“The function of a child is to live his/her own life, not the life that his/her anxious parents think he/she should live, nor a life according to the purpose of the educators who thinks they knows best”
― A.S. Neill
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How much money will this cost me?
2. Does being a member of a private school (that offers a homeschooling option) take the place of the record keeping and testing requirements required of homeschoolers by the county/state?
3. What does the term “600 school” mean?
4. Who do I have to tell? Do I have to notify the county? The local public school?
5. I understand that the state requires 180 days of attendance. How often does this need to be submitted?
6. What counts as days “attended”?
7. Do I need to be registered with the county/state if I enroll in a private school such as HAFS?
8. Does HAFS provide classes or curriculum?
9. Do I have to submit something to HAFS so that my child can promoted to the next grade?
10. I would like to withdraw. What happens if I decide to enroll my child back into public school, change private schools, register with my county as a homeschooler, or move out of state?
11. What information does HAFS report to the State DOE about my child?
12. I understand that I, the parent/guardian, handle all curriculum and educational records, etc. Other than attendance is there anything else which needs to be submitted to you at any time?
13. We do not see a doctor regularly and/or we do not have the money for a doctor visit, what should we do about the required health and physical forms?
14. Can my high school age student participate in public school "extracurricular" activities?
15. Do you require a statement of faith?
16. Can we register and use Florida Virtual School while enrolled with HAFS?
17. As a student of HAFS is my high schooler able to participate in dual enrollment at our local college?
18. When my high schooled student graduates from HAFS will they be able to enter college, university or military service?
19. Are you accredited?
20. As students of HAFS may we participate in the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program?
21. Do you provide report cards or high school transcripts?
22. Do you accept students who live in other States/Countries?
23. Do I need to re-enroll annually?
24. How long does the enrollment process take?
25. When do you accept enrollments?
26. We are new to homeschooling, can you give us some advice?
27. You mentioned that we may choose to use no curriculum at all? How can we homeschool without using curriculum? Or, what is Unschooling?
28. We are relocating to Florida soon, should we enroll now or wait until we actually move?
29. We have moved, what do we need to do?
30. I missed reporting attendance, what should I do?
31. My child needs a work permit to allow working during school hours. Is this something you can provide?
32. We are currently enrolled with HAFS and we need something to prove our enrollment. Is that something you can provide?
33. I need a school Administrator to sign a document. Is this something you can provide?
34. Do you offer a High School diploma?
35. OK, I'm ready! How do I enroll my child(ren)?
1. How much money will this cost me?
Hillcrest Academy FREE School offers its service as a basic umbrella/cover school FREE of charge! We are a homeschooling family too and we welcome donations to help offset the costs of running the school. Please feel free to donate so that we may continue helping as many homeschooling families as possible. You may donate by clicking our PayPal button or by sending a check made out to Sabrina Hill. Thank you so much for your support.
2. Does being a member of a private school (that offers a homeschooling option) take the place of the record keeping and testing requirements required of homeschooler by the county/state?
Registering with a private school is a valid alternative for homeschoolers who choose not to register with the home education state statutes. Those registered in a private school must meet the requirements of that private school, within the law. HAFS does not require a particular method of record keeping, transcripts, curriculum, classes, credits or testing, nor do we provide any services of the like. However, we do encourage all families to document learning activities in some form. Portfolios are a great way to document your child’s progress and accomplishments. These portfolios will not only serve as a scrapbook of your child’s work, they can also be invaluable in later years when apply to colleges or seeking job positions.
3. What does the term “600 school” mean?
Many private schools serving the homeschooling community call themselves "600" or "umbrella" schools. The fact is that they are non-public schools just the same as every other non-public school in Florida. The “600 refers to the statute numbers that some schools choose to incorporate under. It is not required to incorporate to be a non-public school.
4. Who do I have to tell? Do I have to notify the county? The local public school?
You do not have to notify anyone about your decision to enroll your child in a private school . . .
If your child is currently enrolled in a public or private school and you want to change to a Hillcrest Academy, you MUST formally withdraw him from the other school within 30 days of enrolling in Hillcrest Academy. Contact the school to find out what they require. It is extremely important that you do this. If you simply stop showing up at the public school, you start the process of truancy and a truancy officer may show up at your door. I do recommend that you enroll with HAFS before withdrawing from your current program so that there is no lapse in coverage.
When the public school wants to know where you are transferring your child, the answer is, "I will be homeschooling." If you tell the school you will be transferring to a private school they will expect a records request, which I DO NOT do. If this does happen and they contact me, I will simply explain this to them and tell them to contact you for any records.
If you want your child’s records from their previous school, ask the school for them. Please be aware that you, the parent, have legal rights to view your child's records. By law they have to give them to you but many school office personnel are not made aware of this by school officials. Here is the state statute in case you need it:
1002.22 Education records and reports of K-12 students; rights of parents and students; notification; penalty.--
If after you inform them of this and they continue to give you a problem, I will send the request, however you'll need to provide them with my contact information. It is much easier for all involved if we just skip the middle man and have the school give the records directly to you, if at all possible!
If you have sent a letter of intent to the county, establishing your Home Education Program, and want to change to the private school option, you MUST send a letter of termination to the county within 30 days of enrollment in a private school. It should be something along the lines of: “This is to notify you that the Home Education Program for Student X has been terminated. He is now enrolled in a private school.” This goes to the Superintendent or the person at the school board you sent your letter of intent to. Here is a Notice of Termination you may use if you choose. It is extremely important that you do this. If you simply stop turning in your annual report, you start the process of truancy and a truancy officer may show up at your door.
(Yes, you’re still homeschooling. You’re just doing it using the private school option instead of the HEP option.)
