CIAS Information & Policies
BOARD OF DIRECTORS CIAS is directed by an advising board of directors, in accordance with the 501(c)(3) non-profit incorporation Florida Statutes 617 and the Florida Department of Corporations. Currently, the board of directors consists of the following persons: Julie B. Jones Director, President, Treasurer, Secretary D. Patrick Jones Director, Vice-President Michael C. Collins Director Jana Roland Director Roy G. Ward Director ACCREDITATION CIAS is fully accredited by Florida Coalition of Christian Private School Administrators, Inc. www.fccpsa.org FCCPSA is an association of Christian leaders, private school administrators, and homeschool advocate lawyers whose primary focus is providing informative leadership, and oversight to Christian private homeschools. FCCPSA has set up an administrative network throughout the state of Florida to strengthen and aid schools in accomplishing their ultimate goal: the building of godly families. CIAS is not SACS accredited. ASSOCIATIONS CIAS is a member of the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) and the Florida Parent Educators Association (FPEA) and offers FPEA membership discounts to our families. HSLDA is a non-profit advocacy organization established to defend and advance the constitutional rights of parents to direct the education of their children. HSLDA provides nationwide legal consultation, litigation lawyers, action suits, and defense counsel to members. They advocate on Capitol Hill and in state legislatures, tracking legislation and proactively introducing legislation to protect and preserve family freedoms. See their website: www.hslda.org “The Florida Parent-Educators Association (FPEA) exists solely to serve homeschooling families in Florida. The FPEA executes that mission through support for the legal right to homeschool, local school board education and interaction, support group networking, a state convention, local conferences and events, informative communications, and by giving individual encouragement.” -from www.fpea.com COMPULSORY EDUCATION LAWS The Christian Institute of Arts & Sciences upholds the compulsory school attendance laws of the state of Florida, as stated in Florida Statutes §232.01. This includes any child having "attained the age of six years by February 1...but have not attained the age of sixteen years." All CIAS teachers/parents agree to provide adult supervision for students up to an including the age of 15 during normal school hours during the school year, knowing that failure to do so constitutes child neglect under the afore mentioned laws. INQUIRIES OF TRUANCY, HRS, & STATE OFFICERS Certain precautionary measures should be taken by teacher/parents to safe-guarding of their home school. Using discretion, do not allow your children to play out of doors during school hours, answer telephone calls or talk on the telephone, answer door bells, or indulge in non-educational internet activities. If a truancy officer, HRS agent, or any other state official should ever approach you or your students, please have them contact the school office immediately for enrollment verification. Be very nice and polite, but under no circumstances should you allow them into your home without a legitimate search warrant. If difficulties persist, continue to insist on referring them to Julie Jones at the CIAS administrative office. CHANGE OF MAILING & E-MAIL ADDRESSES Parents are responsible for notifying the school office immediately of any change of address or telephone number (home or business). It is imperative that we have this information in case of emergency. Also, since we send out the quarterly report reminders by e-mail, we request that you keep us updated with your current e-mail address. GRADE REPORT CARDS Computerized report cards are sent out once a semester after two quarterly reports are turned in. If you need a report card for a specific purpose (insurance, etc.), please request them from the school office two weeks in advance. COPIES OF TESTS CIAS administration reserves the right to require any high school student to turn in copies of tests and exams at any time the administration deems it necessary. This might occur in the event that a student’s schoolwork needs additional documentation. ACHIEVEMENT TESTING Achievement testing is mandatory every year for all CIAS students grades 3-12, and is optional for grades K-2. This would include, but is not limited to, the Stanford, Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS), Test of Proficiency (TAP), California Achievement Test (CAT), ACT, or SAT. There may be a required testing for any new students who have not been given an achievement test during the previous school year. All students who do not make appropriate progress in a two-year period will not be promoted to the next grade. Graduating seniors completing an Academic or College Preparatory Diploma program must score into the Grade Equivalent tenth grade, fiftieth percentile and above to graduate. They should also take at least one of the following: ACT, SAT, TABE, or CPT. CIAS administers the Iowa tests, the ITBS, TAP, and CogAT. The ITBS is an achievement test battery, to provide a comprehensive assessment of student progress in basic skills. The TAP is a high school achievement test battery, to provide a comprehensive and objective measure of students' progress in a high school curricula. Occasionally we need to administer a CogAT, which is a cognitive abilities test, usually administered with the ITBS or TAP for students whose learning disabilities need to be identified and documented. Contact the school office for testing sources and facilities. CURRICULUM CHOICE Home educators have a wide choice of curricula available to choose from. CIAS evaluates and recommends various curricula that our families use. We have worked with most curriculums on the market and are familiar with most of their pros and cons. Depending on your child's learning style or mode, curriculum choice could even vary within your family. Curricula that are acceptable would include the following: A Beka, ACE/School of Tomorrow Paces, Alpha Omega LifePacs & Switched on Schoolhouse, Apologia, Bob Jones, BJU’s distance learning programs (Hardrive, DVD, & Satellite), Calvert, Christian Liberty Academy Satellite School, Christian Light Education, Classical curricula, Florida Virtual School, Konos, Mystery of