Frequently Asked Questions
About K.E.Y.S.
Q: Is K.E.Y.S. a school?
A: No, K.E.Y.S. is not a private, charter, or public school. The IRS recognizes K.E.Y.S. as a non-profit, community service organization.
Q: Is K.E.Y.S. becoming a school?
A: Absolutely not. K.E.Y.S. can never become a school due to our non-profit, community service status.
Q: What is K.E.Y.S. purpose?
A: The purpose of KEYS is to partner with parents of homeschooled students to help them continue homeschooling throughout high school.
Q: Who runs K.E.Y.S.?
A: The K.E.Y.S. by-laws are clear in addressing who runs K.E.Y.S. K.E.Y.S. is managed by an elected Board of Directors. At the present time, there are four members on the Board of Directors.
Q: Are there membership meetings?
A: Yes, each year there are two meetings that the K.E.Y.S. Board of Directors encourages members to attend. One takes place at the end of April and is called the Open House. The other takes place before classes start in August. It is called KEYed Up Night.
About Donating
Q: Is my tuition tax deductable?
A: Feel free to check with your accountant about this question. K.E.Y.S. does not offer tax- deductable receipts for any payment that is made in exchange for a service or a product.
Q: Can I receive a tax-right-off if I donate to K.E.Y.S.?
A: Of course! As a 501(c)(3) public charity, K.E.Y.S. gladly accepts donations in three forms: Monetary, Property/real estate, or Assets of any kind. Contributions for which tax-deductible receipts are issued are fully under the control of K.E.Y.S. of Arizona and are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. No goods or services can be received in connection with these contributions.
Q: What is done with my donation?
A: Contributions to K.E.Y.S. are used in a variety of ways. Normally, donations are used to scholarship students who wouldn’t have the opportunity to become involved without financial assistance. Donations may be used to purchase necessary supplies or help with operating expenses.
About Paying Tuition and Registering
Q: When can we register on the website?
A: As soon as the website is updated for the new academic year, K.E.Y.S. administrators send email notifications that the website is open for registration. Generally, registration begins the end of April for the upcoming academic year. Some classes fill quickly, so to ensure your students get their first choice of classes; it is wise to register and enroll early.
Q: When are tuition payments due?
A: Tuition payments are due on the 24th of each month. Because K.E.Y.S. pays its instructors on the second Thursday of each month and K.E.Y.S. operates on a very slim margin, a late fee of $7.00 per student per class will be assessed to your tuition on the 1st of each month if you have not yet paid. If your account is delinquent, you will be notified.
Q: Do we have to register and/or enroll in classes on the website to take classes at K.E.Y.S.?
A: Yes, there is no other way to become a part of the K.E.Y.S. community.
Q: Do we have to pay monthly tuition on the website?
A: Yes and No. It saves K.E.Y.S. hours of bookkeeping to pay online; however, if you are willing and/or able to pay by the semester or the year for your family’s tuition, you may pay by check.
Q: Do we have to pay every month?
A: K.E.Y.S. runs on an eight month calendar. Your Good Faith Payment is like a rent down-payment. If your account is in good standing, K.E.Y.S. uses your Good Faith Payment to pay April’s tuition. You may pay monthly (before the 1st of each month), by the semester, or by the year. You will simply click on the payments you want to make and add them to your shopping cart. Feel free to pay for classes with whatever method suits your family budget.
Q: Will we receive statements?
A: No, statements will not be sent to you on a monthly basis. You will be responsible for using your personal KEYS account to keep track of tuition payments.
About Dropping or Adding Classes
Q: Can we add classes throughout the summer?
A: Yes, it is possible to add classes for your registered K.E.Y.S. students. You will be allowed to do this through the website by going to Class Schedules on the upper left of the screen.
Q: Can I add a class once the academic year has begun?
A: Yes, you can add classes once the academic year has begun, but you must get the approval of the K.E.Y.S. administrators and the instructor of that particular class.
Q: Can we drop classes throughout the summer?
A: Yes, it is possible to drop classes for your students throughout the summer. You must notify MaryKay Collin at mcollin@keysofaz.com if you are dropping a class. Or you may call the K.E.Y.S. administrative assistant at 623-826-9467. Your Registration fee AND Good Faith Payment will NOT be refunded or transferred if a class is dropped.