5. I understand that the state requires 180 days of attendance. How often does this need to be submitted?
Upon enrollment, you will receive a welcome email from me with helpful information and links to keep the process as easy as possible. Please save this email as it has everything you should need for future reference. In this email you will also receive instructions on how to turn in attendance and all other required paperwork. Please retain a copy of all attendance records you submit to HAFS. The attendance MUST be submitted quarterly, NO EXCEPTIONS. For more information, please see the Attendance information on our site. You must show 180 days of school for each school year. We are a year-round school and your school year is up to you as long as it fulfills the required 180 days of attendance. Many of our families like to follow the public school year, so for the sake of the graduating students, the 3rd quarter ends on May 31st, but for year round students I have included a 4th quarter which ends Aug 31st. As a new student, any "attendance" you have acquired elsewhere for the year will count toward your school year at HAFS. Just as if you were transferring from one public school to the next during the year, it would count toward your cumulative attendance. When filling out your attendance form each quarter please just notate those days as such in the comments section of the form.
6. What counts as days “attended”?
Depending on your philosophy about homeschooling, whether you are an unschooler or a school-at-homer or something in between, you will be more or less flexible about what "counts" as a day. This decision is completely up to you. You may decide that every day counts. You may decide that only days with more than 6 hours of book work count. You may decide on something in between. I personally think some sort of learning happens every day, so I mark every day of the year as attended for my own children. Your idea may be different and that is fine. As long as at the end of the 365 day year, you show your child has “attended” at least 180 of those days, you are good to go!
7. Do I need to be registered with the county/state if I enroll in a private school such as HAFS?
No! As a matter of fact, if you register with HAFS and your county at the same time you will more than likely get a visit from a truancy officer! When you enroll in HAFS or any private school, you do NOT need to register with the Home Education program in your county. As a registered student of HAFS you will not be recognized by the state of Florida as a home educated student, but as a private school student. (Registering with the county as a home education student AND registering with a private school is not legally required and acutally goes against the Florida State Statutes. You cannot legally be enrolled in both simultaneously. If your school or county requests it, please follow up with them concerning the law.)
However, if you are currently registered with the state home education program (via your local school board), you MUST send them a Notice of Termination within 30 days of the date of enrollment with HAFS. This is required of any student registered with the state home education program regardless of whether you choose to enroll the child in a public school, a private school, or transfer your home education program to another county. The only thing required by law is the child’s name, address and the parents’ signature on the letter stating that you are ending your “state home education program“. You may choose to tell them where you plan to enroll, or if you are moving out of state, but it is not required by law.
8. Does HAFS provide classes or curriculum?
No, we do not provide any classes or curriculum. You have complete freedom to use any curriculum you choose or you may choose none at all, that is completely up to you. A simple google search will present you with many options and choices. If you are new to homeschooling, I do suggest that you shop around and do not spend a lot on a boxed curriculum. Most seasoned homeschoolers end up using a variety of things to teach and until you learn what will work best for your family, it is best not to spend a fortune for things which may not work for you. Many companies will send you samples of their program if you request it. Join homeschooling groups and ask around, possibly purchase used or free materials. Homeschooling does not have to cost you a fortune! We are fortunate to have agreements with a couple of online programs which offer complete curriculum for little to no cost. As a student of HAFS, you do have the option of using these virtual programs. They are MobyMax and Florida Virtual School. For more information please see the webpage or inquire with us.
9. Do I have to submit something to HAFS so that my child can promoted to the next grade?
No. You as the parent/teacher decide what grade level to teach and how you will promote. Some homeschoolers do not use grade levels or promotions at all. Because we are a year-round school, you could promote each time you’ve reached your required 180 days, if you choose to do so.
10. I would like to withdraw. What happens if I decide to enroll my child back into public school, change private schools, register with my county as a homeschooler, or move out of state?
If you choose to withdraw from HAFS for any reason, please go to the Withdraw page and follow the instructions there. Please do so within 30 days of withdrawal from our program.
If you were to enroll your child in a different private school, register with the state as a home educated student or enroll in a public school, you would have to submit to the enrollment requirements of the state and/or school with which you are registering. If public school, most often your child would be tested and put in an age appropriate grade level. You may read more about this on the Florida Department of Education website.
When transferring to another school, please tell the school that your child was homeschooled under the Florida private umbrella school option. If they are told we are just a private school, they will most likely send us a records request, for which we have no records to send. Therefore, it is better for all involved, if this were avoided altogether.
11. What information does HAFS report to the State DOE about my child?
Like every other private school in Florida, HAFS is required to submit an annual report called the “Annual Database Survey”. This is done online with a follow-up notarized copy mailed to the State DOE.
With the Database Survey every private school is asked to confirm basic information about the school (address, owner’s name, whether the school is a boarding school or not, etc.) and information about the students. The information about the students is a headcount -- a count of students broken out by grade range -- that’s all. No personal information about you or your child is provided to the State DOE -- no names, no Social Security Numbers, no attendance counts -- nothing but the number of students enrolled, broken out by grade range.
12. I understand that I, the parent/guardian, handle all curriculum and educational records, etc. Other than attendance is there anything else which needs to be submitted to you at any time?
Records to be submitted within 30 days of enrollment:
1. Proof of age for children entering Kindergarten or those whom have never attended any other school ONLY (ie. certified copy of the child's birth certificate, adoption record, passport, etc.). This is not required for any other grade level.
2. Certification of school-entry health examination performed within 1 year prior to enrollment or signed statement by the parent or guardian stating objections to such examination on religious grounds. Here is a Letter of Exemption.
3. Certificate of current immunization within 1 year of submission or signed statement by the parent or guardian stating that the administration of immunization agents conflicts with their religious tenets or practices. Here is a Letter of Exemption.
13. We do not see a doctor regularly and/or we do not have the money for a doctor visit, what should we do about the required health and physical forms?
