Mission

Empowering individuals to discover paths of living and learning that support them in realizing their highest potential as human beings.

A Special Offer for E-Tap Users

The Learning Community International in conjunction with e-Tap is offering e-Tap users the opportunity to enroll with TLCI at a 15% discount. This special offer includes Discovery’s videos accessed through e-Tap lessons.

This special offer is for current e-Tap users only and does not extend to our general distance program.

A diploma from our accredited school is also available.

DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAM

TLCI’s High School Program offers a significant amount of support, including four conferences through video and/or telephone calls and three support calls as well as regular email contact annually. Families also have the opportunity to purchase additional support as needed.

The first contact is designed to help you organize a program that meets all legal and program criteria, including goal setting, finding resources that meet your child’s needs and learning style, and proper record keeping. In addition to working closely with your teen to devise a customized program, your consultant will also assist your child to assume greater responsibility for the success of his or her Individual Learning Program.

Through consistent contact and support by your consultant throughout the year, TLCI’s High School Program has demonstrated a high level of success in guiding parents and teens to develop and maintain a successful educational program customized to the needs, interests and goals of the learner. Families may have experienced struggles in helping their children access, excel and enjoy their life of learning, and look forward to moving towards confidence and success, leading to graduation from TLCI.

Individualized Learning Program of Study

While The Learning Community International continues to support learners in pursuing personal interests at all stages of enrollment, there is increased accountability to TLCI and greater responsibility by the learner for comprehensive study and record keeping for older learners and for high school. Families and/or learners may pursue a course of study using a mixture of textbooks, trade books, internships, independent study projects, visual and other media, correspondence courses, college courses, private tutors and classes, on-line study and other special programs.

Discovery Streaming Included

As part of enrollment, TLCI offers e-Tap users access to Discovery’s thousands of videos that are intergraded into the content of the curriculum at no additional cost to users.

Your TLCI Distance Consultant

Families who choose to enroll with TLCI receive superior guidance and support from the most professional home and community based educational consultants in the state. Your distance-learning consultant has years of consulting experience as well as many more years as a parent educator. Each consultant participates in training sessions quarterly, attends professional educational seminars, and also receives additional support and training electronically. Consultants also share information and experiences with each other throughout the year adding to the cumulative knowledge of all. Many possess advanced degrees, teacher certificates and educational experience in allied fields of study.

Integrity and Responsibility

The Learning Community International is very conscientious in abiding by the state law governing our program, including notifying local boards of education of our work with families in their jurisdiction and notifying them of any changes in enrollment. We interface with local jurisdictions for our out-of-state families. We take our responsibility to the law seriously. Our consultants conduct all required conference calls and scheduled contact. Our families know that we will take care of all legal and moral responsibilities so that they can educate their children with confidence and security. TLCI will disenroll any family who provides false information, fraudulent educational records, or fails to provide an educational program for their children.

Accreditation

The Learning Community International is a candidate for accreditation by the Commission for International and Trans-Regional Accreditation (CITA), and includes accreditation by Southern States High Schools. TLCI is looking forward to its final evaluation in May 2008 to achieve full accreditation.

Carnegie Units (Credit Hours)

The Learning Community International follows the internationally recognized Carnegie Units system when awarding credits to our high school learners. In this system, one credit is awarded for 120 hours (or more) of study (the e-Tap curriculum will aid with this). TLCI awards a diploma to learners who have met the minimum requirement for graduation. This includes successful completion of at least 22 credits, four of which must be English. The remaining 18 or more credits reflect the individualized program of the learner with guidance provided by TLCI.

Our graduates have been accepted by colleges, universities, military academies and private industry for over 20 years, and have an impressive track record of success in all fields of endeavor.

Program Goals

Strength-based learning is our focus and the keystone for implementing a successful learning program. The learner’s goals are developed to amplify their interests and strengths while accomplishing the tasks needed to complete their unique learning program.

The main goals of the High School Individualized Learning Program are to:

• Understand the academic/social/emotional profile of each learner in order to provide strategies that alleviate frustrations and re-ignite motivation and interest in learning.
• Provide direction in developing, documenting and evaluating the Individual Learning Plan.
• Provide guidance in resource selection and development of the learner’s ILP.
• Formulate short-term measurable goals and recognize completion as real progress towards long-term goals; give regular feedback on goal completion.
• Maximize each learner’s interest and motivation to achieve their highest potential. Systematically develop the learner’s and/or family’s ability to take increasing responsibility for all aspects of their program during their length of enrollment.
• Broaden awareness and make supportive connections with other TLCI parents and learners.
• Help families to gain the confidence and expertise needed to move successfully forward.

PROGRAM OUTLINE

There are four conference contacts scheduled in a progressively wider span of time with support contact calls scheduled between conferences. All phone and/or videoconferences are designed to determine progress, review the learning plan, and provide appropriate guidance and support.

