PAX Academy is an innovative and inspiring private K-12 school for self-directed learners. We believe that the child is the curriculum and will learn best when given the freedom to choose their own unique learning path and pace.
We believe that the best way to prepare students for success in the real world in the future is by experiencing the real world today!
We believe in cultivating the intrinsic motivation necessary to inspire a lifelong love of learning through developing our critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative skills today.
PAX Academy is an excellent option for families who are looking to design an ideal educational environment that is as unique as the child.
Spend your time in ways that are meaningful and valuable for you! You can learn whatever you want as fast or as slow as you need.
Let go of any label that doesn't serve you, and use your mind to create the person that you want to be - free from all of the expectations of society.
The world is your classroom! You are free to learn anywhere and from anyone whom you choose.
Did you know that there are 3 ways to earn academic credit?
Whichever method you choose, the important thing to remember is that YOU are the one choosing. YOU are responsible for your own education, and YOU have the right to learn in the way that best suits your unique needs and goals… and we at PAX Academy are here to help!
* = additional fees may apply
At PAX Academy, we believe:
Learning happens all day every day, so we never take a break from learning. Officially, our school year begins on August 1st and ends on July 31st the following year, and we offer open enrollment year-round so families may join at any time. We open enrollment for the new school year on June 1st.
Many states have specific requirements regarding the number of days in each school year (usually 180 days), and as self-directed learners, we recognize that our children are actively engaged in the learning process 365 days per year. If your state requires you to keep track of attendance, we will provide you with the necessary forms to do so.
We believe that a private education should be affordable for all. For this reason, the tuition at PAX Academy is just $400 per year for one student or $700 per year for a family of up to 3 student (which may include parents/guardians in the same household).
The first time that you enroll in PAX Academy (or if you are returning after previously withdrawing), there is a one-time registration fee of $150 per student which includes a one-hour private consultation with our academic counselors.
Yes! PAX Academy offers flexible payment plans of 2, 4, or 6 months to help make enrollment more accessible for families.
To request a payment plan, please email info@paxacademy.org with “PAYMENT PLAN REQUEST” in the subject line.
In your email, please include:
Our team will create a personalized registration link that will allow you to select the 2-, 4-, or 6-month payment plan that works best for your family.
Please note that selecting a payment plan is a commitment to pay the full enrollment amount according to the selected payment schedule. Official records, including transcripts and diplomas, cannot be released until your account has been paid in full.
Late or missed payments may affect eligibility for future payment plans. If you anticipate difficulty making a scheduled payment, please contact us as soon as possible so we can discuss your situation.
PAX Academy is an accredited private PreK-12 school that accepts students as young as 3 years old through adults seeking to earn an accelerated high school diploma.
In order to withdraw your child from their current school, you should submit a written withdrawal letter. Some states/counties have a specific withdrawal form that must be completed. You may let the school know that you are withdrawing them from their school and enrolling them in our private school effective immediately or on a particular date in the future.
Remember: it is your responsibility to review your state’s education laws and to comply with them fully. To learn more about your state’s laws, please visit the Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) website. We highly recommend becoming a member of HSLDA at HSLDA.org
It depends on the laws on your state. In most states, by registering in PAX Academy, you will be in compliance with your state’s compulsory attendance laws as a private school student.
For example, in states like Maryland, Florida, and Tennessee, PAX Academy is registered and recognized as a private school, so you are NOT required to submit a Notice of Intent to Homeschool.
If you live in Maryland and would like more information about our homeschool umbrella, please visit: http://peacefulworldschoolers.com/
Remember: It is your responsibility to research and comply with the laws of your state/country.
At PAX Academy, we believe that your child is your best curriculum. Rather than requiring every student to follow the same program, textbook, or learning platform, we encourage families to build an education around each student’s unique interests, passions, needs, learning style, and future goals.
There is no required PAX Academy curriculum. Instead, our academic counselors work one-on-one with parents and guardians to custom-create an individualized educational plan designed around the unique needs, interests, abilities, goals, and circumstances of each child. We want families to feel supported in creating an education that fits their child—not pressured to make their child fit into a predetermined educational program.
Families are free to use traditional curriculum, online courses, community classes, tutors, dual enrollment, hands-on projects, travel, internships, independent study, real-world experiences—or no formal curriculum at all.