This is not a problem. The statutes state that a parent may object in writing to the health requirement because of religion. You do not have to state what religion you are. You can get a form from your local health department, or you may write a letter and sign it, scan and email it to me. You may also use our letters of exemption. There will be a link provided in your welcome email as well. Please see the link below for letters of exemption.
Letters of Exemption
14. Can my high school age student participate in public school "extracurricular" activities?
In some Florida districts it is easy to enroll in extracurricular activities. Some middle schools also allow this. However, each school and school district have been known to set their own policy. The best thing to do is ask your assigned school or district about the procedures. According to State Statutes, public school extra curriculars may be extended to private school students if said private school does not offer the desired program.
15. Do you require a statement of faith?
No, HAFS does not require a statement of faith as we are not affiliated with any outside entity, religious or secular.
16. May we register and use Florida Virtual School while enrolled with HAFS?
YES! We have an affiliation agreement with Florida Virtual School. This means that middle and high school students (6th - 12th grades) enrolled in HAFS, may register and participate in the Florida Virtual School Flex Program free of charge.
Elementary aged students in grades K-5, may also participate in the Florida Virtual School Flex Program free of charge. Please be aware that there are some differences in the requirements for the elementary program. Please visit https://flvs.net/elementary for more information.
For middle and high school students residing out of State/Country, FLVS has an option for you as well. The FLVS Global is available to you, however, there is a fee. Please visit https://flvs.net/global-school for more information.
Please keep in mind that FLVS is an option and in no way required. If you are interested in using this service, please click this link: Florida Virtual School.
When you register with FLVS, please do so as a private school student. After you choose Escambia County as your district, a drop down box will open with a list of available schools, choose Hillcrest Academy Free School. If they require a student ID number, this is your student’s social security number. (You may need to add an x to the end of the ss#) Please allow up to 48hrs for us to approve your registration.
Please be sure to email, text or message me each and every time you register for classes through FLVS. They tell you that they will inform me of your need for approval, but they do not.
*note: HAFS is not affiliated with FLVS Connections Academy or K-12, these are public schools.
17. As a student of HAFS is my high schooler able to participate in dual enrollment at our local community college?
Unfortunately, because of new legislation, we are no longer able to develop articulation agreements with colleges outside of our own school district. Your best course of action if you'd like to be able to take advantage of the dual enrollment college program is to register with your county as a homeschooler and then with the college of your choice as a homeschooled dual enrollment student. It is free of charge and a wonderful program for those wishing to pursue a college degree.
18. When my high schooled student graduates from HAFS will they be able to enter college, university or military service?
In most cases, students from HAFS have no problem entering into college, university or military service. However, it is always best to contact the institution you wish to enter to find out exactly what they require, and do so well in advance.
The only institutions from which I’ve ever encountered problems are State funded community colleges. Problems are rare, but do sometimes occur. Some have said that they will only accept students from accredited schools or they require the private school student to obtain a GED before entry. Because of these situations, I advise that you plan for college early, and if needed, withdraw from HAFS and register with the county as a homeschooler for the last year of high school.
19. Are you accredited?
No, HAFS is not accredited. In order to be accredited we would have to have critieria with which to be evaluated for accreditation. We are not a bricks and mortar school, we have no teachers (other than parents), we offer no curriculum, nor classes, etc. Therefore, we meet none of the criteria to meet accreditation standards.
20. As students of HAFS may we participate in the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program?
No, Florida Bright Futures program is not something we offer here at HAFS. If you wish to take part in the program you must do so as a home educated student by registering with your county as a home educated student. According to Bright Futures, you must have been in a REGULAR private or public school program or registered with the county as a homeschooler, for at least one year prior to registering for Bright Futures. If you think this is something you’d like to use, it is my recommendation that you NOT enroll with HAFS for your Junior or Senior years of High School. Instead, register with your county as a homeschooler for the last half of high school and you should have no problems.
21. Do you provide report cards or high school transcripts?
No, we do not provide nor keep record of report cards or high school transcripts. We do provide report cards and transcript templates you may use. There is also one in the welcome email you receive upon enrollment. You may use this one or create one yourself. Please sign as teacher/guidance counselor, then you may send it to me for for "official" signature. I do charge a small processing fee for this service. To order a signature, please go to Verification Documents page.
22. Do you accept students who live in other States/Countries?
It depends upon the home ecucation laws where you reside. If being enrolled in an out of State/Country private school is a LEGAL option for you then yes, you may enroll. Please be sure to check with your local laws for verification. We are not responsible, nor will we have any legal recourse to help you if you do not follow the laws where you reside.
23. Do I need to re-enroll annually?
As long as you are turning in attendance EACH AND EVERY quarter, then you do not have to re-enroll. The instances in which you would have to re-enroll are:
1.If you miss turning in more than one quarter’s attendance.
2.If you withdraw and would like to return to HAFS.
To re-enroll simply go to the enrollment page, fill out a new enrollment form (one per student) and email me the required documents.
24. How long does the enrollment process take?
Your enrollment begins on the date you place in the enrollment form. You have 30 days in which to email me the required documents. If you need an extention, please email me to let me know.
25. When do you accept enrollments?
HAFS is a year-round school, we accept enrollments all year.
26. We are new to homeschooling, can you give us some advice?
Certainly! My advice is to take a deep breath and RELAX! As part of HAFS, you are no longer on anyone’s timetable except your own. You have the freedom to make decisions for your family and the time to follow through with them. Your days, weeks, months and years are yours to do with what you will. Take a vacation anytime you want without worry, take time off from “school” if you choose. You will have no one hanging over your shoulder telling you what to do or how to do it!
You have your child’s best interests at heart and will need to learn to trust that your child will get what they need when they need it. Children have a natural curiosity and thirst for knowledge, they will learn whether you teach them or not! Through trial and error, you will learn what works best for you and your family. If something isn’t working, you have the freedom to change it.
