Tag: homeschooling faq

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How To Set Up Private School For Homeschooling?

If you are in California and want to set up your own private school as one of the four options that get started homeschooling your kids legally and right way, here is how to set up and file for PSA (Private School Affidavit) and set up your own private school for your kids to teach. Establishing Your Private School is easy once you know the steps and how to get started on it.  Home educators may establish a private school based in their home by filing a Private School Affidavit with the California Department of Education as an option for homeschooling your own children.

Please check out our article on : How to Homeschool in California Article for more choices.

How and When to File the PSA?

One of the easiest way for parent to file for The Private School Affidavit can be online at the California Department of Education website from October 1st to October 15th of every year. You can file any other time during school year, but during Oct 1st through Oct 15th is easiest method. Schools that are created after the filing period should file at the time the school is established every year during these time. The CDE usually leaves the form up until early spring. If you need to file your affidavit and cannot do so electronically (or choose not to), you can still file a Statement in Lieu. We will share soon how to file Statement in Lieu in coming next articles.

If you need a step by step instruction on how to file PSA for California, here is free downloadable link: Step by Step Guide to File PSA

How the PSA Works For Homeschooling?

There is a huge misconception about it, as I was also not sure how it work and how it made it all legal. This is what the information I got from official California Homeschool Website. The Private school  affidavit is not a license to private school. The State of California accredits neither public nor private schools if that makes sense.  By filing an affidavit you are showing intent to establish a private school, and informing the state, as required by law. Parents have been legally using this provision for many years to conduct their own home-based private schools. So, I know it works and recommended by experts.

What are California Private School Requirements?

According to http://leginfo.ca.gov/, Education Code sections §48222, §48415, §33190, §51210 and §51220 set the criteria for a private school. The following legal requirements apply to all private schools regardless of size:

  1. The administrator of every private school must file an affidavit with the Superintendent of Public Instruction between October 1st and October 15th of each year.
  2. Private school instructors must be “capable of teaching.” There is, however, no requirement in the CA Education Code that mandates that teachers in a private school setting hold a state teaching credential or have the equivalent training.
  3. The names and addresses, including city and street, of the faculty must be kept on file, as must a record of the educational qualifications of each instructor.
  4. Instruction must be in English.
  5. Instruction must be offered “in the several branches of study required to be taught in the public schools.” The materials and methods you use to teach these areas are up to you. You are not required to teach every subject as long as it is offered and available to the student:
    • Grades 1-6: English, math, social sciences, science, fine arts, health and phys ed.
    • Grades 7-12: All that is included in the above plus: foreign language, applied arts, vocational ed and drivers ed.

For information about record keeping for Private schooling records see here: Private Schooling Records (Coming soon!)

Important Things to know about PSA (Private School Affidavit)

  • Kindergarten attendance is not mandatory in California. You can teach your child at home but do not fill out PSA for Kindergartener.
  • If you are using ISP or Charter school to homeschool, no need to file PSA as it is done by the school itself.
  • Some Correspondence school PSP may require filing PSA while other do not. So check with your PSP when in doubt.
  • Fingerprinting is not needed when a parent or legal guardian is working with his or her own children.
  • State should not be asking more information other that what is listed in California Education §33190.
  • If you are part of ISP, PSP, Charterschool program, no need for filing PSA is required.
  • Best time to file for PSA is between Oct 1- Oct 15 of every year.
  • Do not file for PSA as backup when you have signed in with public school, PSP, ISP or Charter school.

 

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Homeschool Curriculum Homeschool FAQ Homeschool Finance Homeschool Parenting Tips Homeschooling tips

How to Finance Your Homeschooling?

1917 dollar

Image Source: 1917 US One Dollar

Financing homeschooling is one of the huge thing to consider when we started homeschooling and you might be wondering the same thing. Public school are free (sort of, we all pay taxes for it, even those of us who homeschool) and private school are just too darn expensive for many people. Here are some suggestions for how to finance your homeschooling supply, text books and field trip.

See: How to homeschool your child for almost Free!

