





Rows of desks and a teacher at the blackboard
Memorization and testing of rules and facts
Report card measures your success
One teacher lectures to many students
Worksheets just like our grandparents used
School like a factory with bells, shifts, and one-size-fits-all

Work collaboratively like at Google or Facebook
Learn real skills and apply them in projects
Set personalized goals then transparently track progress
Everyone's a teacher; everyone's a student
Professional tools for art, engineering, and storytelling; Cutting-edge adaptive tech for Core Skills
School like a journey, with big goals, mentors, tools, and a destination you care about

The latest in educational technology for self paced mastery of reading, writing and math skills.
Deep Socratic discussions about heroes, history and self governance to hone critical thinking skills and the ability to powerfully think, write and speak.
Hands-on project based Quests to master the tools and skills needed to solve problems in the real world.
Written promises and covenants that form a tightly bound community of individuals learning to form authentic friendships and honestly resolve interpersonal problems.






Learners create and sign a Contract of Promises describing how each individual will act and the consequences for violating community norms.
Mentor teams encourage younger and older learners to listen, affirm, set goals and hold each other accountable.
"Learn to Be" badges that celebrate character and completing leadership challenges.
Young people celebrate the mastery of tools, skills and character by earning badges, assembling portfolios and taking part in public exhibitions.
Parents use badges to track academic progress in Core Skills like reading, writing, math and spelling and character development in “Learn to Be” Badges.
Electronic and hard copy Portfolios capture rough drafts, photos, video and other creative work
Public exhibitions at the end of most Quests allow young people to present work to each other, experts, customers, or the public for a real world test.



Children take ownership of their learning path
Self-paced goals and freedom to fail safely
Responsibility, grit, and real-world readiness

No lectures—only deep, open-ended questions
Builds confidence, communication, and critical thinking
Facilitated by Guides, not teachers

Every child is seen as a hero on a quest
Real-world exhibitions instead of grades
Purpose-driven learning with personal accountability






















This seal isn’t just a formality—it’s a commitment.
Quality You Can Trust: IALDS ensures schools meet rigorous standards rooted in learner agency, real-world outcomes, and educational innovation.
A Global Network: Accreditation places us among a worldwide community of transformative schools that are rethinking what learning can be.
Focused on What Matters: It’s not about grades or bureaucracy. It’s about purpose, mastery, and meaningful growth.
“IALDS-accredited schools are pioneering a new kind of education, one that prepares young people to thrive, not just test well.”
Quick FAQ
Does MSA accreditation change our mission or model?
No. MSA’s process is competency-based support that sharpens our identity rather than forcing conformity.
What does this accreditation cover?
We are accredited as a school covering Pre-k (age 4) though 8th grade. High School accreditation will happen before High School opens.
Is this just paperwork?
No. The self-study produced implementation tools (policies, one-pagers, and clear measures) that guide daily decisions—and our multi-year plan keeps us focused on what matters.
What will families see?
Periodic updates, opportunities for input, and published artifacts (e.g., key policies, progress snapshots).
How long does accreditation last?
Accreditation is granted for a multi-year term with a midterm check-in to report progress.
What does this mean for my child’s diploma?
Graduates of Acton Academy Johnson City, an MSA-accredited school, hold a diploma from an institution recognized for meeting rigorous standards—supporting access to post-graduate institutions where an American diploma is recognized.
It might sound radical—but every part of the Acton Academy Johnson City model is designed with purpose.
Want to see what makes Acton Academy Johnson City so different?
Discover how structure, freedom, and Socratic thinking come together to create a truly transformative learning experience.

