Frequently Asked Questions

A.C.E. stands for Accelerated Christian Education.

It is a Biblical based, Christian worldview, self-instructional mastery resource used all over the world in schools and homeschooling families. It has a high academic standard with built-in teaching of goal setting, self-discipline and self-assessment.

A.C.E. resources, when used by students according to the structured teaching methodology in every work book, help to train students to become motivated, goal-orientated and responsible learners.

A.C.E. graduates are empowered to succeed in the workplace, in universities and colleges, in church ministries and in their own homes, through its quality academic content interwoven with Christian character and strong gospel message.

A.C.E. resources originate in the U.S.A. Many national PACEs have been produced in Australia, so that History and Geography (Social Studies) are more relevant, and also Maths measurements and currency are those in use in countries such as Australia, New Zealand, and other South Pacific countries.

Word Building and English teach pronunciation and spelling. As American resources, they can sometimes contradict Australian or British pronunciation and spelling. This is not a big problem, but we do provide a table of American spellings that occur in individual Word Building work books.

It would be good to remember that children are going to encounter “Americanisms” in so many areas, such as the Internet and media. The opportunity is there to present both spellings and show a preference for one, while teaching that other correct spellings may exist. Teaching only English spellings would give the impression that the many American words that children will encounter in real life are misspellings.

A.C.E. is the only American resource to our knowledge that is well supported in other nations.

As educators ourselves, we know that the A.C.E. resources meet and exceed the most of the expectations of the Australian Curriculum content.

A.C.E. resources differ in the sequence of learning for the Australian Curriculum year-specific content.

Examples:

1. The Australian Curriculum content specifies that a student should learn to skip count (count by 2, 3, 5, etc) by end of Year 1. The A.C.E. Math sequence is focused on the mastery of basic numeracy skills in Year 1 and consequently introduces skip counting in the first term of Year 2 equivalent resources.
2. The Australian Curriculum content specifies that a student should learn about contractions and the use of apostrophes to signal contractions by the end of Year 3. The A.C.E. English resources introduce this concept in the Year 2 equivalent resources and then continue to revise the concept from the Year 3 resources.

Accelerate Christian Home Schooling and SCEE do not claim that A.C.E. resources alone will cover all AC or state requirements.

We recommend a broader programme including various other activities, such as sports, practical science, the arts and languages.

Most homeschools are already involved in many activities they might not realize at first are in fact educational in nature.

We can help you to identify such areas so you can prepare a comprehensive programme to meet Australian Curriculum expectations, but more importantly to nurture you child to his/her full potential.

At present, only the NT legislates that homeschool programmes strictly adhere to the Australian curriculum requirements.

Qld, SA, Tas, WA and ACT expect homeschool programmes to align to the Australian Curriculum framework.

NSW requires homeschool programmes to align with NESA outcomes across each stage 1-5 (Grades K-10)

All states permit your own choice of resources, with an indication of your plans year by year.

Contact us if you have questions.

Hundreds of A.C.E. graduates have gone to university to do Arts, Engineering, Medicine, Law, Music, and other courses of their choice. Do not believe the myth that school-based certificates are the only way to enter university.

• Many students obtain an ATAR by doing a SAT exam.
• Other students may do the Australian STAT exam.
• Other students apply directly to the university and have an interview.

Universities routinely accept students who have not attained the state Year 12 certificate, including international and homeschooled students. You should contact the university to see what their requirements are.

• Important: Homeschoolers should apply as "alternative entry" applicants, even with an A.C.E. certificate.

Here are some homeschool graduates who completed a Year 12 A.C.E. certificate and were able to enter a university course. This is not an exhaustive list.

William H (2018) - Medical Mathematics at Wollongong University

Heather W (2012) -  Bachelor of Science (Biogenetics) with Open University.

Emily V - Medical Radiation Science (Diagnostic Radiography) at University of Newcastle.

Therese B (2011) - Bachelor of Medical Radiation Science at Charles Sturt University (Wagga Wagga). Note: Therese applied through UAC with just her A.C.E. Year 12 results.

Lucy B (2016) - Bachelor of Liberal Arts at Campion College, with option to co continue on to para-medicine or medicine in the future.

Alisha M - Bachelor of Edcucation at LaTrobe University, Bendigo.

