Frequently Asked Questions

No. Or should we say not exactly- all Evolve students must be registered with the district as homeschoolers. Our center can then welcome them into our social homeschooling program, where we provide a unique blend of academic and social/emotional support.

Since we are not a school, we are not tied to state mandates for high stakes testing and do not have to force all students to strive for the same standards of learning. Instead, we can think outside the box and design unique learning experiences, with individualized schedules and curriculum combinations tailored to each of our learners’ strengths, needs and interests.

Students attend our program at our physical location either full or part time (from Monday to Friday between 9 and 4), where they learn from various educators, mentors, facilitators, artists, performers, yogis, and scientists and coaches.

For our full-time students, we provide portfolio preparation and facilitate the portfolio evaluation and standardized testing processes at the end of the year and are happy to help all other families understand and facilitate the process.

No. We are a social homeschooling center built around individual support for students’ academic and psychosocial needs for learners registered with the district as homeschooled, but we are often referred to as a ‘school’ or ‘micro-school’ for brevity or convenience sake.

That means we are not tied to state mandates for high stakes testing and do not have to force all students to strive for the same standards of learning. We have freedom to think outside the box and design unique learning experiences, with individualized schedules and tailored curriculum for each of our learners.

Evolve supports middle and high school students who would like to pursue their studies in a setting other than the traditional school model, and we look much like school insofar as our students come Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm, to a physical location to study under the tutelage of various educators, mentors, facilitators, artists, performers, yogis, and scientists.

After you have completed the tour and discovery process we will make admissions recommendations. Sometimes, a shadow day may be needed to better ascertain a student’s needs/the best fit.

Upon acceptance, students and families will be asked to (complete additional paperwork, share records, pay material and supplies fee). 

During the first week of enrollment, you will be connected with your team of Academic Mentor and Academic Success Coach to develop your student’s schedule and personalized academic plan.  

Evolve Learning Community has rolling admissions throughout the school year. We operate on a semester system (fall, spring). However, students may begin a semester at any time during the academic year.

To start the process, please contact us at (954) 440-2483, complete the online application, or email at info@evolvelearningcommunity.com.

The answer is variable depending upon your child’s needs. Every student’s learning journey is different, which makes program fees look differently for each student. At Evolve, program fees are completely customized to each student’s academic, social/emotional, and behavioral needs. 

Our rates are comparable to other private schools in the area and similar to other one-to-one focused programs. To accurately answer, we would need to know if your student would use the school for full-time, part-time, 1:1 classes or tutoring, for our small group classes, or some combination of the above. 

Because our menu of educational services is so individualized, there is no standard answer to this question. However, for most students, the base program fees are $28,000/academic year. Rest assured, we will assess your needs and provide a quick estimate on the cost of schooling prior to enrollment.

The yearly Materials and Supplies fee is $1500 and it covers most textbooks, workbooks, online programs, subscriptions, general supplies, a yearbook and most of the field trips for the year. 

Any other materials or fees associated with field trips or other unusual expenses may be charged at face value with advanced written notice.

The following payment options are offered for our program: 1) An up-front lump sum payment with a 3% discount; 2) A three payments plan paid at the beginning of each of the months September, December and March with a 2% discount and 3) A monthly payment plan paid at the beginning of each of the 10 months of the academic year (September, October, November, December, January, February, March, April, May, June). 

During the summer months, all scheduled services (camps and academic programs) are prepaid. 

ELC accepts cash, personal checks, Visa/MC, AmEx, Discover or bank transfer. 

ELC is a drop-off program and is open from 9 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Students are dropped off between 8:45-9 and picked up between 3:30-4. Extended care is also available for an additional fee.  

One-on-one classes, tutoring, coaching, workshops, therapies and groups are held from 4-7 during the week unless other arrangements are made. We also have weekend and evening workshops.

Absolutely! Homeschoolers are regularly admitted to everything from small liberal arts colleges to large state institutions. Evolve assists our teens in putting together all of the necessary materials if college is their goal.

The most recent statistics regarding homeschooling and college indicates that homeschooled students are increasingly being more actively recruited by colleges, and homeschooled students graduate college at a higher rate than their peers (66.7% vs 57.5%).

