Homeschooling gives families something a traditional classroom often cannot; control over pace, content, and the shape of the school day. For many households, that flexibility is exactly right for a season of life until something shifts. The student outgrows the subjects a parent feels equipped to teach, a work schedule changes, or a teenager starts asking for lab partners, a graduation stage, and a transcript that colleges recognize without explanation.
If your family is weighing a homeschool alternative Ocoee parents can reach without a long commute, The Crenshaw Academy may be the next step you have been picturing. We are an accredited, secular, K-12 college preparatory school on Hempel Avenue in Gotha, in west Orange County Florida. Since 1997, we have built our program around small classes and close faculty, student, and parent relationships, which means we can meet a student where they actually are instead of asking them to fit a predetermined mold.
Why Home Educating Families Start Looking at Private School
Home education is a large and growing part of Florida's educational landscape. During the 2024-25 school year, 114,370 families and 152,871 students participated in home education programs statewide (Florida Department of Education, 2025). That figure represents a 37 percent increase over the previous five years. With so many families moving in and out of home education as circumstances change, the question of what comes next is a common one, not an unusual one.
The parents who reach out to us tend to describe a handful of familiar turning points:
- Advanced coursework. Chemistry labs, higher-level math, and honors-level writing become difficult to deliver at home.
- Schedule pressure. A return to full-time work or a new caregiving responsibility leaves less room for daily instruction.
- Transcript concerns. High school approaches and families want documented, accredited credits for college applications.
- Social and academic momentum. A student wants classmates, teachers who are not also their parents, clubs, and a graduation ceremony.
- Burnout. The parent carrying the teaching load is tired, and that is a legitimate reason to change course.
None of those turning points mean home education failed. They usually mean it worked well enough that the student is ready for more than one household can reasonably provide.
What a Small School Adds to What You Have Already Built
Homeschool families are often wary of large institutions, and reasonably so. Many chose home education to escape crowded classrooms and one-size-fits-all pacing. A private school for Ocoee homeschoolers should preserve what worked at home rather than erase it.
Class Sizes That Keep Instruction Personal
Our student-teacher ratio is 12:1 in the Lower School and 15:1 in both Middle and Upper School. Teachers know students deeply, understand their learning styles, and adjust instruction accordingly.
Academic Support Built Into the School Day
Transitioning students sometimes arrive strong in one subject and behind in another, a natural result of individualized learning at home. We plan for it. Crenshaw maintains an in-house tutoring program supporting organization, study skills, and content area concepts, and college counseling is part of the individualized support Upper School students receive.
A Curriculum That Respects Independent Thinking
Our philosophy centers on intellectual inquiry, analysis, problem solving, and independence of thought. Debate, discussion, substantial reading and writing, questioning, and experimenting are the basic modes of learning here. Families who have spent years encouraging a child to ask hard questions usually find that instinct rewarded rather than corrected, and our about page explains the approach in more detail.
Accreditation and Credits That Travel With Your Student
For families making the move during the high school years, accreditation is often the deciding factor. The Crenshaw Academy holds accreditation through Cognia (SACS/CASI), the Association of Independent Schools of Florida, the Middle States Association, Accreditation International, and the National Council for Private School Accreditation. Details are available on our accreditation page.
Testing results reflect that environment. The Crenshaw Academy ranked above average globally in English on the PSAT NMSQT and above average state-wide in both English and Math on the PSAT 8/9. Graduates have gone on to institutions including the University of Florida, Florida State University, Rollins College, Penn State, Stanford, and Princeton, listed in full on our after Crenshaw page.