When people talk about teaching their children from home in the absence of any definite or structured curriculum, it is perhaps
natural to think that homeschooling is cheap. But this is far from the truth. Although homeschooling does not stick to any particular
text, this is perhaps more of a bane than a boon, when it comes to finance.

When you need to make sure that your children receives state-of-the-art education so that they can compete with regular
school goers, expenses will naturally mount. The actual cost of educating a child at home is surprisingly high. Up-to-date
textbooks, course materials, a library, computing equipment, lighting, specially designed furniture all cost money. In this
case, the cost may be slightly lesser when it comes to homeschooling the second child. Add to this any additional tuition
cost for tutors who come to teach subjects that cannot be handled by parents, like higher-level math or science. The total cost can
be a bit mind boggling.

If you take another important factor into consideration, homeschooling costs may effective triple. The need for having one
of the parents tied to the house and fully dedicated to providing education deprives the family of a second earning member. The
average homeschooling teacher is usually a lady with a college degree. This means that she can easily bring home a pay of $35,000
or more. It is also interesting to note that most families that have more than 2 children do not opt for homeschooling at all.

But, there are those who have been successful in carrying out homeschooling at low rates. This is dependent on the size of the
family, the support group, the type of materials used and the availability of the material. When successive children can reuse
the materials, cost goes down. Much of the course material can be got from vendors of homeschooling materials. A membership in a
public library, theatre, concerts, ballets and other cultural events also help in cutting costs. Sometimes, it is even possible
to barter expertise. For instance, the mother of an 8-year old gives dancing classes, and her daughter receives drawing classes
for free. Support groups allow you to divide the cost of field trips, science projects and fairs.

Whatever the cost, advocates of homeschooling say that the benefits far outweigh these considerations. When you are able to
decide what knowledge your child receives and when he or she should be taught and to what extent, it gives you a lot of freedom
and a lot of power. Both the children as well as the parents benefit from this mutually enriching experience.

Check out:

10 Things to Consider Before you Start Homeschooling

Homeschool Reference Books for Parents

Best early education homeschool curriculum

Best kindergarten curriculum I love! Sing, Spell, Read and Write

Homeschool Curriculum Reviews

Getting Started

Homeschooling poster: Cheap, fun and educational

Homeschooling via DVD Videos

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Homeschool-Family Homeschooling Resource Homeschooling tips

Reasons Some Parent Homeschool

There are many reasons, parents may decide to homeschool as I talked about it before in Why Some Parents Choose To Homeschool?  In olden days before there were any official school system or mandatory education in those systems, parents taught what they knew to their children, be it what type of work they did, how to cook, clean and survive and so on. That was kind of education at home for that time. Many of famous people around a few hundred years ago were homeschooled, there was no surprise as it was the norm then before schooling system came in to picture.

According to wikipedia and NCES (National Center For Education Statistics) survey done around 2007 shows following data. While it has now been 2013, information is important to know.

In the 2003 and 2007 NHES, parents were asked whether particular reasons for homeschooling their children applied to them. The three reasons selected by parents of more than two-thirds of students were concern about the school environment, to provide religious or moral instruction, and dissatisfaction with the academic instruction available at other schools.

From 2003 to 2007, the percentage of students whose parents reported homeschooling to provide religious or moral instruction increased from 72 percent to 83 percent. In 2007, the most common reason parents gave as the most important was a desire to provide religious or moral instruction (36 percent of students). This reason was followed by a concern about the school environment (such as safety, drugs, or negative peer pressure) (21 percent), dissatisfaction with academic instruction (17 percent), and “other reasons” including family time, finances, travel, and distance (14 percent).Other reasons include more flexibility in educational practices and family core stability for children with learning disabilities or prolonged chronic illnesses, or for children of missionaries, military families, or families who move often, as frequently as every two years.

