Admissions Policy

General Policy

Admission to Dayspring Christian Academy (DCA) is based on the following criteria:

The student and the family must demonstrate a desire to receive an education that is built upon an openly evangelical Christian perspective that asserts the lordship of Jesus Christ in everyday living and the authority of Scripture to establish moral guidelines for righteous living.

The student must demonstrate academic competence as indicated by previous grades, achievement tests, and a placement test used to determine grade level performance. The school must determine if it can provide a program and environment that will meet the student’s academic needs and develop the student’s academic potential.

The student and the family must give evidence of a willingness to submit to the policies and procedures of DCA.

Finally, students who have had repeated disciplinary problems, have had a suspension or expulsion from other schools or who have more than one failing grade on their most recent report card will not normally be admitted to DCA.

DCA admits students of any gender, race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, athletic and other school-administered programs.

Application Procedure 

To seek admission to DCA, please adhere to the following guidelines:

  1. Fill out an application in its entirety, leaving no questions blank.
  2. Give the Pastoral Reference Form to a pastor, elder, or other recognized leader in the local church you attend, as applicable. The completed form should be faxed or mailed directly to the admissions coordinator by the reviewer, NOT delivered by the applicant. A pastoral reference is required from a pastor for each student applying to DCA.
  3. Elementary school applicants: Give one Teacher Recommendation Form to a current teacher for each applicant. Middle school applicants: Teacher Recommendation Forms must be given to three current academic teachers and/or the administrator. The completed form(s) should be faxed or mailed directly to the admissions coordinator by the reviewer, NOT delivered by the applicant.
  4. Submit the following required information to the admissions coordinator:
    • Completed application with student photograph, including the signed Application Checklist, written personal testimony of Christian parents, written personal testimony of student if entering 6th-8th grades, along with the signed Agreement of Cooperation, Grievance Covenant, Doctrinal Statement of Faith, Student Code of Conduct (MS & HS only), Tuition Agreement and Authorization of Release of Records
    • Current immunization records (or notarized Conscientious Objection Form), and three DCA medical forms
    • Certified copy of your child’s official birth certificate and a copy of their social security card
    • Current year academic records (most recent report card, plus two full years of academic records and standardized test scores, and official transcript for all high school applicants, and
    • a $100.00 non-refundable/non-transferable application fee.
  5. Any student with a known or suspected learning difference/disability must be communicated to DCA in the application process. Please be assured that DCA does not share such information without parent knowledge and permission. DCA also does not in any way allow a disability to stigmatize a student. While DCA cannot accommodate all learning differences/disabilities, the school is committed to assist students as much as possible given the available resources. It is imperative that parents honestly disclose all known or suspected learning differences/disabilities to ensure whether or not DCA can meet the child’s specific needs.
  6. Families who have a financial obligation/indebtedness to another school may be denied admission to DCA.
  7. Students having been expelled, under suspension at another school, or who have discipline issues at another school are not normally eligible to enroll at DCA. It is suggested that such a student return to their school as soon as possible, placing themselves under the school’s authority. Only after submission, reconciliation, and after a heart change has taken place may a student apply to DCA.
  8. DCA is an open enrollment school, meaning that a family wanting to enroll their child at DCA may do so with or without a Christian testimony; however, they must respect our goal to create a uniquely Christian and spiritual environment and agree to abide by all school policies and procedures. DCA reserves the right and sole discretion to refuse admission of an applicant, or discontinue enrollment of a student if the attitude, activities, conduct, or lifestyle of the student or family are counter to, or are in opposition to God’s word, the school’s philosophy, mission, or purpose.
  9. A prospective student who does not want to attend DCA or who has a resistant spirit regarding attending DCA will not be accepted.
  10. Enrollment of new 12th grade students at the beginning of the year is normally limited to students relocating to the area and who are transferring from a Christian school with good references and grades. An exception would be a Christian family relocating from an area where no Christian school is available.
  11. DCA adheres to the following guidelines for entrance age into Preschool and Kindergarten. A student must be at least three (3) years of age by August 31st for the three (3) year old preschool class. A student must be at least four (4) years of age by August 31st for the four (4) year old preschool class. A student must be at least five (5) years of age by August 31st for the kindergarten class.
  12. Upon review of the application, those who qualify for admission will be contacted to schedule a Student Shadow Day and a personal interview with the principal. Both parents and the prospective student(s) are required to attend. Placement testing is required of all applicants, and will be done at this time if it has not already been done on a student shadowing/visitation day.
  13. Upon acceptance of your student to DCA, the enrollment fee and completed enrollment documents must be returned to the office promptly to secure a place for the applicant.