You have complete freedom to use any curriculum you choose or you may choose none at all, that is completely up to you. A simple google search will present you with many options and choices. If you are new to homeschooling, I do suggest that you shop around and do not spend a lot on a boxed curriculum. Most seasoned homeschoolers end up using a variety of things to teach and until you learn what will work best for your family, it is best not to spend a fortune for things which may not work for you. Many companies will send you samples of their program if you request it. There are many options online which are completely free! I post many things on our Facebook fan page so please be sure to “like” us.
My last bit of advice is to join a local homeschool group if possible. It is always helpful to have a support system and being around like-minded people is a plus. If there are no local groups, start one! I’m sure there are others in your area who would be grateful to you. You may also join online groups as being able to connect with other home schoolers at any time is very benifecial. After enrolling with HAFS you may wish to join our private group on Facebook. To join, follow the link in your welcome email and be sure to send me a message with your real name, email address used to enroll, your student’s name and your enrollment date. That way I may verifiy your enrollment to keep the group private and secure.
27. You mentioned that we may choose to use no curriculum at all? How can we homeschool without using curriculum? Or, what is Unschooling?
For starters, as part of HAFS you have freedom and are in complete control of all educational choices and decisions. You may choose to use any educational materials you would like as long as it is not another public or private school. Co-ops, homeschool groups, community classes, private classes, tutors, etc. are all acceptable options. A simple google search will provide you with a plethora of options, many of which are at little or no cost to you.
Personally, we began our home educating journey as strict school-at-homers. Through the course of time and in educating myself on the subject, we evolved into an unschooling family. I prefer to use the term “Whole Life Learners.” I believe the term unschooling leads one to believe that we don’t “school” at all. Unschooling does not necessarily mean we don’t ever use school, it simply means we learn through living, by following our interests. We trust that in doing so that we will get what we need, when we need it. I say we because we all learn, all the time, even as grownups, we never stop! As parents, we are more facilitators than teachers. We allow the child the freedom to learn at their own pace and provide opportunities and materials by which to do so. Certainly, if enrolling in classes, co-ops or even back into school, is something the child wants or needs, then we would facilitate that as well.
For more information on unschooling, please visit my Unschooling Resourses page.
28. We are relocating to Florida soon, should we enroll now or wait until we actually move?
I do recommend that you enroll before withdrawing from your current school program so that there is no lapse in coverage. If you are not leaving immediately, please make sure we are a legal option for you in your current location before withdrawing from your current program.
29. We have moved, what do we need to do?
If you’re planning to remain enrolled with us then all you need to do is send an email containing your new address and your student(s) name.
If you need to withdraw, please go to the Withdraw page and follow the instructions there.
If you’re moving out of State and would like to remain enrolled, please check with your local home education laws to make sure that being enrolled in an out of State/Country private school is a LEGAL option for you. If it is a legal option, then there is no need to withdraw from HAFS, but of course you may if you choose. We are not responsible, nor will we have any legal recourse to help you if you do not follow the laws where you reside.
30. I missed reporting attendance, what should I do?
I you have missed only one quarter then you must wait until the next quarter’s attendance is due and turn it in immediately to avoid being out of compliance the State compulsory attendance laws.
If you have missed more than one quarter, then you are no longer enrolled and must go through the enrollment process again. Please go to our Enrollment page and follow the instructions there to re-enroll.
To avoid missing attendance in the future, please make note of the attendance due dates and set reminders for yourself to get them in before the deadline. Please do not rely on my email reminders as email is extremely unreliable. The due dates are listed on my website as well as in your welcome email you receive upon enrollment. I do understand that life gets in the way sometimes, so for that reason the forms are always open for one entire month to allow ample time to report. Please note that turning in attendance in a timely manner is your ONLY responsibility to remain enrolled and in compliance with State compulsory attendance laws. Please be sure to turn them in EACH AND EVERY quarter so you are not at risk for TRUANCY! To report attendance, you will use the Attendance page here on my website.
31. My child needs a work permit to allow working during school hours. Is this something you can provide?
Yes, for a small processing fee, I will be happy to provide you with a work permit letter. To order, please go to Verification Documents page.
32. We are currently enrolled with HAFS and we need something to prove our enrollment. Is that something you can provide?
Yes, for a small processing fee, I will be happy to provide you with a an enrollment verification letter. To order, please go to Verification Documents page.
33. I need a school Administrator to sign a document. Is this something you can provide?
Yes, for a small processing fee, I will be happy to provide you with a signature on your document. To order, please go to Verification Documents page.
34. Do you offer a High School diploma?
We do offer a regular high school diploma. It is not accredited, nor is it a GED. That being said, it is widely accepted by most schools, institution, military services, etc.
On a few occasions I have heard a publicly funded community college which did not accept it because we are not accredited. These rare occasions are the only situations which of I am aware. The best course of action would be to contact the school in question to find out exactly what they require, as all schools are different. If they require an accredited diploma then you may want to withdraw from HAFS and register with the county for the last year of High School.
35. OK, I'm ready! How do I enroll my child(ren)?
Great! We are a year-round school and accept enrollments year-round as well. So, we are here for you whenever you are ready to begin your homeschooling journey through the private school option.
To enroll please go to the enrollment tab, fill out the information, and then wait for an email from us which will contain further instructions and information. Within 48hrs of your enrollment, we will send a welcome email to the email address you provide when you enroll. This email contains valuable instructions and information which you will need to complete the enrollment process. If you do not receive this email within 48hrs of your enrollment, please check your junk or spam folder. If after one week you still have not received this email, please send an email to HAFS.org@gmail.com or call/text us at (850) 972-8099. Please understand that your child(ren) will not be officially enrolled until the entire enrollment process has been completed.
2. Does being a member of a private school (that offers a homeschooling option) take the place of the record keeping and testing requirements required of homeschoolers by the county/state?