Jonathan K - Bachelor of Commerce at University of New South Wales.

Gregory K (2014) - Bachelor of Advanced Science at University of New South Wales (Commencing honours-level research in pure mathematics)

Stephen O (2010)- Bachelor of Engineering - Mechatronics at University of New South Wales

Timothy O (2014) - Bachelor of Law/Economics at Newcastle University

Some A.C.E. students prior to SEHE (there are hundreds more)

Jonathan H - Bachelor of Veterinary Science at Charles Sturt Univeristy Wagga Campus (now qualified Vet)

Daniel S - Bachelor of Economics/Laws at University of New England

There are many pathways into University, and there is no "one-size-fits-all."

We would be happy to discuss options with you.

Homeschooling gives you the flexibility to cater to your child's needs.

The A.C.E. resources can be tailored to suit your child. Sometimes children simply need more direct and explicit instruction, and to take more time to progress. There are no time pressures with A.C.E. and many children with learning difficulties find if they have sequential material to follow, with clear instructions, and can work as slowly as they need but as quickly as they can, they indeed thrive.

We can help you to produce a programme that will allow your child to progress according to their ability, at the appropriate levels in each subject.

We also offer reading programmes specifically for children who are able to learn but struggle with reading and spelling. You can read about it here.

A.C.E. stands for "Accelerated Christian Education." We are not ashamed of presenting the Gospel to children through Christian resources. This is evident in every subject, not tacked on in "Bible studies".

Many non-Christians hold Christian values, and appreciate that good character is modeled throughout the material.

That  is not to say that A.C.E. is basically a Bible course. The academic standard of the resource is very high in all subjects, and the work is very rigorous.

Yes. From year one A.C.E. teaches children about the creation of the world in six days, with a literal Adam and Eve, the Garden of Eden and a worldwide flood.

Yes it does, but it also shows some of the problems associated with evolutionary theory that are normally ignored in public schools.

All the PACEs use the King James version. The denominational background of A.C.E. is behind this choice, and although we (SCEE and Accelerate) are not necessarily affiliated with this denomination, we cannot change it.

The good news is that you are not required to use the KJV. Scripture verses in the PACEs can be substituted with whatever version you prefer. Most of our families do this. The only stipulation (for future reference, when it comes to moderation for Year 11/12 tests) is that students state what version is being used. For example, "Quoted text... (NIV)" Students should not paraphrase Scriptures, but cite word for word.

Here is one positive aspect that I have found with the PACE usage of the King James Version. When Scriptures are used in a PACE, the language of the KJV can sometimes be confusing, so unless a student simply parrots unfamiliar words, he or she would look it up in their own Bible. This is good practice, and sometimes even gets the student interested in the context of the verse or passage, and that is never a bad thing.

Sometimes, a student struggling with the wording will ask the supervisor what it means. I have found this a golden opportunity to discuss with them the meaning of the passage, and open up interesting and worthwhile discussions.

Another benefit of the older English translation that I have found is that it presents opportunities to teach grammar. "Thou and Thee is like I and Me, as Subjective and Objective Case," I would often explain when presented with the archaic pronouns. The main reason why students struggle with the older English is that they simply have never properly learned grammar.

Older meanings of words are also interesting to compare with modern definitions. There is one verse, 2 Timothy 2:24, that goes, "The servant of the Lord should not strive." I joke about this with my students, saying that Christians should not work hard. Then I say that the word "strive" means argue, which is where "strife" comes from. This helps to memorize the verse and gain meaning from it.

Whether or not you prefer the KJV, it can enhance the learning opportunities for the children. If your children struggle with the language, "When given a lemon, make lemonade."

Our fees are for on-going support, parent training and record keeping, and all of our services.

We believe you will find that Accelerate Christian Home Schooling provides the most service while charging the lowest fees. See our Services Overview page.

SCEE, as well as supplying the A.C.E. materials, also provides the nationally recognised graduation certificates; however it is their policy to provide them only to students who are either enrolled in a school using A.C.E. or enrolled with a homeschool support provider. SCEE acknowledges that only through a school or a homeschool support provider is the integrity of the A.C.E. methodology likely to be upheld, through proper training and accountability. This means that, in one sense, our fees - by allowing us to work with families - help to maintain the high academic standing of A.C.E.