Acton Academy Johnson City is part of the network of over 300 Acton Academies around the world. We follow the same exact Learning Design (curriculum) and learning model that our owners helped create at the original Acton Academy campus.
We currently offer:
Spark OR Homeschool Enrichment Studio 4-5 year old Part-time Homeschool Enrichment Studio, OR 5 - 7 Year Old Full-time Spark Studio
Discovery 7 - 11 Year Old Learners
Adventure 11 - 14 Year Old Learners
Launchpad Launching 2027
Yes. We are fully accredited from preschool through 8th grade by Middle States Association.
No. AAJC does not operate a childcare program. We have a Preschool program accredited by Middle States Association starting at age 4.
Please contact Acton Academy Johnson City directly for information about part-time or co-op type homeschool programs.
Our Campus is located at 1201 E. Unaka Ave Johnson City TN, 37601.
Tuition for full-time enrollment is $850/mo for an 11-month year ($9350 /yr) starting in Fall 2025/26.
Part-time enrollment is $475/month for Fall 2025/26
We offer sibling/family discounts and need-based scholarships on a case-by-case basis.
For Fall 2026, we will be able to accept vouchers from the State of Tennessee, which should cover 86% of tuition. Need-based scholarships will still be available in addition.
If you believe you are a good fit for Acton, please apply as soon as possible so we can help you navigate the voucher process in January. Spaces will fill up quickly.
Yes. We are accredited through the Middle States Association. This makes us a Category 3 school in Tennessee, qualifying for EFS funds. Please apply directly to the State of Tennessee: Department of Education, to receive those scholarships for your family.
For the academic year 2026-2027, the application date for "renewals" is Dec. 9th, 2025. The "new application" date is Jan. 13, 2026. The deadline is Jan. 30th, but the scholarships are first-come, first-served, so be ready at the first moment they open. Check our Facebook page for our ESF Parent Workshop to help you get ready.
These scholarships are for children entering Kindergarten through 12th grade in the fall of 2026.
Yes, it is true. We are not required to do TCAP testing. We use the Iowa standardized test, but not for a grade. We simply use it to compare a learner to themselves. We report the results to parents.
In order to protect the learning environment of our current learners, we do not offer tours during school hours, but we do schedule Parent Info Sessions and campus tours as part of an audition process. Please click apply now in the top menu bar to start the audition process.
We respect and incorporate Maria Montessori’s philosophy but, we are not a Montessori school. We also use the latest interactive technologies, hands on projects and the Socratic Method for discussions.
We operate on an eleven month calendar, but our flexible program allows families to travel together during the year, without sacrificing any learning.
We are open to Believers, Searchers, and Non-Believers alike and expose children to the importance of mindful spirituality and stress the historical importance of Christianity to the development of Western Civilization. Children are welcome to practice their religious beliefs at school (prayer, bible study, etc). When questions arise around religion, spirituality, or beliefs, guides direct heroes to their parents. We believe parents hold the responsibility to teach their beliefs to their children. And guides don't answer questions! They ask questions, and direct religious questions to the child's parents, ie, "I bet your Mom or Dad would love to have you ask them that question."
Lord John Emerich Edward Dahlberg Acton (1834-1902) was a Victorian scholar of Freedom who saw liberty not as a license, but as the freedom to do what was right. He was suspicious of power for the sake of power, which led to his most famous quote: "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." At Acton Academy, we celebrate his defense of economic, political and religious freedom.
We believe that each of us has a special calling in life, and a series of trials and tests that must be faced with integrity and purpose, in order to live a satisfying and fulfilled life. Our mission is to prepare your child for his or her special journey.
Someone who can research questions, follow instructions, solve problems—admit that they don't know something and figure out a solution when they hit a roadblock without asking an adult for help — participate in discussions, and strive for mastery.
Running Partners are classmates who meet together regularly to set goals and hold each other accountable for meeting those goals. Running Partners encourage and inspire each other by asking good questions, listening and providing affirmation.
We believe that children learn best when working with children younger and older than themselves rather than split up into groups based solely on age. In addition to individualized curriculum, all ages of students work together in groups.
We believe each of our students will find a passion — something they love and have a gift to do. They will use this gift to serve others and fulfill a need they are passionate about in the world. This may be by becoming a shoe-shiner who tells stories and makes people's day just by doing his job with love and vigor; it may be by becoming a coach who sees the light in a child’s eyes and guides her to pursue a dream; it may be by becoming a father or mother who leads a family on a Hero's Journey; it may be becoming an entrepreneur or business leader guided by compassion and integrity; or it may be by becoming an artist or writer who brings beauty to people's lives.
We believe in liberty and justice and the ideals of the American revolution as the cornerstones of civilization. In addition to experiential learning, we will study the American documents and the true meaning behind them, as we examine other cultures and forms of government.
We discourage "boyfriends" and "girlfriends" of any gender at Acton Academy Johnson City and do not allow for public displays of affection - kissing and hand-holding, etc, or teasing about liking each other, etc. Brief hugs are acceptable if they have permission from the other person. Our "no touching" policy means we don't touch others without permission, or it is an agreed-upon appropriate game, like basketball, tag, or flag football.
Guiding Beliefs
We believe that when individuals are not old enough to be married, it is not healthy to enter into exclusive romantic relationships. Many studies support this as well. Early pairing off discourages the healthy relationships with all boys and girls that they should be learning to maintain. It also causes premature emotional trauma when relationships cannot be sustained and breakups occur. Trauma is not healthy at any time in life, but it is especially damaging in childhood. The time for exclusive pairing is when they are old enough to support an independent relationship. This will vary for all children, but regardless, Acton Academy will expect all romantic relationships to happen away from school at every age, lol! (I hope you can appreciate the humor here!)
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