3. What does the term “600 school” mean?
4. Who do I have to tell? Do I have to notify the county? The local public school?
5. I understand that the state requires 180 days of attendance. How often does this need to be submitted?
6. What counts as days “attended”?
7. Do I need to be registered with the county/state if I enroll in a private school such as HAFS?
8. Does HAFS provide classes or curriculum?
9. Do I have to submit something to HAFS so that my child can promoted to the next grade?
10. I would like to withdraw. What happens if I decide to enroll my child back into public school, change private schools, register with my county as a homeschooler, or move out of state?
11. What information does HAFS report to the State DOE about my child?
12. I understand that I, the parent/guardian, handle all curriculum and educational records, etc. Other than attendance is there anything else which needs to be submitted to you at any time?
13. We do not see a doctor regularly and/or we do not have the money for a doctor visit, what should we do about the required health and physical forms?
14. Can my high school age student participate in public school "extracurricular" activities?
15. Do you require a statement of faith?
16. Can we register and use Florida Virtual School while enrolled with HAFS?
17. As a student of HAFS is my high schooler able to participate in dual enrollment at our local college?
18. When my high schooled student graduates from HAFS will they be able to enter college, university or military service?
19. Are you accredited?
20. As students of HAFS may we participate in the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program?
21. Do you provide report cards or high school transcripts?
22. Do you accept students who live in other States/Countries?
23. Do I need to re-enroll annually?
24. How long does the enrollment process take?
25. When do you accept enrollments?
26. We are new to homeschooling, can you give us some advice?
27. You mentioned that we may choose to use no curriculum at all? How can we homeschool without using curriculum? Or, what is Unschooling?
28. We are relocating to Florida soon, should we enroll now or wait until we actually move?
29. We have moved, what do we need to do?
30. I missed reporting attendance, what should I do?
31. My child needs a work permit to allow working during school hours. Is this something you can provide?
32. We are currently enrolled with HAFS and we need something to prove our enrollment. Is that something you can provide?
33. I need a school Administrator to sign a document. Is this something you can provide?
34. Do you offer a High School diploma?
35. OK, I'm ready! How do I enroll my child(ren)?
Answers
1. How much money will this cost me?
Hillcrest Academy FREE School offers its service as a basic umbrella/cover school FREE of charge! We are a homeschooling family too and we welcome donations to help offset the costs of running the school. Please feel free to donate so that we may continue helping as many homeschooling families as possible. You may donate by clicking our PayPal button or by sending a check made out to Sabrina Hill. Thank you so much for your support.
2. Does being a member of a private school (that offers a homeschooling option) take the place of the record keeping and testing requirements required of homeschooler by the county/state?
Registering with a private school is a valid alternative for homeschoolers who choose not to register with the home education state statutes. Those registered in a private school must meet the requirements of that private school, within the law. HAFS does not require a particular method of record keeping, transcripts, curriculum, classes, credits or testing, nor do we provide any services of the like. However, we do encourage all families to document learning activities in some form. Portfolios are a great way to document your child’s progress and accomplishments. These portfolios will not only serve as a scrapbook of your child’s work, they can also be invaluable in later years when apply to colleges or seeking job positions.
3. What does the term “600 school” mean?
Many private schools serving the homeschooling community call themselves "600" or "umbrella" schools. The fact is that they are non-public schools just the same as every other non-public school in Florida. The “600 refers to the statute numbers that some schools choose to incorporate under. It is not required to incorporate to be a non-public school.
4. Who do I have to tell? Do I have to notify the county? The local public school?
You do not have to notify anyone about your decision to enroll your child in a private school . . .
UNLESS . . .
. . . Your child is already enrolled in another school or homeschool program.If your child is currently enrolled in a public or private school and you want to change to a Hillcrest Academy, you MUST formally withdraw him from the other school within 30 days of enrolling in Hillcrest Academy. Contact the school to find out what they require. It is extremely important that you do this. If you simply stop showing up at the public school, you start the process of truancy and a truancy officer may show up at your door. I do recommend that you enroll with HAFS before withdrawing from your current program so that there is no lapse in coverage.
When the public school wants to know where you are transferring your child, the answer is, "I will be homeschooling." If you tell the school you will be transferring to a private school they will expect a records request, which I DO NOT do. If this does happen and they contact me, I will simply explain this to them and tell them to contact you for any records.
If you want your child’s records from their previous school, ask the school for them. Please be aware that you, the parent, have legal rights to view your child's records. By law they have to give them to you but many school office personnel are not made aware of this by school officials. Here is the state statute in case you need it:
1002.22 Education records and reports of K-12 students; rights of parents and students; notification; penalty.--
(a) Students and their parents shall have the right to access their education records, including the right to inspect and review those records.
(4) PENALTY.—If any official or employee of an institution refuses to comply with this section, the aggrieved parent or student has an immediate right to bring an action in circuit court to enforce his or her rights by injunction. Any aggrieved parent or student who brings such action and whose rights are vindicated may be awarded attorney’s fees and court costs.
If after you inform them of this and they continue to give you a problem, I will send the request, however you'll need to provide them with my contact information. It is much easier for all involved if we just skip the middle man and have the school give the records directly to you, if at all possible!
If you have sent a letter of intent to the county, establishing your Home Education Program, and want to change to the private school option, you MUST send a letter of termination to the county within 30 days of enrollment in a private school. It should be something along the lines of: “This is to notify you that the Home Education Program for Student X has been terminated. He is now enrolled in a private school.” This goes to the Superintendent or the person at the school board you sent your letter of intent to. Here is a Notice of Termination you may use if you choose. It is extremely important that you do this. If you simply stop turning in your annual report, you start the process of truancy and a truancy officer may show up at your door.
(Yes, you’re still homeschooling. You’re just doing it using the private school option instead of the HEP option.)
