Homeschool charter school opportunity, thoughts?

[LifeLovePassion]

There is a new option this year in my state to join a homeschool charter school. For curriculum in each core subject area (math, science, language arts and social studies)you can either choose to use one of their online providers or choose the flex option and get a $125 curriculum allowance per subject you flex. The flex dollars can be combined too, so if math is only $50 you can use the balance of the math money towards science,etc.

 

The catch, in each subject one worksheet gets turned in every 2 weeks. Science and social studies specifically are "Survey" courses, so the topic are all over the place.

 

Annual testing would be the one the whole state takes. Versus as a regular home schooler we have to do an annual test, but it is of our choosing.

 

They also offer an options day, co-op type classes, or we could do an elective through them and get an elective kit of materials.

 

Oh and there is a $300 allowance for misc curriculum and supplies. So the grand total is $800.

 

Would you do it for your elementary kids? I am trying to decide if the scattered science and social studies would help keep me accountable and on track or drive me batty!

[Ellie]

There is a new option this year in my state to join a homeschool charter school. For curriculum in each core subject area (math, science, language arts and social studies)you can either choose to use one of their online providers or choose the flex option and get a $125 curriculum allowance per subject you flex. The flex dollars can be combined too, so if math is only $50 you can use the balance of the math money towards science,etc.

 

The catch, in each subject one worksheet gets turned in every 2 weeks. Science and social studies specifically are "Survey" courses, so the topic are all over the place.

 

Annual testing would be the one the whole state takes. Versus as a regular home schooler we have to do an annual test, but it is of our choosing.

 

They also offer an options day, co-op type classes, or we could do an elective through them and get an elective kit of materials.

 

Oh and there is a $300 allowance for misc curriculum and supplies. So the grand total is $800.

 

Would you do it for your elementary kids? I am trying to decide if the scattered science and social studies would help keep me accountable and on track or drive me batty!

 

There are several reasons that I would not enroll my dc in a charter school, not the least of which is that my dc would legally be public school students and not homeschooled students. That difference is important to me, because as a homeschooler I get to make all the choices--my methodology, my instructional materials, my daily schedule, my yearly calendar, everything.

[Jean in Newcastle]

If you want to enroll your kids in public school at home, then go for it.  

[rebcoola]

We do one where we get $800 but it sounds like we have more freedom to choose what we want to do.   I would not do it personally, if they are choosing what social studies & science is being covered.   Is it possible to be enrolled part-time and only do the classes you want to do, and still have some access to classes and fun stuff?  

[Carrie12345]

So you can't choose what science and social studies are taught even if you do it on your own? That would be a deal killer for me.

 

Otherwise, it's something I might consider for my older students.  Not at the elementary level.

[J-rap]

If you think this sounds like a good option for your family, you could always give it a try for one year.

 

I preferred the flexibility of being our own homeschool unit, but that doesn't mean other options don't work.

[LucyStoner]

Can parents opt out of state testing in your area? If they can, then you could as well.

 

Are the worksheets to be work examples of whatever curriculum you choose?

 

Do you meet with a teacher from the charter at any point in the year?

[Carol in Cal.]

Those are far too many conditions for me to consider it.

It really sounds like 'school at home'.  They are controlling the curriculum, demanding regular homework, and controlling evaluations.  That's a bridge too far.  Why would you do that rather than send them off to school? 

[mamakelly]

We use a homeschool charter. It's less restrictive than this one sounds, but I'm willing to jump through some hoops for the extra funds. It's worth it to us.

[LifeLovePassion]

I can choose whatever curriculum I want for the year. But if it doesn't cover one of the worksheet subjects then we would have to do a mini unit on that subject so we could do the worksheet. (I haven't seen the samples yet, she is still going to get those to me). We still have control over the how the information is presented and what materials are used. The worksheets can be viewed as the scope and sequence for the year, I would just have to piece together what I wanted to use to teach it.

 

Testing is a wash for me as we are required to test annually anyways. I will be looking into the states opt out policy though.

[Loowit]

I wouldn't do it because I don't like the strings attached.  I like the freedom that homeschooling gives me and I don't want to give that up.  But if you think it would be a benefit for your family you could give it a try and see how it works out.

[Scarlett]

Not sure what state you are in but that sounds like one in OK that a lot of my friends use.  It is called Epic.  All of them like it and none of them feel restricted.....there is some hoop jumping but it is minimal and the benefits outweigh the irritations.

