How Rhode Island Families Can Enroll at Enlightium Academy

Enlightium Academy is a private Christian school that is accredited by Cognia and the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). Enlightium has served homeschool, online, and co-op school students in K-12 since 2003. In general, state institutions recognize Enlightium Academy as an out-of-state private school that allows students to transfer in or transfer out to public and private schools. Enlightium Academy provides our families with standard information about their state’s requirements, and parents are encouraged to review their state’s requirements at hslda.org/legal and/or the Rhode Island Department of Education, as educational policies are subject to change over time.

Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. With this freedom comes a responsibility to understand and fulfill legal requirements. This can be worrisome, but you’re not alone in this endeavor. Enlightium Academy is here to help! As you review your state’s homeschooling requirements, please keep in mind that Enlightium Academy holds dual accreditation from Cognia and ACSI. This enables the Enlightium team to serve students in all 50 states, providing an accredited education that leads to a high school diploma recognized nationwide.

Please note that the resources below serve as a starting point for your family; it is important that you research Rhode Island’s requirements.

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Homeschooling Options

Rhode Island families enrolling at Enlightium Academy are classified as receiving at-home instruction and must obtain school committee approval before removing their child from the public school setting and starting at-home instruction.

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Rhode Island’s Requirements at a Glance

Parent Notifies State = Yes

State Educational Funds = No

Academic Calendar Requirement = Yes

Reporting Age Requirement = 6-18

Instructor Qualifications = No

Required Subjects = Yes

Requires Subjects Taught in English = Yes

Standardized Assessment = Not Required by the State

Immunization Requirement = No

Keep a Portfolio = Recommended

Enlightium Parents App with Group for Rhode Island Families = Yes

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Notifying the State

Rhode Island families enrolled at Enlightium need to inform the local school district of their intent to homeschool. The letter of intent serves to present the at‑home instruction plan to the local school committee for approval* and should include assurance that:

• The student will receive instruction for the same number of days as the public school (see “Academic Calendar” below)
• Specific courses will be taught (see “Subjects Required” below)
• You will maintain attendance; you will automatically receive generic progress reports throughout the school year, and you can email progress@enlightiumacademy.com to request specific information.

You may be asked to fulfill additional requirements, and you should contact your local school superintendent’s office for more information.

If your family moves to a new school district, you will need to present the at-home instruction plan to that school district’s school committee.

*If, for any reason, approval of the at-home instruction plan by the school committee is not granted, your family can make an appeal to the Rhode Island Department of Education. Based on Enlightium’s structured approach to education, this is highly unlikely for Enlightium families, and the Enlightium team can assist your family with an appeal by providing documentation as needed.

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State Educational Funds

No state educational funds are available for Enlightium families at this time.

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Academic Calendar

The Rhode Island Department of Education requires 180 days of instruction each school year. Enlightium’s school calendar has 180 school days (around 210 days with summer school). Additionally, students have access to the courses 24/7 for most days of the school year, including weekends and holidays.

You must keep and maintain an attendance register and make it available to the school committee at the conclusion of your school year.

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Age Requirement

Ages five or younger:

Students are not required to attend school, but can enroll in primary school at Enlightium Academy to have a head start and be ready for Kindergarten.

Age six on or before September 1:

Students must continue their education at a school of their parents’ choice until they either graduate or turn 18 years old. This includes enrolling at Enlightium Academy.

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Instructor Qualifications

The Rhode Island Department of Education does not require homeschool students to have teachers with specific credentials or qualifications. 

As a part of Enlightium Academy’s dual accreditation, Enlightium teachers are state and/or ACSI-certified. A number of our faculty members have Master's and Doctorate degrees in their fields. 

Students in the Book-Based Program (grades PreK-9) use textbook Christian curricula from AOP or BJU Press, while students in the Online Program use the Ignitia digital Christian curriculum (grades 3-12) or Enlightium’s custom online curriculum (available to select grade levels). Students in the Sapphire Live program (grades 1-12) use a collection of the best-vetted curriculum options by our curriculum department. Each curriculum includes Bible, English, math, science, social studies, and elective courses. Click here to learn about the curriculum used at Enlightium Academy and to find the curriculum option that works best for your family.

