.

18. Is ROA a GED prep program? ROA is not a GED prep program. You will be working towards a regular high school diploma. However, participation in the ROA curriculum is an excellent resource for students wishing to submit to the GED examination. ROA provides local contact information for taking the GED examination in your area.

19. How long will it take me to get my diploma? A lot depends on your current skills and how much time and effort you are willing to put into the program. Many ROA students have full-time jobs and are able to work on only one or two courses at a time. Some students work more quickly and efficiently using this methodology of independent study.

20. Can I work at my own pace? Yes; that is what Independent Study is. Of course, some students prefer to participate in live online classes. This becomes particularly important for courses such as Foreign Languages where students must see the instructors face and mouth as well as hear what they are saying. Students who choose to obtain their diplomas through Independent Study still have access to live online teacher help as needed.

21. Can I enroll in ROA if I am living in a foreign country? Yes; ROA has now or has in the past successfully enrolled American as well as foreign national students in: Canada, Mexico, Central America, Brazil, Argentina, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, France, India, Kuwait, Germany, and the People’s Republic of China.