 

My son has been in K12 public charter for going on his 10th year.  I have had people tell me how horrible it is to have a kid in K12 but honestly I have had very few problems.  Some of the science and social studies courses over the years have not been what we believe but I am here at home with him to counteract those teachings.  

 

 

[mom2scouts]

In my state, you would no longer be a homeschooler, you would be a public school  student.  They can call it a "homeschool" charter school, but I think it's a way for schools to get homeschooled students back into the system because they get the state money.  For that reason, and because I enjoy the freedom to teach my children however I want, I would not do it. You have to decide if this is what's best for your family.

[LifeLovePassion]

Yeah, I get that we would be schooling at home. To me it is semantics. I was hoping other folks who have used a similar program would chim in to say pros and cons of day to day use. Or if you have considered a similar program but decided against it.

 

With it being a new option in my state, deadlines are approaching fast so trying to process it all at once and weigh the options in a short period of time is difficult.

 

I am not looking for a debate, but rather constructive input for making a decision. I hope it doesn't sound too snarky, I am just on overload right now.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Well, I did consider it and decided that it wasn't for us.  I point out the legal aspects of what it is though because in our case, they advertised it as homeschooling but when I asked to do certain things (like put my high school senior into an actual senior grade level) I was told I couldn't because it is public school.  So knowing what it is, is important because you come under the state rules for public schoolers and not for homeschoolers.  

[kitten18]

Yeah, I get that we would be schooling at home. To me it is semantics. I was hoping other folks who have used a similar program would chim in to say pros and cons of day to day use. Or if you have considered a similar program but decided against it.

 

With it being a new option in my state, deadlines are approaching fast so trying to process it all at once and weigh the options in a short period of time is difficult.

 

I am not looking for a debate, but rather constructive input for making a decision. I hope it doesn't sound too snarky, I am just on overload right now.

My kids are enrolled in a homestudy charter.

It sounds like our school has more pros and less cons.

We get $2,000 per child to buy curricula (anything we want as long as it's secular), or tools and equipment, or use for classes (most of my Ds's funds will be used for his gymnastics classes).

The cons would be keeping a log of what we do (basically I just write down what I have in my teacher plan book), meeting with a teacher once a month and giving her a work sample for each subject, and taking the state test at the end of the year.

 

It is worth it for me to jump through the hoops for $2,000/year (for each child), it would not be worth it for me for $800/year.

 

HTH

[SeaConquest]

We are with a homeschooling charter in Southern California. I don't care about the semantics or legalisms; I homeschool my child.

 

Having said that, I love our charter for elementary age. Yours sounds more restrictive in that you need to follow their scope and sequence (which I don't), and you also need to submit far more work samples (every two weeks vs. every two months). Our samples can also be anything -- from videos of me teaching, to photos of work, to worksheets of our choosing, etc. I can also use any secular curriculum that I want -- if it is nonconsumable, my facilitator orders it for me (gratis) and I return it when I am done. If it is consumable, I can purchase it myself or use my educational funds for purchase. 

 

My extremely extroverted child loves his charter school classes. The reason I like them so much is because they do all the afterschool enrichment stuff (art, music, robotics, performing arts, etc.) that costs $$$ around here for public school kids. They also contract with an extremely affordable PE provider -- my son adores those sports classes as well. I wouldn't like it if they were teaching my son core academic classes. So, I would want to know what classes were offered, and whether you get charged against your educational funds for using them.

 

I would also want to know if you get any funds to use towards vendors and/or field trips. Most people around here jump through the charter hoops because many offer over $2000/year for elementary age. More for high school and up. I would want to know if there is a community feel -- do they have clubs and social activities (school picnics, prom, poetry night, science fairs, etc.)

 

As others have mentioned, I would find out if you can opt out of testing. Some places withhold funds if you do. Testing is not a hill I am willing to die on, as I think it is a valuable skill to learn (and I would rather my DC have familiarity with it before it becomes high stakes). But, I would want to make sure that I was not having to teach to the test in my homeschool.

 

I would also try to meet with your potential facilitator to make sure there is a fit. Ours is great. She is super hands off, and gets me whatever I need re curriculum, classes, etc. Make sure that you get someone who meshes with you.

 

Feel free to ask any questions. There are lots of us here who homeschool through charters. The additional funds and charter community has been a great fit for us. Hope that is helpful.