Number and percentage of homeschooled students in the United States, by reason for homeschooling: 1999, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
Reason for homeschooling Number of
homeschooled students		 Percent standard error
Can give child better education at home 415,000 48.9 3.79
Religious reason 327,000 38.4 4.44
Poor learning environment at school 218,000 25.6 3.44
Family reasons 143,000 16.8 2.79
To develop character/morality 128,000 15.1 3.39
Object to what school teaches 103,000 12.1 2.11
School does not challenge child 98,000 11.6 2.39
Other problems with available schools 76,000 9.0 2.40
Child has special needs/disability 69,000 8.2 1.89
Transportation/convenience 23,000 2.7 1.48
Child not old enough to enter school 15,000 1.8 1.13
Parent’s career 12,000 1.5 0.80
Could not get into desired school 12,000 1.5 0.99
Other reasons* 189,000 22.2 2.90

The data numbers may have changed but reasons behind parent choosing to homeschool somewhat remains similar. What are your reasons for homeschooling?

10 Things to Consider Before you Start Homeschooling

Homeschool Reference Books for Parents

Getting Started

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Homeschool FAQ Homeschool-Family Homeschooling tips

Finding The Best Information on Home Schooling

Homeschooling could be the most feasible option for parents who want to educate their children but cannot afford the expenses in a typical school. The Best Information on Home Schooling is important to make right choice that works for you, child and your family.

With homeschooling, parents can still have the best education for their children without having to resort to expensive everyday expenditures of sending children to school.

However, one should bear in mind that homeschooling is not for everybody, and not all homeschool curriculum are appropriate for everyone.

Learning through homeschooling may differ from one person to another. This is because in homeschooling; the traditional aspects of learning are not present like the typical classroom setting, the fixed schedules, etc. This goes to show that parents may opt to change the program in order to fit the needs of their children.

In homeschooling, the parents are the ones who teach their children. They just have to buy a particular homeschooling curriculum that they think would best work for them. In this way, the parents are able to educate their children on their own free will and without the influence of a typical “school system”.

With its many advantages, homeschooling is now recognized as a legal educational system in all of the states in the U.S., though each state has its own set of rules and regulations regarding what and how homeschooling should be executed. To find out your local homeschooling information, check out our: Homeschooling Resource page.

However, many people question the reliability and efficiency of homeschooling. Many are still wondering whether children can really learn form this type of education. Statistics show that students who had their basic education from homeschooling, were able to do very well in college.

Most experts contend that the data and the assertions are true because with homeschooling, the parent-child relationship is a very effective tool in educating an individual. This is because children in a homeschooling program are less pressured and less tensed because it is their parents who do the teaching and not somebody else; therefore, the inhibition is lessened.

In this manner, learning is more interactive, more comprehensive, and more properly initiated as long as there is a good curriculum that will serve as a guide.

In order to know more information about homeschooling programs in your community, it is best that you consult your state’s laws on homeschooling. Each state has its own set of rules, hence, what may work for one state may not be applicable to the other states.

Just keep in mind that it is important that you and your child are comfortable with the program in order to make homeschooling effective.

See also:

Buy educational Toys that boost child’s creativity

10 Things to Consider Before you Start Homeschooling

Homeschool Reference Books for Parents

Best kindergarten curriculum I love! Sing, Spell, Read and Write

Homeschool Curriculum Reviews

 

Homeschooling via DVD Videos

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You Might Be Homeschooled If ….

This list was submitted to us by a reader Shona Joni via contact form. If you would like to share a joke, quotes or image about homeschooling or educational information send it us via our contact form with your name and website if applicable. If suitable, we will surely post it and we will share it on homeschool world site.

You might be homeschooled if…

  • You’ve rehearsed answers to the question “So why aren’t you in school?”
  • You are on a first name basis with your librarian.
  • You have the tomfool idea that the world is your classroom and you are always learning.
  • You have argued about whether Christopher Paolini is a good writer or not.
  • You have to use smaller words to communicate with “normal” kids.
  • You grin at the yellow bus as it rolls past your window carrying hostages, er, students, to prison–school, that is.
  • You are confused as to whether you have “homework” or not.
  • You maintain a blog in a more intelligent and pertinent way than most adults do

Would you like to add to this list of You Might be Homeschooled If….

