DIAGNOSTIC TESTING

The "School of Tomorrow" program is individualized and non-graded.  Since the curriculum is individualized, L.C.A. uses diagnostic tests to determine at what level, in each subject, every incoming student is able to perform. Experience has proven that a student's promotion from one grade level to the next in the conventional school does not necessarily indicate the student has learned or mastered the material in that grade level.

Therefore, a transferring student is not assigned academic work based on age.  Instead he will be "prescribed" curriculum and materials based on performance on the diagnostic test results only.  No other means will be used to determine a student’s academic level. Assignments that seem repetitious must be completed to ensure the student’s mastery of skills. Graduation is not guaranteed based on age or a specific date, but rather on academic achievement.

THE PACE

"P.A.C.E." is an abbreviation meaning, Packet of Accelerated Christian Education.  The core curriculum is a high-tech, state-of-the-art curriculum package.  This program enables a student to progress through high school, adequately prepared for college or for performance in the working world. A student’s individual accomplishments will vary according to his abilities and determination.

TESTS

Self-Tests:  At the end of each PACE there is a Self-Test.  When used correctly this is a gauge to determine if a student has gained the necessary knowledge to pass the PACE Test.  These are to be completed without looking back through the information in the PACE.

If a student is able to achieve a score of at least 80%, the PACE Test will be administered on the following school day.  However, should the student achieve a score of less than 80% the material must be re-studied. A very low score on a Self-Test may indicate that the student’s need to repeat the PACE.

PACE TESTS After a PACE is completed, scored, corrected, and studied the student is ready to turn the PACE in to the supervisor. The student must commit to memory and recite aloud the memory verse contained in each PACE before being permitted to turn it in for testing. Pace Tests will usually be issued on the following school day and is considered successfully completed when the student scores at or above 80% on a PACE Test.

A low PACE Test score demonstrates weakness and inadequate learning or an insufficient mastery of skills. It has been said that all a student learns by receiving failing grades, is how to fail. Since L.C.A. is about teaching success and not failure, the student will be given another opportunity to master the skills and concepts. The student simple repeats the PACE if the minimal passing grade is not achieved. 

A student must master the information in a PACE before moving on to learn another new concept. Mastery of each skill is the ultimate goal and an occasional repeat PACE may be necessary to achieve that goal. In this way, the student learns to succeed and there is never a "grade - level failure"