 

 

[rebbyribs]

We've used a similar option for the past 2 years and will be continuing this year.  I'm happy with it overall, although some of the requirements are a pain, and I probably wouldn't do it if money weren't an issue at all. 

 

Some catches, at least with our charter:

 

We get to keep some materials at the end of the school year, but not others.  Since I have younger kids, it makes a big difference for me whether an item is considered "consumable" or "returnable".

They pay for physical books, but not usually ebooks or PDF versions of curriculum.  

Religious materials can be used, but I must pay for them myself.  I hadn't thought this would be a big deal for our family, but it turns out they're pretty strict about religious content, and my request for CAP W&R Narrative was turned down.  Something like CLE math or Rod & Staff grammar would be right out.

We need to meet with a teacher monthly and turn in work samples most of those months (not the first or last months).  The work samples can be any written work they did, although for science and social studies the teacher sometimes requests that they cover certain topics.  Usually, she finds a way to make my plans for the school year line up with the required topics, but sometimes I have to do a mini-unit on an extra topic.  Sometimes it's okay that I didn't teach a certain topic in the current year because I covered it last year or plan to cover it next year.  My particular experience with our charter (Visions in Education) is that they've been more flexible in practice than their written materials would indicate.  

The money doesn't usually go as far as it might if it were your own cash because only certain vendors are allowed and because you can't usually take advantage of sales.

The enrichment classes (mostly non-academic) and family events our charter offers are not near where we live.  This is not a huge deal - we usually make it to a few events and use our stipend to take classes from local vendors.  

The standardized testing is also at a location far from our home, and parents are responsible for transportation to and from the test site.  The school did not offer flexibility in testing dates and locations, and they only gave us a few weeks' notice of the time and place for the testing.  It is very important to the school that we participate in the testing, but they don't ask for much test prep (we spent a couple days working through a practice test together), and the students' scores don't seem to affect the students.  

The visiting teacher is very pleasant, and we enjoy her visits.  However, I had hoped I would find it helpful to talk with her about my kids' learning and that she would offer useful suggestions.  This has not been the case.

 

The major upsides are the stipend of $1800 per kid and much greater flexibility over curriculum choices than if my kids were in a brick and mortar public school.  

[Um_2_4]

OK, I researched and decided against for my self, but have 3 friends that have used them.

Pros: $, but $800 is not much. I would want to know what counts against that $800 exactly.

 

Cons: Testing (far from here and little notice of dates (similar to prev poster) and I don't have transportation anyways, no public transport here in the boonies)

Meeting with a Teacher every __ weeks/months (depends on charter). I am private and don't want them in my home. My friends experience has varied. Some were fine and helpful when needed/hands off when not, some were bossy and nosy (outside of her scope) and 1 friend quit because of it. If you don't click with your assigned teacher it can be a problem.

Having to return materials that are deemed "non-consumable". I like to make notes in TE sometimes or might want to hang on to a version I really love for later kiddos. Or I want my kids to write in a book they might consider non-consumable (SM textbooks or HOP reading books).

Here the upper grades are more rigid in what you have to cover, less flexibility. High School gets more rigid and it is basically like doing piles of homework from a brick & mortar school. (1 friend pulled out in 10th grade.)

They get like $6000 per elementary student enrolled, more if student needs services, but only give you like $1000 here to use on curriculum/classes..... where is the rest of the $$$$??? That bugged me. If you wanted to take their on campus classes, that came from your $1000 budget :huh: . 

[mamakelly]

I agree on the semantics of homeschooler vs public schooler at home. Some people just make a big deal over it, whatever. I have 3 kids enrolled with 2 different charter schools. One has excellent classes, but I get less funds per child. One has no classes offered but offers substantially more $$. With both, I meet with our facilitator once a month. We turn in 1 sample per subject every other month (every month with high school). My kids take the same end of the year test that public schoolers take (it sucks, but it's fine). It's worth the 2,000 per year at once school and 800 at the other. Extra classes, music, sports etc are outrageously expensive in Cali. This is the only way we can make homeschooling work for us.

[Scarlett]

Ds has never had to meet with a teacher. Some years there were monthly phone calls, some years nothing....now high school is a once a week check in via on line live classroom....except if he can't make it he can listen to a recording. (He rarely attends live) No logging of time...his completed assignments and talking to his teachers when requested fulfills attendance requirement.

 

K12 has a rigorous curriculum. I am not bothered by him being a public school student. To me that is a technicality. I am schooling him at home. Well. Ow as a tenth grader he schools himself...and he is getting an excellent education. For free.

