Question 1

What is a PSP?

Accepted Answer

A PSP, or Private School Satellite Program, is a legal California private school that files a Private School Affidavit (PSA) with the state.  The parent or guardian is listed as a teacher at the school, and then becomes the teacher of their own children.  Your child's enrollment in Seacliff Academy meets the compulsory attendance requirement for the state of California, and most other states as well.  If your student is enrolled in Seacliff Academy, you do not need to file any other paperwork with the state of California to homeschool your children. A high school diploma from Seacliff academy is a legal diploma in all 50 states.  Our CDS code is 44697996161947

Question 2

Does Seacliff Academy offer group classes?

Accepted Answer

All classes taken by Seacliff Academy students are arranged by the parent-teacher through a 3rd party vendor, or taught by the parent-teacher.  Seacliff Academy cannot directly offer group classes if we want to be able to offer enrollment to all students, regardless of personal health and medical choices.  Seacliff Academy fills the roll of administrator/registrar/guidance counselor, and the parent is the teacher or the curator of classes for their student/s.

Question 3

Do Seacliff Academy students need to follow a particular curriculum or course of study?

Accepted Answer

We do not require students and families to follow any set curriculum.  However, the state of California requires that all schools, both public and private, offer a general course of study to their students.  We want you to have absolute freedom to learn and teach in a manner that works for your family, so please view the following course of study in terms of what is possible for your student to learn while at Seacliff Academy.
(Grades K-6)
The adopted course of study for grades 1 to 6, inclusive, shall include instruction, beginning in grade 1 and continuing through grade 6, in the following areas of study:
(a) English, including knowledge of, and appreciation for literature and the language, as well as the skills of speaking, reading, listening, spelling, handwriting, and composition.
(b) Mathematics, including concepts, operational skills, and problem solving.
(c) Social sciences, drawing upon the disciplines of anthropology, economics, geography, history, political science, psychology, and sociology, designed to fit the maturity of the pupils.  Instruction shall provide a foundation for understanding the history, resources, development, and government of California and the United States of America; the development of the American economic system including the role of the entrepreneur and labor; the relations of persons to their human and natural environment; eastern and western cultures and civilizations; contemporary issues; and the wise use of natural resources.
(d) Science, including the biological and physical aspects, with emphasis on the processes of experimental inquiry and on the place of humans in ecological systems.
(e) Visual and performing arts, including instruction in the subjects of dance, music, theatre, and visual arts, aimed at the development of aesthetic appreciation and the skills of creative expression.
(f) Health, including instruction in the principles and practices of individual, family, and community health.
(g) Physical education, with emphasis upon the physical activities for the pupils that may be conducive to health and vigor of body and mind, for a total period of time of not less than 200 minutes each 10 schooldays, exclusive of recesses and the lunch period.
 
(Grades 7-12)
The adopted course of study for grades 7 to 12, inclusive, shall offer courses in the following areas of study:
(a) English, including knowledge of and appreciation for literature, language, and composition, and the skills of reading, listening, and speaking.
(b) Social sciences, drawing upon the disciplines of anthropology, economics, geography, history, political science, psychology, and sociology, designed to fit the maturity of the pupils.  Instruction shall provide a foundation for understanding the history, resources, development, and government of California and the United States of America; instruction in our American legal system, the operation of the juvenile and adult criminal justice systems, and the rights and duties of citizens under the criminal and civil law and the State and Federal Constitutions; the development of the American economic system, including the role of the entrepreneur and labor; the relations of persons to their human and natural environment; eastern and western cultures and civilizations; human rights issues, with particular attention to the study of the inhumanity of genocide, slavery, and the Holocaust, and contemporary issues.
(c) Foreign language or languages designed to develop a facility for understanding, speaking, reading, and writing the particular language.
(d) Physical education, with emphasis given to physical activities that are conducive to health and to vigor of body and mind, as required by Section 51222.
(e) Science, including the physical and biological aspects, with emphasis on basic concepts, theories, and processes of scientific investigation and on the place of humans in ecological systems, and with appropriate applications of the interrelation and interdependence of the sciences.
(f) Mathematics, including instruction designed to develop mathematical understandings, operational skills, and insight into problem-solving procedures.
(g) Visual and performing arts, including dance, music, theater, and visual arts, with emphasis upon development of aesthetic appreciation and the skills of creative expression.
(h) Applied arts, including instruction in the areas of consumer and homemaking education, industrial arts, general business education, or general agriculture.
(i) Career technical education designed and conducted for the purpose of preparing youth for gainful employment in the occupations and in the numbers that are appropriate to the personnel needs of the state and the community served and relevant to the career desires and needs of the pupils.
(j) Automobile driver education, designed to develop a knowledge of the provisions of the Vehicle Code and other laws of this state relating to the operation of motor vehicles, a proper acceptance of personal responsibility in traffic, a true appreciation of the causes, seriousness and consequences of traffic accidents, and to develop the knowledge and attitudes necessary for the safe operation of motor vehicles. A course in automobile driver education shall include education in the safe operation of motorcycles.

