How British Columbia Families Can Enroll at Enlightium Academy

Enlightium Academy is an approved private Christian school that is accredited by Cognia and the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). Enlightium has served homeschool, online, and co-op school students in K-12 since 2003. As K-12 education policies are different in each country, it is a parental responsibility to check on their country’s homeschool requirements and fulfill them as applicable. To assist parents with this process, Enlightium provides basic information about some country’s requirements. Parents are also encouraged to review their country’s requirements at hslda.org/legal and/or the British Columbia Ministry of Education and Child Care, as educational policies are subject to change over time.

Homeschooling is legal in many countries; however, with the freedom to educational opportunities comes a responsibility to understand and fulfill legal requirements. This can be worrisome, yet you’re not alone in this endeavor. Enlightium Academy is here to help! 

Please note that the resources below serve as a starting point for your family; it is important that you research British Columbia's homeschooling requirements.

 

British Columbia, Canada’s Homeschooling Requirements at a Glance

Country Educational Funds	No
Does the Parent Need to Notify the Country?	Yes
Academic Calendar Requirement	No
Subjects Required	No
Age Requirement	5-16
Instructor Qualifications	No
Standardized Assessment	No
Immunization Requirement	No
Keep a Portfolio	Recommended by Enlightium
Enlightium Parents App with Group for British Columbia Families	Yes

 

Country Educational Funds

Parents in British Columbia are required to notify the British Columbia Ministry of Education and Child Care of their intent to homeschool. This should be done by September 30th of each year.

It appears that the process to register as a homeschooling family is to contact a school in your area; you can find a list of schools at which you can register here.

 

Notifying the Country

Parents in the British Columbia Ministry of Education and Child Care are required to notify British Columbia of their intent to homeschool. This should be done by September 30th of each year.

It appears that the process to register as a homeschooling family is to contact a school in your area; you can find a list of schools at which you can register here.

 

Calendar Requirements

The British Columbia Ministry of Education and Child Care does not require a certain number of days or hours of instruction each year.

Enlightium’s school calendar has 180 school days (around 210 days with summer school). Additionally, students have access to the courses 24/7 for most days of the school year.

 

Required Subjects

The British Columbia Ministry of Education and Child Care does not appear to require students to take specific courses.

After you enroll/re-enroll and before your student starts courses at Enlightium Academy, your student’s counselor will send you an email with a recommended course schedule consisting of core courses and, if applicable, courses that fulfill Enlightium’s graduation requirements. Your student can also select from Enlightium’s elective courses.

 

Age Requirement

Ages four or younger:

Students are not required to attend school but can enroll in primary school at Enlightium Academy to have a head start and be ready for Kindergarten.

Aged five through 16:

Students must continue their education at a school of their parent’s choice until they either graduate or turn 16. This includes homeschooling with Enlightium Academy.

 

Instructor Qualifications

The British Columbia Ministry of Education and Child Care does not appear to require the instructor to have specific credentials.

As a part of Enlightium Academy’s dual accreditation, Enlightium teachers are state and/or ACSI-certified. A number of our faculty members have Master's and Doctorate degrees in their fields.

Students in the Homeschool Program (grades PreK-8) use book-based Christian curricula from AOP and BJU Press, while students in the Online Program (grades 3–12) use the digital Christian curriculum, “Ignitia”. Finally, students in the Sapphire Live program (grades 1-12) use a collection of the best curriculum options on the market. Each curriculum includes Bible, English, math, science, social studies, and electives courses. Click here to learn about the curriculum used at Enlightium Academy and to find the curriculum option that works best for your family.

 

Standardized Assessment

The British Columbia Ministry of Education and Child Care does not require a standardized test for homeschooled students. However, Enlightium provides multiple assessment options to help you see how your student is progressing per a given grade level:

• Grades PreK-8: IXL diagnostic assessments or Iowa Complete Annual Assessment; you can also opt out of an assessment
• Grades 9-12: Guidance for college-preparatory assessments such as the PSAT, SAT and/or ACT

 

Keep a Portfolio

You may need to provide your country with additional information, so please keep a digital record every year you are enrolled at Enlightium Academy, which should include:

• Attendance - Enlightium provides your family with weekly progress reports. You can screenshot the details in these emails to show attendance.
• Curriculum information and samples - Enlightium provides its families with both curriculum overviews by grade level and samples by course.
• Course plans - Enlightium Academy counselors provide them during the enrollment/re-enrollment process based on the student’s grade level: primary school (PreK-2), elementary school (3-5), middle school (6-8), and high school (9-12).
• Grades - Enlightium provides report cards for all students at the end of each quarter. Transcripts are available upon request.
• Test scores - This can include occasional screenshots of test scores and/or standardized assessment scores.
• Academic Awards - Enlightium provides qualifying students with certificates for Honor Roll, Scholar’s List, Dean’s List, and the Presidential Award.
• Social/Competition Achievements - Enlightium holds social events and competitions throughout the school year, such as art competitions and spelling bees.

 

Enlightium Parents App with Group for British Columbia, Canada Families

Enlightium Academy has an app and desktop platform for families of currently enrolled students. Within this app is a group just for families living in Canada to inform and support each other in fulfilling your country’s homeschooling requirements. 

Your family will be added to this group upon enrolling at Enlightium and downloading the Enlightium Parents app (which is provided upon enrollment).

 

Ready to Enroll at Enlightium Academy?

1. Explore Enlightium Academy’s website
2. If you have any questions:
   1. Chat with a team member
   2. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
   3. Call (866) 488-4818 option 2
3. Ready to enroll? Click here to start the enrollment process, and select the “Enroll Now” button.

 

Enlightium Academy is a private Christian online school that serves homeschooling families by offering a Bible-based, flexible, accredited, teacher-supported, and affordable education from the comfort of your home. For any other questions about Enlightium, please call (509) 319-2288, or visit EnlightiumSchool.com.

We review country requirements and regulations annually; however, each country may update its guidelines more frequently. If you have additional questions, please contact your country’s board of education.

 

 

Sources reviewed in September 2024:

• https://hslda.org/post/canada 
• https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/k-12/administration/legislation-policy/independent-schools/homeschooling
• https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/kindergarten-to-grade-12/support/homeschooling/homeschooling-procedures-and-guidelines.pdf