Q: Can we drop classes after K.E.Y.S. begins in August?
A: Yes, you may drop classes after K.E.Y.S. begins; however, you are responsible to pay for 4 months of tuition for that class. The Good Faith Payment is forfeited when a class is dropped. There are no exceptions to this policy.
Q: What if I thought my child could “handle” a class, but after classes begin, I realize the class is too hard? What if I “accidently” enroll my child in a class where he/she doesn’t meet the pre-requisites?
A: Once you enroll your child in a class, you are contractually obligated to pay for the entire semester of that class whether or not your child continues to attend the class. Tuition payments are not able to be transferred from one class to another or from one student to another.
About Study Hall
Q: Why do we have to pay for study hall?
A: Study hall is considered a class just like math or science. The study hall monitors must be compensated in some way. The study hall monitors build relationships with students and ensures their safety. By registering your student for study hall, class lists are created to help with accountability. The study hall monitors are contracted instructors who are responsible for your student. Although the study hall monitors have a heart for helping and they love your teenagers, they deserve to receive some compensation for their time.
Q: Do my students have to be in study hall if they are not in classes?
A: Yes, if they are staying on the Pure Heart campus and are not enrolled in another class, they must be enrolled in study hall. In order to keep everyone safe on the Pure Heart campus, students must either be in a class or in study hall. No students are allowed to remain unsupervised on campus. If you are planning on picking up your student(s) immediately after classes, they do not need to register for study hall.
About Classes and Tests
Q: What courses does my child need to graduate from the state of Arizona?
A: Feel free to download the Graduation Requirements page under the K.E.Y.S. Forms and Documents tab. Graduation requirements vary depending upon which year your student is graduating. Please be aware of the fact that just because your child meets graduation requirements for the state of Arizona, it does not mean that he/she meets college entrance requirements. Generally speaking college preparatory students plan ahead and look at college entrance requirements as they are working their way through high school courses.
Q: Does K.E.Y.S. require any specific classes?
A: Parents and students are free to choose whatever classes they feel best compliment their homeschool endeavor. However, in order to participate in the K.E.Y.S. hosted high school graduation ceremony, students must complete a course in Christian Worldview either from K.E.Y.S. or a Board approved alternative.
Q: Are my students required to take standardized tests?
A: No, they are not. According to the law in the state of Arizona, homeschooled students are not required to take the AIMS, Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS), or Stanford-9 tests. As a community service organization, K.E.Y.S. instructors proctor the ITBS for K.E.Y.S. members and non-members. These are not required, but many parents like to have their students tested so that they can compare how their student is doing according to the national average. ITBS scores are also useful if a student might be enrolling in a public, private, or charter school in the near future.
Q: Does American Sign Language count as a foreign language credit?
A: Yes, American Sign Language is a fully developed language with a complex grammatical structure; therefore, it is recognized as a foreign language credit.
About Grades
Q: Does K.E.Y.S. provide transcripts?
A: No, K.E.Y.S. is not a school; therefore, we do not provide transcripts. As homeschoolers, each parent is responsible for creating his/her child’s transcript.
Q: Does K.E.Y.S. send report cards?
A: No, K.E.Y.S. is not a school. At the end of each semester, instructors will email suggested grades. However, it is up to the primary educator, the parent, to assign a final grade and record it on his/her child’s transcript.
Other Questions
Q: Can my student ride the city bus to K.E.Y.S.?
A: No, K.E.Y.S. policy does not allow students to walk off campus for any reason.
Q: When is Christmas break and Spring Break?
A: Please look under Event Calendar on the website in order to see all of the vacation days, beginning and end of classes, FYI’s, and special meetings.
Q: What is FYI?
A: FYI is an acronym for Fellowship for the Young and Inspired. It is a monthly, student-led, chapel service held at the Pure Heart campus at 11:00 a.m. on the first Thursday of each month.
Q: Who can I talk to if I have questions about KEYS?
A: You may call the office administrator at 623-826-9467 with your questions about tuition, registration, and/or classes. She will answer your questions to the best of her ability or take a message. If she cannot answer a question, she will leave a message for Misti or MaryKay. During the academic year, feel free to drop by the K.E.Y.S. office located on the Pure Heart campus.