History, Pathway, Rod & Staff, Sonlight, unit studies (especially on the elementary level), online curricula, and many others. We do not approve of the "unschooling" methodolgy. CIAS administration reserves the right to suggest curriculum change or require tutoring lessons if an enrolled student has not made adequate progress as revealed by achievement testing. KEEPING A TEACHER'S PLAN BOOK & PROPER RECORDS Every student should have a lesson plan book, recording the schoolwork that they have completed. Keeping proper lesson plans makes recording grades and attendance much easier. This can also be used as personal accountability for completion of their schoolwork assignments. As required by law, each home-educated student must keep TWO YEARS of schoolwork, books, and tests. NUMBER OF SCHOOL DAYS REQUIRED School should consist of 180 days per year and/or completion of the curriculum for one school year. Schooling constitutes any education or learning experience your child has in the following categories: academic curriculum (textbooks, unit studies, paces, or wisdom booklets); expanded studies such as field trips, family learning activities, unit study projects, library times, instrumental music lessons, physical education & sports activities, character training, extra-curricular activities, educational movies and literature, etc.; and domestic and vocational skill training Suggested hours of instruction or learning activities for grades K: 3 hours per day for 5-day week Suggested hours of instruction or learning activities for grades 1-3: 4 hours per day for 5-day week Suggested hours of instruction or learning activities for grades 4-12: 5 hours per day for 5-day week CIAS STUDENT CONDUCT CODE The Conduct Code for CIAS students is to exemplify the nature of Jesus Christ in all they say and do. See I Corinthians 8-10, Romans 14, and Leviticus 19:28. 1. I will not be dishonest; I will not lie, cheat on tests, or steal from anyone. 2. I will not be a rebel; I will honor my parents. 3. I will not engage in sexual activity or immorality, look at pornography in any form, listen to ungodly and lewd music, or watch indecent movies. 4. I will not participate in séances or dabble in witchcraft or the occult. 5. I will not get body piercings or tattoos, nor will I engage in self-mutilation. 6. Male students: I will not get my ears or any other part of my body pierced while enrolled in CIAS. 7. Female students: I will not get more than two ear piercings while enrolled in CIAS. 8. I will not use alcohol, tobacco, or drug-related substances. 9. I will not knowingly break the law. CIAS stands unabashedly for Jesus Christ. We make no apologies for living zealous and fervent lives before our God. He says that we are to be in the world but not of it. That is, even though we live in this world, we are not to be partakers of its sinful seduction by having a worldly mindset, evident in beliefs, appearance and conversation, and through participation in carnal music and entertainment. James 4:4 says, "Friendship with the world is enmity against God." Luke 9:25 says, "What does it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" PROBATION or ENROLLMENT TERMINATION POLICY CIAS reserves the privilege of setting and maintaining its own standards for conduct and enrollment. CIAS maintains the right to refuse to enroll or expel any student who violates the standards set down in the handbook and Student Conduct Code, as defined by the administration. Probation is defined as a set time, agreed upon by both CIAS Administration and the student’s parents, wherein said student performs a disciplinary exercise, completes a set amount of schoolwork, or exhibits appropriate improved behavior as delineated in a joint meeting of administration, parents, and student. Expelling a student is a serious matter and is taken with prayerful consideration at CIAS. Causes for probation and/or expulsion include but are not limited to the following reasons: 1. Not abiding by CIAS Student Conduct Code (see above). 2. Not completing schoolwork or taking tests. 3. Cheating on tests or lying. 4. Not completing enough schoolwork during a school year because of absence of parental or adult authority, family schedule, or lack of personal discipline. 5. Not attending 180 days of school during the months of August to July. 6. Breaking the law, getting arrested, getting reported to the police/HRS, or running away Please be advised that engaging in these compromising activities may terminate a student's enrollment, and the school may request a withdrawal of any student at any time. The CIAS administrators have a heartfelt concern and commitment for the students and families that we serve, and we present this guideline in the spirit of love. However, there is an additional commitment to the body of Christ and ultimately to the Lord Jesus Christ to be considered. In the light of these goals, a student's lifestyle is an important consideration. WITHDRAWING/TRANSFER OF CREDITS Should you withdraw your child from CIAS for any reason, immediately inform the school office of your intent. All outstanding tuition fees for the year must be paid and all required report forms must be delivered to the school office before cumulative files or transcripts will be released. We must receive TWO (2) WEEKS prior notice before release of file. Since CIAS is not SACS accredited, we inform all enrolling high school students that our high school credits do not transfer at face value into public school enrollment. Transferring credits must be subject to a validation process conducted by the county’s Director of Secondary Education and the receiving school principal. This may include the submitting of a portfolio and request for high school credit and/or the completion of course final examinations, according to a 09/30/02 memorandum from the School District of Escambia County. Florida Statute 6A-1.09941 also states that validation of credit can also be based on performance in classes at the receiving school, including maintenance of a GPA of 2.0. CUMULATIVE FILE RELEASE All records are confidential and will be released upon written request of the parent/legal guardian or another school official and/or upon the full payment of any outstanding bill. REFUND POLICY CIAS does not refund any consultation fees, registration or enrollment fees, quarterly or full tuition payments, or testing fees.
