B2BLA FAQ's

A: Not as expensive as you might think. It's not only available just to the financially elite class of citizens anymore. It's very affordable by most folks' standards. We charge less than the average day care center or baby sitting service (they usually charge $4,000-$5,000/year) and you get exponentially more value than that type of service.

Q: What is your tuition?

A: Please visit our parent\student Handbook for rates and discounts.

Q: Are you really giving laptops away for free to all incoming students?

A: Yes!

Q: Is there a catch to this?

A: Yes, but only one. You must pay the year's tuition in full for the school year. Otherwise, what you see is what you get! You will receive a brand new or lightly used\refurbished, fully functional laptop with all the latest technology to use as you wish. You're not going to get an old piece of junk. This is an incredible opportunity to get a wonderful learning tool along with a fantastic education that is second to NONE in our area! If you don't want or need the laptop, you have the option of our 15% discount off the full tuition price.

Q: What exactly do you teach?

A: The Three R's. The public school system has drifted away from very basic learning methods in favor of "diversity", "self identity" and "child-centered" learning. The Learning Academy will center largely on Reading as the primary factor in the child's education, but will not sacrifice writing or mathematical skills. We will also have very strong emphasis in World and American History as well as Science. By the end of the school year, you will be extremely pleased with the results of our program!

Q: What curriculum to you use?

A: ABeka, and Saxon curriculum sets. Please read our curriculum page for more info. Understand, however, that we use whatever learning tools necessary to educate your child at a high level, so we don't limit ourselves to just these curriculum sets.

Q: Do you spank?

A: No. Back To The Basics Learning Academy does not apply corporal punishment to the students (although we have no problems with parents that do). We do, however, have strict guidelines the students must abide by and the parents must support. We simply do not allow bad behavior to fester at our school.

Q: Do you require uniforms?

A: No, but we do have a relatively strict dress code. Please visit dress code policy in our Handbook.

Q: You say you don't tolerate bad behavior. Will you expel a student at the "drop of a hat?"

A: It depends. It is in our and your best interest to keep your child in a safe, loving educational environment and therefore we do not ever want to expel a child injudiciously. However, there are certain things that can occur within a learning environment that simply cannot be tolerated (please check the official Handbook for our policies). This being said, the Head Teacher is a reasonable person and will make reasonable decisions based on any serious incident that happens to occur. Bottom line is, we want parents to feel that the school is a strong academic environment and that bad behavior won't be accepted as a regular practice (as we see all too commonly in the public schools).

Q: Do you offer tutoring services?

A: Yes. Mrs. Valencia is one of the most sought out teachers to offer outside school tutoring in the county. Parents see amazing results after only a few sessions!

Q: What do you think of home schooling?

A: Home schooling your child is a wonderful thing. Back To The Basics offers an alternative for those folks that want a home school environment, but can't afford to quit their job to do so.

Q: You tend to have negative views towards the public schools. Don't you like public schools?

A: Yes and No. The Head Teacher and the administration come from a long and storied tradition of public education. The biggest problem is the government bureaucrats who run our schools. They make decisions that benefit themselves most while claiming to benefit the children. They also constantly flood more and more taxpayer dollars into this failing system, with not only no results, but disastrous results. This is an outrage. While spending lots of money on education seems like a laudable effort at first blush (all the beautiful buildings, playgrounds, classrooms etc.), the problem with our schools is not lack of money. It is the lack of vision, discipline, and implementation of solid educational policy. Simply look at the results of how New Mexican children test for academic achievement and you will realize quickly that this idea of pouring more money in the schools is not the answer to our educational needs. We would go out of business in a heartbeat if the schools turned themselves around (and would love nothing more than to do so), but we see nothing changing in the near or mid-term future and, as a matter of fact, we see it getting progressively worse!

Q: What are the Head Teacher's credentials?

A: Mrs. Alisha Valencia, is a veteran teacher of the New Mexico public school system and has taught for 13 years. She has also been a Sunday school teacher off and on for over a decade. She has been nominated recently to the Who's who among American Teachers, and the prestigious Presidential Award for her excellence in teaching standards. Her positive, refreshing outlook and demeanor towards what's right for our children is simply unmatched. She believes that you can educate yourself until the last breath you take on this earth and that it is never too soon (or late) to begin this process. To have her teaching your child is quite frankly one of the most fortunate things you could have available to you as a parent.

Q: Are you a Christian School?

A: No, however we are Christian-based. In other words, we don't do Bible study or regular Christian studies, although we have a Christian-based curriculum (Abeka) and promote Christian values.

Q: How do you handle teaching children of different ages (anywhere between K-8) within the same classroom environment?

A: Very good question. In a "regular" classroom, you have many different learning levels of children. We always teach kids according to their learning level. In the same classroom (even at the same age level), you can have children's learning stages range anywhere from 1st grade to high school and we have tremendous experience and effective methods in dealing with that. As far as the age disparity in the same classroom is concerned, the biggest difference in the co-mingling of the different age levels is that in our environment, the older kids won't be of the same mind-set or discipline levels as their counter-parts in the public schools. The negative influences that you'd typically see there, just simply won't exist in our school. In fact, through experience, the older kids have been wonderful mentors with a nurturing attitude towards the younger children.

Q: Are you affiliated with that Back To the Basics Herb Store?

A: No, but we are very good friends with the owners! After great deliberation and contemplation of what to name our school, "Back To The Basics" was simply the most appropriate name for a school with our core philosophy at heart.