|
The Classical Liberal Arts Academy offers flexible and affordable study programs for families around the world. Enrollment is controlled to ensure that our Admission Requirements are met by all prospective students so that they may have a realistic hope of success in the CLAA.
While we do not offer study programs based on age or grade level, it may be helpful to consider how the CLAA serves students entering at various stages with different goals.
I. PETTY SCHOOL STUDENTS
Young children who are not yet ready to begin Catechism, Grammar and Arithmetic should begin in the CLAA Petty School.
The Petty School is not concerned merely with a certain body of information, but is also intended to help students learn to work independently in the CLAA and to think of language and numbers and music as they will need to when they begin their regular courses.
We offer Petty School courses in Reading, Writing, Arithmetic and Music. More information is available on the Petty School course pages here.
II. RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Note: CLAA Religious Education courses are notrequired for enrollment in the CLAA.
Even though the CLAA is not primarily concerned with religious education, we cannot deny that there has ever been a time in history when traditional religious education was needed that in this generation. Pagans in Rome and Greece had more religious knowledge--even if imperfect--than most modern Christians do. Consider the 17th and 18th centirues, when Christian students were diligently instructed in the doctrines of their faith, whether that meant the Catholic Catechism of Trent, the Westminster Catechism, or the Thirty-Nine Articles. While there was disagreement on many individual points of faith and practice, there was also much agreement, whereas now it is impossible to know what anyone around you might believe about anything--and though there may be less disagreement and arguing, this latter situation is not better than the former. Our children should understand what the differences are and should learn, through the classical liberal arts to discuss them reasonably and patiently with a sincere concern for the Christian's common interests in the world.
Therefore, in addition to our historic Catholic catechism courses, we will be offering a course in the Westminster Catechism (Reformed Presbyterian) and on the Thirty-Nine Articles (Traditional Anglican/Episcopalian)--both of which have an historical connection to the liberal arts tradition.III. ENGLISH STUDIES
While the focus of our instruction is the classical liberal arts, students who may or may not be intended for them are welcome to study in our English Studies program, which provides a full course of study concentrating on the English language. These courses satisfy all state and college admissions requirements, but possess a superior quality of instruction and assessment than modern courses found elsewhere.
The English Scholars program may be considered an intermediate entry program for children who are intended for classical studies.
IV. CLASSICAL LIBERAL ARTS
The CLAA is ultimately dedicated to the raising masters of the classical liberal arts. The wisdom of the ancients is preserved for us in languages that are more worthy of that wisdom than our native English tongue, which has never been considered a learned man's language.
Classical scholars begin with the study of classical Grammar and Arithmetic and progress through them into the advanced liberal arts: Reasoning, Rhetoric, Geometry, Music, Astronomy, Natural Philosophy, Moral Philopsophy and Metaphysics. This course of study alone may be truly called "classical education" for it is the system of education employed throughout history in the classical academies and schools.
V. ENRICHMENT
Modern schools err in replacing core studies with too many enrichment courses. Grammar is replaced by Literature. Music Theory is replaced by Music Appreciation. Reasoning is replaced by open discussion. In the end, students are led to think they know more than they do and they are unable to enter into any work or study that they are not familiar with. They confuse "arts" with "talents" and think that whatever they can't do must be a gift from God.
In the CLAA, we maintain a healthy and necessary focus on the liberal arts and then offer students the opportunity to enjoy enrichment studies that enrich--rather than replace--a core liberal arts education.
We offer our enrichment courses cafeteria-style, offering a wide selection for students to choose as they desire. For details on available enrichment courses, see the Enrichment Course information page here.
For more information, simply contact us.
|
 |
 |
 |
|
TUITION & FEES
|
|
The CLAA enjoys the contributions of many extraordinary instructors from around the U.S. As the nature and volume of instruction varies per course, so does the cost of tuition. The cost of each course is available at the time of enrollment on our online application.
The following fees are optional, yet will determine the quality of service received by families from the CLAA staff:
1. Family Support Fee: $70/year
This fee provides a family will full access to our standard support services and is required of all famiiles. This is a first-come, first-serve system that answers parent and student questions throughout the school day by live chat and e-mail. Premium support services are available for additional fees.
2. Course Change Fee: $5
A parent wishing to make a change to a student's course of studies must pay a fee of $5 per change. Thus, if a parent wishes to move a student from one course to another, they may do so by paying a $5 transfer fee. These changes often affect accounting and instructor's payments and therefore must be attended to carefully in the CLAA office. The CLAA provides families with course descriptions and sample lessons and famlies are encouraged to avoid enrolling students in courses without due deliberation. This fee will be deducted from refunds for withdrawls
3. Premium Services
The CLAA offers a broad range of premium services to be used as parents judge necessary for their students.
|
|
REFUND POLICY
|
|
Families may withdraw a student from a course for a full refund within 30 days of enrollment. Please note our course change fee policy above.
|
|
|
FINANCIAL AID
|
|
The Classical Liberal Arts Academy is fully available to all families regardless of their financial circumstances. Generally, we make our program affordable for every family byoffering every family a 3, 6 or 10-monthpayment plan without any fees or interest.
If any family is unable to afford their children's tuition and fees using our payment plans, they are invited to submit a Charity Application which will be reviewed and judged on a case-by-case basis. We do not believe that lacking the money to pay tuition makes them eligible for financial assistance. That family may need to take time to improve their financial condition if it is in their own power to do so rather than cast their financial burdens on others, which is unjust. We review each application carefully, ask questions and collect more information when needed and make a just decision based on the specifics of each situation.
At the time of enrollment, simply select the "Financial Help" option and we will take it from there.
STUDENT RECORDS
As homeschoolers, parents can say anything they want when it comes to what their kids have done each year. That is a freedom which, like all freedoms, can be abused.
The CLAA maintains up-to-the-minute records of all student work and these are the only "official" records of what students have actually done during their time in the CLAA.
Our courses are considered individible wholes and therefore we will recognize no partial credit for any work done in any course. If/when we are contacted to verify claims made by homeschooling parents, we will verify only what student records show and will authorize no credits for any incomplete courses.
Therefore, parents must understand that bouncing around from one program to the next, will not work when it comes to CLAA studies. If a student enters, completes some work and then leaves without having completed any CLAA courses, they will receive zero credits and any attempt to record CLAA work on a homeschooling transcript will be denied. This can lead to serious issues and possibly charges of academic fraud and, therefore, we advise parents to only list completed CLAA courses on any homeschool transcripts.
|
|
