In-Person Classes: Monday through Thursday

Time: 8:45 AM – 3:00 PM

Friday: Reserved for at-home assignments and reading

A typical day includes:

Morning prayer and goal-setting · Mathematics · Language Arts · Integrated sessions across all disciplines · Lunch · U.S. History

Every subject incorporates reading and writing. Student presentations and project-based learning are woven throughout the week.

We serve students in grades 2 through 8. Students are placed and progress based on readiness and demonstrated understanding — not strictly by grade level. Learning is guided by curiosity and capability, not age.

Capacity is intentionally limited. We are a small learning community by design — not by circumstance. Small means every student is known, every question is heard, and no child disappears into the middle of a room.

Our classroom spans grades 2–8 by design. Older students deepen their understanding by teaching younger ones. Younger students are pulled forward by the intellectual ceiling of the room. Every student operates at their own level inside a shared community — and every student benefits from that range.

This is not a limitation of our size. It is one of our greatest strengths. A second grader who watches an eighth grader defend a position under questioning understands, without being told, what serious thinking looks like. An eighth grader who has to explain a concept to a second grader discovers quickly whether they actually understand it.

The Methods section above describes the philosophy. Here are the specific commitments:

• Daily reading at home — every school day, without exception. This is not optional and it is not negotiable.
• Friday at-home work — students do not come to the classroom on Fridays, but Friday is a full school day. Assignments are real and they count.
• Active engagement with your child's learning — ask what they studied. Push back on their ideas. Look things up together. The learning is designed to continue past 3:00 PM and it will only do that if you let it into your home.
• Responsive communication — we will reach out when something needs your attention. We expect a response.

If your family is in a season where consistent follow-through at home is genuinely not possible, this is not the right time to enroll. We would rather have that conversation before the school year starts than struggle through it together afterward.

We are intentionally small. Our enrollment is limited to ensure every student receives direct, individualized attention from their teacher every day. We do not scale enrollment at the expense of that standard.

Contact us directly for current enrollment numbers and available seats for the coming school year.

Our curriculum is rooted in the LDS standard works, including the Book of Mormon and the Come Follow Me program. Membership in the LDS church is not required for enrollment. Families of any faith background are welcome — you do need to be comfortable with — and ideally excited by — a learning environment where scriptural truth is taken seriously as an academic and moral foundation.

Every session opens and closes with prayer. Spiritual formation is not separated from academic work here. It is woven through it.

We teach from the LDS standard works — the four volumes of scripture recognized by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:

• The Bible (King James Version)
• The Book of Mormon
• The Doctrine and Covenants
• The Pearl of Great Price
• The words of modern day Prophets and Apostles.

Scripture serves as the organizing spine of each unit of study — not as a devotional addition, but as the primary academic text from which science, history, literature, and language arts all radiate outward.

Come Follow Me is a scripture study curriculum developed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It moves through the standard works on a rotating annual cycle, providing structured study questions, context, and commentary designed for both individual and family use.

At ZION outSchool, Come Follow Me provides the scriptural sequence that anchors each unit of study. Rather than using it as a devotional program, we build our entire academic curriculum around it — treating each scripture block as the lens through which science, history, literature, and language arts are studied that unit.

You do not need to be familiar with Come Follow Me before enrolling. Students encounter it as part of their academic work here.

This is a question worth answering honestly, because families of other Christian backgrounds deserve to know what they are enrolling their child into.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints holds Jesus Christ as its center and Savior — that is the shared foundation with other Christian traditions. Several doctrinal distinctives set it apart:

• LDS theology holds that God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are three distinct beings — not one unified Trinity as defined by the Nicene Creed.
• The Church believes in continuing revelation — that God speaks through living prophets today, as He did in ancient scripture.
• The Book of Mormon is accepted as a second witness of Jesus Christ alongside the Bible, not a replacement of it.
• LDS doctrine teaches that humans are literal spirit children of God with divine potential — a view of human nature that shapes how we think about children and learning.

These beliefs are not hidden or softened here. They are woven into the curriculum because they are the foundation of how we understand truth, knowledge, and the purpose of education. Families who enroll their children here should understand and be at peace with that foundation — even if they do not share every point of doctrine.

If you have questions about LDS beliefs before enrolling, we are happy to talk through them directly. Reach out here.

Not at this time. We are transparent about that because it matters for some families — particularly those considering high school or potential transfer back to public school.

Accreditation is a process we take seriously and are working toward. In the meantime, here is what that means practically for families at the grades 2–8 level we currently serve:

• Students transferring to another private school are typically evaluated by that school directly — accreditation rarely factors in at the elementary and middle school level.
• Students transferring to public school are generally placed by age and an assessment of their demonstrated skills — not by transcripts from a private school, accredited or otherwise.
• The academic depth students build here consistently positions them ahead of grade-level peers on standardized assessments.

If accreditation is a deciding factor for your family, we want to have that conversation honestly before you enroll. Contact us.

ZION outSchool is currently registered with the Arkansas Department of Education as a participating EFA microschool. That is an official, recognized category under the Arkansas LEARNS Act — not a placeholder or a stepping stone label. It means we are approved to receive EFA funds on behalf of enrolled students, we are accountable to ADE program requirements, and we operate as a legitimate private learning institution under Arkansas law.

We are actively working toward formal private school incorporation and accreditation through the Arkansas Nonpublic School Accrediting Association (ANSAA). Those processes take time done correctly, and we are doing them correctly.

What this means practically for your family right now:

• Your child is enrolled in a recognized, EFA-approved educational institution.
• Under Arkansas law, parents retain legal responsibility for their student's education. We are your educational partner — not the legal custodian of your child's schooling record.
• We maintain thorough records of every student's coursework and progress and provide complete documentation upon request.
• For grades 2–8, our current status creates no meaningful barrier to future transfer, college preparation, or educational continuity.

