Frequently Asked Questions

An “Umbrella School” is a term for non-campus based private schools like Ascend STEM Academy. These schools support homeschooling families and are sometimes referred to as “cover schools” because they provide legal coverage for homeschooling.

A “600 School” refers to Florida private schools that offer a homeschooling option. The term “600” refers to state statutes governing private school incorporation. Legally, there is no difference between a private school that offers a homeschooling option and one that does not.

Absolutely, as long as the private school offers a non-campus or homeschool option like Ascend STEM Academy.

No, you don’t file anything with the superintendent yourself. Once your child is enrolled with Ascend, they are a private school student rather than a home education student, and Ascend files the required notice with your school district as their school of record. For more, read Is an Umbrella School the Right Choice for Your Family?

Not at all! Each school has its unique personality, procedures, and requirements. Key differentiators include:

• Courses Taught – Does the school require a specific curriculum or can parents choose their child’s coursework?
• Philosophy – Does the school have a particular educational or religious philosophy that aligns with your family’s values and goals?
• Support – Does the school offer the level of support your family needs? Do you prefer more structure or more freedom with available support?
• Record Keeping – Does the school handle recordkeeping for you? What must you report to the school and how often? Is the reporting system easy to comply with?
• Anything else that is important to your family! Be sure to reach out to school personnel to discuss how the school may or may not align with your family’s needs and goals.

Not Ascend STEM Academy! Our annual tuition is comparable to the cost of an annual evaluation, which you would need if your child were registered with the school district as a homeschooler instead of with Ascend STEM Academy.

Every additional child enrolled in the same checkout is just $100 for the year. Every enrolled student also gets one free report card each enrollment year.

Ascend STEM Academy provides individualized compliance support, credentialed oversight of your student’s records, a diploma built to keep pace with your student’s future goals, and a resource hub with 60+ curated homeschooling resources included with enrollment.

See why families choose Ascend →

Scholarship rules differ by program and change from year to year. Read our guide, Understanding Florida School Choice Scholarships and Florida Umbrella Schools, or contact us to talk through your situation. We can provide an enrollment verification letter if your program asks for one.

Unique Abilities (FES-UA) families get 25% off enrollment. Scholarship funds can’t pay umbrella school tuition, so we discount it instead. Email proof of your FES-UA award (your award letter or a screenshot from your Step Up account) to ascendstemacademy@gmail.com and we’ll send your code.

Using PEP? PEP students can’t also be enrolled full-time in a private school, so check with Step Up For Students before choosing between PEP and umbrella enrollment.

Yes. Your first child pays the regular tuition (we apply it to your highest grade level), and every additional child enrolled in the same checkout is just $100 for the year. Two K-8 students come to $285, and a K-8 student with a high schooler comes to $300. The family price is applied automatically at checkout.

Yes. Every enrolled student gets one free Progress Report (report card) each enrollment year. Each student has their own code, REPORT- plus their student ID, shown on your family page. It applies itself at checkout when you are signed in, and it renews on the student’s enrollment anniversary. Additional reports are $20 and are delivered in 5–7 business days.

No. Each student at Ascend STEM Academy is led by their home educator, usually a parent. Home educators are free to use the curriculum of their choosing and change it when needed.

We do not mandate that our students take any form of standardized testing.

Ascend students complete 180 days of instruction per school year. That means 180 school days, not calendar days. Track them as you go on your time card.

Home educators should track attendance daily, but it’s only collected at the end of March, June, September, and December. Quarterly reminders of attendance deadlines are sent via our newsletter. Attendance is collected electronically.

Yes! Ascend STEM Academy students can take free FLVS Flex courses, with hundreds of options for grades K–12. We’ll send registration details in your Parent-Teacher Manual when you enroll.

Yes, they can. The College of Central Florida is the main option for families in Marion, Citrus and Levy counties. Families in other areas can ask their local state college about dual enrollment for private school students. See our Resources page for details.

Our diplomas are structured to mirror Florida’s state academic standards, so your student’s transcript looks familiar and credible to colleges, employers, and scholarship committees rather than like an informal homeschool record.

A student may enroll at any time. The school year for each student starts on the day of his or her enrollment and lasts 365 days. The next school year starts on the anniversary of his or her enrollment.

Yes. Enrollment is open year-round, and your child’s Ascend school year starts the day you enroll. If your child is in public school now, the withdrawal letter generator on our Enrollment page writes the notice for your current school.

Yes. Simply contact us via email to terminate enrollment. Your withdrawal will be recorded on the date that your request was sent. Ascend STEM Academy does not offer refunds if a student withdraws before his or her school year is completed. A student who withdraws from Ascend STEM Academy can enroll in public or private school or begin a course of homeschool.