COVER SCHOOL INFORMATION

Welcome to New Hope Academy’s Cover School. If you are a homeschooling family that needs a “hands off” cover school that offers a legal homeschool covering for the state of Alabama, we are here for you! Check us out, and please call 334-361-9505 or email kathy.hayes@newhope4kids.com if you have any questions! 

We offer:

• Dual Enrollment with several Alabama colleges

• Diploma

• Graduation Ceremony

• Guidance with curriculum choices

• Low yearly fee — $45 per child per year, with a family cap of $115

Please read the following carefully before enrolling your child.

Please go to our “Cover School Forms” page OR our “Cover School Fees” page to pay online.

We believe it is the fundamental right of the parent to decide what educational program is right for their child. We encourage free thinking and creativity in our parents and students. We do not require you to submit your plans or curriculum for our approval; it is your choice and your responsibility to decide what is best for you and your child.  Click here for curriculum choices and recommendations 

New Hope Academy Cover School operates on a year-round calendar. Your holidays, classroom hours and days of operation are at your discretion. In Alabama, church schooling does not have a required number of attendance days. It is strongly suggested, however, that a church school keep attendance days close to the 175 days that are required by the state’s public schools. Attendance reports should be turned in to New Hope Academy once per year. but it is recommended.

Enrollment Age

Alabama law requires students to be enrolled in a public, private or church school home school between the ages of 6 and 17. Students turning 6 before September 1 must enroll. A student cannot leave school until he/she turns 17, unless he/she has completed all graduation requirements.

For laws and options on Alabama homeschooling, please click here: https://hslda.org/content/hs101/AL.aspx   New Hope Academy falls under Option #1. 

We will keep a file for each family. If you wish, you may submit grades and any information you deem important to your child’s education record. You MUST send in yearly subjects and averages for grades 9 through 12, as these will be part of your child’s transcript. These will also be used if you choose to return to a public or private school system. You OR New Hope Academy can issue your child a diploma upon completion of his/her high school curriculum, which includes at least a total of 24 credits. If your child will be attending college, we will work out a transcript using the information that you provide, so please keep in mind that having a good record-keeping system will be of help to our administrators and your family.

Dual Enrollment

A home schooled student may enroll in a dual enrollment college program to receive both high school and college credit. The child must be in 10th grade, have at least a “B” average, and have a recommendation from their cover school. New Hope Academy works hand-in-hand with several Alabama colleges to provide this service. Please contact the director of New Hope Academy if you are interested in this program.

We do not require a statement of faith. We trust that your family will certainly pass along your own values and religious preferences to your children.

Although membership in the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) is not required for families enrolling in our cover school, we recommend that each family join HSLDA. HSLDA provides free professional legal representation and assistance with any social service contacts and investigations related to home schooling. New Hope Academy does not have the resources to provide legal aid if needed.

The Alabama Department of Public Safety issues the driver’s licenses for all first-time drivers. You may obtain a copy of the Driver Handbook from the DPS. To apply for a driver’s permit in Alabama, your student will need the School Enrollment/Exclusion Form (DL-1/93) provided by New Hope Academy, signed by the school administrator and filled out by the parent. This form verifies that your student is enrolled in a church school. Please call the school at 334-361-9505 to request this form. There is no extra charge for this form. Do not wait until the day your child plans to take the driver’s test to request the form, as it may take up to 5 days after your initial request to receive it.

We no longer complete transcripts or report cards for homeschooled students. Unfortunately, the amount of falsified courses and grades has risen tremendously over these past two years, and New Hope cannot and will not be held responsible for certifying transcripts and report cards that contain false information.

Parents of homeschooled students are the official teachers and have every right to create and certify a transcript for their child. Public schools and colleges will accept transcripts and report cards from parents as the certifying authority. And creating a transcript or report card is not difficult!

This is one of the best sites for transcripts, especially if preparing for college. For making your own transcript, this site is helpful.

Also, here is a site for making report cards and keeping records.

New Hope Academy will still be glad to issue a diploma upon acceptance of a transcript verified by the parent. The parent will also be the certifying authority on the diploma. For students who are on an alternate course path, we will be glad to assist you with ideas for creating transcripts. However, we ourselves cannot make the transcript for you. We will continue to offer a formal graduation ceremony as well.

You can also take a look at this excellent FAQ article about homeschool diplomas.

We welcome you to New Hope Academy! We know you have made the right decision in choosing to home school your child, and we are dedicated to supporting you every step of the way. Thank you for choosing us as your cover school.