Bringing Education to Life

Frequently Asked Questions

Is New Horizons Home School Academy Accredited?

Yes, the school is fully accredited through the National Accreditation Agency. Proof of this accreditation can be provided upon request. See our accreditation page here.
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Why would I want to home school?

Although public school is available free of charge to all children, there are a variety of reasons for considering home schooling over the public educational system. First of all, home schooling works. The average SAT score for home schoolers in 2000 was 1100, compared with 1019 for the general population. In fact, a large study by the University of Maryland education researcher Lawrence Rudner showed that the average home schooler scored in the 75th percentile on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills compared with the 50th percentile for the national average. And then there are other the more personal reasons which in many cases are either just as important or more important.

The home school environment is more personalized. Traditional family values and mores are not lost or, worse, discouraged as they are in the plural, public school environment. Academic success is not viewed as "unpopular." Your child can express her/his intelligence without being a "nerd." The flexibility of scheduling and study location provides incredible freedom for the home schooling family. When a student is able to incorporate the world into her/his study environment, education comes to life. It means something to the student. And, thankfully, study loses its forced setting, completely reversing the student's attitude toward it. Rather than being something she/he must do, it becomes that which the student chooses to do. It means something to her/him.

And last, but certainly not least, a home schooled student can and does work at her/his own pace. The benefits of this fact alone can never be overstated. A classroom paced environment forces the student to work at its pace. Hence, a brilliant student can become easily bored (leading eventually to disciplinary problems)when made to stay with the slower pace of the classroom, or a student requiring more assistance on a particular subject can get rapidly lost in the learning process if having to keep up with a classroom pace that does not address her/his needs. Any way you look at it, the virtues of home schooling are certainly worth careful consideration. No matter how fine a job your local school may be capable of performing, it is nonetheless a large institution. Due to the sheer number of students it must educate and oversee, your child cannot possibly get the individual attention s/he can with home schooling. This is simple logic
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Is home schooling legal?

Yes. Home schooling is legal in all 50 states of the United States. We urge you, however, to click on this link Home Schooling Laws to visit our home schooling laws page,where you will find a link to The Home School Legal Defense Association, and will be able to check for specific regulations your state may have for home schoolers.
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Do I need approval from my local school district in order to home school?

While laws vary from state-to-state (and we recommend that you become familiar with the laws of your particular state), home schooling while enrolled in an accredited program such as ours is normally treated no differently than were you to send your child to an accredited, private school in your area. Assuming the laws in your state do not preclude this, you should be able to drop your child from her/his existing school while informing the school that s/he is enrolled in an accredited, private school.
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Does New Horizons Home School Academy℠ use a Christian-based curriculum?

No. the school is a non-denominational, non-sectarian private, home school. Our curriculum parallels the curriculum of a regular, public school. What makes our programs unique is the method of study which is presented to the student: personalized, independent, and chocked-full of student participation. Religious orientation and matters of faith are left with the parents.
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What about books? Do they cost extra?

No. The cost of the books and workbooks is included in the Registration Fee.
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Can my child complete more than one grade level in one scholastic year?

Yes. This is one of the benefits that is exclusive to home schooling. Your child's academic achievements are entirely reliant upon her/his capabilities. Once the curriculum for a particular grade level has been successfully completed, the student may continue on with the next grade level.
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How about high school? Can a student complete it in less than 4 years?

Yes. There are students attending New Horizons Home School Academy℠ with the expressed intention of completing in two or three years and moving on to college. Once the curriculum for a particular grade level has been successfully completed, the student may continue on with the next grade level at any time of the academic year.
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Can I enroll them in your school and pay for only the credits they need?

Yes. We have special programs for students needing only a few credits. Please call us toll free at 866-224-0218 to get your Graduation Quote.
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How many hours per day does my child have to study while on your program?

Some states have requirements for daily study hours. If yours is one of those states, you must follow the laws of your state. But if the state you live in does not have any such requirements, we recommend the student (depending on the age, of course) study for a minimum of 4 hours per day. This is flexible on a day-to-day basis. Even if your state of residence requires a given amount of daily study, the schedule is in your hands.
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I am a working parent. Is it possible that another guardian can help my child during the day when s/he is homeschooled, or can I teach them when I come home, or both?

Yes, the law permits you to have someone you have designated work with your child on a home schooling program. You can do this, or you can teach them when you come home. Texas laws do not require that you have a specific schedule for working with your child on home schooling, e.g., s/he can study an hour in the morning and three at night, or however best suits your schedule. We recommend your child study approximately four hours/day in order to 'stay on target' and complete a month's work in a month's time, but how you work this out is up to you.
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Do we get Report Cards?

Your child's grades are reported to you as a part of a monthly Progress Report you will be receiving.
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Are there any hidden costs?

