Common Misconceptions 

Please don't assume finances automatically disqualify your family from considering CCA.

We understand that every family's circumstances are different. As a nonprofit ministry, our mission is to make Christian education as accessible as possible. We encourage families to reach out and discuss their situation with us.

Many parents are surprised to discover that options may be available that they had not previously considered.

Some families hesitate to apply because they worry the Opportunity Scholarship could suddenly go away.

While no one can predict future legislative decisions with certainty, the facts should provide reassurance.

The Opportunity Scholarship program was established by the North Carolina General Assembly in 2013 and began serving students during the 2014-2015 school year. For more than a decade, lawmakers have continued to fund, expand, and strengthen the program rather than reduce it.

Over the years, the program has grown significantly and now serves tens of thousands of North Carolina students. Recent state budgets have expanded eligibility and increased funding so that more families can participate.

In other words, the Opportunity Scholarship is not a temporary pilot program or an experimental grant. It has been a part of North Carolina's educational landscape for over ten years and continues to receive strong legislative support.

The reality is simple: these are funds that North Carolina has set aside to help families choose the educational environment that best meets their children's needs.

We encourage families not to let fear of "what might happen someday" prevent them from taking advantage of opportunities that exist today. If your child could benefit from a different educational environment, applying for the Opportunity Scholarship may be one of the best educational and financial decisions available to your family.

The application is free, and there is no penalty for applying and learning what options are available to you.

At Covenant Christian Academy, we welcome families from a variety of backgrounds.

While we provide a Christ-centered educational environment, we believe every family deserves the opportunity to explore educational options that best fit their child's needs.

Our goal is to provide a safe, supportive learning environment where students can grow academically, socially, and spiritually.

This misconception is both true and false, depending on how a family chooses to educate their children.

The Opportunity Scholarship generally cannot be used to fund a traditional homeschool. Homeschool families remain responsible for their own curriculum, records, and educational expenses.

However, many families are surprised to learn that the scholarship can be used at private schools that offer part-time enrollment programs.

For example, some private schools allow homeschool students to enroll in a limited number of subjects while remaining registered homeschool students with the state. In these situations, the Opportunity Scholarship may be used to pay the tuition associated with the private school portion of the student's education.

The key thing to understand is that the homeschool portion and the private school portion remain separate. Parents continue to maintain full responsibility and autonomy over the subjects taught at home, while the private school is responsible for the courses provided through its enrollment program.

In other words, using the Opportunity Scholarship for part-time private school enrollment does not place the family's homeschool program under the authority of the private school. The homeschool portion remains independent, parent-directed, and autonomous.

This arrangement allows many families to enjoy the flexibility of homeschooling while also receiving support, specialized instruction, enrichment opportunities, or academic courses through a private school partner.

This is one of the most common concerns we hear from families considering private Christian education.

The concern usually comes from comparing private schools to public schools.

Public schools receive government education funding directly and are therefore subject to extensive state and federal regulations regarding curriculum, testing, policies, reporting requirements, and many other aspects of school operations.

The Opportunity Scholarship works differently.

The scholarship is administered through the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA), which oversees the scholarship program. Families apply through NCSEAA, and scholarship funds are designated for eligible students attending participating private schools.

Many people assume the government simply sends money directly to parents or writes checks directly to private schools. That is not how the program operates. Scholarship funds are administered through the state's school choice program and can only be used for approved educational purposes as defined by North Carolina law.

Most importantly, participation in the Opportunity Scholarship program does not convert a private school into a public school.

Covenant Christian Academy remains a private Christian school with its own mission, curriculum, statement of faith, educational philosophy, and daily operations. We continue to teach from a biblical worldview and use the curriculum that best serves our students.

Likewise, homeschool families who utilize our part-time enrollment option remain homeschool families and continue to operate under the same homeschool laws and requirements that already exist in North Carolina.

CCA is already required to comply with the laws applicable to private schools in North Carolina. Participation in the Opportunity Scholarship program does not require us to adopt public school curriculum, follow public school educational standards, or abandon our Christian mission.

In short, the Opportunity Scholarship is a school choice program. It expands educational options for families while allowing private schools to remain private schools and homeschool families to remain homeschool families.

The Opportunity Scholarship can be used at participating private schools of many different sizes, including small Christian schools, hybrid programs, and micro-schools such as Covenant Christian Academy.

Many families are specifically looking for a smaller learning environment where students can receive individualized attention and support.

This is one of the most debated topics surrounding school choice programs.

Supporters of the Opportunity Scholarship argue that education funding should follow the student and that parents should have the freedom to choose the educational environment that best meets their child's needs.

Regardless of where someone stands on the policy debate, the purpose of the Opportunity Scholarship is to provide families with additional educational options. The program exists because North Carolina lawmakers believe parents should have a voice in determining how their children are educated.

For families considering the scholarship, the more immediate question is often simple: "What educational environment will help my child thrive?"