5 Ways To Homeschool In California
California Homeschooling I've been homeschooling 10 yrs now so am not an 'expert' but have been doing it long enough to know the ropes. I get asked all the time questions on how to start homeschooling so I thought I'd write this to share with others. First, there are a tons of way to homeschool. Some people are very strict and have their kids sitting in a desk, facing a wall and do schoolwork 8+ hours a day. Others unschool. Then there are those, like us, that are somewhere in the middle. That is an entirely different topic and each family has to figure out what is best for them. For now, let's focus on types of homeschool groups. 1- File on your own with the state of Ca as your own independent school. This is called a PSA (Private School Affiliate). (You have to keep attendance, buy your own books but no state testing). You can click on link for more details but filing needs to be done yearly in October. 2- Enroll in a private school that has a homeschool program, like Grace Academy. You can choose subjects you want your child to learn on campus and the ones you want to teach at home. 3- Have your child a part of a school district's independent study program. Our local district has one that is expanding to be more 'homeschooing' and less 'independent study.' It is called Monte Vista. You get textbooks, your child does work at home and once a week they show up for lectures, tests/quizzes and turn-in. Long time homeschools don't necessarily see this so much as a homeschool since the teacher decides on the schoolwork, what pages are turned in, required reading, etc. and it is structured by the school and not the parent. 4- Join a charter school that is for homeschooling. There are basically four types. Online, or virtual school (CAVA is one). A school that gives you get funds for approved vendors (Sky Mountain). A school that has free on campus classes. (River Oaks Academy). A school that has funds and on campus classes (I've only heard of CSVI that does this, but the campus classes are in a public school classroom, not with a homeschool group). Pros of #3- they have organized things like free classes/fund for homeschool classes, field trips, provide text books (most have a few in each subject for you to choose from or you can request them to order something else). All schools that get funds from the state of Ca have state testing. I'm 100% okay with this, I like to know where my kids are at, some people don't like it. They keep track of attendance, all your papers, etc. in case they are ever audited by the state. Some charter schools also have PTA, teen groups, park days and field trips. Cons of #3- You turn in work, or samples of work every 20 school days (once a month). You can't teach religion (or really your own religion) as school work or have religious school books. We have to do iReady testing at the beginning and end of the school year at our school too. Kids hate it. I don't like that the second one is only 2 weeks before state testing and wish they were spread out more.Pro of online schooling is you can often get a computer or laptop to do schoolwork on. Con of online schooling is that your child is on the computer a lot and you have to be checking in and on the computer during 'regular public school hours.' So you can't do schoolwork later in the day (like if you had a field trip) or on weekends.If you chose a charter school that offers funds there is a lot of options for the funds. First, YOU do not get the money. The funds are for approved vendors and your charter school will pay out the money. With these funds you can do things like take classes at Huckleberry Learning Center in Stevenson Ranch. This is a vendor. If you don't have a charter school with funds you can still attend but pay for the classes yourself. You can also look at vendor list, like Rancho Park and Rec, for sports, sewing, art classes and more. There should also be a list for materials. You should get school text books and workbooks from the charter school but if you want something they don't have you should be able to find a vendor on the approved list and tell your charter school what supplies you want them to order. Examples is Handwriting Without Tears books I ordered when my kids were young to help with penmanship. homeschool ca 1 My kids are also in music lessons and sports. There are a few music stores that are approved vendors and some charter schools will lend you musical instruments to use for free. Sports are good for a P.E. log but aren't always approved for funds. If your kid is teen-years, you can also consider having them sign up for classes at a local community college. Your kid can get dual-enrollment. So they get high school credit and college credit for the same class and the college classes are almost free (I think you pay health fees and parking and books but no registration fees). 5- I have heard of one other way to homeschool but don't know much about it. There is a local Christian group that families pay to be under an 'umbrella' instead of filing a PSA. The families pay to be in the group but buy their own books. The specific one I had heard of had co-op classes that were offered for a nominal fee to It is a secular group so you need to be Christian (not sure if a part one specific church) to join. If you are not in their group you can not take the classes, go on field trips or attend their park days. Here is a great book with lots of questions about the law answered by California Homeschool Network. I loved these 'What Your ____ Grader Needs To Know' books when my kids were in early elementary school. The books will give the state standards for your child, for that specific grade, seperated by subject matter. I think the books go from preschool to 6th grade.Let me know what other questions you have about homeschooling in California and I'd love to try to answer them.
5 Ways To Homeschool in California
5 Ways to Homeschool in California. Charter Schools. Private Schools. PSA and more.
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