No.
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Will my child be able to go to college?

Yes. Our credits are transferable.
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What if I recommend your school?

You will receive a $50.00 credit on your next month's tuition for any student you recommend to the school who successfully enrolls and pays their Registration & Tuition fees.
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Do you have any discount programs?

Yes. If you pay a full year's tuition at the time of enrollment, you receive a 15% discount on Registration & Tuition fees. You must pay a minimum of 9 months in order to receive this discount. Hence, if you begin mid-year, you would need to pay the remaining school month's tuition plus the tuition for sufficient month's of the following scholastic year in order to reach the 9 month's minimum. You can call one of our HomeWork Program℠ consultants toll free at 866-224-0218 for further information. We also offer a 10% discount for a semester's advanced payment. Click this link for details.
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What if my child needs help with her/his work?

Just give us a call. We'll be happy to work with you or her/him.
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Are your study programs easy to follow?

Our programs are particularly student-friendly. Unless your child is in 1st or 2nd Grade (where the child requires more guidance), s/he should be able to understand all instructions and program directions easily. Your job as a parent would be more one of schedule supervision, and insuring that your child has the right study environment to get through her/his program.
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What about Socialization?

Socialization - the home schoolers' proverbial thorn-in-the-side. It may interest you to know, first, that in 1992 psychotherapist Larry Shyers did a study while at the University of Florida in which he examined the behavior of 35 home schoolers and 35 public schoolers. He found that home schoolers were more patient. They were more open, and tended to introduce themselves to one another more. They did not fight as much, and were more prone to exchange personal information such as addresses and telephone numbers than public schoolers. In essence, they behaved quite maturely. Generally speaking, socialization is more of a success when it is a function of the family as opposed to the function of the masses. Socialization involves learning to interact appropriately, and nothing can provide this better than a strong family structure. Additionally, you have a variety of options available to help enrich your child's interactions: community recreational sports teams or clubs, the vast list of YMCA & YWCA activities, martial arts classes, to name just a few. The bottom line is that home schoolers tend to excel at anything they embark upon, and the concern that they may not receive adequate socialization is an amusing myth at best.
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Does my child need Standardized Testing?

Although this may not be the case where you live, standardized testing is a fact of life for many home schooling families. Basically, the answer lies with each state. If your state requires standardized testing, New Horizons Home School Academy℠ can arrange the necessary particulars to ensure your child receives this testing and, therefore, that there is compliance with the law. Currently, about 30 states have laws that require standardized testing. If your state of residence does not require standardized testing, then this testing becomes optional. There are parents who are eager to have their children tested, and some give no thought to it whatsoever until college plans are being considered and SATs or ACTs become an issue. (The Academy, of course, prepares all of its college bound students for their SATs and/or ACTs.) Of late, standardized testing has become a hot topic of debate both within and outside of the public educational system. A cursory review of the subject on the internet alone will render you in a virtual hotbed of strong opinions either for or against the practice. Ultimately, however, when a state requires this testing, whether for or against it, the law should be complied with. When this is not the case, the matter is firmly within your hands, and we will be more than happy to discuss the pros and cons with you in the advent of your decision making.
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I have earned all the credits which the state requires for graduation, but I didn’t pass the state’s end-of-the-year assessment test and was denied graduation

State-mandated, end-of-the-year assessment testing applies strictly to the public schooling system of education.  Private schools determine their own guidelines for high school graduation, and colleges and universities do not require that a student pass a state-mandated assessment test prior to enrollment.   NHHSA requires high school students to earn a minimum of 26 credits in order to qualify for graduation.  See High School Graduation Requirements.  Passing a state assessment test is not required.

Contact us for a review of your high school transcripts.  You may have already completed all requirements for graduation.  Colleges often refer students to our school to have either complete their high school credits or to have us issue the student’s diploma if all credit requirements have been met.
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I want to enroll my child in both the RightTrack Program℠ and the FastTrack Program℠. Is this possible?

Absolutely.  Although our programs are designed to meet the needs of the emerging student and his/her family, these programs are not mutually exclusive.  An on-campus student can also be a FastTrack Program℠ student.  As long as the requirements for the program’s enrollment are met, they can be combined.
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I’m an adult. Can I still get my high school diploma through NHHSA?

Yes!  You can study at home while on our HomeWork ProgramSM and complete the credits you need for graduation.  We may even be able to give you “life credits” for work you do or have done that allows you to meet the requirements for a particular subject.  Call us and we will review the status of your particular case.
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My child receives Social Security benefits. Can he/she be home schooled without losing those benefits?

Absolutely.  The Social Security Administration allows for students who are home schooling, and we’ll help you fill out the paperwork.
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