5. I understand that the state requires 180 days of attendance. How often does this need to be submitted?
Upon enrollment, you will receive a welcome email from me with helpful information and links to keep the process as easy as possible. Please save this email as it has everything you should need for future reference. In this email you will also receive instructions on how to turn in attendance and all other required paperwork. Please retain a copy of all attendance records you submit to HAFS. The attendance MUST be submitted quarterly, NO EXCEPTIONS. For more information, please see the Attendance information on our site. You must show 180 days of school for each school year. We are a year-round school and your school year is up to you as long as it fulfills the required 180 days of attendance. Many of our families like to follow the public school year, so for the sake of the graduating students, the 3rd quarter ends on May 31st, but for year round students I have included a 4th quarter which ends Aug 31st. As a new student, any "attendance" you have acquired elsewhere for the year will count toward your school year at HAFS. Just as if you were transferring from one public school to the next during the year, it would count toward your cumulative attendance. When filling out your attendance form each quarter please just notate those days as such in the comments section of the form.
6. What counts as days “attended”?
Depending on your philosophy about homeschooling, whether you are an unschooler or a school-at-homer or something in between, you will be more or less flexible about what "counts" as a day. This decision is completely up to you. You may decide that every day counts. You may decide that only days with more than 6 hours of book work count. You may decide on something in between. I personally think some sort of learning happens every day, so I mark every day of the year as attended for my own children. Your idea may be different and that is fine. As long as at the end of the 365 day year, you show your child has “attended” at least 180 of those days, you are good to go!
7. Do I need to be registered with the county/state if I enroll in a private school such as HAFS?
No! As a matter of fact, if you register with HAFS and your county at the same time you will more than likely get a visit from a truancy officer! When you enroll in HAFS or any private school, you do NOT need to register with the Home Education program in your county. As a registered student of HAFS you will not be recognized by the state of Florida as a home educated student, but as a private school student. (Registering with the county as a home education student AND registering with a private school is not legally required and acutally goes against the Florida State Statutes. You cannot legally be enrolled in both simultaneously. If your school or county requests it, please follow up with them concerning the law.)
However, if you are currently registered with the state home education program (via your local school board), you MUST send them a Notice of Termination within 30 days of the date of enrollment with HAFS. This is required of any student registered with the state home education program regardless of whether you choose to enroll the child in a public school, a private school, or transfer your home education program to another county. The only thing required by law is the child’s name, address and the parents’ signature on the letter stating that you are ending your “state home education program“. You may choose to tell them where you plan to enroll, or if you are moving out of state, but it is not required by law.
8. Does HAFS provide classes or curriculum?
No, we do not provide any classes or curriculum. You have complete freedom to use any curriculum you choose or you may choose none at all, that is completely up to you. A simple google search will present you with many options and choices. If you are new to homeschooling, I do suggest that you shop around and do not spend a lot on a boxed curriculum. Most seasoned homeschoolers end up using a variety of things to teach and until you learn what will work best for your family, it is best not to spend a fortune for things which may not work for you. Many companies will send you samples of their program if you request it. Join homeschooling groups and ask around, possibly purchase used or free materials. Homeschooling does not have to cost you a fortune! We are fortunate to have agreements with a couple of online programs which offer complete curriculum for little to no cost. As a student of HAFS, you do have the option of using these virtual programs. They are MobyMax and Florida Virtual School. For more information please see the webpage or inquire with us.
9. Do I have to submit something to HAFS so that my child can promoted to the next grade?
No. You as the parent/teacher decide what grade level to teach and how you will promote. Some homeschoolers do not use grade levels or promotions at all. Because we are a year-round school, you could promote each time you’ve reached your required 180 days, if you choose to do so.
10. I would like to withdraw. What happens if I decide to enroll my child back into public school, change private schools, register with my county as a homeschooler, or move out of state?
If you choose to withdraw from HAFS for any reason, please go to the Withdraw page and follow the instructions there. Please do so within 30 days of withdrawal from our program.
If you were to enroll your child in a different private school, register with the state as a home educated student or enroll in a public school, you would have to submit to the enrollment requirements of the state and/or school with which you are registering. If public school, most often your child would be tested and put in an age appropriate grade level. You may read more about this on the Florida Department of Education website.
When transferring to another school, please tell the school that your child was homeschooled under the Florida private umbrella school option. If they are told we are just a private school, they will most likely send us a records request, for which we have no records to send. Therefore, it is better for all involved, if this were avoided altogether.
11. What information does HAFS report to the State DOE about my child?
Like every other private school in Florida, HAFS is required to submit an annual report called the “Annual Database Survey”. This is done online with a follow-up notarized copy mailed to the State DOE.
With the Database Survey every private school is asked to confirm basic information about the school (address, owner’s name, whether the school is a boarding school or not, etc.) and information about the students. The information about the students is a headcount -- a count of students broken out by grade range -- that’s all. No personal information about you or your child is provided to the State DOE -- no names, no Social Security Numbers, no attendance counts -- nothing but the number of students enrolled, broken out by grade range.
12. I understand that I, the parent/guardian, handle all curriculum and educational records, etc. Other than attendance is there anything else which needs to be submitted to you at any time?
Records to be submitted within 30 days of enrollment:
1. Proof of age for children entering Kindergarten or those whom have never attended any other school ONLY (ie. certified copy of the child's birth certificate, adoption record, passport, etc.). This is not required for any other grade level.
2. Certification of school-entry health examination performed within 1 year prior to enrollment or signed statement by the parent or guardian stating objections to such examination on religious grounds. Here is a Letter of Exemption.
3. Certificate of current immunization within 1 year of submission or signed statement by the parent or guardian stating that the administration of immunization agents conflicts with their religious tenets or practices. Here is a Letter of Exemption.
13. We do not see a doctor regularly and/or we do not have the money for a doctor visit, what should we do about the required health and physical forms?
