Hollywood Alternative Schooling

As a Christian family, we appreciated North Hollywood Christian Academy’s emphasis on Bible history, prayer, church, and encouraging students to grow in their faith. The teachers and staff we encountered genuinely cared about the students, and we valued the loving, faith-centered environment.I’m sharing our family’s experience because I believe prospective parents benefit from hearing a variety of perspectives. During our time at the school, families were encouraged to leave reviews, and I hope our experience helps others determine whether this school is the right fit for their child.Unfortunately, our academic experience did not meet our expectations. After enrolling our child in tutoring and math programs, both independently identified significant gaps in math, English, and science. They agreed our child is bright, capable, and eager to learn but had not been taught many foundational concepts expected before entering the next grade level. As a result, we invested significant time and money in outside tutoring simply to help our child catch up.One example that stood out was the spelling curriculum. Students memorized weekly spelling lists, but there was little emphasis on defining words, using them in sentences, or building vocabulary and reading comprehension. We hoped for instruction that encouraged deeper thinking rather than memorization alone.We were also disappointed by the limited diversity within the school community and wished there were more opportunities to expose students to a broader range of cultures and perspectives. We were surprised to discover that by the end of elementary school our child had never learned about Harriet Tubman or the Underground Railroad.While we recognize that parents are ultimately responsible for raising their children, families paying private-school tuition should also expect a rigorous, well-rounded education. In our experience, the academic preparation did not meet that expectation.We sincerely appreciate the caring teachers, supportive staff, and the school’s commitment to helping students grow spiritually. However, our family ultimately concluded that the curriculum lacked the academic rigor and comprehensive preparation we were seeking. We encourage prospective families to ask detailed questions about the curriculum, grade-level expectations, and how student mastery is measured before enrolling.

We toured this school. Great admissions person, head of preK, art room, play space, etc. The staff seemed happy to be there!