Admissions

The Master’s Academy admits students of any race, color, nationality, and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, nationality, or ethnic origin in the administration of our educational and admission policies or in scholarship, athletic, and other programs.

The Master’s Academy admits students who, along with their parents, desire an excellent Christian education, and who support the programs and leadership of TMA. Admission requirements include the following:

1. At least one custodial parent is a Christian who has had a life-changing salvation experience based on personal faith in the work of Christ on the cross.
2. At least one parent with whom the child lives and the incoming student must be in regular weekly (3 – 4 times per month) church attendance at a local Bible-believing evangelical Christian church. Our partnership with both the home and the church is such a priority that failure to be in regular church attendance puts the student in a position to be dismissed from the school. Independent attestation of church attendance is required upon enrollment.
3. Incoming students must have the ability to be successful in our programs and will test to determine that they are at or above grade level in reading, writing and arithmetic.
4. The Master’s Academy does not provide services to students whose educational, social and physical needs cannot be met by our existing programs, services, or staff.
5. Students must demonstrate the ability to be successful as evidenced by current and three years of prior report cards and standardized testing.
6. Students must demonstrate excellent conduct on recent and prior report cards and through teacher evaluation.
7. Students should be of high moral character and obedient to biblical principles including, but not limited to, prohibitions against fornication, drug use, alcohol use, pornography, homosexuality, occultist practices and defiance of authority.
8. TMA does not accept students who have been recently suspended, expelled, reassigned, or asked to leave another school.
9. TMA does not admit students who have been found guilty of a crime other than minor traffic violations.
10. Students who are parents, expecting a child of their own, or are married may not be enrolled at TMA.
11. Incoming students above grade three and one custodial parent of every child must sign a document annually agreeing to comply with all of the policies of TMA.
12. Falsifying or misrepresenting information in the application or enrollment process is grounds for dismissal from TMA.

ADMISSION PROCEDURES:

Interested families are asked to submit the following items to the Admissions Office:

• $75 non-refundable application fee per student (includes testing when appropriate)
• Completed application, signed in all applicable places ( *Application is where parents write their testimony, agree to our statement of faith, sign the parent financial agreement, the Pledge of Acceptance and Cooperation and review the student conduct agreement with their child) *See attached application and statement of faith
• Current report card and previous credits (from the past three years)
• Recent standardized tests (Stanford Achievement Tests, FCATs etc. from the past three years)
• Copy of birth certificate
• Current evaluations and current I.E.P if applicable
• Medical authorization form
• Student evaluation form filled out be a current or recent teacher (Mailed directly by the teacher to TMA)
• Church reference form filled out by a leader in your local church (May be mailed directly to TMA)
• Florida health forms 680* (immunization certificate) and 3040 (physical exam) may be obtained from the school student is now attending. Students entering kindergarten or a Florida school for the first time will need the permanent immunization form and current physical on file with the school office one week before the beginning of the fall term. Often times, these forms will come with your official school records.

Upon initial application review, prospective families will be contacted for testing and an interview when appropriate. For admission to the traditional classroom program at TMA, a student must be at or above grade level in core subjects and testing. Students scoring below this level may be considered for admissions to alternative classes.

Upon acceptance by The Master’s Academy, enrollment is secured when a non-refundable tuition deposit is paid.

When there is not space in a class, the student will be placed in an applicant pool and the Academy will select applicants when space becomes available.

Admissions and placement are at the sole discretion of The Master’s Academy.

PAYMENT OF FEES AND TUITION

New Student Application Fee pays for the processing of a new student’s application and any entrance testing. Only new applicants for the 2008-2009 school year pay this.

Enrollment Fees are in addition to the annual tuition and place a child on the school roster. This fee reserves a student’s place at TMA, helps to purchase textbooks and enables the academy to make financial commitments for the coming year. The Master’s Academy makes financial commitments for the 2008-   2009 academic year based on registration numbers months before the new academic year begins.

Enrollment Fees are non-refundable once they have been paid or billed. If a student on the payment plan withdraws for the 08-09 year (in writing received by the Finance Office) prior to March 1,2008  the family will not be charged the March/April installment of the enrollment fee.  If it is done prior to April 1, 2008, they will not be charged the April installment. No credits will be issued on any enrollment fees after March 31, 2008.

Open Enrollment Fees begin at the close of Express Re-enrollment (1/18/08) and are for new families and current families that missed Express Re-enrollment. Open Enrollment fees must be paid in full when registering or upon request divided into a maximum of three equal payments.

Annual Tuition pays for the cost of instruction. Grade 12 tuition is higher to supplement graduation expenses. Tuition is paid annually before June 1, 2008 or in twelve monthly payments beginning June 1, 2008 and is due on the first day of every month. 

If a student does not attend TMA or withdraws, all fees and tuition accrued through the month of withdrawal are due based on a 12 month payment plan calculated beginning in June.  

Additional Expenses may also be incurred for trips, uniforms, athletic participation fees and other activities.  All lower school students will incur an activity fee twice a year.

Late Payments are payments that are received after the first of the month. A $20 late fee will be charged if the balance is not paid by the 10th of the month. A second $20 late fee is charged if the balance is still not paid by the 20th of the month. Students may not attend classes on the first day of the following month or participate in any activities if the previous month’s balance (including any installments of next year’s re-enrollment fees) is not paid.  TMA will not guarantee a place for students whose enrollment fees or tuition payments are one month overdue.

Discounts are offered as outlined below:            

• Enrollment Fee Discounts are available for households with multiple children. The full fee is charged on the first child, additional siblings receive a $225 discount. 
• Sibling Tuition Discounts are available to households with multiple children.  The full tuition fee is charged for the first student and each additional sibling receives a $500 discount.  This discount is not applicable to the GOLD Program.  McKay and Children’s First recipients receive a percentage of the discount based on the portion that they actually pay.
• Annual Pre-Payment Discount is available to families who prepay their annual tuition prior to June 1, 2008. However, this pre-payment discount does not apply to recipients of any financial aid including McKay or Children’s First funding. You must notify the Finance Office no later than May 1, 2008 that you opt for this payment so no late fees are incurred. The 3% discount is not available on the Discovery program.

Financial Aid is available.  However, it is limited and has specific requirements. If interested in applying please contact the Finance office.  This program is based on your income tax year for 2007.  Current recipients must re-apply every year.  The deadline to turn in applications is March 31, 2008.

McKay and Children’s First recipients must contact the Finance Department by June 1, 2008 to ensure their proper enrollment in the program.

Referral Program allows current TMA families to receive a $250 credit on their October statement for each new family that they recommend to the school.  The new family must have a child that attends TMA in the fall and must reference the current TMA family on their application. The program is capped at $1,000 and is per new family, not per new student.

WITHDRAWALS/REFUNDS:

Enrollment Fees are non-refundable once they have been paid. If a student on the payment plan withdraws for a school year (in writing received by the Finance Office) prior to March 1, the family will not be charged the March/April installment of the enrollment fee. If it is done prior to April 1 they will not be charged the April installment. No credits will be issued on any enrollment fees after March 31.

Tuition payments are owed through the month in which the student withdraws, calculated on a 12 month payment plan beginning in June.