Frequently Asked Questions — Brightseed Academy of Learning

Everything Florida homeschool families need to know about umbrella school enrollment, neurodivergent support, and how Brightseed works.

Understanding Umbrella Schools

  • Florida umbrella school, also called a cover school or non-campus private school is a Florida Department of Education registered private school that enrolls homeschool students. When you enroll your child in an umbrella school like Brightseed Academy, your child becomes a private school student under Florida law. This means you satisfy Florida's compulsory attendance requirements without registering directly with your county school district. All learning still happens at home under your direction as the parent, the difference is entirely administrative and legal, not practical.

  • Yes, completely legal. Florida law provides three pathways for families who want to educate their children at home. One of those pathways is enrolling in a Florida-registered non-campus private school. Brightseed Academy is fully registered with the Florida Department of Education and compliant with all Florida private school statutes. Enrollment with Brightseed legally satisfies Florida's compulsory attendance law for children ages 6 through 16.

  • When you register directly with your county school district as a home educator, you are governed by Florida's home education statutes. This requires you to file a Notice of Intent with your superintendent, maintain a portfolio of your child's work, and complete an annual evaluation each year. When you enroll with an umbrella school like Brightseed, you are a private school student instead. You report to Brightseed, not the district. You do not file a Notice of Intent. You do not submit annual evaluations to the district. Brightseed maintains your child's enrollment records, attendance records, and documentation on your behalf. Neither pathway is better than the other, they have different implications and the right choice depends on your family's situation. Visit our Umbrella Basics page for a detailed comparison.

  • No. Brightseed Academy is completely curriculum-agnostic. We do not require any specific curriculum, schedule, or teaching approach. You choose what your child learns, when they learn it, and how. We provide the legal enrollment, record-keeping, and support, you remain in full control of your child's education.

  • Generally umbrella school students are private school students under Florida law and cannot take public school classes. For sports, Florida law was significantly updated effective July 1, 2025. Under the Craig Dickinson Act as amended by SB 248 (F.S. 1006.15), private school students may now participate in FHSAA interscholastic sports at a public school if their private school does not offer that particular sport. Students must meet the same eligibility standards as other student athletes. Families interested in public school sports participation should contact their local school district and the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) directly to understand current eligibility requirements and next steps.

  • No. Brightseed is a non-campus private school and does not require immunization records or physical forms for enrollment. Some outside programs your child participates in such as sports leagues, co-ops, or dual enrollment programs, may have their own requirements independent of Brightseed. Check directly with those programs for their specific requirements.

Enrolling With Brightseed

  • Enrollment is completed entirely online and takes approximately 15 minutes. Go to our Enrollment page, select your tier, complete the enrollment form, and submit payment. Your official enrollment letter is delivered by next business day. You can begin your homeschool immediately upon enrollment. If you have questions before enrolling, book a free 15-minute Q&A call with our team.

  • Brightseed Academy enrolls students in grades Pre-K through 12 across Florida. Florida's compulsory school attendance age begins at 6, so Pre-K enrollment is optional and provides official records and enrollment letters for families who want documentation from the earliest stages of their child's learning journey.

  • Brightseed's enrollment year runs August 1 through July 31, aligned with Florida's academic calendar. Families enrolling mid-year are prorated to July 31 so you pay only for the months remaining in the current school year. Renewals open each June for the following school year. Families who enroll after May 1 will be enrolled for the upcoming school year beginning August 1.

  • Yes. After you enroll with Brightseed you will send a written withdrawal notice to your child's current school. We provide a withdrawal letter template to make this straightforward. You do not need to wait for the current school to process the withdrawal before starting your homeschool, your Brightseed enrollment takes effect immediately upon completion. If you are transitioning from district homeschool registration rather than a traditional school, contact us and we will walk you through the specific steps for your situation.

  • Yes. Brightseed accepts enrollments year-round. If you enroll mid-year your fees are prorated to July 31 so you only pay for the months remaining in the current school year. There is no penalty or additional fee for mid-year enrollment.

  • No long-term contract. Enrollment is for the current school year running August 1 through July 31. You renew annually. You may choose not to renew at any time without penalty. Please review our Refunds and Turnarounds policy for full details on mid-year withdrawals.

  • After completing your enrollment form you will be directed to complete payment online. We accept credit cards and bank transfers. For Neurodiversity+ monthly billing, your card on file is charged automatically each month on your enrollment anniversary date.

  • Yes. You can upgrade to a higher tier at any time during the enrollment year. We prorate the difference so you pay only the balance toward the higher tier, not the full price again. Downgrades take effect at your next renewal date, not mid-year.

  • Enrollment fees are non-refundable once you are enrolled and your official enrollment letter has been issued, as issuance of the letter constitutes delivery of the primary service. Please review our full Refunds and Turnarounds policy for complete details before enrolling.

Records, Letters, and Transcripts

  • All enrollment and withdrawal letters are delivered by next business day. If you need a same-day letter, submit your enrollment or request before 3:00 PM Eastern Time and we will process it the same day. Requests received after 3:00 PM ET will be delivered the following business day.

  • Brightseed maintains enrollment and withdrawal records, annual attendance summaries, and applicable progress or transcript documents for every enrolled student. Records are stored securely and are shared only with legal guardians or with your explicit written consent. We do not share student records with school districts, government agencies, or third parties without your written permission.

