Diplomas, Transcripts, and Free World U

At the present time we have over 18,000 registered users. There are two classes of users, those taking the program for credit and those not taking it for credit. Those not taking it for credit usually use it for homework help while enrolled in another school. We are currently having discussions with the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools. NAAS is one of the premier American accreditation agencies that accredits over 2000 public, private, and special category schools throughout the United States and internationally. The NAAS accreditation process establishes rigorous quality standards and validates the educational quality of schools through on-site reviews conducted by trained volunteer evaluators.

We anticipate being accredited some time soon. All schools begin in a nonaccredited state and generally need to operate as a school for period of time before the accrediting agency grants them approval. During this period we are accepting a limited number of applications for credit. There is no charge. We require a detailed e-mail explaining why you want to attend Free World U. We also require a telephone interview with a parent or guardian and the student. The advantage of taking this for credit is that you establish transcripts which can be used to prove your academic achievement. We will also grant a high school diploma as long as you meet the requirements sometime within the next two years. At the present time we are accepting applications for credit for kindergarten through eighth grade. In another year or two we will open this up to high school.

We are currently developing online multiple-choice tests. These will be accompanied by a dashboard that will show at a glance the student's progress. At the present time we are using manual as well as oral examinations.

Our program makes even the most difficult subjects simple. We recently did a controlled study and found that on the average, students learn about seven times faster than those using classroom methods. Students with learning disorders did particularly well although we will focus on this in more detail in our next round of research.

Homeschooling parents ask us if the authorities will accept our program. States vary considerably in their strictness regarding the homeschooling process. We have not had a case yet where authorities have rejected our program, even in the more strict states. It is important to join a homeschooling group in your area. They will have gone through the process and will be happy to help you through it. It is a big mistake to go it alone. Often parents will be asked for their curriculum. You can download that from our website.

Many parents have told us that our program is an answer to prayer for homeschooling families. Parents don't have to create lesson plans or be experts. The teaching process is all laid out in meticulous detail. We not only have to write tests but elaborate software that creates an individual learning program for every student as an individual and ensures that no student gets through the program without mastering all of the material. Once we have this, and we are well on our way although it is not visible yet, we will also be able to offer detailed transcripts of work completed.

Our program is extremely well-suited for homeschooling parents in its present form. Keep in mind that homeschoolers ordinarily do not receive a high school diploma. We think that it should be possible for all serious homeschoolers to receive a high school diploma that comes from an accredited institution. That is part of our vision.