HPCA

Christian Education is one of Exceeding Grace Christian Center’s (EGCC) core values. However, we believe parents are primarily responsible for directing their children’s education. We do not think parents should have to choose between a quality education for their children and the financial well-being of the families. To that end, we established Harvest Preparatory Christian Academy (HPCA) Home-school Co-op to assist families in educating their beloved children. We seek to provide a spiritually, emotionally, and physically safe environment conducive to learning.

HPCA’s Home-school Co-op is not the genesis of HPCA. Our doors initially opened in August 2006 as an affordable private school. We began with ten students of varying educational abilities (2 of which started with Individualized Educational Plans (IEP’s) from the local school district). The students used a digital learning platform from Alpha Omega Publications, known as Switched-on-Schoolhouse. The outcomes were phenomenal. The students returned to the public school system at or above grade level, including those previously behind students. The program closed after a year as recruitment proved difficult. The general public did not fully embrace the digital learning model nor encouraged self-directed learning at that time.

Things have changed drastically! As a ministry, we believe we can provide a model for this new paradigm of distance learning that other groups can implement in various settings within any community. We also seek to be a source of support for families suddenly thrust into homeschooling and those forced to embrace blended learning while their students remain enrolled in public schools.

According to Hechingerreport.com, private school tuition has increased by 53% to an average of $26,000 per year in the last decade. Yet, the median household income has increased by only 8 percent in the same time frame. Until real reform takes place in the public school sector, many parents are turning to private education to give their children the resources and experiences needed to compete in a changing society. However, private school, without access to coveted scholarships, is NOT an option for lower-income households.

Perry, Andre. “A Private School Resets Its Tuition.” The Hechinger Report, 30 Mar. 2020, hechingerreport.org/a-private-school-resets-its-tuition/.

The COVID-19 pandemic left many families skeptical about their children returning to their traditional school settings. School systems have struggled to balance social distancing requirements with caring for such a large number of students. Creating smaller, controlled learning environments alleviates many anxieties and allows us to clean and regularly sanitize surfaces, enforce personal hygiene requirements, and limit personal interactions.

By accurately ascertaining each student’s cognitive level, our facilitators can address academic deficiencies. Because students learn at their own pace, remediation can occur, and struggling students can regain their confidence.

Socialization is a vital part of child development. With the increased use of digital media in the early stages of development, children often lose the ability to interact with their peers of different backgrounds and socio-economic statuses. By allowing students to leave their homes and participate in smaller co-ops, children learn problem-solving, conflict resolution, and effective communication, all of which are paramount to human development.