For families transitioning from traditional school, we often recommend beginning with a period of deschooling before introducing a structured curriculum. This gives students and parents time to decompress, reconnect with their interests, and discover how learning happens naturally outside of a conventional school environment.
As students move through their self-directed journey, some discover that they enjoy or benefit from more structure. This is especially common during the high school years as students begin working toward specific college, career, or personal goals. Structure and self-directed learning are not mutually exclusive—the goal is to use the tools that best serve the individual student.
PAX Academy families have access to a variety of free and discounted educational resources and curriculum options (such as ABCmouse, IXL, Starfall, and others), as well as opportunities through our university partnerships for eligible students to begin earning high school and college credit as early as 6th grade. Participation in these resources is entirely optional.
Newly enrolled students also receive a one-hour consultation with a PAX Academy academic advisor as part of their registration fee. During this consultation, your advisor will work with you to learn more about your child and your family’s educational goals and begin developing an individualized plan. We can help identify curriculum, resources, courses, experiences, and learning opportunities that align with your child’s interests and their personal, academic, and professional goals.
Ultimately, we don’t believe the question is “Which curriculum should every child use?” but rather:
“What does my unique child need to pursue their unique passion and purpose—and to thrive in their life?”
Deschooling is the process of unlearning what we have been taught to believe about school, education, and learning. It gives both children and parents time to step away from the expectations, routines, pressures, and assumptions of traditional schooling and rediscover what learning can look like when it is driven by curiosity, connection, and real life.
A simple way to begin is to ask yourself:
“What would we do if school didn’t exist?”
During the deschooling period, we encourage families to avoid trying to immediately recreate school at home. Put aside the worksheets, rigid schedules, assigned reading, grades, tests, and pressure to constantly prove that learning is happening. Instead, spend time together. Rest. Play. Explore. Read for pleasure. Go outside. Visit interesting places. Make things. Cook. Travel. Have conversations. Pursue hobbies. And, most importantly, make time to do something you love every day.
You may be surprised by how much learning happens naturally when no one is trying to turn every experience into a lesson.
Deschooling isn’t just for children—parents and guardians deschool, too. In fact, adults sometimes have more to unlearn than their children! Many of us grew up believing that learning must happen at a desk, during certain hours, with a teacher, textbook, assignment, or test. Deschooling gives us an opportunity to recognize and challenge those assumptions.
As a general guideline, we recommend intentionally deschooling for approximately one month for every year spent in a traditional school environment. This isn’t a rule or a deadline. Every family is different, and deschooling is often an ongoing process rather than something you simply complete one day.
Most importantly, deschooling does not mean that you stop learning. It means creating the space to discover how your child learns when learning is no longer dictated by school or controlled by a curriculum.
For more support on your deschooling journey, explore PAXacademy.org, listen to the Peaceful Worldschooling Podcast, or read the Deschooling Diary, a 365-day journal designed to help families rediscover learning without school.
Unschooling is a self-directed approach to education that allows children to learn naturally through their unique interests, passions, curiosity, experiences, relationships, and everyday life.
The term “unschooling” was coined by educator and author John Holt in the 1970s. Holt questioned many of the assumptions behind compulsory schooling and observed the negative effects that force, coercion, fear, and external pressure can have on a child’s natural desire to learn. He proposed something radically different: that children can learn with freedom, curiosity, joy, and trust when they are supported in pursuing the things that genuinely interest them.
Since then, families around the world have embraced unschooling not simply as an educational method, but as a lifestyle centered around principles such as mutual respect, autonomy, connection, love, and trust.
Instead of beginning with a predetermined curriculum and asking every child to learn the same things in the same way and at the same age, unschooling begins with the individual child:
Who are they? What do they love? What are they curious about? What are their strengths? What do they want to experience, understand, create, or accomplish?
Learning can happen anytime, anywhere, and through almost anything. Math can happen through cooking, gaming, building, budgeting, or entrepreneurship. History can come alive through travel, museums, documentaries, historical fiction, or genealogy. Reading and writing can develop through books, comics, researching favorite topics, creating content, writing stories, or communicating with people around the world.