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Required Subjects

The Rhode Island Department of Education requires the following subjects:

• Reading/Writing
• Arithmetic
• Geography/Civics/U.S. History/Rhode Island History/Principles of American Government
• Health
• Physical Education

The first three bullet points are core courses at Enlightium Academy and will likely already be assigned by your student’s counselor. The latter two bullet points are electives at Enlightium Academy.

Additionally, the Rhode Island Department of Education requires these courses to be “thorough and efficient”. The curricula used at Enlightium meet these requirements.

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English Instruction

The Rhode Island Department of Education requires that the above courses be taught in the English language. At Enlightium Academy, courses are taught in English, with the exception of some World Language courses, such as French and Spanish, which may be partially taught in English.

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Standardized Assessment

The Rhode Island Department of Education does not explicitly require a standardized test for students enrolled at Enlightium. However, the school committee may request that the parent have a plan for testing.

Enlightium Academy requires students to take an annual assessment to keep track of how students are progressing; this will likely fulfill any requirement by the school committee for an assessment. Enlightium provides the following options per grade level:

• Grades PreK-8: IXL diagnostic assessments or Iowa Complete Annual Assessment. We recommend the IXL diagnostic assessment, as it provides more flexibility in scheduling and does not have an additional fee.

• Grades 9-12: Guidance for college-preparatory assessments such as the PSAT, SAT, and/or ACT

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Keep a Portfolio

The Rhode Island Department of Education requires you to maintain attendance records and provide them to the school committee. Enlightium provides your family with progress reports via email. You can screenshot the details in these emails to show attendance.

We recommend you keep a digital record every year you are enrolled at Enlightium Academy, which should include the following:

• Curriculum information and samples - Enlightium provides its families with both curriculum overviews by grade level and samples by course.
• Academic plans - Enlightium Academy counselors provide academic plans during the admission process for each of our four divisions of grades: primary school (PreK-2), elementary school (3-5), middle school (6-8), and high school (9-12).
• Grades - Enlightium provides report cards for all students at the end of each quarter. Transcripts are available upon request.
• Test scores - This can include occasional screenshots of test scores and/or standardized assessment scores.
• Academic Awards - Enlightium provides qualifying students with certificates for Honor Roll, Scholar’s List, Dean’s List, Outstanding Improvement, and the Presidential Award.
• Social/Competition Achievements - Enlightium holds social events and competitions throughout the school year, such as art competitions and involvement in the Student Council.

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Enlightium Parents App with Group for Rhode Island Families

Enlightium Academy has an app and a desktop platform for families of currently enrolled students. Within this app is a group just for families living in Rhode Island to inform and support each other in fulfilling their state’s requirements. Your family will be provided a link to download the app after enrolling.

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Ready to Enroll at Enlightium Academy?

1. Explore Enlightium Academy’s website
2. If you have any questions:
   
   1. Chat with a team member
   2. Email consultants@enlightiumacademy.com
   3. Call (866) 488-4818 option 2
3. Ready to enroll? Click here to start the enrollment process, and select the “Enroll Now” button.

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Since 2003, Enlightium faculty and staff have served partner schools, hybrid, online, and book-based program K-12 students. With parental support, excellent instruction, and a personalized approach to learning, Enlightium equips students with the academic, spiritual, physical, social, and emotional skills they need to succeed in life. For any other questions about Enlightium, please call (509) 319-2288 or visit EnlightiumAcademy.com.

We review state requirements and regulations annually; however, each state may update its guidelines more frequently. If you have additional questions, please contact your state board of education.

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Sources reviewed in September 2025:

• https://hslda.org/legal
• https://www.ride.ri.gov/StudentsFamilies/EducationPrograms/HomeSchooling.aspx