What is University Model Schooling?

University-Model Schooling (UMS) is an educational alternative which combines a university type of schedule and learning techniques with parental involvement.

University-model education takes the best aspects of traditional public and private schools, as well as home schools, and molds them into one model. UMS uses a university-style schedule adapted to the elementary, junior, and senior high levels. Professional teachers teaching in their areas of expertise conduct central classroom instruction. Elementary students attend classes on Tuesday and Thursday while secondary students go to school on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Students spend alternative days at home where parents continue their instruction or monitor student progress. Teachers provide parents with detailed instructions for days spent at home.

UMS caters to a wide variety of student needs by allowing a range of enrollment opportunities. A student may choose to take only one or two classes, or may opt to take a full academic load. Much like courses listed in a college catalog, each course description contains information about the course, prerequisites, and parental involvement for that class. Tuition is paid per course, per semester.

Though off-campus parental roles are clearly defined and required in the model, UMS should not be equated with home schooling or home schooling cooperatives. Nor should UMS be understood as traditional classroom education that has simply reduced classroom time (i.e. a Mon/Wed/Fri. classroom agenda). Its significance lies in its ability to effectively partner parents with highly qualified teachers to gain better academic results, especially among average students. This partnership is facilitated by using a university-type schedule and administrative system, while requiring a strong work ethic. The UMS model has proved to be one of the best preparations for students planning on attending college.

Full-time students who successfully complete all the requirements for graduation will be issued a diploma at graduation. Although Heritage Preparatory Academy cannot issue diplomas to students who are primarily schooled at home, Heritage Preparatory Academy does work as a great resource for homeschoolers because they may take courses to supplement their homeschooling efforts.

For more information about University Model Schooling, contact the National Association of University-Model Schools.

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University Model School Guidelines:

High Academic Standards Emphasizing a Strong Student Work Ethic.

Although less time is spent in school, a University Model School is still a full-time program, and high standards must be set to encourage the development and maintenance of a strong work ethic among students.

Low Student/Teacher Ratio.

Low student/teacher ratios provide for greater instructional effectiveness and thus better use of limited classroom time. The recommended maximum student/teacher ration limits for a University Model School are set at 16:1 for Elementary; 18:1 for Junior High and 20:1 for Senior High.

Professional and Local Management.

A University Model School must be directed by professionals and governed at the school-level by participating parents.

Admission Policies that Consider Student Supervision.

Since students participating in a University Model School will spend less time in the central classroom at school, a University Model School must have admission policies that consider the adult supervision of minors while students are in the satellite classroom at home.

Technical and Educational Resources.

A University Model School must have access to sufficient technical and educational resources to support a well-rounded educational program.

Semester-by-Semester Admission and Registration.

Students must enter courses only at the beginning of a semester, not while the semester is in progress.

Semester Length.

Given that classroom instructional time is decreased significantly in this model, the regular semester length for a University Model School must be no less than 16 weeks in duration, and major interruptions of instructional time (e.g., for achievement testing) must be set-up as additional time.

Single Subject (and Grade Level) Classes.

All academic classes must be offered as single subject (or grade level) classes to best utilize available instructional time.

Course Prerequisites.

Course prerequisites should be established to provide the professional teachers with a clear starting point for course instruction.

Flexible Course Level Registration.

Course registration at a University Model School should be flexible enough to allow students to advance by individual course rather than by complete grade-level to ensure mastery of all subject matter in a given course sequence.

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UMS Guiding Principles:

1. Love and Glorify God as He is revealed in the Holy Bible. "Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment" (Matt. 22:37-38). "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Col. 3:17). "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31). The Holy Bible is our standard of truth and final authority for faith and practice in all matters relating to this ministry. Our chief aim is to love and glorify God through everything we do.

2. Help Fulfill the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20). The governing imperative verb of Christ's Great Commission in Matthew's gospel is "disciple" or "make disciples." Members of Christ's churches, therefore, are commanded to make disciples among all peoples by "going, baptizing, and teaching." They are to do so in the confident assurance that all authority is given to Christ and that always he will be with them. This ministry seeks to build up the body of Christ by cooperating with Christ's Great Commission purpose, encouraging all men, women, boys and girls to be both personal disciplined followers and public character witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ everywhere they go.

3. Affirm and Encourage Parents in their God-given opportunities and responsibilities. "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up" (Deut. 6:5-7). the first two instructions to God's people after the original giving of the Great Commandment was that they (1) keep god's commandments in their hearts and (2) teach those commandments in their homes. Parents are God's first plan, His single most effective agents for spreading the Gospel to children and discipling young believers. The vast majority of Christians come to a "saving faith" in Christ when they are children, under the influence of their parents; furthermore, the successful sharing of a parent's faith and values is best facilitated when actively-involved parents take the time, make the opportunity, and employ the tools needed for developing close, loving, and nurturing relationships with their children. Whether the issue is instilling positive traits (e.g. , respect for authority, personal integrity, honesty, dependability, loyalty, and commitment) or avoiding negative consequences (e.g., teenage suicide, substance abuse, adolescent violence, sexual promiscuity, and teenage pregnancy) parents must take their proper place on the front line. If the influence of parents ever breaks down, the cost will be measured in lost souls. The percent of children who come to faith later in life is so small, and the consequences of a negative, neglected childhood are so great, that the positive influence of parents early in life must command our utmost attention and priority.

4. Educate with Excellence in a Christ-centered environment. "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving" (Col. 3:23-24). Children, like their Lord, are to keep "increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man" (Luke 2:52). Likewise, "Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding" (Pro. 3:13). Also, "Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; instruct a righteous man and he will add to his learning" (Pro. 9:9). If we are to teach and instruct students "as working for the Lord," the standard of our performance can be nothing less than excellence.

5. Integrate Home and School in age-appropriate ways throughout the curriculum design and student activities. A Christian, university-model school exists to assist parents with the modern-day difficulties of preparing their children for college while also recognizing and supporting the parents' unique role in communicating their faith and values. For parents to succeed in their all-important task of discipleship, it is essential for families to experience meaningful time together. Traditional school systems, by their very structure, tend to rob parents and students of this most precious commodity. UMS gives time and access back to parents in exchange for their commitment to be academically and relationally involved with their students outside of class according to the college-preparatory, curriculum design. Such involvement, when lovingly and joyfully administered, leads to greater opportunity for parents to succeed in teaching their most important "subjects" faith, hope, and love. This good-faith partnership between parents and teachers makes home and school integration for a family-strengthening, quality education both possible and practical.

6. Reach Out to Other Communities. God's blessings are for the glory of His name and the enrichment of our world. If an educational approach, such as University-Model Schooling, can successfully demonstrate that a high quality, college-preparatory education can be provided in a manner that also protects and even enhances the roles of parents in the discipleship of their children, then it is right and proper to do everything possible to communicate that approach with anyone who needs and wants it. As this ministry experiences God's blessings, therefore, it will be about the business of sharing those blessings with "the world."

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