Unschooling does not mean that parents do nothing or that children are left to figure everything out alone. Parents and guardians become partners and facilitators in their children’s education. We observe, listen, provide resources and opportunities, introduce new ideas and experiences, answer questions, find mentors and classes, and help our children pursue their evolving interests and goals.
It also doesn’t mean that unschoolers can never use textbooks, curriculum, classes, tutors, or structured programs. Self-directed learning can include structure. A student might choose an algebra course, college class, music teacher, curriculum, or structured program because it helps them accomplish something meaningful to them. The resource serves the learner—not the other way around.
At PAX Academy, we believe there is no single “right” way to unschool. Every child and every family is unique. Our goal is to help children experience freedom and joy in learning as they discover and pursue their unique, God-given passion and purpose.
Watch our Top 10 Questions About Unschooling series, where PAX Academy founder Angela Harders answers some of the most common questions families have about self-directed education.
You can also join Angela for our FREE Monthly Q&A on the last Wednesday of the month, where families can ask questions about unschooling, homeschooling, and creating an educational path that works for their unique child.
After enrolling in PAX Academy, you will receive an Enrollment Package via email which will include:
PAX Academy requires students to earn a minimum of 22 high school credits to graduate and receive a PAX Academy diploma.
As a general guideline, we recommend the following distribution of credits:
However, at PAX Academy, we recognize that there is no one-size-fits-all path to graduation. While every student must earn a minimum of 22 credits, the specific credits and courses needed may vary based on the student’s individual goals, state requirements, and the admissions requirements of any colleges or universities they are considering.
For example, a student planning to attend a four-year university may need a different combination of math, science, world language, and other courses than a student preparing to attend a trade school, start a business, pursue the arts, enter the workforce, or follow another career path.
At PAX Academy, we use a flexible guideline of approximately 100 hours of learning and/or life experience = 1 high school credit. Learning does not have to take place exclusively through traditional classes or textbooks. Depending on the experience, students may earn credit through curriculum, online or in-person courses, independent study, projects, internships, employment, volunteering, travel, athletics, entrepreneurship, community involvement, and other meaningful real-world learning experiences.
At PAX Academy, students have the opportunity to custom-create an educational path that prepares them for their unique future rather than simply checking boxes for graduation.
Our academic advisors work one-on-one with students and their parents/guardians to review previous transcripts and credits, discuss the student’s personal, academic, college, and career goals, and develop an individualized graduation plan based on the student’s unique needs and future plans.
Because goals can change, educational plans can change, too. Our advisors can help students evaluate their progress and adjust their plans as their interests and future goals evolve.
Ultimately, our goal isn’t simply to help students earn 22 credits and receive a diploma. We want each student to consider a much bigger question:
“What do I want to do with my life, and how can my education help me pursue my unique passion and purpose?”
Yes! Students enrolled in PAX Academy are eligible to receive an official high school transcript and certified high school diploma upon meeting PAX Academy’s graduation requirements.
For students in grades 9–12, PAX Academy maintains an official transcript documenting the credits they earn throughout high school. Because learning can happen in many different ways, transcripts may reflect traditional coursework as well as approved independent study, projects, dual enrollment, internships, employment, entrepreneurship, volunteering, travel, and other meaningful real-world learning experiences.
Upon successfully completing their individualized graduation requirements, every PAX Academy graduate receives a high school diploma. We do not differentiate between students by awarding some students diplomas and others “certificates of completion.”
Our goal is for each graduate to be prepared for their unique next season of life through one of our three graduation pathways:
Students pursuing the College Ready pathway can use their PAX Academy transcript and diploma as part of the college admissions process. However, admissions requirements vary considerably between colleges and universities, and PAX Academy cannot guarantee admission to any particular institution.
Our academic advisors can work with students and their parents/guardians to understand the admissions requirements of the colleges or universities they are considering and develop an educational plan that helps the student become a strong candidate for admission.
Please note: Official transcripts, diplomas, and other official records can only be released once the student’s account has been paid in full.
Absolutely! Every student who graduates from PAX Academy receives an accredited high school diploma.
At PAX Academy, we believe that every student deserves an educational path that recognizes their unique strengths, abilities, needs, interests, passions, and goals. A disability, diagnosis, learning difference, IEP, 504 Plan, or need for accommodations does not change the value of a student’s education or their right to work toward graduation.