This is not a problem. The statutes state that a parent may object in writing to the health requirement because of religion. You do not have to state what religion you are. You can get a form from your local health department, or you may write a letter and sign it, scan and email it to me. You may also use our letters of exemption. There will be a link provided in your welcome email as well. Please see the link below for letters of exemption.
Letters of Exemption
14. Can my high school age student participate in public school "extracurricular" activities?
In some Florida districts it is easy to enroll in extracurricular activities. Some middle schools also allow this. However, each school and school district have been known to set their own policy. The best thing to do is ask your assigned school or district about the procedures. According to State Statutes, public school extra curriculars may be extended to private school students if said private school does not offer the desired program.
15. Do you require a statement of faith?
No, HAFS does not require a statement of faith as we are not affiliated with any outside entity, religious or secular.
16. May we register and use Florida Virtual School while enrolled with HAFS?
YES! We have an affiliation agreement with Florida Virtual School. This means that middle and high school students (6th - 12th grades) enrolled in HAFS, may register and participate in the Florida Virtual School Flex Program free of charge.
Elementary aged students in grades K-5, may also participate in the Florida Virtual School Flex Program free of charge. Please be aware that there are some differences in the requirements for the elementary program. Please visit https://flvs.net/elementary for more information.
For middle and high school students residing out of State/Country, FLVS has an option for you as well. The FLVS Global is available to you, however, there is a fee. Please visit https://flvs.net/global-school for more information.
Please keep in mind that FLVS is an option and in no way required. If you are interested in using this service, please click this link: Florida Virtual School.
When you register with FLVS, please do so as a private school student. After you choose Escambia County as your district, a drop down box will open with a list of available schools, choose Hillcrest Academy Free School. If they require a student ID number, this is your student’s social security number. (You may need to add an x to the end of the ss#) Please allow up to 48hrs for us to approve your registration.
Please be sure to email, text or message me each and every time you register for classes through FLVS. They tell you that they will inform me of your need for approval, but they do not.
*note: HAFS is not affiliated with FLVS Connections Academy or K-12, these are public schools.
17. As a student of HAFS is my high schooler able to participate in dual enrollment at our local community college?
Unfortunately, because of new legislation, we are no longer able to develop articulation agreements with colleges outside of our own school district. Your best course of action if you'd like to be able to take advantage of the dual enrollment college program is to register with your county as a homeschooler and then with the college of your choice as a homeschooled dual enrollment student. It is free of charge and a wonderful program for those wishing to pursue a college degree.
18. When my high schooled student graduates from HAFS will they be able to enter college, university or military service?
In most cases, students from HAFS have no problem entering into college, university or military service. However, it is always best to contact the institution you wish to enter to find out exactly what they require, and do so well in advance.
The only institutions from which I’ve ever encountered problems are State funded community colleges. Problems are rare, but do sometimes occur. Some have said that they will only accept students from accredited schools or they require the private school student to obtain a GED before entry. Because of these situations, I advise that you plan for college early, and if needed, withdraw from HAFS and register with the county as a homeschooler for the last year of high school.
19. Are you accredited?
No, HAFS is not accredited. In order to be accredited we would have to have critieria with which to be evaluated for accreditation. We are not a bricks and mortar school, we have no teachers (other than parents), we offer no curriculum, nor classes, etc. Therefore, we meet none of the criteria to meet accreditation standards.
20. As students of HAFS may we participate in the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program?
No, Florida Bright Futures program is not something we offer here at HAFS. If you wish to take part in the program you must do so as a home educated student by registering with your county as a home educated student. According to Bright Futures, you must have been in a REGULAR private or public school program or registered with the county as a homeschooler, for at least one year prior to registering for Bright Futures. If you think this is something you’d like to use, it is my recommendation that you NOT enroll with HAFS for your Junior or Senior years of High School. Instead, register with your county as a homeschooler for the last half of high school and you should have no problems.
21. Do you provide report cards or high school transcripts?
No, we do not provide nor keep record of report cards or high school transcripts. We do provide report cards and transcript templates you may use. There is also one in the welcome email you receive upon enrollment. You may use this one or create one yourself. Please sign as teacher/guidance counselor, then you may send it to me for for "official" signature. I do charge a small processing fee for this service. To order a signature, please go to Verification Documents page.
22. Do you accept students who live in other States/Countries?
It depends upon the home ecucation laws where you reside. If being enrolled in an out of State/Country private school is a LEGAL option for you then yes, you may enroll. Please be sure to check with your local laws for verification. We are not responsible, nor will we have any legal recourse to help you if you do not follow the laws where you reside.
23. Do I need to re-enroll annually?
As long as you are turning in attendance EACH AND EVERY quarter, then you do not have to re-enroll. The instances in which you would have to re-enroll are:
1.If you miss turning in more than one quarter’s attendance.
2.If you withdraw and would like to return to HAFS.
To re-enroll simply go to the enrollment page, fill out a new enrollment form (one per student) and email me the required documents.
24. How long does the enrollment process take?
Your enrollment begins on the date you place in the enrollment form. You have 30 days in which to email me the required documents. If you need an extention, please email me to let me know.
25. When do you accept enrollments?
HAFS is a year-round school, we accept enrollments all year.
26. We are new to homeschooling, can you give us some advice?
Certainly! My advice is to take a deep breath and RELAX! As part of HAFS, you are no longer on anyone’s timetable except your own. You have the freedom to make decisions for your family and the time to follow through with them. Your days, weeks, months and years are yours to do with what you will. Take a vacation anytime you want without worry, take time off from “school” if you choose. You will have no one hanging over your shoulder telling you what to do or how to do it!
You have your child’s best interests at heart and will need to learn to trust that your child will get what they need when they need it. Children have a natural curiosity and thirst for knowledge, they will learn whether you teach them or not! Through trial and error, you will learn what works best for you and your family. If something isn’t working, you have the freedom to change it.