Question 4

Is Seacliff Academy Accredited?

Accepted Answer

Seacliff Academy is not accredited.  In order to hold accreditation a school must follow the curriculur and academic guidlines of the accrediting body.  This takes away the freedom for the school to allow students to learn in a way that works for them.  Not answering to an accreditation commission gives our students the freedom to learn what they want, how they want, and for how long they want, within a general course of study. 
 
While a Seacliff Academy diploma is a legal diploma in all 50 states, it is not from an accredited institution, and there may be implications for college application, some employment, or military enlistment.  While this is very rare, and the military is now legally obligated to accept homeschool students, please check with any agencies or employers you plan to work for, or military branches you want to enlist with, and make sure they accept non-accredited diplomas as proof of education.

Question 5

Will the classes I take for Seacliff Academy meet the A-G requirements for UC and CSU admission?

Accepted Answer

It depends.  College-prep classes taken through an accredited institution, accredited online school, or many dual-enrollment college classes will be A-G compliant and can also be used for your Seacliff Academy transcript. If you take all of the A-G classes in one of the above ways, you can apply by regular application to a UC or CSU, even though Seacliff Academy is not accredited.
 
If your classes taken in high school do not meet the A-G requirements, you can still apply to the Univerity of California, you just have to go about it in a different way.  The following link explains your options:
 
https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/admission-requirements/freshman-requirements/home-schooled-students.html
 
You can also attend a community college and then transfer:
 
https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/admission-requirements/transfer-requirements/

Question 6

How will attending Seacliff Academy affect my ability to apply to private universities?

Accepted Answer

From our experience, private colleges and universities love home-educated applicants.  They tend to have a passion and excitement for learning that is not always present in traditionally educated students.  Students we have mentored have been accepted at Pepperdine, University of San Diego, Biola University, Westmont, Liberty University, Cal Baptist, and Point Loma Nazarene, among others.  They have also been accepted into many university Honors programs. Every college has it's own admission requirements however, so please check with each one you are interested in attending, and see what requirements need to be met for application.

Question 7

Will attending Seacliff Academy affect my ability to play NCAA sports if I go to college straight from highschool?

Accepted Answer

No, but NCAA has very strict requirements for what a homeschool transcript must look like, what types of classes you must take, and what types of books you must read for those classes.  If you are interested in playing NCAA sports straight from high school, please orient yourself with their requirements and let the director know, so they can guide you on the right path for success.  Click on the link below to learn more about NCAA requirements for homeschoolers.
 
http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/eligibility_center/Student_Resources/Home_School_Toolkit_for_Public.pdf

Question 8

Will attending Seacliff Academy affect my ability to transfer to a public high school if I so choose?

Accepted Answer

According to California state law, no public school must give academic credit for any private school classes taken, whether from an accredited school or not.  Please check with your local high schools about their policy.

Question 9

Can I graduate from high school early if I attend Seacliff Academy?

Accepted Answer

Yes!  If you, your parents, and the director of Seacliff Academy agree as a team that you are ready to graduate from high school, we can come up with a graduation plan to help get you on to your next phase of life, beyond high school.

Question 10

How do guidance and mentoring meetings take place?

Accepted Answer

Guidance and mentoring meetings take place over Zoom, unless otherwise arranged with the director.

Question 11

What is the difference between guidance meetings and mentoring meetings

Accepted Answer

Guidance meetings are used for parents, students, and the director to meet together to plan each semester, fill out course descriptions and transcripts, update grades, and decide next steps.  Choosing Enrollment Only or 3 Meetings a Year leaves the month-to-month and week-to-week accountability and goal setting to the Parent-Teacher.  It is a great option for parents who need limited support and  want all the record keeping and filing done for them.  Families who choose the Enrollment Only option can always add on extra mentoring meetings on an "as needed" basis.
 
Mentoring meetings are weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly meetings where the student gets progress checks-in, planning and support.

Question 12

What are the requirements for high school graduation?

Accepted Answer

Students must complete the course of study that aligns with the graduation requirements for the state of California and 90 units of elective courses.

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