We do not discriminate against students by awarding some students a diploma while offering others a “certificate of completion.” Every PAX Academy graduate will earn an accredited high school diploma.
What may look different is the path each student takes to get there.
Our academic advisors work one-on-one with students and their parents/guardians to develop an individualized educational and graduation plan. A student’s plan can take into consideration their abilities, support needs, pace of learning, interests, personal goals, and plans for adulthood.
At PAX Academy, we recognize three graduation pathways:
These pathways are not about determining which students are more capable or deserving of a diploma. They allow us to ask a much more meaningful question: What does this individual student need to be prepared for what comes next?
Success will not look exactly the same for every student—and we don’t believe it should.
At PAX Academy, a diploma represents more than the completion of academic requirements. It represents our recognition that a student is ready to move confidently into their next season of life—College Ready, Career Ready, or Life Ready.
Yes! PAX Academy students can pursue admission to colleges and universities after graduation.
For students who plan to continue their education after high school, we offer a College Ready graduation pathway designed to help them intentionally prepare for the next step in their academic journey.
Because every college and university establishes its own admissions requirements, there is no single high school plan that is right for every college-bound student. Requirements may vary based on the institution, degree program, state or country, and the student’s individual goals.
Our academic advisors work one-on-one with students and their parents/guardians to identify potential colleges and universities, research their admissions requirements, and custom-create an educational plan that helps the student become a strong candidate for admission.
Depending on the student’s goals, their College Ready plan may include specific high school courses, world language study, standardized testing, extracurricular activities, community service, internships, dual enrollment, or other experiences that strengthen their college application.
PAX Academy also provides opportunities through our university partnerships for eligible students to begin earning high school and college credit as early as 6th grade.
It is important to understand that PAX Academy cannot guarantee admission to any particular college or university. Admissions decisions are made independently by each institution. However, we can help students understand what their preferred institutions are looking for and intentionally prepare throughout high school.
Our goal isn’t simply for a student to be able to apply to college. We want our College Ready graduates to leave PAX Academy prepared to confidently pursue and succeed in the next stage of their education.
YES! In fact, we WANT our students to travel the world!
You may enroll in PAX Academy from anywhere in the United States or around the world, and your family is free to travel from state to state and country to country while your student is enrolled.
PAX Academy students receive an Enrollment Verification Letter that can be used as documentation of their enrollment in a U.S. private school while traveling.
We believe the world offers some of the richest educational experiences available. Travel provides opportunities to experience new cultures, languages, history, geography, art, food, nature, and communities firsthand. These experiences can become a meaningful part of your child’s individualized education and, when appropriate, may even contribute toward high school and/or college credit.
Please keep in mind that families are responsible for understanding and complying with any education, residency, immigration, or other applicable laws and requirements in the state or country where they are living or traveling.
Want to explore the world with us? Through our sister nonprofit, Peaceful Worldschoolers, families can participate in local adventures, field trips, and international travel experiences.
Explore our local and international adventures at PeacefulWorldschoolers.com
The world is our biggest and best classroom!
Making the transition from school to unschool is exciting, but it can also feel a little terrifying at times. Many families wrestle with normal doubts and fears because we want to know that we are doing the best for our children, and it can be scary to try something new.
We, at PAX Academy, are here to remind you that you are not alone! While we want to be able to provide you with as much freedom and independence as possible, please know that we are here to support you and hold your hand (as you may need) along the way.
Our founding director, Angela Harders, is a certified Special Education teacher with over 12 years of experience in the public schools and over 20 years working with families from around the world. She hosts a FREE Monthly Q&A to address any questions or concerns that you may have.
All new students are encouraged to book a one-on-one Educational Consultation with our Academic Advisors:
College and Career Consultations are required for all high school students at the beginning of every school year and/or within 2 weeks of enrollment. Students in grades 6-8 may also book a College and Career Consultation if they wish to earn high school and/or college credits while still in middle school.
No. PAX Academy is not an online school in the traditional sense. While we provide access to online courses, curriculum, resources, and educational opportunities for students and parents/guardians, students are not required to attend virtual classes, log in at specific times, or complete a predetermined online curriculum.