You have complete freedom to use any curriculum you choose or you may choose none at all, that is completely up to you. A simple google search will present you with many options and choices. If you are new to homeschooling, I do suggest that you shop around and do not spend a lot on a boxed curriculum. Most seasoned homeschoolers end up using a variety of things to teach and until you learn what will work best for your family, it is best not to spend a fortune for things which may not work for you. Many companies will send you samples of their program if you request it. There are many options online which are completely free! I post many things on our Facebook fan page so please be sure to “like” us.
My last bit of advice is to join a local homeschool group if possible. It is always helpful to have a support system and being around like-minded people is a plus. If there are no local groups, start one! I’m sure there are others in your area who would be grateful to you. You may also join online groups as being able to connect with other home schoolers at any time is very benifecial. After enrolling with HAFS you may wish to join our private group on Facebook. To join, follow the link in your welcome email and be sure to send me a message with your real name, email address used to enroll, your student’s name and your enrollment date. That way I may verifiy your enrollment to keep the group private and secure.
27. You mentioned that we may choose to use no curriculum at all? How can we homeschool without using curriculum? Or, what is Unschooling?
For starters, as part of HAFS you have freedom and are in complete control of all educational choices and decisions. You may choose to use any educational materials you would like as long as it is not another public or private school. Co-ops, homeschool groups, community classes, private classes, tutors, etc. are all acceptable options. A simple google search will provide you with a plethora of options, many of which are at little or no cost to you.
Personally, we began our home educating journey as strict school-at-homers. Through the course of time and in educating myself on the subject, we evolved into an unschooling family. I prefer to use the term “Whole Life Learners.” I believe the term unschooling leads one to believe that we don’t “school” at all. Unschooling does not necessarily mean we don’t ever use school, it simply means we learn through living, by following our interests. We trust that in doing so that we will get what we need, when we need it. I say we because we all learn, all the time, even as grownups, we never stop! As parents, we are more facilitators than teachers. We allow the child the freedom to learn at their own pace and provide opportunities and materials by which to do so. Certainly, if enrolling in classes, co-ops or even back into school, is something the child wants or needs, then we would facilitate that as well.
For more information on unschooling, please visit my Unschooling Resourses page.
28. We are relocating to Florida soon, should we enroll now or wait until we actually move?
I do recommend that you enroll before withdrawing from your current school program so that there is no lapse in coverage. If you are not leaving immediately, please make sure we are a legal option for you in your current location before withdrawing from your current program.
29. We have moved, what do we need to do?
If you’re planning to remain enrolled with us then all you need to do is send an email containing your new address and your student(s) name.
If you need to withdraw, please go to the Withdraw page and follow the instructions there.
If you’re moving out of State and would like to remain enrolled, please check with your local home education laws to make sure that being enrolled in an out of State/Country private school is a LEGAL option for you. If it is a legal option, then there is no need to withdraw from HAFS, but of course you may if you choose. We are not responsible, nor will we have any legal recourse to help you if you do not follow the laws where you reside.
30. I missed reporting attendance, what should I do?
I you have missed only one quarter then you must wait until the next quarter’s attendance is due and turn it in immediately to avoid being out of compliance the State compulsory attendance laws.
If you have missed more than one quarter, then you are no longer enrolled and must go through the enrollment process again. Please go to our Enrollment page and follow the instructions there to re-enroll.
To avoid missing attendance in the future, please make note of the attendance due dates and set reminders for yourself to get them in before the deadline. Please do not rely on my email reminders as email is extremely unreliable. The due dates are listed on my website as well as in your welcome email you receive upon enrollment. I do understand that life gets in the way sometimes, so for that reason the forms are always open for one entire month to allow ample time to report. Please note that turning in attendance in a timely manner is your ONLY responsibility to remain enrolled and in compliance with State compulsory attendance laws. Please be sure to turn them in EACH AND EVERY quarter so you are not at risk for TRUANCY! To report attendance, you will use the Attendance page here on my website.
31. My child needs a work permit to allow working during school hours. Is this something you can provide?
Yes, for a small processing fee, I will be happy to provide you with a work permit letter. To order, please go to Verification Documents page.
32. We are currently enrolled with HAFS and we need something to prove our enrollment. Is that something you can provide?
Yes, for a small processing fee, I will be happy to provide you with a an enrollment verification letter. To order, please go to Verification Documents page.
33. I need a school Administrator to sign a document. Is this something you can provide?
Yes, for a small processing fee, I will be happy to provide you with a signature on your document. To order, please go to Verification Documents page.
34. Do you offer a High School diploma?
We do offer a regular high school diploma. It is not accredited, nor is it a GED. That being said, it is widely accepted by most schools, institution, military services, etc.
On a few occasions I have heard a publicly funded community college which did not accept it because we are not accredited. These rare occasions are the only situations which of I am aware. The best course of action would be to contact the school in question to find out exactly what they require, as all schools are different. If they require an accredited diploma then you may want to withdraw from HAFS and register with the county for the last year of High School.
35. OK, I'm ready! How do I enroll my child(ren)?
Great! We are a year-round school and accept enrollments year-round as well. So, we are here for you whenever you are ready to begin your homeschooling journey through the private school option.
To enroll please go to the enrollment tab, fill out the information, and then wait for an email from us which will contain further instructions and information. Within 48hrs of your enrollment, we will send a welcome email to the email address you provide when you enroll. This email contains valuable instructions and information which you will need to complete the enrollment process. If you do not receive this email within 48hrs of your enrollment, please check your junk or spam folder. If after one week you still have not received this email, please send an email to HAFS.org@gmail.com or call/text us at (850) 972-8099. Please understand that your child(ren) will not be officially enrolled until the entire enrollment process has been completed.