One School From Kindergarten Through Graduation
Families with several children at different stages often need a single answer for everyone. Crenshaw serves Kindergarten through grade 12 on one campus, with divisions designed for each stage of development:
- Kindergarten and Lower School, grades K-5: phonics-based reading, hands-on math, inquiry-based science, Spanish beginning in Kindergarten, STEM, art, and music
- Middle School, grades 6-8: interdisciplinary core subjects with formal modern language instruction, plus focused attention on organization and study habits
- Upper School, grades 9-12: college preparatory coursework in small, seminar-style classes, with honors options, electives, a computer science requirement, and community service
Physical education comes through our partnership with D2 Futsal staff, one to two times per week for elementary students and daily for grades 6 through 8. Enrollment fees include curriculum, a school laptop, and portal access, so families are not sourcing and purchasing materials each year. See our educational programs page for more.
Making Private School Affordable
Cost is a real consideration for families accustomed to the lower expense of home education. The Crenshaw Academy now accepts the Step Up For Students PEP scholarship for our professional program. The Personalized Education Program provides an education savings account for students who are not enrolled full time in a public or private school, and PEP students may use funds for individual classes or part-time in-person enrollment at eligible private schools (Step Up For Students PEP Family Handbook, 2026).
We also offer tuition discounts for active military members, first responders, alumni, and younger siblings, along with multiple payment plan structures. Current rates are posted on our tuition and fees page, and additional funding options are collected on our scholarship resources page.
What Transitioning From Homeschool Looks Like
Families researching transitioning from homeschool usually want to know how complicated the process is. Enrollment at Crenshaw is completed in person or virtually, and it follows a short sequence:
- Schedule a tour. Use the tour scheduler on our site or reach out through our contact page to speak with an admissions advisor.
- Visit campus and meet with administration. This meeting is where we discuss your student's learning history, the portfolio and records you have kept, and where they are likely to fit academically.
- Share documentation. Complete the required forms and provide records, including any evaluation results, IEP documentation, or coursework summaries from your home education program.
- Confirm placement and enrollment. Enrollment is finalized once the tour and meeting are complete, documents are submitted, and registration and first tuition payments are received.
- Start the year with support. Tutoring at an extra charge of $60/hr payable directly to the teacher., teacher check-ins, and small classes carry new students through the adjustment period.
Full details are on our how to apply page. Two articles may also help as you prepare: our guidance on back-to-school anxiety after a break and our strategies for when a student is struggling in school.
Serving Families Across West Orange County
Our campus sits at 2342 Hempel Avenue in Gotha, a short drive from the neighborhoods along Silver Star Road, Clarke Road, and Maguire Road. Families from Ocoee, Windermere, Winter Garden, Gotha, and the surrounding communities of west Orange County make the trip each morning, and many tell us the drive is shorter than they expected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my homeschooled student be behind academically?
Not necessarily, and uneven skills are common in any transfer student. During your enrollment meeting we discuss your student's coursework, evaluations, and portfolio to determine appropriate placement. Our in-house tutoring program (extra charge) provides support in organization, study skills, and specific content areas once your student begins.
Do you accept credits earned at home?
Credit decisions are made individually and depend on the documentation available for the work completed. Bring your records to your admissions meeting so we can review them with you. Crenshaw also offers Independent Study options for older students who want credit in areas outside our standard course offerings.
Is The Crenshaw Academy a religious school?
No. We are a secular, non-denominational college preparatory school, and our curriculum is academically focused. Students come from a wide range of family backgrounds and belief systems.
Can my student still pursue a serious sport or artistic career?
Yes. Our Professional Program was created for that situation, and it allows students with demanding outside commitments to remain enrolled, keep up with coursework, and stay eligible for clubs, activities, and graduation.
What grades do you serve, and what are your class sizes?
We serve Kindergarten through grade 12. Class ratios are 12:1 in the Lower School and 15:1 in Middle and Upper School.
How do I find out whether a scholarship covers our tuition?
Eligibility depends on your student's grade, current enrollment status, and the program you apply through. Contact our admissions team and we will walk you through the options that apply to your family.
Schedule a Visit and See the Difference
After years of teaching at home, the best way to evaluate a school is to walk the halls and talk with the people who would be teaching your child. Visit our contact page to schedule a tour, or call 407-757-2241 to speak with an admissions advisor about your student's next chapter.