By enrolling in PAX Academy, students have the freedom to learn what, when, where, why, and how they choose while working toward their individualized educational and graduation goals.
We like to think of PAX Academy as an educational buffet. We provide families with access to hundreds of resources, curriculum options, programs, opportunities, and partnerships to explore—but you are free to use (or not use) the resources that best meet the needs of your individual child.
Learning might include online courses, books, projects, community classes, tutors and mentors, travel, internships, employment, entrepreneurship, volunteering, dual enrollment, real-world experiences, or simply pursuing a passion or interest. There is no single PAX Academy curriculum or required method of learning.
And you don’t have to figure out your child’s educational path alone. Every newly enrolled student receives a one-hour consultation with a PAX Academy academic advisor as part of their registration fee. Our advisors work one-on-one with students and their parents/guardians to custom-create an individualized educational plan based on the student’s unique needs, interests, passions, and personal, academic, and professional goals.
PAX Academy provides the support, resources, guidance, academic records, and pathway to graduation while giving your family the freedom to create an education as unique as your child.
Yes, depending on where you live. PAX Academy can serve as an umbrella school for families in other states that allow this option, including California, Florida, and Tennessee. PAX Academy is registered in Maryland as a church-exempt private school.
For Maryland families who are specifically looking for an umbrella program, Peaceful Worldschoolers serves as our Maryland umbrella.
You can learn more at PeacefulWorldschoolers.com.
Because requirements vary by state, we encourage families to become familiar with the education laws and requirements that apply where they live.
PAX Academy is regionally and nationally accredited with NCA CASI, NWAC and SACS CASI (Cognia) and internationally accredited by the IAFLE.
NOTE: Accreditation does not apply to students enrolled in Peaceful Worldschoolers, our Maryland homeschool umbrella program.
Yes! Through our Peaceful Worldschoolers program, we host weekly field trips and events for local families all over the United States as well as internationally.
Through PAX Academy Go!, we provide opportunities for students to earn high school and college credit through traveling abroad.
You absolutely are! You are your child’s first and forever teacher. Before your child attended school, I am sure that they had learned some colors, numbers, shapes, letters, animals, and more. They learned to walk and talk, how to go to the bathroom, and how to get dressed – all very important life skills.
They learned what they needed to know in the moment when they needed to know it. HOW did they learn? YOU taught them, and they learned the things that mattered most to them without a curriculum, without a certified teacher, and without a school.
They learned through experiencing life and having adults in their lives that were present and engaged with them, parents that observed their progress (or lack thereof), and supported them with patience and kindness and joy. Just keep doing that.
This question is a great indicator that there is still some deschooling left to do. To answer this question, I often respond with another question: How do you know what your child “needs” to know? Every human being is unique with unique passions and interests that will be cultivated in unique ways. Your child will never know everything – in fact, none of us will. But they will know everything that they need, and if they don’t know it yet, trust that they will have the skills to learn it when they need it. And then, they will learn it quickly, efficiently, and well.
If you have concerns about your child’s learning, I invite you to book an educational consultation (for students in K-8) or a College and Career Consultation (for students in 9-12).
PAX Academy was originally registered in Maryland in 2023 as a church-exempt private school.
In order to provide additional protection and support for our families in other states, we have also registered in:
Even though we are not registered in all 50 states, we are still able to accept students from all 50 states.
Remember: You are responsible to be aware of your state’s laws and to comply with them.
At PAX Academy, we provide students in grades K-12 with the opportunity to earn credits in the same 3 ways that students earn credits in college:
Parents should be prepared to provide proof of any and all courses and grades that are reported.
For students entering PAX Academy with prior homeschool experience, we do not simply transfer homeschool credits as-is because they are considered unaccredited.
Instead, PAX Academy conducts a formal evaluation of prior coursework and re-issues approved credits under our academic framework.
Because these credits are being validated and recorded as part of an accredited transcript issued by PAX Academy, prior high school years recorded and accredited through PAX Academy upon enrollment.
There is an evaluation and re-issuance fee of $350 per academic year for all prior homeschooled years during high school. This fee covers academic review, credit validation, transcript integration, and documentation under the PAX Academy transcript system.
Once evaluated, these credits become part of the official PAX Academy academic record and are treated as accredited coursework for graduation and transcript purposes.