 

My friends who use Epic instead of k12 have enough money left over to put their kids in dance.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I agree on the semantics of homeschooler vs public schooler at home. Some people just make a big deal over it, whatever. 

But it isn't just semantics.  Your state might have the exact same laws for homeschooler vs. public schooler but ours doesn't.  When I checked into the homeschool charter I was told that things that were perfectly fine and legal under homeschooler rules were not legal under the homeschool charter because they come under the public school laws.  I don't care if you want to follow those laws but it is important to know what applies.  But I noticed that my kids are much older than pretty much every one else posting in this thread.  As someone else said, it gets much more rigid in high school and so yes, those laws were pretty darn important to our decision.  

[Scarlett]

If the program is new to your state there will be a learning curve for everyone. Things changed over the years as they figured out how to navigate public schooling at home.

 

I have seen plenty of people bail from the K12 program mostly because they didn't understand the system. Or because they thought it was too rigorous. And sometimes people are flat out misinformed about the requirements. For instance I have been told repeatedly by those who have dropped out that their kid couldn't stand to sit in front of the computer for 6 hours a day and that it was a requirement. No. No it isn't.

 

Anyway, I hope you find a good fit.

[mom2scouts]

I agree on the semantics of homeschooler vs public schooler at home. Some people just make a big deal over it, whatever. I have 3 kids enrolled with 2 different charter schools. One has excellent classes, but I get less funds per child. One has no classes offered but offers substantially more $$. With both, I meet with our facilitator once a month. We turn in 1 sample per subject every other month (every month with high school). My kids take the same end of the year test that public schoolers take (it sucks, but it's fine). It's worth the 2,000 per year at once school and 800 at the other. Extra classes, music, sports etc are outrageously expensive in Cali. This is the only way we can make homeschooling work for us.

 

In my state it is *much* more than just semantics.  The legal requirements for homeschoolers and public school at home are very different and it causes lots of confusion.  Homeschoolers have almost complete freedom and public school at home students have to jump through all kinds of hoops.  It's a very big deal here because the lines have become so blurred by people who think it's just semantics that legislation gets introduced that targets only homeschoolers, but was put into place because of problems with public school at home.

[clementine]

If money is the top reason you'd consider this, then I'd say it's not worth it.  You lose control of your homeschool.  You can call yourself a homeschooler with this charter school, but you're really not.  You are doing public school at home.  It isn't semantics, it is what it is.  

 

I would put a list of pros and cons together and weigh whether or not you are willing to jump in.  You might be & that is completely fine.  But, I'd hate to see you start it & have regrets.   Get the whole picture & see if it's the best fit for your family.   Only you know what's best - no judgement here - I think we've all been (or known someone) at this crossroad.  

[Scarlett]

Is there a facebook group for this program? There is one for the high school group of k 12 for the state I am in and we answer lots of specific questions for people.

 

I am trying to think how our experience has been negatively impacted by being a public homeschool. there isn't much honestly.

[Ellie]

I am trying to think how our experience has been negatively impacted by being a public homeschool. there isn't much honestly.

 

Not your own experience, possibly, but in California (and I have forgotten where you live. Sorry.) fewer people are privately homeschooling because the public school programs have proliferated so greatly. That means fewer choices for parents who want control over their children's education. Without having to rewrite any existing laws, the state has gained control over scores of people and hundreds of children who were previously privately educated and therefore unaccountable to the state.

[LucyStoner]

Not your own experience, possibly, but in California (and I have forgotten where you live. Sorry.) fewer people are privately homeschooling because the public school programs have proliferated so greatly. That means fewer choices for parents who want control over their children's education. Without having to rewrite any existing laws, the state has gained control over scores of people and hundreds of children who were previously privately educated and therefore unaccountable to the state.

Conversely, it also potentially means that a lot of parents can afford to meet their kids' educational needs. Not everyone is well served by free resources or has the money to pay out of pocket for curriculum.