While you here check out our vast articles on homeschooling tips, homeschool curriculum ideas and homeschool faqs.

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Homeschooling Seldom Asked Questions

by Rebecca Prewett

Recently I attended a state homeschooling convention. At least half the women there were wearing denim jumpers and had lots of children with them. If I decide to homeschool, will I need to buy a denim jumper and triple my family size?

Well, it depends. Some homeschoolers like to be nonconformists. In order to identify yourself as a nonconformist, you will need to wear the right kind of denim jumper, never cut your hair again, and have a larger than average family. All the boys will need to wear slacks and dress shirts whenever you’re out in public, and the girls will need to wear denim jumpers or pretty flowered dresses. Of course, if you don’t care about being a nonconformist, this doesn’t apply to you; you’re free to dress however you choose.

At the homeschooling convention I attended, some of the women had misplaced their handkerchiefs–which ended up on their heads. Please explain.

While some think this is a phenomena completely confined to the homeschooling community, it really isn’t. Nor is it a novel way to keep a handkerchief available at all times. And, yes, we’re even told that you can be Reformed and wear the prayer veiling at the same time (although we have not yet personally tested this theory).

I’m confused. Who is the real “father” of the homeschooling movement?

Depending on whom you ask, it’s:
a) Raymond Moore
b) John Holt
c) Bill Gothard
d) Richard Fugate
e) R.J. Rushdoony
f) any other guy who mentioned homeschooling before it was “popular”
g) there is no “father”, since it’s the mothers that usually do the homeschooling
h) Charlotte Mason
i) somebody else you’ve never heard about
j) any number of fathers who were homeschooling in the early 70’s
k) any big name you want to drop to make it sound like you know something

How can I spot “twaddle”?

Twaddle comes in many shapes and sizes. Sometimes one mother’s twaddle is another mother’s favorite unit study. However, twaddle can be recognized by the following unmistakable symptoms:
a) it wouldn’t pass muster with Charlotte Mason
b) it has something to do with the fireman being our friend
c) it’s found in curriculum materials catalogs designed for public schools
d) you would be embarrassed to discuss it with the Shearers
e) any reasonably conscious kindergartner already knows it

How can I get onto the cover of the Teaching Home?

Ask the Shearers. They have dedicated years of their lives in an attempt to grace the cover of that well-known magazine and have even written a song detailing their exploits. Then again, maybe you shouldn’t ask them; they still haven’t made it. Your best bet would be to have lots of multi-talented and photogenic children, and to spend your lives doing marvelous things while wearing matching Sunday outfits and posing in your beautifully appointed home.

I simply don’t know what to do. Everybody I know is so positive about homeschooling! I’m overwhelmed at the amount of support, encouragement, financial aid, and resources that all my friends and relatives keep giving me.

Hhhhhmm…that really is a distressing problem. Well, maybe it’s not distressing, but it sure is unusual! Truly a seldom asked question, and one to which we have no answer other than–please send all the good stuff our way.

I’d like to homeschool but I’m worried that my children won’t be isolated enough. You see, in the school they now attend, they are safely isolated from people who aren’t their age, with the exception of their teachers. But I’m afraid if they aren’t safe at school all day, they’ll be meeting all sorts of people in the community. What can I do?

It’s true that, if you homeschool your children, they will probably meet all sorts of adults in the community, everyone from the mailman and various repair men to the people you will meet on field trips. It is also true that they will tend to meet more people who are not their age than people who are. But I have yet to meet one homeschooling family that found this to be a disadvantage. Of course, it depends on how you define disadvantage. Your child may lose touch with the latest juvenile fads and probably won’t keep up on the current lingo. In fact, he may even end up sounding…well, sort of mature.

If I homeschool, will I have to wear Birkenstocks?

Again, it depends on if you want to be a nonconformist or not. It also depends on where you live. Nonconformist homeschoolers on the West Coast all wear Birkenstocks. A style with wide straps is preferable. Brown is usually the color of choice.

