Credits: Definition and Requirements
The three high school graduation options were revised for students who began the ninth grade in the 2007-2008 academic year. Students enrolled in Families of Faith Christian Academy at the High School level must complete one of those options to be awarded a high school diploma. All credits will be awarded on the basis of a half credit for passing a semester unit of work. We follow the credit standard of 75 hours of academic content per half credit. For most students this is done over 90 days in a semester. The courses or subjects specified in these guides are required for graduation. These are the State of Florida minimum guidelines followed by public schools in Florida. There shall be no substitution or waiver of these requirements for any student except as provided under the alternative programs for graduation or upon written statement from a licensed physician certifying that the course will be physically or mentally harmful to the student.
Testing and Certification of Credits
All high school students enrolled in Families of Faith Christian Academy are required to take a standardized placement test or staff evaluation yearly before credits will be transferred to the student’s official transcript. Testing options include the College Boards, SAT I, or ACT (also required for Bright Futures and most colleges), the BASI (Basic Achievement Skills Inventory). The only exception to testing or actual work review is for credits earned through dual enrollment, the Florida Virtual School, or other pre-approved academic programs.
BASI: Basic Achievement Skills Inventory:
The BASI is a newer test that is on the State of Florida’s approved list for students using the Corporate Tax Scholarship to pay tuition in private schools. Because of its approved status with the state, Polk County has approved it for end-of-the-year evaluations for county-registered homeschoolers. Other counties may accept it, as well, but parents should verify its acceptance before scheduling testing. FFCA offers this test to homeschoolers at a cost of $49. Students enrolled in FFCA do not pay a testing fee; it is a part of the registration and tuition fees you already pay. The BASI has three clear advantages over previous tests used by FFCA students. The first advantage is the time it takes to test. Most students complete the entire battery in about three hours, including instruction time, sample questions and short breaks. The second advantage is that computer-generated reports are available locally instead of having to be grouped and mailed off for scoring. And, lastly, it can be taken at any time during the year instead of just a few weeks during the normed testing period.
SAT: Scholastic Aptitude Test www.satstudent.org
(They have subject tests as well. The SAT I or reasoning test is referred to here.)
ACT: American College Test www.act.org
These are the two college entrance exams that colleges and scholarship organizations want to see. Most colleges in the country require one of the two; some, Florida Bright Futures, for example, will use scores from either test. If using the SAT I or ACT, the school’s “code number” is 100-829. Registration booklets, which also list the six test dates, as well as testing locations, are available at the school office in the fall of each year for either of these tests. However, most students register online because it is much more efficient.
Only students at the high school level are required to submit a test to the school each year because we are issuing credits for the classes they have completed. High schoolers that have finished Algebra I and are planning to attend college may prefer to use the SAT I or ACT instead of the BASI. All college-bound Juniors should take one as practice, and Seniors should take them again to raise their score as high as possible. Many students take these tests two or three times a year while in high school hoping to increase their score for college admission.
To sign up for either of these tests use the FFCA school code: 100-829, from either of the test’s web sites where you will be directed through the registration process including choosing of a testing location near you. (www.sat.org, which directs you to www.collegeboard.com or www.act.org)