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HISTORY

Eta Sigma Alpha (ESA) is the National Home School Honor Society that was established in 1999 to recognize the scholarly achievements of students who are homeschooled.  The history explains how ESA was started and how the name was selected.

Nebraska Homeschool holds the charter for the Chi Zeta Chapter.

ELIGIBILITY

Eligibility requirements reflect those of the national (parent) organization and the local Chi Zeta Chapter. 

We encourage you to recognize your student's achievements with ESA membership.  We also encourage all ESA members to list the Honor Society on high school transcripts and college applications after they have received their certificate of admission to ESA, Chi Zeta Chapter.

APPLICATION

If your student would like to apply for membership in the ESA National Home School Honor Society, Chi Zeta Chapter, please complete our Honor Society Application Process. 

All eligible homeschool students are welcome to apply.  The Application Fee is $20 and the annual National dues are $15 per year (passed directly onto the parent organization).  The $20 Application Fee is waived  for families with active Nebraska Homeschool membership.  All students must pay the $15 National dues.  

ETA SIGMA ALPHA MISSION

"The purpose of Eta Sigma Alpha National Home School Honor Society shall be to recognize and encourage scholarship among home school students.  To achieve this purpose, Eta Sigma Alpha National Home School Honor Society shall provide opportunities for the development of leadership and service.  Eta Sigma Alpha shall encourage the development of an intellectual climate that will stimulate the exchange of ideas and ideals, foster scholarship, and promote academic excellence.  Eta Sigma Alpha shall also advocate homeschooling as a viable and successful educational methodology and act as a liaison for homeschooling to the general public, colleges/universities, and the media."

History of the Name: Eta, the Greek letter that is shaped like an "h" and Sigma, the Greek letter for "s" were chosen, along with Alpha, the first letter of the Greek alphabet to create the name Eta Sigma Alpha, representing the meaning: "first home school" honor society.

Feel free to visit the Eta Sigma Alpha website to learn more about our parent organization.

CHI ZETA CHAPTER

A Message from Nationals (2020)

The Covid-19 pandemic is causing some testing dates to be cancelled.  The only tool we have to assure that our members meet the criteria for membership is a test score that is NOT proctored by a parent.  Therefore, to help those who are struggling finding a testing site, we have updated our Testing Policy to include online testing at home or other location.:

1. You CANNOT test at home under the supervision of a parent or guardian. An adult test supervisor may administer the test in your home, provided your parent is not in the room. You are welcome to test at another person’s home or business. This rule applies to both paper tests and online testing.

2. When submitting an application for ESA admission, include a signed statement from the test supervisor.

3. This statement must attest to the facts that the student received no help from anyone during the test and that he/she accessed no “outside materials” during the test time.

4. It must show where the test was administered, by whom the test was administered and his/her relationship to the student, and when the test was administered. Sponsors will accept these signed statements along with the proof of test score. ESA reserves the right to contact the test proctor to verify the statement.

Online Tests: IOWA, Stanford, TerraNova, SAT family of tests, CLT family of tests, or ACT family of tests.

Students still MUST have a test score to join ESA. Please follow the standards for the tests scores.

Please understand that this is an unusual time in our history. However, we must uphold the integrity of our testing policy to insure that the high standards of ESA are maintained.


Chi Zeta Chapter Eligibility Requirements [please note, the majority of these requirements are pulled directly from the parent organization's requirements]:

  1. ESA is limited to homeschool students - a student must have 50% of his/her studies at home under the direct supervision of the parent(s). Co-ops, group classes, and community college courses may be used, as long as the 50% rule is followed.  
  2. Students enrolled in public school programs, charter school programs, full-time college programs, or other programs where more than 50% of the school time is spent in the supervision of a school setting or where the public school receives 50% funding for the student's attendance or where the public school system, umbrella school, on-line school assigns the grades without parent participation, are not eligible for ESA membership.
  3. Must be in grades 9-12 and at least 14 years of age.
  4. Seniors must apply by December 31st of their senior year. If you are waiting on a test score, send the application in with a note that the test score is pending.
  5. Must have completed one of the following nationally normed standardized achievement tests with the indicated score (test scores may not be more than 1 year old):

REQUIRED TEST SCORES (Only one is required):

CLT 88CLT10 97; or CLT8 97 

SAT 1200PSAT 1200PSAT10 1170; PSAT 8/9 1090 (for 9th grade student); or PSAT 8/9  1020 (for 8th grade student)

ACT 26 or Pre-ACT 10 26

IOWA ITBS or ITED 90% composite score

Stanford Achievement 90% on the total battery (the score listed under the National PR-S or PR column)

Terra Nova 2 (CAT 6) 2nd Ed. 90% total score (listed under the NPR column)  

  • When taking the Iowa ITBS, Iowa ITED, Stanford or Terra Nova 2 (CAT 6) the complete battery including science, social studies, language arts, spelling, reading, mathematics, and vocabulary must be taken. We do not accept the basic battery or core battery for admission. 
  • The test score must come from one test. Section scores from different tests may not be combined to achieve the required test score for membership. Although some college scholarship applications accept super scoring, we do not. NO EXCEPTIONS ALLOWED ~ this is a rule from the National organization
  • *With the continuing technology changes, online testing is currently being offered more frequently in lieu of hard copy testing. Online testing may be used if given at a testing center or at a private tester's facility. Parents must not have access to the student, computer, or test materials while the test is being administered. Students must not have access to other electronic devices which may connect to the internet, email or texting during testing.
  • All tests must be administered in a group setting if a parent is helping with the test administration. If a group setting is not possible, a non-family member may administer the test in a one-on-one setting, as long as the parent does not have access to the test.  Parent administered tests are not acceptable.

Application Process

  1. Complete the Application Form at the link below.  The Application Form includes demographics, student biography information, and a statement on how the applicant is an "advocate" or "liaison" for homeschooling to the general public. 
  2. Upload a copy of the NDE Acknowledgement Letter for your exempt school.  The scanned image of the NDE Acknowledgment Letter must be for the current academic year bearing the name of the applicant.  We can accept a copy of the NDE acknowledgment hardcopy letter for those who applied for exempt status via mail, or a copy of the NDE acknowledgment email for those who applied for exempt status online.  [If your NDE Acknowledgement Letter have not been received, please upload your exempt school submission confirmation email.  We may ask for the NDE Acknowledgment Letter at a later date.]
  3. Upload the student's official test scores.  The scanned image must be an unaltered, official copy of your SAT, ACT, PSAT, CLT, Iowa test scores or Stanford test scores.  If the scanned image is not clear, we may ask for you to send us one via email.
  4. Request TWO (2) Letters of Reference each student must provide two (2) Letters of Reference from people who are not related to the applicant.  It is the student's responsibility to share the Chi Zeta Chapter Reference Letter for Student link with the people who are writing the Letters of Reference for him/her. The Letter of Reference form must be completed by the references listed on the student application.    https://www.cognitoforms.com/NebraskaHomeschool2/ChiZetaChapterReferenceLetterForStudent.  
  5. Student is to write and upload a Student Essay - respond to one of the offered essay prompts with 400-500 words.  Prompts are listed on the Application Form.

Questions about honor societies?

Email our Honor Society Program at honorsociety@nebraskahomeschool.org

REMAIN IN GOOD STANDING

UPDATES COMING SOON!  We do have some requirements that are being directed from the parent organization.  



MORE HOMESCHOOL HONOR SOCIETIES

MATH

Eligible students join with individual memberships.  There are no local chapters.  Visit their website to learn more.


SCIENCE


Eligible students join with individual memberships.  There are no local chapters.  Visit their website to learn more.



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