If I homeschool, will I have to raise goats and chickens? Will I have to bake my own bread and sew all of our own clothes?

This depends. Some people think that goats and homeschoolers go hoof in hand. Others suggest you invest the goat money in a good computer. Still others are allergic to goats, don’t like computers, and wouldn’t be caught dead near a sewing machine. But everyone knows that real homeschoolers bake their own whole-wheat bread, even if it’s just once a year.

How can you tell if someone is an “old-timer” at homeschooling?

Experienced and knowledgeable homeschoolers are easy to spot. The real old-timers predate the “homeschooling movement” and, no matter how well they’ve retained their youth, usually don’t look like someone just starting out with their first kindergartner, even though they might still be teaching phonics to one of their brood. The ages of their children, especially if they’ve never attended school, offers another clue. Having a completely homeschooled young adult generally qualifies one as an “old-timer”. These “old-timers” tend to be relaxed, confident, own a ton of books, have an anti-twaddle radar, posses a terrific sense of humor and/or an incredible amount of perseverance and vision, own at least one homeschooling tee-shirt, remember back when it was near impossible to get Christian textbooks, and know more than a lot of homeschooling authors do. The real “old-timers” are stockpiling phonics materials as their homeschool “graduates” prepare to teach the next generation. Or, they’re prepared to teach their adult children how to teach reading with just a Bible and a slate and maybe some index cards. And, if you happen to spot an “old-timer”, consider yourself blessed and glean from her experience. And don’t bother dropping names of homeschooling “fathers” around her; she may well have been homeschooling long before that “father” ever heard of the idea.

If you liked this check out other homeschooling tips and homeschooling humor articles along with homeschooling curriculum reviews here.

Source: Go milpitas

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Homeschooling tips

Home School Humor: 14 Days Of Homeschool

We all need humor and need to laugh out in life when things get too serious or complicated. It is fun to laugh, when things are cool also. This home school humor song was sent to me by friend of mine who also homeschools her kids, Thanks Megan!  The reason, I want to share here is because, I am sure many of you who are homeschooling are asked all or some of the questions by either neighbors or some well meaning friends.

Here to share with you all. I am not a original author of this poem which is sung in tune of 12 days of Christmas. Enjoy.

Home school Humor: 14 Days Of Homeschool

To the tune of “Twelve Days of Christmas.”

On the first day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, “Can you homeschool legally?”

On the second day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, “Are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?”

On the third day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, “Do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?”

On the fourth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, “What about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?”

On the fifth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, “YOU ARE SO STRANGE! What about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?”

On the sixth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, “How long will you homeschool, YOU ARE S0 STRANGE, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?”

On the seventh day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, “Look at what they’re missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, do you homeschool legally?”

On the eighth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, “Why do you do this, look at what they’re missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, what about P.E. do you give them tests, are they socialized, do you homeschool legally?”

On the ninth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, “They’ll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they’re missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E. do you give them tests, are they socialized, do you homeschool legally?”

On the tenth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, “What about graduation, they’ll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they’re missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?”

On the eleventh day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, “I could never do that, what about graduation, they’ll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they’re missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?”

On the twelfth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, “Can they go to college, I could never do that, what about graduation, they’ll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they’re missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, What about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?”

On the thirteenth day of homeschool I thoughtfully replied: “They Can go to college, yes you can do this, they can have graduation, we don’t like the prom, we do it cuz we like it, they are missing nothing, we’ll homeschool forever, WE ARE NOT STRANGE!, We give them P.E., and we give them tests, they are socialized, AND WE HOMESCHOOL LEGALLY!

On the fourteenth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, “How can I get started, why didn’t you tell me, where do I buy curriculum, when is the next conference, WILL PEOPLE THINK WE’RE STRANGE? I think we can do this, if you will help us, we’ll join a sports team, and we’ll homeschool legally.”

Check out more Christmas music and homeschooling tips here.

