The Grace Academy is part of a conglomerate of homeschool academies. The four schools are: The MorningStar Academy; the Grace Academy; the Jubilee Academy and the Southern Baptist Academy. They vary in being either teacher led or parent led and in whether they provide record-keeping and transcripts.
These four organizations apparently have the same curriculum, delivered in different ways. This article is a review of their materials, as understood from the website, the downloads they offer, and reviews by customers.
Philosophy
The mission of all four academies, they say, is to provide Bible-based education. Some parents, however, have withdrawn their children, claiming that evolution and other material that does not reflect a Bible-based outlook is taught.
Subjects
This is a summary for the curriculum. It does not include all details.
- The pre-K curriculum includes English, Math, Science, Social Studies, and Bible.
- The Kindergarten curriculum includes English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Bible, Art and Music.
- The First Grade curriculum includes Phonics, Math, Science, Social Studies, Bible, Health and Physical Education.
- The Second Grade curriculum includes English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Bible, Art and Music.
- The Third Grade curriculum includes English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Bible, Health and Physical Education.
- The Fourth Grade curriculum includes English Math, Science, Social Studies, Bible, Art and Music.
- The Fifth Grade curriculum includes English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Bible, Health and Physical Education.
- The Sixth through Eighth Grade curriculum includes English, Math, Life Science, Earth Science, and Physical Science, Social Studies, Bible, a choice of Spanish, French, Latin, and German, Music, including Piano and/or Guitar Lessons, Art choices including Digital Photography and Web Design, and Health.
- The Ninth Grade curriculum includes English, Math, Biology, Introduction to Medicine, Forensics, Human Anatomy and Physiology, American Government, Global Studies, Economics, Bible, Christian Living, Humanities, Foreign Language, Art and Music, Technology, and Health and Physical Education.
- The Tenth Grade curriculum is identical to ninth grade with the addition of Chemistry and World History.
- The Eleventh and Twelfth Grade curricula adds US History, World Religions, AP US History, and AP European History; AP French; Physics and AP Biology, and AP English.
Bizarrely, the courses Intro to Business, Intro to Sociology, Personal Finance, Driver’s Education, SAT Preparation, College Preparation, Career Preparation, Crime and Justice, and Culinary Arts are all listed as “Humanities” course. Digital Photography is listed under “Music.” It reflects either carelessness or ignorance. Also note that Art and Music on the one hand and Health and Physical Education on the other are offered in alternate years. It is unclear how children stay physically fit in the years in which they are not offered this subject, and how their art and music instruction has any continuity with entire years off.
Coverage and Samples
None of the curriculum samples are currently available from a Mac, and the program is not guaranteed to work on a Mac. On April 20th, 2009, I was able to access some of the material, and this is reviewed in the “Jubilee Academy” article. The observations I made at that time call the integrity of this organization into question. Notice that they have parent-led curriculum, and this is teacher led.
The demos of their online system (thegraceacademy.org/demo/) are also non-functional on a Mac.
Accreditation
Grace Academy is accredited by the National Private Schools Accreditation Alliance.
However, note that this group does not appear on the Recognized Accrediting Organizations list put out by the Council for Higher Education and the U.S. Department of Education (April, 2009), so what this accreditation is worth is questionable.
Cost
A year’s tuition for the Grace Academy is $2,499. Mid-season enrollment is $899.
Sources
Council for Higher Education – chea.org/search
Grace Academy – learningbygrace.org/LBG_academies/compare1
http://www.thegraceacademy.org/