If the specifics of our legal status matter for your family's situation — for college planning, transfer considerations, or other reasons — bring those questions to your enrollment conversation. We will answer them honestly and completely.

Reach out directly with questions →

Yes. We maintain detailed records of each student's coursework, reading, writing, and demonstrated progress across every unit of study. We provide families with comprehensive documentation of their student's academic work upon request.

Because we are not currently accredited, our transcripts carry the weight of a homeschool record under Arkansas law — which is more substantial than it may sound. Homeschool graduates are actively recruited by colleges and universities, and admissions officers are experienced in evaluating non-traditional academic records. What matters is the quality and depth of the work — and we document that thoroughly.

Under Arkansas law, the homeschool diploma itself is parent-issued. We support families through that process and provide all necessary documentation. View Arkansas homeschool diploma requirements.

For students in grades 2–8, the transition back to public school is typically straightforward. Arkansas public schools place transfer students by age and conduct their own assessment of academic readiness — they do not rely on private school transcripts or accreditation status to determine placement.

In practice, students coming from ZION outSchool tend to test above grade level. The depth of analytical reading, writing, and mathematical reasoning they build here consistently places them ahead of where a public school would expect them to be.

We provide families with thorough documentation of all coursework completed, which can accompany a student to any new school and give receiving teachers a clear picture of what the student knows and can do.

If this is a concern for your family, bring it to the conversation when you reach out. We would rather address it honestly than have it be a surprise later.

We do not teach to standardized tests. We do not administer them in school. We do not design curriculum around them.

We teach students to read deeply, write analytically, reason from evidence, and defend positions under questioning. Those skills transfer directly to standardized assessments — not because we prepared students for the test, but because we prepared students to think. The test measures a fraction of what they are capable of, and they tend to exceed it.

EFA testing requirement: Students receiving EFA funds are required to take a nationally norm-referenced standardized test each year. This is an EFA program requirement — not ours. We support families in meeting this requirement and provide guidance on approved tests and scheduling.

View EFA testing requirements and approved assessments →

View Arkansas homeschool testing laws →

Because standardized tests measure reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, mathematical thinking, and vocabulary — and those are exactly what we build, every day, through every subject.

A student who has spent a unit tracing a word from a novel back through Latin to its Hebrew root in Leviticus has a vocabulary that no test prep program produces. A student who has defended a researched position in front of peers and been questioned until they either held or revised their claim understands comprehension at a level that fills in bubbles easily.

Homeschool students in Arkansas may be eligible to participate in public school sports under the Tim Tebow Law. Eligibility requirements apply — review the law and contact your local public school district for specifics.

Homeschool graduates are actively recruited by colleges and universities across the country. The analytical writing, sustained research, and public presentation skills students build here are exactly what selective institutions look for — and rarely find in traditionally schooled applicants.

A student who has defended original research in front of a live audience, written sustained analytical essays across multiple disciplines, and read twenty or more serious works of literature per year is not at a disadvantage in college admissions. They are unusual in the best way.

Colleges actively recruiting homeschoolers →
Research facts on homeschooling outcomes →

We currently serve students in grades 2 through 8. High school is not offered at this time. If your student is approaching high school age and you are planning ahead, reach out — we are happy to talk through options and help you think through what comes next.

Individual growth — not comparison. We are not preparing students to outperform a standard. We are preparing them to become the fullest version of who they were created to be.

"Don't compare yourself to public schools — you may realize just how incredible you are."

The Arkansas Education Freedom Account (EFA) is a state-funded program that gives every eligible K–12 student in Arkansas up to $7,208 per year for approved educational expenses — including private school tuition, unit fees, uniforms, supplies, tutoring, and technology.

Funds are deposited quarterly into a ClassWallet account that you manage directly — typically in August, October, February, and April. You direct those funds to approved schools and vendors through the platform.

As of the 2025–2026 school year, the EFA is universal. Every Arkansas K–12 student is eligible regardless of income, zip code, or prior school enrollment.

$7,208 reflects the expected 2026–2027 amount, subject to final confirmation by the Arkansas Department of Education.

Yes. ZION outSchool is a confirmed EFA-participating private school. Once your application is approved, you link your student to ZION outSchool inside ClassWallet and we invoice you directly through the platform each quarter.

Our total annual enrollment cost is $6,510 — tuition and all unit fees included. For most families, this leaves $698 in remaining EFA funds for your student's required uniform and other approved expenses.

For qualifying families, your out-of-pocket cost is zero.

New families apply through the FACTS portal at dese.link/efa. The application takes approximately 15–20 minutes per child. Have these ready:

• Student's birth certificate
• Proof of Arkansas residency (driver's license, utility bill, lease agreement, or similar)

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and typically take up to 10 days. The application and renewal window for the 2026–2027 school year is March 9 – June 1.

Visit the Arkansas Department of Education for full program details →

Returning families complete a renewal survey inside ClassWallet — faster than the original application, no documents to re-upload. Renewal window: March 9 – June 1.

Log in at dese.link/efa and complete your renewal before June 1.

After tuition and unit fees, most ZION families have approximately $698 in remaining EFA funds. Those funds can be used for:

• Required uniform — Scrubs in navy blue, dusty blue, or golden yellow. EFA-eligible. Search the ClassWallet marketplace or purchase elsewhere and submit for reimbursement.
• Supplemental supplies
• Testing fees — Including standardized testing required for EFA renewal
• Technology — Devices and educational subscriptions (excludes TVs, video games, and cell phones)
• Tutoring — From an approved EFA service provider

Do not leave funds unspent at year end. Unused funds may roll over up to a state-set limit — beyond that they return to the state.