We have a yearly membership fee for the whole family. A couple of dollars per day will more than cover our services. The A.C.E. resource cost will depend on how many children are using the resource, but we estimate about $600 per year for each child.

Other incidental resources may be needed, depending on the level of study.

When you consider school fees, school shoes and uniforms, and other costs of "free" education, you will see that homeschooling is not at all unreasonable.

View our fees here.

From your first day of enrolment, our staff are busy making your homeschooling experience as smooth as possible for you. You don’t always see what is being done, and much of what we do might or might not appear to relate to your immediate homeschooling activities, but you can be sure that we are always working to make sure you have the best service available when you do need it.

Here is some of what we do:

• Prepare enrolments;
• Analyze diagnostic tests;
• Set parent training, including making videos, website Hints and Tips, newsletters and so on;
• Offer to check test scoring and give feedback and tips;
• Represent students on secondary pathways to have them registered and make sure the pathways are correct and most suited to the students’ needs;
• Enter test results for each student as they arrive and often chase up missing or incorrect results;
• Assist with state government registration, and research each state to make sure our advice is relevant and current;
• Answer email and phone enquiries from existing families who need help;
• Plan Celebration/Graduation events in multiple locations throughout Australia…

Some people think that if they do not require a specific service from us, then we are not serving them. This is like saying that if the fire department is not putting out a fire in their house, then they have no need of a fire department, so why should my taxes pay for a fire department? It is also like saying that if they do not speak to a teller at the bank, then the bank is not serving them.

Do you use every feature of you mobile phone or smart TV? Do you ask for a discount or money back if you only use half the features? Do you ask for a tax refund if you feel you have not been helped by the police this year?

The simple fact is, if membership fees were not charged to all of our members, then there would be no support service when they need it.

No support,
no training,
no certificates.

This is why “retail customers”, who only pay for the resources they buy, are never offered academic support and are not eligible for certificates.

Your membership fee gives you unlimited access to our support and assistance, plus all of the background service you may never see or realise you need.

Of course you can. SCEE sells A.C.E. resources to "Retail Customers" as part of its service.

There are, however, real benefits to ongoing membership. Here are a few:

• We at Accelerate Christian Home Schooling are dedicated to helping member families get the most out of the resources through our initial training programme and our ongoing training support. This includes training videos and articles that are useful refreshers and include Hints and Tips.
• We are able to advise families on products and levels. The SCEE orders department, though very helpful, are not able to give advice about the products.
• We are available to talk to you on the phone or correspond by email on any questions you have, no matter how big or how small. These can be academic questions, questions about procedures, or whatever is on your mind. Unlike some other support providers, we do not place a limit on how many times you contact us for help.
• We are able to advise you on good subject choices that best suit your child, especially at the secondary level.
• We track your child's progress and send semester records of Student Progress.
• We are able to offer discounted prices on resources such as Mathletics and Skwirk.
• We hold Celebration events each year in a number of Australian capital cities, inviting remote participation and celebrating not just graduations but also student achievements for all levels.
• We send monthly newsletters which include important SCEE updates and useful tips.
• We can assist you with your registration with your state authority if you need.

SCEE recognises the value of families being associated with a support provider, especially its own Accelerate Christian Home Schooling.

Only homeschool families that are enrolled with a support provider are eligible to receive Year 10 or Year 12 SCEE/A.C.E. Certificates, or are permitted to participate in and compete in SCEE Student Conventions.

Remember, our membership is for the whole family - you don't pay any more fees if you have more than one child. For under $2 per day, this is good value for most homeschool families.

Our aim is to make it simple and affordable for parents to homeschool their children using A.C.E. resources. Our fees are carefully thought out so as to keep our ministry sustainable while making the cost equitable and fair.

