The FAQs Page
If your specific question is not answered here on the FAQs page, please go to Contact Us to learn how to reach DCA. Thank you.
What is Deer Chase Academy?
Who can register with DCA?
When are the enrollment dates?
How long does it take for my child to be registered?
What curriculum/books/testing methods does DCA provide?
We want to homeschool, but don't have any idea where to start. Can DCA help?
Help! I've just pulled my child from public school in the middle of the year. Now what?
We're currently enrolled in the home-education program for our school district. Do we need to notify the superintendent if we register with DCA?
Why does DCA collect birth certificates and medical records?
We wish to opt-out of the physical and immunizations on religious grounds. How do we do that?
What information does DCA provide the state concerning my child?
Will you keep my child's transcripts and issue a diploma?
Do you issue report cards?
What kind of academic program does my child need to follow?
What kind of records should I keep?
What about standardized testing and portfolio evaluations?
What do I need to provide DCA to remain in good standing with the school?
I really want to homeschool my child, but my spouse objects. What should I do?
How do I re-enroll my child for a new school year?
Do you offer discounted fees for students enrolling in the middle of an academic year?
How do we withdraw from Deer Chase Academy?
What is Deer Chase Academy?
Deer Chase Academy, (aka DCA) is a non-public school registered with the Florida Department of Education, #5277. DCA exists to serve families who choose to school their children at home, by enabling them to meet the accountability to truancy laws in the least invasive way possible. Students of DCA are considered private school students and are not bound by state homeschool laws, but rather by the regulations of the academy itself.
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Who can register with DCA?
You must be a Florida state resident to register with Deer Chase Academy. Students can be in any grade from K through 12.
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When are the enrollment dates?
Enrollment is open year round. You may begin your academic year at any time. It does not need to follow a "traditional" school year pattern. The only requirement is that your child must complete 180 days of school within one year from your start date.
If you are registering within the middle of an academic year, (for instance, if you have pulled your child from a public school after he has attended for several months), you can combine the attendance dates he has already acquired for the year from his previous schooling with the attendance dates he will now have at home. See the Annual Reporting Page for more information.
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How long does it take for my child to be registered?
Once we have received the Registration Form and applicable Fees, your child will be registered with DCA on a provisional basis. You will then have 30 days to submit a school-entry physical (dated within the previous year) and immunization records, or religious waivers for each. If DCA does not receive this documentation, your student's registration will be considered terminated.
Please note: You will not receive your teacher and student identification cards until you have completed all aspects of the registration process and are no longer under the provisional status.
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What curriculum/books/testing methods does DCA provide?
DCA does not provide nor advocate any one curriculum or teaching style. We believe these choices are best left strictly to the parents, as they know their own children's needs better than anyone else. We do have links on our Curriculum Ideas Page to on-line stores that sell various curriculum packages, as well as an entire section dedicated to free curriculum sources found on the internet.
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We want to homeschool, but don't have any idea where to start. Can DCA help?
Just getting started can be daunting, at the very least. We highly recommend the following two sites:
The Homeschool Mom's Guide to New Homeschoolers and The Florida Parent-Educators Association's Guide to Homeschooling. Just remember, as a DCA student, you are not subject to the homeschooler accountability laws you will find listed in these publications.
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Help! I've just pulled my child from public school in the middle of the year. Now what?
First, sit back and take a deep breath. We know the decision to homeschool was not made lightly. Whatever reason or reasons propelled you to jump into homeschooling mid-year, we know you already realize you have your work cut out for you. To start, don't panic! If you are completely brand new to homeschooling, or only have a limited understanding of what schooling at home involves, it can be an extremely overwhelming task. Please read the information provided in the links in the previous question to start. Also, before rushing out to buy a curriculum package that may not suit your needs, take some time to read over the information provided on the Curriculum Ideas Page. And remember, you may contact the registrar at any time to discuss your individual situation.
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We're currently enrolled in the home-education program for our school district. Do we need to notify the superintendent if we register with DCA?
Yes. You need to send written notice to your district superintendent, indicating that you are terminating your homeschool program. The FPEA provides This Termination Letter example.
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Why does DCA collect birth certificates and medical records?
Although it seems strange, considering your child will never be setting foot on a DCA campus, we still must, by law, collect this information as we are considered a private school and therefore bound by private school regulations.
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We wish to opt-out of the physical and immunizations on religious grounds. How do we do that?
Please see the Religious Waiver page for instructions.
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What information does DCA provide the state concerning my child?
