Welcome to Goshen Christian Academy

Thank you for your interest in Goshen Christian Academy. We are honored you are considering us as a partner in your child’s education. GCA is a Christ-centered umbrella school — which means you keep full authority over your curriculum, and we provide the structure, records, transcripts, and support that make your homeschool official and academically strong.

Our enrollment process is designed to be simple, personal, and prayerful. We want to get to know your family, answer your questions, and make sure GCA is the right fit for your student. We accept applications year-round, with rolling admissions for both fall and spring semesters.

What Is an Umbrella School?

An umbrella school is a private school that enrolls homeschool students, providing official school status and the administrative infrastructure families need — without dictating the curriculum they use.

As a GCA family, you:

• Choose your own curriculum and daily schedule
• Maintain your parental authority over your child’s education
• Gain access to official enrollment, record-keeping, transcripts, and diploma services
• Become part of a faith-based community of homeschool families

GCA handles the records. You handle the teaching.

Admissions Requirements

Kindergarten: Students must be 5 years old by September 1 of the enrollment year.

Grades 1–12: Students are placed based on age and previous academic records.

Statement of Cooperation: GCA welcomes students from all Christian backgrounds. At least one parent or guardian must agree to support the school’s mission and Statement of Faith. All families sign our Parent Partnership Covenant, acknowledging that instruction in our programs is taught from a biblical worldview.

Technology: For families enrolling in Goshen Tech or other online courses, students need reliable internet access, a computer or laptop, webcam, and microphone. Full technology requirements are provided upon acceptance.

Students with Learning Differences: GCA desires to serve every student God brings to us. While we are not equipped to provide formal special education services, we will review each application individually and have an honest conversation about whether our program can serve your student well. Please share any IEPs, 504 plans, or educational evaluations during the application process.

Transfer Students: We accept transfer students throughout the year. Our team will work with you to evaluate prior coursework and ensure a smooth academic transition.

Note: GCA does not require immunization or health records. Families are responsible for maintaining health records as required by their state’s homeschool laws.

Our Enrollment Process

Step 1: Submit an Application Complete our online application form. You’ll be asked to provide basic student and family information and your student’s most recent report card or transcript (if applicable). For high school students (grades 9–12), please include records from previously attended schools so we can accurately evaluate credits toward graduation.

Step 2: Introductory Call Once we receive your application, someone from our team will reach out to schedule a brief video or phone call. This is an informal conversation — we want to hear about your family, your homeschool approach, and your goals for your student. It’s also your chance to ask any questions about GCA.

Step 3: Acceptance & Enrollment We’ll communicate our admissions decision within two weeks of your application. Upon acceptance, you’ll:

• Sign the Enrollment Agreement and Parent Partnership Covenant
• Submit the enrollment fee
• Receive your GCA enrollment letter (the official documentation of your child’s enrollment)
• Get access to your student’s records portal through Stellar Academic

Step 4: Get Started We’ll send you a welcome packet with everything you need: how to submit grades and attendance, how to request transcripts, and how to reach our academic advisor when you have questions. We’re here whenever you need us.

A Note on Expectations

Goshen Christian Academy is a new school, and we want to be upfront about that. We are in our founding season — which means you would be joining us at the beginning of something we believe God is building. Our systems are in place, our commitment is real, and our care for every family is genuine. But we are not a school with decades of alumni or a large administrative staff, and we won’t pretend otherwise.

What we can promise: you will not be a number in our system. Every family who enrolls in this founding season will have a direct relationship with the people caring for their student’s records and academic journey. We are honest about what we offer and what we don’t, and we will always tell you the truth — even when the answer is “we’re still figuring that out.”

If you’re the kind of family that wants to be part of building something from the ground up, rooted in faith and designed with care, we’d love to have you with us.

Is GCA Accredited?

Goshen Christian Academy is not currently accredited by a regional or national accrediting body. We want to be upfront about what that means — and what it doesn’t.

What it means:

• Some dual-enrollment programs at community colleges require accredited school transcripts.
• Some scholarships specify accredited schools.
• A small number of colleges may request additional documentation from homeschool students attending non-accredited schools.

What it doesn’t mean:

• GCA transcripts are not recognized by colleges. In fact, many homeschool graduates from non-accredited umbrella schools are admitted to competitive universities every year. Colleges increasingly evaluate homeschool students holistically: course rigor, portfolios, standardized test scores, and essays.
• Your child’s education is inferior. Accreditation is an institutional certification process; it says nothing about the quality of your child’s learning.

What we’re doing about it: GCA is pursuing membership with the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) as an early milestone toward greater recognition. We will keep families informed as our accreditation status changes.

If accreditation is a critical requirement for your family’s situation — for example, a student planning to dual-enroll or apply to a service academy — please contact us so we can discuss whether GCA is the right fit.

Which States Does GCA Serve?

GCA is an Oklahoma-based private school operating under the laws of the State of Oklahoma. We welcome homeschool families from across the United States, but umbrella school coverage is not identical in every state, and we believe in being honest about that.

States we confidently serve: GCA enrollment is a strong fit for families in states with broad homeschool freedom, including Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, Idaho, Alaska, Arizona, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Virginia, South Carolina, and most other states with minimal or moderate homeschool oversight requirements.

States with more complex requirements: Some states require homeschool families to take steps beyond umbrella school enrollment — such as notifying the local school district or submitting specific documentation to the state. Families in these states should review their state’s requirements and contact us before enrolling. We will tell you honestly whether GCA enrollment satisfies your state’s obligations.

States where umbrella enrollment has significant limitations: New York and Pennsylvania have strict state-level oversight requirements that generally cannot be fully satisfied by enrolling with an out-of-state umbrella school alone. If you are in one of these states, please contact us first so we can have a candid conversation about what GCA can and cannot provide.

Our commitment: We will never tell you that enrolling in GCA makes you legally compliant if we’re not confident it does. Every family is responsible for understanding their own state’s homeschool laws, and we encourage you to consult your state’s homeschool association or the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) at hslda.org if you have questions.