So, why do Australian families pay different fees from overseas families? Is one too high? Is one too low? The following points have been considered when setting fees:

• We have to take into account the exchange rates between Australia and the other countries. These vary quite a bit, but the general rule is that a dollar here is more expensive in other South Pacific countries, so we try to reduce fees as much as possible there;
• Homeschooling families overseas would have more freight charges for resources, so we try to balance that with lower service fees;
• Although we aim to give as good service to our overseas families, in terms of training, answering questions by email and phone calls where possible, some of our services are simply not available to our overseas families. For example, graduation events. Some countries are also restricted in times we can communicate because of the time zones. Also, some of our resources are Australia-specific. Our help with government registration applies only to Australia (and New Zealand), and this is one area where we devote a lot of our resources that the fees pay for;
• Many of the overseas countries are, to put it simply, less able to afford higher fees. They also sometimes have a very broad socioeconomic spectrum and it is not possible for us to determine who can and who cannot afford higher fees. To make it simpler for us, we apply a simple rule across the board. It's true that many Australians are also struggling, and we do offer a smaller discount for health care card holders, but Australia's welfare system does mean that struggling Australians are much better off than most struggling overseas families;
• Finally, our aim is to be competitive. We believe we offer the highest quality of service to our families, and we don't want families to feel they have to opt for second best because they can get something cheaper elsewhere. We have made the choice to sacrifice our own income so that families everywhere can get the best help with homeschooling.

If you have any questions, please contact us.

• the online tests assesses American Mathematics in particular referring to American currency and measurement, whereas the paper-based assesses Australian Mathematics;
• the online tests give either a pass or fail for a unit tested, without showing where the student went wrong or what specific questions were wrong. With the paper tests, we can see where the weaknesses were, in the child's working out. We can see, for example, what the child understands in the long division process, not just if they get the answer wrong, which is often just a "silly" mistake. It gives us a fuller picture, and more confidence when setting a program;
• paper tests also allow us to look at the child's handwriting. This gives us important clues. For example, instead of just scoring a word wrong, we can see any evidence of dyslexia and/or dysgraphia. We can also see if an answer is wrong because of how a question was interpreted, and not just wrong.

As a homeschooler, you are free to use whatever resources you choose. Our experience and knowledge is primarily with A.C.E, and that is where we can offer you support.

Accelerate Christian Home Schooling is a ministry of SCEE, the supplier of A.C.E. in the South Pacific. If you join our support service, we only supply reports, SCEE/A.C.E certificates, and the use of Barton resources if a prescribed proportion of A.C.E. is used. This is determined on a case by case basis.

Many very young children show an interest in books and a desire to read and parents are sometimes anxious about how to teach them. Reading is very much a developmental process and giving children a sound preparation to learning to read is as vital as actually learning to read.

The A.C.E. Kindergarten program is an excellent preparation for learning to read, designed for young children from 4-5 years of age. The program is a detailed and comprehensive resource for parents.

The emphasis is on aural development and familiarizes children with recognising letters and the alphabet characters they will meet in the following Learning to Read program, ABCs for Ace and Christi. There is no expectation for them to learn to write the letters or words at this stage.

The workbooks are geared to helping children learn finger control when drawing and colouring, art or craft activities, stories and the sounds of letters.

The Learning to read program, ABCs for Ace and Christi is usually started with children 5 - 6 years old. The basic phonetic sounds are introduced systematically and workbooks are provided to teach children to recognise letters and sounds as well as write them. At the end of the ABCs program, which usually takes about a term, the children have PACEs similar to older children.

All children should complete a reading readiness test before commencing the ABCs. This will prevent a child, who is not ready to read, from becoming confused or discouraged. It is better to prepare the child well before beginning the ABCs.

Occasionally a child may be ready to read at an earlier than expected age and may even begin to read during the Kindergarten program. It is generally better to keep their learning active and suited to their development, , rather than move onto the more formal ABCs. However, the ABCs can be adapted to suit younger children.

A child may not be ready to read until they’re closer to six years old. This is perfectly normal and the ABCs suit an older child well.

All of the A.C.E. resources are book based. The only computer and internet access requirements are:

• Email communication between us and you;
• Zoom sessions for parent training and interaction
• Mandatory Certificate training (coming soon)
• Access to a typing tutor programme for secondary students;
• Optional online electives.

Yes, you may start at any time of the year. Fees are adjusted accordingly.

When you join us, we will place the first order for you after we analyze diagnostic tests (if applicable). After the first order, you can use the SCEE Webstore. We will provide you with training and help if needed.

Yes. Many courses from a TAFE or other approved RTO will be approved by SCEE for credit towards a Year 10 or Year 12 certificate. These are approved on a case by case basis. You should apply to us before commencement of a course as we cannot guarantee approval.