  • Transcript support varies by enrollment tier. Core plan families receive a professional transcript shell template with instructions, you complete and maintain it yourself and we store it in your family record. Standard plan families receive transcript readiness guidance, we review your course naming, credit structure, and GPA approach to ensure your transcript will be accepted by colleges and scholarship programs. Premier plan families receive full transcript support each semester. Full done-for-you transcript builds are available as a paid add-on for any tier with a 5 business day turnaround. Contact us to request this add-on.

  • Yes. Brightseed issues diplomas for graduating high school students. Contact us as your student approaches their senior year so we can walk you through the documentation needed and what the diploma process looks like for Brightseed enrolled families.

Neurodivergent Families and BCBA Support

  • Brightseed was founded by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with nearly 10 years of experience in Applied Behavior Analysis. We are the only Florida umbrella school founded with neurodivergent learners specifically in mind. Our support resources, coaching approach, and individualized plans are built on evidence-based behavioral principles, not generic advice. We understand ADHD, autism, sensory processing differences, anxiety, dyslexia, twice-exceptionality, and executive functioning challenges at a clinical level. When you describe your child's needs to us, you are talking to someone with graduate-level clinical training in behavior and learning who genuinely understands what you are describing.

  • No. Brightseed serves children with and without formal diagnoses. If you know your child learns differently, whether or not there is a diagnosis on paper, Brightseed was built for your family. Our Neurodiversity+ plan is available to any family whose child has learning differences or needs a more individualized approach, regardless of diagnosis status.

  • Neurodiversity+ is our most specialized enrollment tier, designed for families of children with ADHD, autism, sensory processing differences, anxiety, dyslexia, twice-exceptionality, or any learning difference that makes traditional educational structures a poor fit. It includes monthly 30-minute BCBA-informed strategy sessions conducted via Zoom or phone, plus an individualized supports plan created specifically for your child and updated quarterly. Sessions are parent-focused and education-only. Neurodiversity+ can be combined with any other Brightseed enrollment tier.

  • No. This is important to understand clearly. The Neurodiversity+ plan provides educational strategy coaching and behavioral guidance for learning environments. It is not clinical ABA therapy, does not constitute a therapeutic relationship, and does not replace or supplement any clinical services your child currently receives. It does not produce clinical documentation such as behavior intervention plans or functional behavior assessments. If your child requires clinical ABA services, those must be obtained through a separate licensed clinical provider. Neurodiversity+ is designed to complement any clinical support your family already has in place, not replace it.

  • No. Brightseed does not require an IEP, 504 plan, or any formal documentation of your child's learning differences to enroll in any tier, including Neurodiversity+.

Florida Scholarship Programs

  • Brightseed is not currently an approved participating school for Florida's FES-UA or FES-EO scholarship programs. We are working toward approval and will update our families as soon as we are accepted. If your family currently receives FES-UA or FES-EO scholarship funds, please contact us directly at info@brightseedacademy.com so we can discuss your options and keep you informed about our approval status.

  • The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA) is a Florida state education savings account program that provides funding for students ages 3 through 22 who have a qualifying disability. The average award is approximately $10,000 per year and funds can be used for private school tuition, therapies, curriculum, tutoring, and other approved educational expenses. Qualifying conditions include autism spectrum disorder, ADHD (listed under other health impairment), dyslexia and other specific learning disabilities, emotional or behavioral disabilities, speech or language impairments, intellectual disabilities, and many others. Your child must have a qualifying diagnosis from a licensed physician or psychologist, or an active IEP from a Florida school district. All eligibility and funding decisions are made exclusively by your Scholarship Funding Organization, Step Up For Students or AAA Scholarships. Contact your SFO directly to confirm your child's eligibility.

  • Yes, they are two completely different programs. FES-EO (Educational Options) is an income-based scholarship available to Florida K-12 students whose household income does not exceed 375% of the federal poverty level, or who are in foster care, are military dependents, or are siblings of a current program participant. FES-EO is not specifically for children with disabilities. FES-UA (Unique Abilities) is the disability-based scholarship for students with qualifying diagnoses. If you are unsure which scholarship is right for your family, contact Step Up For Students or AAA Scholarships, they can help you determine eligibility for both programs at no cost.

Getting Started

  • A good starting point: choose Core if you are an experienced homeschooler who primarily needs legal documentation and record-keeping. Choose Standard if you are new to homeschooling or want check-ins and guidance throughout the year. Choose Premier if you want quarterly coaching sessions and year-round high-touch support. Choose Neurodiversity+ if your child has ADHD, autism, sensory processing differences, or other learning differences and you want monthly BCBA-informed educational coaching. Neurodiversity+ can be added to any other tier. If you are still unsure, book a free 15-minute Q&A call and we will help you figure out exactly which tier fits your family.

  • The Q&A call is a no-pressure conversation with our team. You can ask any questions you have about how Brightseed works, which tier might be right for your family, how umbrella school enrollment works in Florida, or anything else on your mind. There is no obligation to enroll after the call.

  • Very quickly. Enrollment is completed online in approximately 15 minutes. Your official enrollment letter arrives by next business day. Same-day letters are available for urgent situations if your enrollment is completed before 3:00 PM ET. You can begin your homeschool immediately upon completing enrollment.

  • Email us at info@brightseedacademy.com and we will respond within 1 to 2 business days. You can also book a free 15-minute Q&A call for faster, more personal answers to your specific situation.

Still have questions? We would love to help.

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