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Yes, You Can Homeschool Your Kids

Often times, I meet a mom who is frustrated at her kids and schooling systems but does not know what to do. Many parent  do not think they can home school their kids, some may think you need a special education degree or child development degree to start homeschooling. That is not true. Did you know many private schools have some teachers who do not have teacher’s degree also, but they are great teachers. So you can be too.

If you are new to homeschooling check out;

New to Homeschooling

Homeschooling Resources

Homeschooling curriculum Reviews

There are many myths and confusion about homeschooling out there, and I was one of them until I started to homeschool by 2 year old at home a few years ago. Now, I have learned a lot and this website is created for many parents such as you to show you yes, you can homeschool too. Please see our homeschooling tips and homeschooling faq articles;

If you still need further proof that you can homeschool your children, see these two videos created by HSLDA which stands for Home School Legal Defence Advocate. They are leading legal avenue for many US and International Homeschoolers to make sure you can legally and comfortably homeschool your child for your local state or country. After seeing these two videos, I can assure you you will see the way, many homeschooling parents will do. Good luck and if you have questions, ask away in comment section.

You Can Homeschool : Part 1

You can Homeschool : Part 2

Did that help? Any questions, ask in comment. Believe in yourself, You can home school, really!

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Homeschooling tips

How To Answer Well Meaning People About Homeschooling

One of the dreaded thing do once you convince yourself, your spouse and children about homeschooling is answering to your well meaning family or friends about your decision. Homeschooling gets bad rap sometimes in news and other media that no wonder people are confused. While there are bad parents who may misuse homeschooling to hide their neglect and abuse, there are lot of good parents who homeschool their children for actually educating their children. It is same way there are lot of bad and good public school parents too. How you educate your child has personal choice, as long as they are learning, and have a well growing and social skills to grow in well adjusted adults.

How to Tell Friends and Family about Your Homeschooling Choice?

So, how do you answer questions from family and friends about your decision to homeschool without being judged and without argument and feeling guilt in either sides. Follow this 3 tips to share your decision about homeschooling that makes you and them feel good;

1. Tell them homeschooling is legal

Homeschooling is legal in America, Canada and many other countries. For more details see our homeschooling resources for individual state or country of your choice. Making sure what you doing is legal, will comfort your well meaning friends and family in your choice of homeschooling. If they need more convincing you can show them HSLDA website for official information for re-assurance.

Just make sure you follow the right process to register your private school, go through public school or private school independent study program or whatever specific process for your local state is. File those paper work in times, gather vaccinations or proper forms from your pediatrician and all requirements, attendance and proper records and grade for your child just to be in legal side.

2.  Tell Them Many historical and famous people were and are homeschooled

There has been many famous past presidents, novelists, scientists have been homeschooled. There are also current celebrities and famous intellectuals are homeschooling their kids in today’s world. Current president hopeful Rick Santorum believes and homeschools his kids, will smith’s kids are being homeschooled.

Read or send them our famous homeschoolers article to see how many famous, successful and smart people have done homeschooling and it worked for them and it will work for you and your children too.

3. College actually want Homeschoolers

One of the big problem many well wisher friends and family with homeschooling is that the child may not be able to go to prestigious college, or become a doctor or an engineer. Assure them that many ivy league and other colleges actually want and look for homeschooling graduates in thier colleges. Your child can become a doctor, president, engineer or whoever he/she wants to be even when he/she is homeschooled.

I have seen it personally many homeschooler really sought after in colleges, and some actually starting a college at earlier age such as 14 due to being already ahead in education. But you do not have to take my word for it, you can see article here for homeschooler really wanted by colleges or do search on yahoo yourself to share it with friends and families.

Answering Homeschooling Questions Help Sources:

But What About Socialization? Answering the Perpetual Home Schooling Question: A Review of the Literature

Homeschooling the Child with Autism: Answers to the Top Questions Parents and Professionals Ask

So – WHY Do You Homeschool?

