Explore Our Program

No, we are not. While accreditation has its advantages, it also comes with a lot of restrictions and testing requirements that are inconsistent with our education philosophy and medical freedom values. All of our students must register with the county as a homeschool student or PEP particpant and file the required forms with the county of their residence.

More information on homeschooling in Manatee County can be found at manateeschools.net/homeschool

Riverstone Classical Academy is not a homeschool co-op.  It is a private, classical, collaborative academic program that utilizes a non-traditional schedule and recognizes the role of parents in providing both instructional support and character training.  We have blended the best attributes of the traditional classroom and the best attributes of homeschooling! We combined them into a collaborative academic model that provides an excellent educational experience and ensures parents maintain their position of influence in their child’s life and education.

For the 2026-2027 school year, Riverstone Classical Academy is an approved education program provider under the Step-Up -PEP Scholarship. We can be found on the EMA and you’re encouraged to review the specific guidelines for this scholarship which can be found in the Step Up Scholarship handbook on their site.

Our decision to remain a provider is subject to annual review by our schools board of directors and could change should the scholarship program guidelines change in the future. Families enter into the partnership of education with Riverstone Classical Academy directly and the status of scholarship eligibility or funding has no impact on a families financial contract commitment.

RCA is a covenantal school, meaning its admissions process focuses heavily on the family's faith in addition to the student's academic and behavioral record. To be accepted, at least one parent or legal guardian must provide a personal testimony of faith in Jesus Christ, demonstrate active participation or membership in a Bible-based Trinitarian Christian church through a pastoral reference letter, and align with our complete Statement of Faith. 

We are a K-8th program. Our partner school Etham Core Academy offers 9-12th grade where many graduates have chosen to continue our model of education there.

Parents are responsible for academic records and review requirements for the county and/or scholarship program these reside/participate in. However, assignments and classroom grades are provided in addition to semester report cards by Riverstone to aid parents.  All assignments including skills practice, content review, mastery of concepts, projects, etc., are assigned and graded by the classroom teacher.  Parents maintain the responsibility of checking all of the student’s homework and having the student make corrections which are crucial for mastery learning during their home school days.

We are a collaborative academic educational program that offers a unique format and condensed schedule that is very similar to the schedule a student in college would experience.  We partner with parents in a dual-educational setting in which students come to class on campus on Tuesdays and Thursdays to take their five core academic classes – language arts, math, history, science, and Latin.  They also come for an optional half day on Wednesdays to take their elective classes. On Mondays and Fridays students are at home working on assignments and projects under their parents’ direct supervision or adding to their education through extracurricular activities.

While we follow a similar structure and schedule, we are not a member of the National Association of University-Model Schools organization, who has trademarked the term “university-model school”; therefore, we are not a university-model school.  If you would like more information about the NAUMS organization, please visit their website at www.umsi.org.