Curriculum Catalog

Choosing Your Curriculum

At ACA, family members and educational specialists (ES), work together to choose curriculum and learning materials that best meet the needs of the students. Curriculum that is non-sectarian and meets common core state standards is required for all core classes, which include language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. Non-sectarian supplemental materials and extracurricular activities may also be purchased with allotment funds, but only after CORE curriculum needs are met (language arts, math, science, social studies), and only if they are used to support the student’s Semester Course Agreement.

Allotments

Your ACA allotment is used to pay for curriculum and curriculum materials. Orders can be placed from July 1st to February 18.

Families that register after the start of the school year are assigned allotment on a prorated basis. Allotment can be spent on class fees, books, on-site or off-site approved vendors, supplemental materials, and other items that are educational in nature. All items purchased need to directly support the student’s signed Semester Course Agreement. All items must be purchased through the school using the Online Purchasing System (OPS) with your ES.  This includes outside vendors. Any allotment funds used for high school will end in a grade and credit.

Allotments are assigned as follows for students who enroll on or before September 1st:

 · K—2nd grades: $1460

· 3rd—4th grades: $1655

  5th grade: $1855

· 6th—8th grades: $2420

· 9th—12th grades: $3390

Reimbursements

As a state agency, ACA cannot offer reimbursements on any materials, classes, or activities purchased directly by families.  

Consumable or Not?

Curriculum and materials are defined as either consumable or non-consumable. Consumable curriculum will be “used up” by the student. For example, workbooks that are meant to be written in are consumables, as are most art supplies and science kits. All non-consumable curriculum is inventoried with an ACA barcode and must be returned at the end of the school year, or upon withdrawing from ACA. The percentages charged to the student’s allotment for a non-consumable item may vary from 50%-100% depending on the item; these items are considered a school asset and must be returned (see FAQs).

Prices on Curriculum Orders

Because prices often fluctuate for curriculum and supplemental materials, ACA cannot guarantee  special sale prices offered by our vendors. The student’s allotment will be charged the price ACA pays for the item at the time of purchase. A shipping charge may also be added to the student’s order.

Allotment Refund Policy

The school must pay shipping fees when returning items. We encourage families and ESes to carefully consider their choices before ordering. Curriculum and other materials may be returned for a partial refund of allotment only if the following conditions are met:

• The curriculum is not what was ordered by the ES.

• The curriculum is an item that can be used by another student.

• The curriculum is returned to the school in less than two weeks after receiving it.

• The curriculum is returned in new condition.

**Shipping charges may be applied to your allotment for returned items; a restocking fee may also be applied.

Returning School Assets

Non-consumable curriculum and any other items with an ACA barcode must be returned at the end of the school year, or when the student withdraws from school, as they are paid for with public school funds and belong to Alliance Charter Academy. Families will be charged out-of-pocket for missing or damaged materials. Allotments cannot be used for damaged items.

New vs. In-Stock

In-stock items are processed within a few days. New items must be ordered and may take 2-4 weeks to arrive.

Renting Computers

ACA allows students to use allotment funds to rent Chromebooks for the duration of the school year. *They must be promptly returned at the end of the year or when the student withdraws from school.  The allotment charge is $100 for Chromebooks for the entire school year for students who register on or before September 1st.  The Chromebooks are cleaned and checked before they are rented, but please check yours carefully for damages before you sign the computer use agreement. Students must not eat or drink when using the computers, and must sign and agree to use the computer for school-related activities only. When the Chromebooks are returned by the student, they are immediately checked for damages and viruses.  Parents are responsible for any damages that occur while the computer is in the care of the student.

Guidelines for Spending Your Allotment

As a state agency, ACA cannot purchase or oversee the use of certain items. You may purchase them with personal funds, as long as you use them apart from ACA.  Our policy is CORE BEFORE MORE, which means that the student must spend his or her allotment on materials to cover the core subjects of language arts, mathematics, science and social studies before he or she may spend it on supplemental materials, or vendors. Your ES will help you with your student’s needs.

Before you order, please ask yourself: 

• Is the item used to support my student’s Semester Course Agreement? 

• Are the core subjects covered? 

DISCLAIMER: Allotment spending decisions may be made on a case-by-case basis. For example, students who are not making educational progress may be denied funds for extracurricular activities until their core courses are in place.

The Ordering Process

1...

The ES and family meet to discuss which curriculum best meets the needs of the student. The parents, student, and ES work out a semester course agreement, which the student and parent must sign before curriculum, classes, or vendors are ordered.

2...

The ES enters curriculum requests in the Online Purchasing System (OPS). Sometimes other charges may be added to the cost of the student order (such as shipping/handling).

3...

The curriculum room staff double-checks the orders and the student’s allotment.  They set aside items that are already in stock and check them out to the student, and then order items that are not in stock.

4...

The books arrive!  The curriculum room staff checks the order, then they check out each item to each student.

5...

The curriculum is delivered to the ES.

6...

The ES delivers the curriculum to the family.

7...

The family returns all non-consumable curriculum to the curriculum room on or before the end-of-the-year due date.

8...

The curriculum room staff checks in the curriculum, making it available for new families to check out in August.

Vendors that have been used in the past & will need updated information - 

• Trackers

Vendor Caps are as follows (the only exception is core subject courses) -  

• Grades K-2 - $146

• Grades 3-4 - $165

• Grade 5 - $185

• Grades 6-8 - $242

• Grades 9-12 - $339

Questions?

Check the Frequently Asked Questions page, or contact the Curriculum Department. We're glad to help!