Enrollment

Upon acceptance, an enrollment packet will be provided detailing the financial arrangements and documentation that must be completed. A student is not considered enrolled, and a place will not be secured in a class, until all required fees are paid, all documents are completed and signed, and all immunizations are current and on file.

Accreditation

DCA is fully accredited with the Association of Christian Teachers and Schools (ACTS) and is a member of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI).

Transfer Students

High School Transfer Students: When considering a transfer student for enrollment, a determination must be made whether Dayspring Christian Academy(DCA) can meet the course and graduation requirements of the individual student within an acceptable time frame. If the school is unable to meet the course requirements for graduation within an acceptable time frame, the student may not be accepted.

The administration will determine if previous coursework will be given credit, and if credit is given whether the grade for that course will be included in the student’s GPA. Course work from a recognized accredited school is usually given credit and included in the GPA. Credit for course work from a home school, non-traditional and/or a non-accredited school is determined on an individual basis. Dayspring Christian Academy will follow its own guidelines for use of courses in determining a student’s GPA regardless of the previous school’s criteria.

For all students who transfer to Dayspring Christian Academy during a grading period (9 week quarter) the grades the student brings with him/her (the withdrawal grades from the previous school in the courses equivalent to Dayspring Christian Academy courses) will be averaged with the grades the student earns that quarter at Dayspring Christian Academy using a proportion of the student’s attendance at each school to determine the weight each grade will contribute to the overall quarter’s average. For example: a student who attends a public school 4 weeks and Dayspring Christian Academy 5 weeks of a 9 week quarter will have 4/9’s of the math grade at the public school combined with 5/9’s of the math grade at Dayspring Christian Academy to get the 9 week average. Therefore, it is important that a student maintains his/her grades at the school even when a transfer is anticipated.

Home School Students: The acceptance of home school courses for high school credit will be at the discretion of the administration after evaluation of the student through placement testing and/or the examination of the student’s course work. Home school courses from acceptable homeschool curriculum providers may be accepted for credit only but not included in the student’s GPA. In order to be placed in grade level classes, a score indicating mastery in the subject area is required.

Learning Differences

Students who have current documentation on file for an identified learning difference, diagnosed by a licensed diagnostician or a licensed medical professional, may or may not be considered for enrollment. Admission for students with learning disabilities will greatly depend on the diagnosis, accommodations that are required, and the school’s ability to meet those accommodations. Due to staff and funding limitations, DCA is not equipped to guarantee the accommodation or the full implementation of a student’s existing Individual Education Plan (IEP).

Student Watch Period

All new students to DCA are on a watch period for the first nine weeks that they are enrolled. The purpose of the watch period is to ensure that the student is transitioning well academically, socially, behaviorally, spiritually, and is able to achieve success at DCA. If a student is transitioning well, the watch period will end at the conclusion of the first nine weeks. Should a student’s transition not be progressing satisfactorily, then the administration will review the situation and may extend the watch period, seek a plan of action to assist the student in their transition, or if necessary, choose a reversal of enrollment option. Any decision regarding the watch period will be made after conferencing with the student’s parents or legal guardians.

Student Academic and Behavioral Probation

Academic and behavioral probation is invoked for all new students and/or when a student has a serious academic or behavioral problem. A probationary period is intended to be an evaluation of a student during the first nine weeks of the student’s attendance at DCA. The purpose is to ensure a smooth transition for the student, and/or to coordinate with the parents of the student towards the goal of mutual effort to correct an academic or behavioral deficiency. Academic/behavioral probation will be extended for new students under the following circumstances:

  1. When academic and/or behavioral records for the first nine weeks are unsatisfactory
  2. When students have demonstrated a significant academic and/or behavioral deficiency that needs a longer duration of time to overcome. New students placed on academic probation may not be prohibited from participation in extracurricular activities unless there is evidence of failing grades.
  3. The administration reserves the right to place any appropriate academic and or behavioral restrictions on a student when deemed necessary for the student to succeed at DCA.

Reversal of Acceptance

In general, there are two circumstances that can cause the school to reverse a prior decision to accept a student:

  1. There is evidence that information provided to the school has been falsified. In the event that an obvious attempt has been made to gain acceptance by falsifying information, the student will not be permitted to attend school even if a prior acceptance has been granted. This includes information obtained from written records as well as from verbal comments made during interviews.
  2. A student fails to show up for the first day of school and no contact with the school has been made to account for the absence. If a student is absent for five (5) days without the family giving notification to the school, the student may be removed from the school and the space given to another student.
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