ACC Home Education Ministry Umbrella Requirements and Policies

Please carefully review our requirements and policies below before applying to be a part of our umbrella program.

1) DISCIPLESHIP FOCUS

We believe that true education is far more about discipleship than it is anything else. In order to ensure all participating families are discipling their children in a God-honoring and Biblically-sound way, all participating families must align with Arundel Christian Church’s Essentials of Faith. These are core truths, found in scripture, that we should be able to align under. In non-essential matters of faith, participants have the liberty to disagree in love.

2) REGISTRATION

A New Enrollment Application must be completed upon initial enrollment or a renewal registration for returning families on an annual basis.

3) INTERVIEW

A Pre-Enrollment Interview must be conducted by ACC’s Home Education Coordinator or their representative for all newly enrolled families after an enrollment form is completed. The main purpose of the interview is to address any questions about homeschooling according to Maryland laws and to review our requirements and policies for enrolled students.

4) MARYLAND STATE LAW

Each family is responsible for abiding by the Maryland State Law requirements for homeschooling under the supervision of an umbrella such as ACC Home Education Ministry. According to the law (COMAR 13A.10.10.05), “a parent or guardian who chooses to teach a child at home shall sign a notification statement prescribed by the State Department of Education” which is called the Maryland Homeschool Notification Form, linked here. Please wait for confirmation of enrollment with ACC Home Education Ministry before you submit this form to the county.

Maryland law, ​Education Article, §7-301, Annotated Code of Maryland, Compulsory Attendance​, and ​COMAR 13A.10.10.01​ states that each child who resides in Maryland and is 5 years old or older and under 18 shall attend a public school regularly during the entire school year unless the child is otherwise receiving regular, thorough schooling during the school year in the studies usually taught in the public schools to children of the same age. Maryland recognizes nonpublic schools and home schooling as options to public school enrollment for students to receive regular, thorough instruction.” Each family shall maintain a portfolio of each child’s work that demonstrates the student has received ​regular, thorough instruction​ in each subject typically taught in public schools in your county of residence. For grades K-8, these subjects include: English, math, science, social studies, art, music, health, and physical education. For ninth through twelfth grade, courses taken for high school credit must fulfill the minimum credits to graduate:

NOTE: Anne Arundel County requirements are available here.

5) BIBLICAL EDUCATION

In addition to Maryland State requirements, ACC Home Education Ministry requires a biblical education course each year for grades K-12.

6) COMPLIANCE

If a family fails to cover the required subjects during any review by not showing “regular and thorough instruction,” as stated in COMAR, a non-compliant status will be ascribed to the family. The family will be given 30 days to make changes and become “compliant.” At the end of the 30 days, another review will take place to evaluate if the “non-compliant” status can be removed. If the family shows “regular and thorough instruction,” they will be marked compliant. If they do not show “regular and thorough” instruction after the 30 days, a registered letter will be sent from ACC Home Education Ministry to the family stating that the family is no longer under our ACC Home Education Umbrella program and will thus, be in the County’s umbrella program. ACC Home Education will inform Anne Arundel County of this change.

7) PARTICIPATION DISCRETION

ACC Home Education Ministry has sole decision-making responsibilities regarding membership in the umbrella review program. As such, ACC Home Education Ministry retains the right to deny membership to any family for any reason.

8) TAX-EXEMPT INFORMATION

Though we are ​associated with a registered tax-exempt church, fees paid for services are not tax-deductible.

9) ACCREDITATION

ACC Home Education Ministry is not an accredited school and does not issue official diplomas or transcripts. We can assist you in the formatting of creating either of these for your record.