Guidelines for Admissions

The admissions policy is very important for the protection of the families involved, the teachers, and the administration of the Network. The Network is for high school level homeschoolers. If we accept students and families without qualification and a commitment to our community standards, our teachers and administrators will likely burn out quickly dealing with problems that arise. We rarely accept any student transitioning out of traditional school settings directly into homeschooling. We've found it is best for the family to homeschool for a full year so that the parent-child relationship can be strengthened.

We strive to maintain a positive environment for all families in our community. Though we do have students who represent a wide continuum of maturity, our goal is to maintain an atmosphere of relative peace and harmony. We are not equipped, nor do we have the desire to replace homeschooling authority or responsibility given to parents by God and the State of Iowa. Therefore, these are the guidelines we will use in the acceptance process for the Network:

1. The Network is not necessarily an opportunity for the bright student; but it is an opportunity for the focused student. The applicant should be characterized by diligence, perseverance, and a desire to sharpen academic skills.
   
2. The Network is looking for the truly converted teen. In other words, we expect parents to have laid a solid foundation at home and that they aren't expecting us to fulfill that duty.
   
3. We expect the applicants to be self-governing. In other words, we don't want to put a lot of rules in place to control student behavior, nor do we want to have a lot of punishments to deter kids from bad behavior.
   
4. We expect the applicants and parents to agree with our Guiding Principles and Network Policies (refer to registration steps).
   
5. We require current standardized student test scores for new students, such as SAT, PSAT, ACT, PLAN, ITBS, ITED, Stanford Achievement, or Compass (DMACC). These scores aid in determining your child’s readiness for the Network academic experience. For questions and concerns about this, contact the Network's Education Director at edu.dir.thenetworkconnection@gmail.com.
   
6. A family interview may be required to clarify the applicant’s qualifications for acceptance. This interview will address questions equally to the student and the parent.
   
7. We expect all students, parents, and teachers to agree with our Statement of Faith.
   

We desire that you prayerfully evaluate your level of commitment to the Network before you apply.