Arizona HOMESCHOOL HeartBeat
Monthly E-letter
May
2008
Volume 9, Issue 5
Even though Arizona is in our name,
we also cover news items of interest across the nation.
Questions
&
Answers
HOW DO I QUALIFY TO BE A TEST ADMINISTRATOR
WITH BOB JONES UNIVERSITY?
Tell me about your Free Money for Homeschooling.
Q:
Hi,
Holly.
I have a
testing question.
I'm now
living in Virginia and continuing to home school out here.
I just ran
a group testing effort out here under someone else. We got all done and she
asked for my testing number—my authorization to proctor the Iowa Test. This
testing is through BJU Press.
Every time
I tested a group in Arizona, it was with your organization. I know I qualified
as a proctor by having my B.A. degree. I'm thinking I filled out some
paperwork at your office when I first started. Is there some sort of number or
identification that says I'm qualified to proctor?
Can you
give me any idea how to handle this?
We're
waiting to send in the test results until I have given her my number, so the
sooner I have a solution the better. :/
Thank you,
Testing Proctor in need of help
A:
Dear
Testing Proctor,
Thanks
for the email.
Since
we did not go through BJU, our requirements are a little different. Our
oversight person needs to have the BA (which both Dolly and I have), but we
didn’t have any specifics needed for the proctors. I don’t think you signed
anything with us.
BJU has
their own testing rules, which are a little different for the IOWA and the
Stanford tests. For each, you do need to submit a copy of the diploma and
fill out a form. These are on the website to download. Last year, I
applied for and got approved for both, so I could test for a student going
through their academy, and got a certificate from BJU saying I was qualified
to test for their program. I also got a Tester number that I need to use in
all my correspondence with them.
It
appears to me that you haven’t gotten that certification from BJU. You might
want to give them a call and see if you can get in ex post facto.
Thanks and
blessings!
Holly Craw,
Director
Covenant Home School Resource Center
602-277-3497
www.homeschoolresourcecenter.org
Q:
I have seen your emails about Free Money for Homeschooling. Can you tell me more? Is this like a voucher program or tax credits? I am on a very tight budget and am interested in all the ways to save money that I can find.
Thanks.
Frugal Family
A:
Dear Frugal Family,
Thanks so much for your interest in the resources that Covenant Home School Resource Center has for making home education fun and affordable.
Our programs are not related to vouchers or tax credits. Both of these ideas are tied in to legislative action and government funding, and most homeschoolers are not interested in getting tied into these things. Happily, there are lots of ways to get your schooling needs paid for in other ways, and we will do all that we can to assist you.
Please explore the links for each of the sections below to get more details, and feel free to call our office if you have questions.
“How can I homeschool without spending a fortune?”
GETTING CASH FOR HOMESCHOOL CLASSES, BOOKS, SERVICES, RESOURCES:
§ Basha’s and Fry’s Gift Car Fundraisers
o Buy a $5 gift card, refill it when you shop, 5-6% of the refill amount comes to CHSRC
o Purchase gift cards for other stores and get money for many of your other kinds of purchases
o We track the card n umbers for you and all your friends and credit the amount to your account
o Use your credit for ANY purchases from CHSRC
o See more details: http://www.chsrc.org.Fundraising/bashas.htm or http://www.chsrc.org/Fundraising/frys.htm
o Fry’s pays every 6 months, Basha’s pays monthly
o Fry’s is connected to all the Kroger stores and their affiliates across the country for your friends and relatives to use on your behalf. Basha’s cards work at AJ’s Fine Foods and Food City
o One family may have multiple other families earning credit on their behalf
§ Online Shopping
o Register online and connect your card and purchases to CHSRC
§ Shop online at your favorite stores
§ Get a rebate of 1-10% or more on your purchases
§ Cash either goes directly back to your credit card for reserves for your homeschooling OR
§ Donate all or part of the refund to CHSRC scholarship fund or your own account
§ Refunds are automatic and are paid when a minimum balance is achieved
§
o I-Bake Sale Fundraiser (www.Ibakesale.com)
o Escrip (www.Escrip.com)
o School Pop (www.schoolpop.com
o Goodsearch (www.goodsearch.com)
§ Script or fundraiser programs from other stores
o We are open to working with other store programs that are similar to Fry’s and Basha’s
o Please check with the stores that you frequent to see if they have a scrip or fundraiser program for schools and non-profit organizations. If
they have something, get the name of the coordinator and the details, and pass them on to CHSRC
§ CHSRC Scholarship Fund (www.chsrc.org/chsrc/scholarships.htm)
o Open to all students taking CHSRC classes when an application is completed
o Anyone in the US may donate to the fund and get a tax deduction receipt
o Non-parents who donate may specify a certain students or family as the recipients, or may give to the general scholarship fun
o Designated monies will be credited to the appropriate person
§ Refer advertisers for our online resource directory and other publications
o Get 30% of the ad price credited to your account.