Asking Questions, Finding Answers: A Parent’s Journey Through Homeschooling

Conclusion:

Many well meaning friends and family question and concern may seem annoying but if you truly look it, they have child’s welfare at heart to make sure he or she is succeds in education and finds a good job or career to support himself or herself when adult. Once thier concerns are answered properly, they will see it homeschooling as choice in education just as you do. And having right support from friends and families is always better than not having any.

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Homeschool Curriculum Homeschool News Homeschooling tips K12 Homeschooling

Online Charter Homeschool is Growing

There are more and more people are homeschooling through charter school and now online education charter school to teach their kids at home. Online schooling has many benefits and some issues. Not everyone agrees, if that is a good thing or not. As debate for online charter school increases among parents, only you can tell if it works for your and your family. We like many family, use some online class, some in classroom classes and some subjects are taught at home with right homeschooling curriculum.

 Source: NY Times

Half a million American children take classes online, with a significant group, like the Weldies, getting all their schooling from virtual public schools. The rapid growth of these schools has provoked debates in courtrooms and legislatures over money, as the schools compete with local districts for millions in public dollars, and over issues like whether online learning is appropriate for young children.

One of the sharpest debates has concerned the Weldies’ school in Wisconsin, where last week the backers of online education persuaded state lawmakers to keep it and 11 other virtual schools open despite a court ruling against them and the opposition of the teachers union. John Watson, a consultant in Colorado who does an annual survey of education that is based on the Internet, said events in Wisconsin followed the pattern in other states where online schools have proliferated fast.

“Somebody says, ‘What’s going on, does this make sense?’ ” Mr. Watson said. “And after some inquiry most states have said, ‘Yes, we like online learning, but these are such new ways of teaching children that we’ll need to change some regulations and get some more oversight.’ ”

Two models of online schooling predominate. In Florida, Illinois and half a dozen other states, growth has been driven by a state-led, state-financed virtual school that does not give a diploma but offers courses that supplement regular work at a traditional school. Generally, these schools enroll only middle and high school students.

At the Florida Virtual School, the largest Internet public school in the country, more than 50,000 students are taking courses this year. School authorities in Traverse City, Mich., hope to use online courses provided by the Michigan Virtual School next fall to educate several hundred students in their homes, alleviating a classroom shortage.

The other model is a full-time online charter school like the Wisconsin Virtual Academy. About 90,000 children get their education from one of 185 such schools nationwide. They are publicly financed, mostly elementary and middle schools.

Many parents attracted to online charters have previously home-schooled their children, including Mrs. Weldie. Her children — Isabel, Harry and Eleanor, all in elementary school — download assignments and communicate intermittently with their certified teachers over the Internet, but they also read story books, write in workbooks and do arithmetic at a table in their basement. Legally, they are considered public school students, not home-schoolers, because their online schools are taxpayer-financed and subject to federal testing requirements.

Despite enthusiastic support from parents, the schools have met with opposition from some educators, who say elementary students may be too young for Internet learning, and from teachers, unions and school boards, partly because they divert state payments from the online student’s home district.

Other opposition has arisen because many online charters contract with for-profit companies to provide their courses. The Wisconsin academy, for example, is run by the tiny Northern Ozaukee School District, north of Milwaukee, in close partnership with K12 Inc., which works with similar schools in 17 states.

The district receives annual state payments of $6,050 for each of its 800 students, which it uses to pay teachers and buy its online curriculum from K12.

Saying he suspected “corporate profiteering” in online schooling, State Senator John Lehman, a Democrat who is chairman of the education committee, last month proposed cutting the payments to virtual schools to $3,000 per student. But during legislative negotiations that proposal was dropped.

See source and full article here: NY Times

Online curriculum has its benefits and issues. Many homeschooler and public school teacher use combination of online curriculum to use 100% online schooling or supplement their educational process. If you choose online curriculum, make sure it is from reputable company with options to change curriculum choices just in case it does not work with your child’s learning style.

Check out:

Distance Education: A Systems View of Online Learning

Engaging the Online Learner: Activities and Resources for Creative Instruction

How do you educate your child at home?