FAQ

• Are students required to take all of the courses offered in their grade or may they choose some and not others?

Equip Education is mostly an all or nothing affair. Students may not enroll in some classes but not others.

• Can a student participate in Equip one day a week and continue with their regular curriculum or does Equip replace their other studies?

Equip Education replaces most other academic subjects with the exception of history. Equip Education does not include a history component so it is necessary for the family to teach that subject area outside of Equip Education.

• How many hours is a student expected to devote to Equip?

Students are typically assigned about 4 to 5 hours per day of work, 4 days a week outside of class. In other words, we assign about 16 to 20 hours of homework per week outside of class.

• How can I determine the correct academic level for my child?

Due to class scheduling it is not possible to pick a student's classes from among the different academic levels. It is necessary to pick one level and at stick to it - with one exception. We schedule Latin classes so that a student entering the program at a higher level will still have access to a Latin I class. Unless a student has successfully completed First Form Latin, the student will enter the program as a Latin I student. The main considerations for placing a student are math and science, in that order. Math is one of those subjects that really builds on itself. As a result, if a student has not had Algebra, it would not not be wise to skip that class and place a student in Geometry. Once the appropriate math level is determined, then decide if the corresponding science level is acceptable. We are happy to discuss these issues with you for greater clarity.

• How many students typically enroll?

Our class size is limited to 12 students.

• Where do you meet? What day of the week? What hours?

For 2010-2011, classes meet on Mondays in Hollywood and Fridays in Weston. The day starts at 8:30 am sharp and concludes at 4:00 pm sharp.

• How is Equip work handled if a student is traveling with their family during the academic year?

As home educators, we desire flexibility in our schedules. If a student misses class, the student is expected to do whatever is necessary to master those concepts so that the student may keep up in future classes. If a student does not turn in a homework assignment, there is no grade factored into the student's grade point average for that assignment. Therefore, the student's grade point average in the class is not affected. However, the student's percentage of work completed in the class is affected. If the student does not attend 85% of the classes and turn in 85% of the homework in each assignment category, the student will not receive a final grade for the class.

• Are parents asked to volunteer in any way?

Parents are not asked to volunteer during the class day.

• What are all of the costs involved?

Tuition for 2011/2012 is $1,900 per year. The only other real expense is books and materials. We tend to spend about $50 per class for each of the 5 classes, so books and materials will be around $250.

• Do you require both parents to be Christians? Do you require a Statement of Faith in order to enroll?

There are no religious or spiritual requirements for participation of a student. However, we declare that this program has as its main objective the building of disciples for Jesus Christ. All classes are taught from a Christian worldview and there are numerous and non-negotiable behavior and dress-code requirements.

• How much (if any) time do students spend on computers at home in order to complete assignments?

Not very much. Students will need to use a computer to complete writing assignments as necessary but there is no online instruction.

• Does your policy of 85% completion mean that a student can miss a maximum of five classes and still receive a grade?

That is correct.

• What is your start date for 2011 and your end date in 2012?

The first week of class is the week of August 22^nd, 2011. The last week of class is the week of May 14^th, 2012.

• Do students purchase texts through you? If not, how?

With the exception of higher level math classes, students do not purchase texts through us. When a student enrolls, an email is sent out with links to the best prices we can find on the materials. As home educators, many families prefer to be on their own regarding materials since they may be able to find some items at better prices from friends, at curriculum sales, or other sources. In the higher level math classes, students are charged a book fee and the book is provided.

• Do you take care of year-end testing for the state requirements or do you recommend/take care of having a certified teacher evaluate the students?

Our academic year is 34 weeks long. 33 of those weeks are instructional and the final week is comprised of standardized testing. We offer the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills on the last day of class. There is an additional fee of $40 per student which goes to the testing administrator. Equip keeps none of the $40 per student. This is a desirable way for most families to meet their end of year evaluation requirement for Florida law. However, different strategies work better for different families. We are happy to discuss your situation with you during the year so that you are able to determine if testing with us is best for your student(s).

• Must the student stay within the grade level (based on age) or are they allowed to be in a grade level based on ability?

We believe that God makes each child unique. Therefore, we do not agree with placing a student based on age. We believe that a student should matriculate at the level which allows the student to be successful and happy. As home educators, we are set free from society's idea that a certain age person should have achieved a certain academic goal.

• What happens if my student struggles academically? Is there extra help during the week?

We have two strategies for dealing with this problem. First, instructors are available through email and by telephone to answer questions during the week. If the student requires more assistance than the occasional answer to a question, an older student of the same gender will be assigned to the struggling student for assistance with the academic problem as well as mentoring in study habits, etc. Older student mentors are not paid for their tutoring but rather earn community service hours from Vanguard Ministries.