SAVING MONEY ON CLASSES:
§ Pay for the semester or year in advance and reduce your overall cost
o Summer enrollments have until September 15 to pay off the fall semester, and the second half can be paid by January 15.
§ Request rental or used textbooks for the classes if available
§ Bring your used books in to donate to CHSRC (Get a tax receipt or store credit for used curriculum)
§ Watch for our GREAT sales each month on new and used materials (www.chsrc.org/specials.htm)
See more information at www.chsrc.org/Fundraising/moneysavers.htm
Please call the office, 602-277-3497, or email, info@chsrc.org with your questions
HOW MANY WAYS CAN YOU EARN MONEY FOR HOMESCHOOLING
BY LIVING YOUR NORMAL LIFE AND SPENDING MONEY (Without it costing you an extra cent!)
I. Grocery Store Debit Gift Cards
A. BUYING GROCERIES: The average family of four typically spends $400-600 monthly on food. (This doesn’t count all the other things you can buy at the store—dog food, lotion, patio furniture, medicine and Christmas decorations!) The number below represent the ANNUAL
rebate level for one debit card used by the family:
C. ENCOURAGING YOUR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES TO USE A DEBIT GIFT CARD ON LYOUR BEHALF:
As many people as you want can help you earn credit on your account. It doesn’t cost them a penny, but it can be a HUGE blessing to you .. The cards still need to be purchased from CHSRC so they track back to us and to your account, but they are good all over Arizona (and the US for Fry’s). Would you be excited to double or triple the above earnings by getting a rebate from 2 or 3 other people who are spending their money?
II. Online Shopping
A. REBATE-BACK-TO-YOU PROGRAMS: I-Bake Sale gives you the option to get a rebate back directly on your credit card, which save s you money on your current purchases that you can set aside for future homeschooling needs.
B. TRACKABLE REBATE SENT TO CHSRC: Many of the online store rebates are sent to CHSRC with a list of the creditable amount for each patron. We log this into your account when we receive the payment (usually when a minimum level has been achieved)
C. GENERAL LUMP-SUM PAYMENT TO CHSRC: A few companies do not track the patrons and do not even share the names with CHSRC. These funds become a general donation form the company to CHSRC and would not be trackable to your account. However, you can feel good that your spending is still benefiting home educators in Arizona.
III. How to Sign Up:
A. Fry’s or Basha’s Debit Gift Card
1. Send $5 for each card with a self-addressed, stamped envelope, your name, address, phone and cards
needed to: Covenant Home School Resource Center, 1117 E. Devonshire Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85014
2. We will send back the card you have specified, which is pre-loaded with $5
3. Go to the store and add up to $500 at one time, and begin shopping!
4. When the funds come in, we will credit your account and notify you.
5. Funds may be used for any product or service that CHSRC offers
6. Curriculum may even be purchased by those in other cities or states and mailed to you.
B. Online Shopping
1. Check the chart that follows for your favorite store
2. Go to the website and log in the requisite information for your shopping cards and connect with CHSRC
3. Click on the store from within the website and do your shopping
4. The percentage rebate is usually listed for each store
5. CHSRC will get paid when a minimum level from all patrons is reached
6. We will credit your account and notify you.
7.
Your friends’ and relatives’ shopping cards can be set up under your account as well.
PARTICIPATING STORES AND PROGRAMS FOR HOMESCHOOL MONEY FUNDRAISING
(This is just a sampling of all the stores. Please check the websites for a complete list.)
Stores may change their rebate amounts, so please check the website for the current donation.
This list is under construction and will be added to on a regular basis.
