ADMISSIONS POLICIES
Foundation Academy’s Mission is to partner with families and the church to build a firm foundation for life through Christ-centered education. Applications for the 2027-2028 school year will be accepted and processed beginning September 9, 2026. All completed applications enter an applicant pool and top candidates will be selected for open spaces, if any. The first consideration before applying should be our Minimum Admissions Criteria listed below. At Foundation Academy, we carefully and prayerfully review every application. While meeting the minimum admissions criteria is essential, it does not automatically mean a student will be admitted or placed in the wait pool. Because space is limited, admission is offered to the strongest candidates, and a small number of additional students may be placed in the wait pool. We want families to know that every applicant is given thorough consideration, even if we are not able to extend an offer.
Admissions Criteria
(Minimum Requirements For All Grades) 1.Family Partnership - The Parent(s) and Student(s) are in support of Foundation Academy’s mission and philosophy as a Christian school. 2.Positive Behavior - Students must demonstrate acceptable conduct & good behavior as evidenced on prior report card evaluations. The student should have a clean discipline history with no suspensions or expulsions in the last 12 months. 3.Strong Academic Record - Report Cards should reflect solid academic performance of mostly A’s and B’s with no failing marks or indicators of academic difficulty. Grades of D, F, U, or N (or equivalent) will not be accepted in the academic subject areas. 4.Standardarized Testing - Applicants must show proficiency at the 50th percentile or higher in Reading and Math on standardized testing and be on or above grade level (this means a 3 or higher on year-end FAST tests).
Admissions Criteria (Grade Specific)
Preschool & Kindergarten Must be the appropriate age by September 1 of the school year: 3 years old for PK3 Program 4 years old for PK4 Program 5 years old for Kindergarten Must be completely toilet trained by the start of school
Middle & High School (6th - 12th) Students in grades 6 - 12 must have an unweighted GPA of 3.0 or higher in both core classes (Math, Science, English, and History/Social Studies) and overall, with no grades of D or F.
6.Language Fluency - Students must be fluent in reading, writing, and speaking English.
Additional Considerations - When space is available, qualified applicants who are siblings of current students, children of Foundation Academy staff, alumni, members of First Baptist Church of Winter Garden, or current students of Winter Garden Academy may receive a level of priority consideration in the admissions process. Priority consideration does not guarantee admission.
7.Accommodation Plan - Students with an IEP, 504, or accommodation plan must meet the admission requirements, and understand admission may not be offered if it is determined that Foundation Academy is unable to meet the academic, emotional, medical, or behavioral needs of the student as outlined in the plan. If the student is offered admission, they may be required to enroll in an educational support program at an additional cost.
Competitive Applicant Pool - As Foundation Academy continues to experience record re-enrollment and a high volume of applications, it creates a highly competitive applicant pool for limited spaces. All completed applications are reviewed collectively during our first round of decisions in January, and the top qualified applicants are considered for available spaces. Revised 09/2026
5.Attendance - Students should have acceptable attendance records with no more than 10 absences in a semester unless an exception or hardship is noted.
ADMISSIONS POLICIES New Student Application Process: Step 1 - Submit An Online Application Apply online at foundationacademy.net/apply. After the online application, all application documents, and the non-refundable application fee of $200 have been submitted, the student's application packet will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee in a Preliminary Review. Submitting an application is not a guarantee of admission, even if the minimum criteria is met. All completed applications are reviewed collectively, and the top qualified applicants are considered for available spaces.
Step 2 - Preliminary Review Applications are subject to a Preliminary Review to examine documents and information against minimum admissions criteria before proceeding to the next step. If criteria is not met, a decline letter will be sent and the application closed. If approved to the next steps, an email with instructions will be sent. Please note that advancing to the next steps is not a guarantee of enrollment, but simply the continuation of the application process.
Step 3 - Academic Assessment If approved to move forward after the Preliminary Review, the Admissions Office will email a link to schedule the student’s Academic Assessment. The testing results are part of the whole picture the Admissions Committee will use to determine if the student is able to transition into the educational program at FA. For students in grades 6-12, a Student Interview is also conducted at that time. For preschool applicants, a Family Interview will occur immediately following the assessment. Parents are not provided a copy of the test results. While it is understandable to want to know more about the student's results, testing results remain confidential.
Step 4 - Parent Interview For applicants entering grades K–12, a Parent Interview may be requested at the discretion of the Admissions Committee. The parent(s) will be contacted to have a scheduled interview with an administrator. This interview is an opportunity for philosophical compatibility discussions and expectations of a Foundation Academy educational experience. The administrator will ask the parent questions about the student's academic & discipline history, spiritual history, and other related topics used as part of the admissions process. Parents are encouraged to take the time to ensure they understand all documents & policies of FA, and will have the opportunity to ask questions to clarify any expectations. A Parent Interview does not guarantee admission.
Step 5 - Admission Decision A) Acceptance/Offer of Enrollment:
Offers of enrollment are based on space availability and all the information gathered in the application process which illustrate potential success in our classroom and our curriculum. This decision is prayerfully discerned by our Admissions Committee. Availability is determined after returning families have paid deposits and confirmed re-enrollment for the upcoming school year, usually around the end of January. If an offer of enrollment is made, please follow the instructions in the acceptance email to complete enrollment. This includes setting up a tuition payment plan in our FACTS Tuition Management System, paying the enrollment fee, and must be completed within 5 business days of the enrollment offer. Once classes are full, strong candidates will be placed in a wait pool and notified if space becomes available.
B) Wait Pool:
Each year, we receive more applications for certain grade levels than we have available spots. When an applicant completes the application process for a specific grade, and the Admissions Committee considers them a strong candidate deserving of an offer, but we do not have a seat available, we offer them the option to join our wait pool. In the event that a space becomes available with respect to a specific grade, we will evaluate the students remaining in the wait pool and an admissions associate will reach out to the family to make an offer of enrollment to the best fit candidate.
C) Decline:
The parents will be notified via email if their student has been declined acceptance into FA. The reason for a decline is based on multiple factors as reflected in the documents that comprise a student's application packet and required admissions criteria. The decision of the Admissions Committee is final for that season. There is no appeal process once a decision is rendered.
Application Documents Checklist: All applicants must upload the following required documents for the application packet:
Birth Certificate Copy Current Report Card (if applying to Grades 1 - 12) Final Report Card from the Previous 2 Years (if applying to Grades 3 - 12) Transcript Copy (if applying for Grades 11 or 12) Standardized Test Scores (if applying to Grade 2-12) (FAST, IOWA, MAP, SAT, PSAT ACT, TerraNova, etc) If applicable: IEP, 504, or other accommodation plan Any additional testing a student has completed (WISC, Woodcock Johnson, etc.)
Nondiscriminatory Policy: Foundation Academy will admit students of any race, color, nationality, and ethnicity to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded to or made available to students at the school. We will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin, or religious background in the administration of our educational and admission policies, financial assistance, clubs, athletics, or other programs.
Continuous Enrollment Policy: Foundation Academy operates a Continuous Enrollment Program that remains continuously in effect each year until a student graduates or is withdrawn from FA. Continuous enrollment is conditionally based on acceptable student progress, student behavior, cooperation between home & school, and financial account delinquent history. Continuous Enrollment billing of Tuition Deposits will occur on January 20th each year for the upcoming school year. Revised 09/2026