Frequently Asked Questions
Q:
How much
is the tuition to attend RCA?
A: Charter schools are public schools
- no tuition for parents to pay. Charter schools are subject to the same
standardized testing, student safety, civil rights and special education rules
as other public schools. There are no textbook fees, and both breakfast and
lunch are free for all students.
Q:
How do
I know if my child is eligible to attend RCA?
A: Any student in grades K-8 that
resides in the state of Indiana is eligible to attend a charter school in
Indiana.
Q: What makes RCA different from traditional public schools?
A: Smaller schools are better; in a smaller setting, students get more individualized attention when class sizes are small. When an adult can instill self-worth, self-esteem, self-confidence in a child, life-long learning begins.
Q:
How do
I enroll my student at RCA?
A: Enrollment at RCA is limited to maintain small class sizes. You may enroll your student anytime during the school
year if there is a place available in that grade. An application can be
downloaded from the link "Enrollment". Even if there is not a
space available, we encourage enrollment as soon as possible as occasionally an
opening becomes available due to a move, etc. Applications are
time-stamped and the next available spot is guaranteed to the first application
submitted by date. Open Enrollment begins in the spring; be on the lookout for
advertising!
Q: What are a charter and a charter school?
A: A charter is a written contract between a school and a sponsoring entity, in our case Ball State University. Charter schools were approved in 2001 by the Indiana legislature to improve education in Indiana. Charter schools are allowed more freedom in education in exchange for more accountability to their sponsor in addition to the accountability of all public schools to the state of Indiana. Each charter is different based upon the market it serves. There are over 50 charter schools in Indiana and the numbers continue to rise.
Q:
Where can
I find information on charter schools in Indiana?
A: The Indiana Department of
Education website contains information about all of the Charter
Schools presently in operation in the state of Indiana. Also, the Ball
State University website discusses schools such as RCA that are sponsored by
BSU.
Q:
When is
a lottery established for selecting students for RCA?
A: All returning RCA students are
automatically enrolled in the proper grade level class. Sibling of
returning RCA students will automatically be enrolled in their own grade level
class. After returning students and siblings are enrolled, new applications
from the open enrollment period in the Spring will be considered. If
applications exceed class size limits in any grade, a lottery will be held to
see who will be enrolled in the class. All others waiting to be enrolled
will have their name placed in a box with others waiting to enroll and the
names will be drawn at random. After all available spots in a grade level
are filled, the remaining names will be drawn and put on a waiting list in the
order drawn. These students on the waiting list will be contacted should
a vacancy occur.
Q:
What is
the difference between RCA and RCSI?
A: RCSI (Rural Community Schools, Inc.) is
a non-profit corporation that established and created our school, Rural
Community Academy. Just as all public school corporations in Indiana have
different schools, Rural Community Academy is a school in the RCSI Corporation.
In the future, RCSI could establish other schools under its non-profit umbrella.
Q:
Does RCA
offer transportation?
A: RCA has made gigantic strides in the
area of transportation. RCA receives only one of the six major funds that
traditional public schools receive from state and local taxes. One
of the areas that are not financially supported by the state is
transportation. Once the legislature passes equal funding for charters,
transportation will be an option just like in all other traditional public
schools in the state.
RCA will offer limited transportation until more funds are secured.
Because students can come from anywhere, transportation directly to homes will
not be available. However, centralized transportation in geographical
areas of high student concentration is available. Call the office to determine
the transportation points available.
Q:
What are
Rural Community Academy's feelings about parent/guardian involvement?
A: Parents
are encouraged and even expected to
be actively involved. Each family is encouraged to volunteer a minimum of
twenty hours per year. Hours donated by grandparents and other family
members count toward family's volunteer hours. There are many opportunities to
volunteer during, before, and after the school day. Parents serve on many
committees and a minimum of two parents serve on the five-member Board of
Directors to ensure that parents are represented.