Name, address, age/grade, and attendance. That's it. The state does not require anything further, such as curriculum lists or test scores. We do not collect such information from you and therefore do not share it with anyone else. Also, while we must hold your immunization records, physicals, and birth certificates (for proof of age), this information is not sent on to the state. We can, however, be compelled to produce these documents in the case of an inspection by a state official.
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Will you keep my child's transcripts and issue a diploma?
No. We are not accredited through any recognized organization. While certainly having "official" documentation may make things easier if/when your child enters a more traditional school institution, accurate, detailed record keeping on your part serves the purpose of "proving" your child's educational instruction. Please see Homeschool Helps for more information, including blank transcript forms you may use for high-school age students.
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Do you issue report cards?
Again, no, for the same reason listed in the previous question. We do, however, provide blank forms on our Homeschool Helps Page for grade reports by semester/subject and by year.
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What kind of academic program does my child need to follow?
Your child needs to follow whatever program you choose. Unlike in a public school setting, where parents are not allowed any input in their child's education, we believe you are the person who can best make that decision.
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What kind of records should I keep?
By law, you need only provide us with a yearly Attendance Log. However, we strongly advise you to keep a school portfolio. More information on portfolio's can be found in Homeschool Helps.
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What about standardized testing and portfolio evaluations?
While families enrolled within the home-education program within their district need to submit one or the other of these things, they are not required for Deer Chase Academy students. You may wish to have your child tested or have his portfolio evaluated, but you need only do so if you choose to do it.
If you would like to have your child take a standardized test simply to assess his skills for your own reference, the state of Texas allows for the free download of their tests and includes the answer keys. They have also added a section of interactive on-line versions of their tests that are self-scoring.
Texas Standardized Tests.
If you do not have your child regularly tested, this can be good practice for him as he may eventually wish to take the SAT or ACT tests for college admissions.
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What do I need to provide DCA to remain in good standing with the school?
You simply must submit your yearly Attendance Log, plus, if you choose to re-enroll, we will need Re-enrollment Forms and appropriate Fees.
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I really want to homeschool my child, but my spouse objects. What should I do?
Homeschooling without the approval of both parents is extremely difficult. That said, often objections are based on three basic beliefs. 1) The children will be deprived socially. 2) It costs too much. 3) The children can't possibly get an education at home as "good" as the one they receive at a brick-and-mortar school.
The best way to combat the objections is through a combination of research and "Mock Homeschooling". Start with reading up on homeschooling on-line and through books from your local library. Look into area support groups and co-ops. They provide great opportunities for "socializing" and can point you in the direction of special homeschool programs in your area, such as museum days and music lessons. If cost is a consideration, research such topics as "homeschooling on a shoestring". Also, see our Curriculum Ideas Page for links to many great websites that provide free resources, e-books, and lesson plans for you to download and print or read on-line.
You may also want to consider having a Homeschool Trial with your children. In the evenings or on the weekends, conduct a study of a certain subject to demonstrate how homeschooling could work for your family.
If your spouse is agreeable enough, you may also want to ask him/her to read up on the subject. In particular, try this book: Homeschoolers' Success Stories.
There may be many other reasons why one spouse objects to the idea of homeschooling. It is not a decision to take on without very careful consideration and it is best if both parents are in agreement before homeschooling begins, if only that the agreement is to a trial period to determine how it will work for the family.
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How do I re-enroll my child for a new school year?
If you are in current good standing with DCA and have submitted your final Attendance Log for your current school year, enrollment simply involves completing the Re-Enrollment Form and submitting the applicable Fees. If you like, re-enrollment can be submitted at the same time as your final attendance year-end report, even if you intend to take some time off as a break between school years. Simply note on your re-enrollment form your planned start date of your new academic year and that will be the date from which your new attendance requirements will begin.
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Do you offer discounted fees for students enrolling in the middle of an academic year?
DCA does not discount registration fees, even if your child is enrolling in the middle of an academic year. Because our fees remain the same for printing, record keeping, mail-outs and reporting, and we've kept our fees as low as possible, we cannot offer further discount. If yours is an extreme financial hard-ship case, please e-mail the registrar to discuss possible fee waivers.
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How do we withdraw from Deer Chase Academy?
While we'll be truly sorry to see you go, we understand that there are various reasons why you would no longer need or want to be registered with Deer Chase Academy. In order to withdraw your child, please submit a written, signed letter with the name and grade of your child, requesting that he be removed from our program. (You do not need to provide a reason unless you wish to do so.) We apologize, but we cannot refund your fees.
You may mail your letter to:
Deer Chase Academy
338 Erie Drive
Kissimmee, FL. 34759.
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