Conference 1 (August or Sept.) – PLANNING MEETING. – Consultant discusses with learner/family to assess learner needs and interests. Design the initial Individual Learning Plan (ILP), including resources and enrichment ideas. Support with the e-Tap curriculum. Schedule next conference.

Support Contact 1 – Two weeks later

Conference 2 (Oct) – Consultant discusses with learner/family to focus learner needs and interests and continue shaping and refining the ILP, including resources and enrichment ideas. Review and modify patterns of documentation as needed. Support with the e-Tap curriculum. Schedule next conference.

Support Contact 2 – Two-four weeks later. Provide guidance for completing Semester Review Form in preparation for the Mid-Year Review (Conference #3 in January/February).

Conference 3 (Jan/Feb) – MID-YEAR REVIEW – Portfolio Review is completed at this time via discussion and reception of supporting documentation through electronic means, for example: e-mail, electronic pictures, and or materials received through postal service. Consultant discusses with learner/family to assess learner progress and to make any modification needed to the ILP, with a focus on the second semester learning goals. Schedule next conference.

Support Contact 3 Begin planning process for the next year. Schedule final conference.

Conference 4 (June) – FINAL CONFERENCE Review the year, including reviewing the Spring Semester Review form and developing High School transcripts for the year. Help learner develop next year’s Individual Learning Plan. Make determination with parent/learner’s input of appropriate program placement for the fall and the possibility of one or more additional Support Packages that provide additional conferences and guidance, if needed or requested.

High School Requirements

At a minimum, learners are required to—

• establish, (with the consultant’s guidance) and execute an educational program (ILP) for each enrolled learner (e-Tap curriculum can be the core of such a program).
• maintain an educational record / portfolio of the learner’s studies, to be used as one aspect of evaluating their program and awarding appropriate credit.
• complete Semester Review records, to be received 14 days prior to the semester review conferences, which highlight the learner’s program of study and are based upon their portfolio. The Reviews include information about materials used, a record of hours spent pursuing each study, and information detailing the educational process, along with any other pertinent information that will assist program administrators in determining proper credit for each study.
• provide samples of work completed by each enrolled learner 14 days prior to scheduled mid-year and end of year evaluations, and other times as needed.
• discuss the program with the consultant during scheduled conferences throughout the year, and other times as needed, and keep consultant up to date on any changes in learner's situation or contact information.

HIGH SCHOOL ENROLLMENT FEES

Additional Fees:

Senior Completion & Graduation Fee: $200

College/Career Guidance
College/Employer admissions guidance
Scholarship Guidance
Graduation Preparation
Transcripts mailed to institutions
Resume Creation Assistance
Letters of Recommendation
Various Forms
Diploma

Other

Transcript Creation: $500 per grade level.* This is a review of the educational record/portfolio of a learner who was homeschooled or enrolled in a homeschooling program for one or more years before enrolling in TLCI. No additional cost for transferring credits from an accredited school or TLCI recognized program. * May be higher depending on availability of records.

OPTIONAL

• Support Package: $250 — Additional conferences/contact TBD by need
• Virtual Classroom—face-to-face tutoring Price TBD by hourly package purchased

Basic Services, Support and Materials

Enrollment in an ACCREDITED private school.

Regular PHONE CONFERENCES – the educational consultant will call you a number of times throughout the year to review the program, offer support and guidance, answer all questions and address concerns.

Access to VIRTUAL CLASSROOM at a significant DISCOUNT.

TLCI handles all HOMESCHOOLING FORMS required for enrollment and registration with your local school district including contacting them if necessary.

A HIGH SCHOOL and/or K-8 electronic pdf. manual providing guidance about executing an ILP, credits, college, and record keeping.

PROFESSIONAL TRANSCRIPTS reflecting each learner’s unique program.

TRANSCRIPT CREATION from your records prior to enrollment with TLCI, if needed.*

A DIPLOMA at graduation.*

DIRECT ASSISTANCE interfacing with colleges, public schools and workplaces.

STUDENT ID card*.

School code for SAT and ACT TESTING, and guidance for success on these tests.

Enrollment DOCUMENTATION for insurance companies.

WORK PERMITS from your state authorized by TLCI.

COLLEGE CREDIT & HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT with dual enrollment.

Easy and flexible RECORD KEEPING accomplished with the materials we provide and further documented by your consultant during your conference calls.

TEACHER IDENTIFICATION card for parents. Get discounts from stores and museums.

Special e-PUBLICATIONS offering articles, interviews and other information supporting your homeschooling program.

Coming: virtual MATH & SCIENCE FAIR, PERFORMANCE & ARTS FAIR, and LEARNING FAIR.

Access to private e-GROUPS designed to provide a place where parents can find the latest information about events & resources, buy or sell materials and communicate with other TLCI families.

Years of EXPERIENCE with helping parents bring children OUT OF SCHOOL, guiding them through the adjustment period that accompanies this transition.

TLCI’s professional consultants and administrators have over TWO DECADES’ EXPERIENCE with homeschooling, including everything from “unschooling” to “traditional” curriculum studies.

(*Additional fee)