A Home Education Support System
Monarch Christian Academy ("MCA") is a home education support system, providing resources, relationship-building opportunities and an identity for students and families. The MCA Member ("Member") participates in four (4) athletic field days and four (4) scholastic field trips per academic cycle to promote community living and social interaction. We welcome and encourage all new home-educators to participate in scheduled extracurricular outings, recommended classroom activities and other intentional support systems by becoming a tuition free Member.MCA Membership
MCA Membership ("Membership") is available to any home-educator with students five (5) to eighteen (18) years of age. While MCA is flexible with student grade classification, all students must be at least five (5) years of age by August 1st to receive grade placement and to be eligible for Membership. MCA is a tuition free support system, but may assess a modest membership fee to help offset some of the administrative costs.(NOTE: MCA is not currently charging a membership fee at this time.)
MCA Curricula Selection
The MCA Parent-Teacher ("Teacher") is welcome to select from a variety of faith-based curricula, accredited or unaccredited, provided the selected curriculum complies with our Statement of Faith. We highly recommend Monarch Online Curriculum by Alpha Omega Publications (AOP) for first-time home-educators.(NOTE: The use of Monarch Online Curriculum by AOP is not required for Membership. MCA is not affiliated with AOP in any way.)
MCA Attendance Policy
MCA strictly adheres to the Compulsory Attendance Law ("Law") for the State of Arkansas (More Info Here) and the State of Missouri (Section 167.031, RSMo). MCA requires all Teachers to comply with the below MCA Attendance Policy ("Policy") in order to maintain active Membership:- ARKANSAS LAW: Arkansas law requires children ages 5–17 as of August 1 to attend school. If a child has not reached his or her 6th birthday by August 1, attendance requirements can be waived for one year. However, the MCA Teacher must file a kindergarten waiver using a Department of Education form. Any child who has received a high school diploma or its equivalent is no longer subject to compulsory attendance laws. The MCA Teacher must also file a Notice of Intent with the superintendent of the resident school district and agree that he or she is responsible for the education of his or her child during the time the child is home-educated. All Notices of Intent must be submitted by August 15 or five (5) school days prior to withdrawing the student during the school year. The MCA Teacher moving into a new school district during the school year must file a copy of the current year Notice of Intent with the resident school district within thirty (30) calendar days of establishing residency within the district.
- MISSOURI LAW: The Law of the State of Missouri shall mean all students seven (7) years of age (As of August 1st/MCA requirement) until seventeen (17) years of age or having successfully completed sixteen (16) credits towards high school graduation in all other cases, shall regularly attend school not less than the entire school term. Any child five (5) years of age to seven (7) years of age is not subject to the Law unless the child has been enrolled in school already; a child of said age currently enrolled shall be excused from attendance if a parent, guardian or other person having custody makes a written request that the child be dropped from Membership.
- ACADEMIC WEEK: MCA has established a four (4) day school week; each Monday shall be called “Monarch Mondays!” and is allotted for alternative activities (adjusted for holidays, other activities and "make-up" days as needed). All weekly activities and schedule adjustments are maintained via the School Calendar.
- ACADEMIC CYCLE: Each school year (academic cycle) is made up of two (2) 72-day semesters, four (4) 36-day quarter-terms, a total of 144 days of academic instruction, which includes four (4) athletic field days and four (4) scholastic field trips each year. All activities for the current Academic Cycle are maintained via the School Calendar.
- HOUR RECOMMENDATIONS: Each student shall complete a minimum of 1,000* combined instructional hours per academic cycle, which is broken down as follows:
- 600 hours in reading (130/hours), language arts (130/hours), mathematics (130/hours), social studies (130/hours) and science (130/hours);
- NOTE: At least 400 hours of those 600 hours must occur at the regular home school location.
- 260 hours in electives, i.e., music, fine art, foreign language/cultural studies, computer science/coding, website design, etc.;
- 130 hours in Bible (dual credit opportunities are available for high school students);
- 40 hours in field hours to meet the MCA social interaction requirements.
- NOTE: Travel time and student reporting can be counted toward total required hours.
MCA Records Policy
The Teacher shall be held solely responsible before the State of Arkansas or the State of Missouri for tracking and maintaining compulsory attendance records, academic achievements, grades, instructional hours and student work samples; MCA can assist with tracking academic hours by providing a personalized Monarch TimeKeeper tool, but MCA does not assume any responsibility in maintaining student records.- HISTORICAL RECORDS: All attendance records, tracking of academic achievements, grades, instructional hours and student work samples shall be kept on record by the Teacher for a minimum of four (4) years from the first year of Membership; the MCA "fiscal" year shall run from July 1 through June 30 of the following year.
- RECORD REVIEW PROCESS: If failure to comply with said Policy or misconduct is suspected under probable cause, MCA reserves the right to request compulsory attendance data and/or work samples under the Record Review Inquiry ("Inquiry") process; an Inquiry shall be solely reserved for instances when a final complaint has been made;
- First Complaint: Verbal Notice;
- Second Complaint: Written Notice;
- Third/Final Complaint: Inquiry Initiated;
- If MCA determines the Member has not complied with the Policy after the Inquiry has been completed, Membership shall be revoked for a term of one (1) academic year and shall not include the current term.
MCA Credit Hour Guidelines
Regardless of curriculum accreditation status, MCA recognizes one (1) credit hour for every 130 instructional hours in a given subject or when all course materials are successfully completed, adequately documented and the student has obtained a passing final grade of 60% (D- or 2.00 GPA) or greater.
HSLDA Legal Representation
MCA highly recommends that each Member obtain and maintain legal representation via the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), which is the trusted movement leader that makes home education possible by caring for Member families and protecting and securing the future of home-educators around the country.- HOLD HARMLESS: The Member shall hold MCA attorneys, accountants, employees, officers, directors and all other members, both active and inactive, harmless from and against all losses, costs, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses of every kind and character, as incurred, resulting from or relating to or arising out of incomplete, inaccurate or missing compulsory or academic records, including all adopted methods, processes and procedures related to record maintenance and historical data.