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    Fairhope Middle School

    Homeschool and Private School Information Regarding Grade Level Placement

    In Baldwin County, grade placement for students entering our schools from non-accredited schools (as identified by the Alabama State Department of Education) is determined by student performance on validation tests that assess standards from the Alabama Courses of Study or a review of approved standardized tests. Validation tests are required for all students transferring from non-accredited homeschool programs or non-accredited private schools.  

    Students who have completed the grade level requirement and elect to take validation tests are required to earn the minimum score requirement on each test to enroll in the next grade level. Incoming 7th grade students are required to take two online validation tests, one in 6th grade Reading and one in 6th grade Math. Incoming 8th grade students are required to take an online 7th grade Reading and an online 7th grade Math test. Laptops are provided for validation testing. 

    No validation tests are timed. The validation process ends once a student scores below the minimum score. For example, Math is the first validation test administered for both incoming grade levels. Should a student score below the minimum score on the Math test, then no other validation tests are administered, and the student is placed at the previous grade level. Validation tests are not administered to students who will turn 16 years of age in 8th grade.The School Counselors are responsible for scheduling validation tests.They can be reached at 251-928-2573.

    Students who submit standardized test scores in lieu of validation tests to the BCBOE central office for review are expected to be at grade level in each core subject. Standardized test scores are required to be current if they are used for consideration for placement.

    Parents who are considering homeschool and private school programs need to be aware of the accreditation status of the programs they select. It is the responsibility of the parent to provide proof of program accreditation to the FMS Registrar. Transcripts indicating successful completion of accredited programs are also required. 

    Parents of homeschool students may visit the Alabama Course of Study website for information regarding grades 6-8 course content. Here is the link:http://alex.state.al.us/browseStand.php

    Information Regarding Local Homeschool and Private School Accreditation  

    Non-Accredited Homeschools (Require Validation Tests):

    Central Christian Homeschool in Robertsdale, AL

    Bridge Christian Academy in Magnolia Springs, AL 

    Non-Accredited Private School (Require Validation Tests):

    Bayshore Christian School, Fairhope, AL

    Accredited Homeschools: There are many online programs that are accredited, including the Baldwin County Board of Education's Virtual School.

    *This is not a complete list of non-accredited homeschool or private school programs.

    Virtual School

    Baldwin County Board of Education has an accredited online

    virtual school for 7th-12th grades.

    For information about the BCBE Virtual School, please click here. 

    For information about the state of Alabama's accredited public virtual school,

    Alabama Connections Academy, please click on the link below.

    Alabama Connections Academy

    https://www.connectionsacademy.com/alabama-virtual-school

    Procedures for Grade Placement of Students Transferring to

    Baldwin County Public Schools

    Accredited

    • Students transferring from an accredited school must be placed in the grade assigned by the school previously attended.
    • Any school/school setting not accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Alabama State Board of Education shall be considered a non-accredited school.

    Alabama recognizes the following accreditation agencies:

    AdvancEd (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools) Commission on Elementary, Middle and Secondary Schools Alpharetta, GA 30009 Phone: 888-413-3669

    http://www.advanc-ed.org/oasis2/u/par/search

    Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary Education; Commission on Secondary Schools 3624 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19104-2680 Phone: 215-662-2680 www.css-msa.org

    New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Public Elementary and Middle Schools; Commission on Public Secondary Schools; Commission on Technical and Career Institutions 209 Burlington Road, Suite 201 Bedford, MA 01730- 1433 Phone: 781-271-0022 www.neasc.org

    North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement Arizona State University P.O. Box 871008 Tempe, AZ 85287- 1008 Phone: 800-525-9517www.ncacasi.org

    Northwest Association of Accredited Schools Boise State University Education Building 1910 University Drive Boise, ID 83725-1060 Phone: 208-426-5727 www.boisestate.edu/naas

    Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Schools 533 Airport Boulevard, Suite 200 Burlingame, CA 94010-2009 Phone: 650-696-1867 www.acswasc.org