Sacred Grove Academy Frequently Asked Questions

If I don't live in Alabama, can I still enroll in Sacred Grove?
Sacred Grove exists to meet a legally defined need for cover schools for homeschoolers in Alabama. Some other states may have similar requirements, in which case, families in those states are welcome to join, although we make absolutely no guarantee as to whether Sacred Grove will *actually* meet the letter of the law in those states. If it doesn't, you could simply be spending money you don't need to spend (the only side benefit, apart from the covering, is the twice-yearly newsletter), or, at the very worst, you could be putting your family at risk legally. Please do a good amount of research first (ask other homeschoolers in your state, check your state laws, etc.). We CANNOT research your state's laws for you to determine if Sacred Grove will work for you! Alabama is one of just a very few states that require families to homeschool under a church or cover school. For a summary of your state's laws, go to HSLDA. If, after looking at your laws and doing other research, you decide that Sacred Grove will in fact meet your needs legally, then by all means, you are welcome to enroll. Sacred Grove will take no responsibility for any failure on your part to properly research and follow your state's laws for homeschooling. NOTE: Sacred Grove is not a correspondence school, we do not provide or sell curriculum, we do not have a physical building, we do not have support staff. It is a legal entity whose sole purpose is to provide legal covering to Alabama families who have to enroll under a church school.

Since Sacred Grove Academy is based out of Auburn, AL, do I have to live in Auburn to be covered by Sacred Grove?
No, Sacred Grove can legally cover families anywhere within the state of Alabama.

When do I have to enroll my child in a cover school?
The compulsory ages in Alabama are from age 7-17. Therefore, you don't need to enroll your 5-year-old yet, and when your child reaches age 18, then you can un-enroll him or her. However, it seems as if "once enrolled, always in the system" prevails, so if you enrolled your 5- year-old in kindergarten, then decide to homeschool a year later, you *will* probably need to enroll.

Is Sacred Grove an accredited school?
No, it's not, and neither are any other church cover schools in Alabama.

What things are required in order to enroll?
You need to fill out the Church School Enrollment Form and the Registration Form, and mail these in with your tuition and fees (see Fees).

When am I considered "officially" enrolled?
You are considered officially enrolled when we receive the properly filled out and signed Church School Enrollment Form (CSEF) and the complete fees. If you send the form without the fees, or the fees without the form, you are NOT considered officially enrolled, and can face truancy charges if your child is not enrolled in another school.

Can you "back-date" my child's enrollment to show that we've been enrolled for say, the last month?
I'm sorry, but we absolutely cannot back-date your enrollment, even if you've been home schooling since the beginning of the school year and haven't been enrolled anywhere. To do so constitutes fraud, and both of us can get in serious trouble with the state. Your child will be considered officially enrolled when your enrollment form and fees are *received* at Sacred Grove (see above).

What if I move?
If you move out of the state of Alabama, you may stay enrolled in Sacred Grove, but it probably won't do you much good (see Question #1). If you move *within* the state of Alabama, and you move into a different public school district, you MUST send in a new Enrollment Form for the new school district, immediately. You do not have to inform the previous school district that you have moved, but you do need to let the new one know that you are enrolled in a church school; otherwise you will be subject to truancy laws.

What things are required in order to re-enroll the following year?
You MUST send in your child's attendance forms from the past year, and send the tuition (see fees) for the upcoming year, BY AUGUST 1.

How do I withdraw my child from Sacred Grove?
You can withdraw at any time during the year (no refunds will be given at any time), or the following summer when re-enrollment time comes around. Families withdraw for various reasons, including sending their children back to public school, or moving out-of-state. To withdraw, just send a notice to Sacred Grove by mail or by email, stating that you are withdrawing. An official letter to your local school superintendent will then be sent stating that you are no longer enrolled in Sacred Grove Academy.