Homeschooled students tend to perform better academically than those attending public schools, as indicated by peer-reviewed studies. They have a higher success rate in college and adulthood and score better on standardized tests, such as the SAT. The number of homeschooled students has been steadily increasing until 2019, when there was a significant spike in the percentage of homeschooled students. In Florida, 4-5% of students are registered as homeschoolers, with over 150,000 statewide and 10,000 in Broward.

A day at Evolve includes a combination of individual/independent work, and structured group and/or one-on-one classes. 

The day begins with a community morning meeting and a small group meeting with their Academic Success Coaches. This helps set students up for success by starting their day with check ins and support in planning their tasks.  

Wellness and Creativity are cornerstones of our program, so student schedules include art, music, yoga, fitness, and mindfulness. Other components of our program that support their learning include Growth Mindset, Social/Emotional Learning, and Executive Functioning skills coaching. 

We infuse Language Arts throughout all of the classes and offer Math, Social Studies, Science & STEM, as well as in Chess, Philosophy, Speech/Debate, Government, Book Club, History, Acting/Improv, World Languages, and so much more. 

Students are expected to follow an agreed upon schedule and to cover a range of academic subjects based on their interests and needs.

All our learners share one thing in common; traditional school did not work for them.

Evolve Learning Community serves a wide range of students, from those who desire a greater challenge or a more flexible schedule to those with a need for a specific approach focusing on the barriers (anxiety, weak or underdeveloped Executive Functioning or social understanding skills) to their academic success.

Our students may be:

• Accelerated and gifted learners
• Twice exceptional students
• ADHD diagnosed
• Athletes, performers and others with demanding schedules
• Executive function challenged
• Anxious learners
• Children on the autism spectrum
• Students desiring to reintegrate into a previous school
• Socially challenged children
• Students desiring a more specific educational focus
• Under-challenged or under-motivated students
• Those in transition from other organizations
• LGBTQ students

At Evolve, we focus on ‘diversity of talent’ and that which resonates with the learner. 

Learners will share their inherent value with others. 

We aim to cultivate a learner’s full human potential, fostering a fully inclusive and compassionate environment.

Evolve seeks to cultivate a welcoming and inclusive environment for all members of its community. ELC does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability or any other characteristic protected by law. This policy applies to, but is not limited to, educational policies, admission, financial aid, hiring and employment practices, use of ELC facilities, and other ELC-administered programs. 

Christina Sullivan and Raquel Farrell-Kirk, therapists and moms, combined their professional skills and desires to create a learning environment that fit their kids’ needs to create Evolve Learning Community in 2015. One  student quickly grew to 15. When Raquel moved on, Christina continued to grow Evolve, working to break away from the cookie cutter approach of traditional schools to be a resource for those students who simply couldn’t thrive in that environment. 

Our highly skilled instructors and staff share a passion for helping students of all learning styles become confident, independent, lifelong learners. They are committed to helping all our students, as they strive to reach their full potential.

Evolve welcomes middle and highschoolers into our Montessori-inspired classrooms. 

Most of our students are at least average to above average in cognitive skills. Some have mild learning disabilities, ADHD, Autism/Asperger’s, anxiety, or other challenges that have impacted their ability to succeed academically.

ELC hires facilitators that meet our high standards for knowledge of various subject matter, a willingness to work with a wide range of student learning styles, comfort with the need for flexibility within our structured setting, and a passion for helping students to thrive. We have both permanent in-house staff who are here every day as well as experts who come in to share their expertise in one time workshops, or ongoing courses.

At ELC, we use a variety of curricula personalized to each of our individual students’ needs, goals and learning styles. *This is not an exhaustive list.

Math

• IXL
• Go Math
• Various workbooks and textbooks from The Critical Thinking Company
• No Nonsense Algebra
• Khan Academy

Language Arts

• IXL
• Big Fat Notebooks
• Wordly Wise Vocabulary
• Various workbooks and textbooks from The Critical Thinking Company
• Khan Academy

Science

• Big Fat Notebooks for Biology, Chemistry
• The Story of Science books
• Khan Academy

History/Social Studies/Civics/Government

• The People’s History of the United States
• Everything You Need to Know to Ace U.S. History in One Big Fat Notebook
• Everything You Need to Know to Ace World History in One Big Fat Notebook
• Man’s Search for Meaning
• The Diary of Anne Frank
• Lies My Teacher Told Me
• Stamped
• The Indigenous People’s History of the United States
• On This Day
• The Zinn Education Project
• Khan Academy