Academics at ECA

Our Mission: Etham Core Academy partners with families in a collaborative academic model to offer an exceptional education driven by core required courses for high school graduation and motivated in college preparation in an environment that is Christ centered and family focused.

Our Program Features:

Drop Off Program – 2.5 days per week
Two home study days per week
Small class sizes- 10 students max per class
Combined homeschool flexibility and parent involvement with traditional classroom instruction
Dual Credit Options Available
No Standardized Testing

Is Etham Core Academy accredited?

No, we are not. While accreditation has its advantages, it also comes with a lot of restrictions and testing requirements that are inconsistent with our homeschool philosophy.

More information on homeschooling in Manatee County can be found at manateeschools.net/homeschool

What grade levels do you offer?

We are currently a 9-12th grade program. Classes for K-8th grade are offered at our partner school Riverstone Classical Academy

Is Etham Core Academy a homeschool co-op?

Etham Core Academy is not a homeschool co-op. It is a collaborative academic model school that utilizes a non-traditional schedule and recognizes the role of parents in providing both instructional support and character training. We have blended the best attributes of the traditional classroom and the best attributes of homeschooling and combined them into a collaborative academic model that provides an excellent educational experience and parents maintain their position of influence in their child’s life.

Are parents responsible for grades and other academic records?

Parents are responsible for academic records and reviews for the county, but assignments and classroom grades are provided in addition to semester report cards. All assignments including skills practice, content review, mastery of concepts, projects, etc., are assigned and graded by the classroom teacher. Parents do have the responsibility of checking all of the student’s homework and having the student make corrections which are crucial for mastery learning, but they do not have responsibility in grading and academic records.

ECA students will meet twice a year with our guidance counselor to cater their academic progress to their university or vocational goals. High school transcripts can be provided.

Are you a university model school?

We are a collaborative academic school that offers a unique format and condensed schedule that is very similar to the schedule a student in college would experience. We partner with parents in a dual-educational setting in which students come to class on campus on Tuesdays and Thursdays to take their four core academic classes – language arts, math, history, and science. They also come for a half day on Wednesdays to take their elective required classes. On Mondays and Fridays students are at home working on assignments and projects under their parents’ direct supervision or adding to their education through extracurricular activities.

While we follow a similar structure and schedule, we are not a member of the National Association of University-Model Schools organization, who has trademarked the term “university-model school”; therefore, we are not a university-model school. If you would like more information about the NAUMS organization, please visit their website at www.umsi.org.

Have a question for us? We want to hear from you so please contact us.