 

I didn't particularly feel controlled by the schools as a student or as a parent of a student. We do access some limited resources via the school district here (same state as Jean) and again, don't feel controlled nor do I especially feel that I need to be unaccountable for my actions as a homeschool parent. And before you or someone else whips out that "public school at home" accusation, no. My son is registered with the state as a homeschooler and I pick all the materials we have used for every home based subject. Being PT at the homeschool center means a few things- free classes like pottery I am in no way qualified to teach, easy access to the SPED services he is entitled to, spelling bee eligibility (which is his #1 concern) and a few bucks towards the materials we use. He also participates in private homeschool enrichment and support programs so I haven't noticed a dearth of homeschooling resources just because there's a small parent partnership program in most districts. My son will also be running track with a public school. That's an opportunity that is not available at the same level through parks and rec or a private program. He tests, or not, through the district or privately, as I see fit on a year by year basis.

[SweetandSimple]

For me, I'm not sure that $800 would be worth it. (My charter provides $1800 per student, and that is definitely worth it for me.)

 

However, I'd be very curious about the optional classes. Could your students attend those for free, or would you have to pay some of the $800 for those? (My charter offers classes, but we have to pay for them with our funding.)

 

If the extra classes include fun things that your kids would like to experience  (like art, robotics, drama, music, science, P.E., etc) then I would seriously consider it. If the classes aren't interesting to you, then I'm not sure that if it would be worth it for $800.

 

Honestly, the toughest part (for me) about using a charter is trying to line up my social studies and science topics to fit the state requirements. The school really isn't fussy at all, but it takes a little bit more planning to do the survey type courses instead of buying a curriculum that's built around one topic. My kids don't mind the "scatteredness" of it at all, but it makes planning a little trickier for me. Moving Beyond the Page purposely plans their curriculum products to be that way-- I am trying the MBtP program this year, and hoping for a fun, well-planned year!

[Jean in Newcastle]

Conversely, it also potentially means that a lot of parents can afford to meet their kids' educational needs. Not everyone is well served by free resources or has the money to pay out of pocket for curriculum.

 

I didn't particularly feel controlled by the schools as a student or as a parent of a student. We do access some limited resources via the school district here (same state as Jean) and again, don't feel controlled nor do I especially feel that I need to be unaccountable for my actions as a homeschool parent. And before you or someone else whips out that "public school at home" accusation, no. My son is registered with the state as a homeschooler and I pick all the materials we have used for every home based subject. Being PT at the homeschool center means a few things- free classes like pottery I am in no way qualified to teach, easy access to the SPED services he is entitled to, spelling bee eligibility (which is his #1 concern) and a few bucks towards the materials we use. He also participates in private homeschool enrichment and support programs so I haven't noticed a dearth of homeschooling resources just because there's a small parent partnership program in most districts. My son will also be running track with a public school. That's an opportunity that is not available at the same level through parks and rec or a private program. He tests, or not, through the district or privately, as I see fit on a year by year basis.

RE. the bolded.  Perhaps it is best to just give the advice to ask whether the student is legally considered a homeschooler or a public schooler.  As I said upthread, the program in my district which I looked into said "homeschool' on all printed and online materials but when I actually spoke to them, I was told that my kids would be public schoolers and would have to abide by public school laws.  That would have been fine for many things but in my case for my high schooler it would have meant him losing two years of hard high school level work so it was not the best choice for him.  So find out for sure.  And find out what it means.  I've talked to people who did not know that they were legally public schoolers under this same program - they never asked - and perhaps it didn't matter in the long run for them but I do think (as with anything) that it is best to know as much as you can about your situation.  Now as a homeschooler, I was able to use the SPED department in our local school for my dd and she had an IEP for that portion but again, it was up to me to do my research.  

[Crimson Wife]

We are with a homeschooling charter in Southern California. I don't care about the semantics or legalisms; I homeschool my child.

 

In CA, there is no such thing legally as "homeschooling". When my kids were enrolled through a charter, they were public school students. Now that we are independent, they are private school students. There are pros and cons to each. Independent HSing gives us more flexibility, which is particularly an issue for my oldest (can I just say how much I *LOATHE* the whole UC a-g requirements?) The charter gave us thousands of dollars between the two kids to spend on the materials and classes of my choice.

 

The work samples, logging, and meeting with a teacher requirements became the straw that broke the camel's back in terms of working with a charter. Under normal circumstances, it was no big deal. But nothing about this past spring was normal. It came to the point where I was faced with a choice between skipping my little one's MRI or pulling out of the charter. The teacher and the admin were sympathetic but at the end of the day, they were bound by the legal requirements of the school's charter and the state.

[LucyStoner]

RE. the bolded. Perhaps it is best to just give the advice to ask whether the student is legally considered a homeschooler or a public schooler. As I said upthread, the program in my district which I looked into said "homeschool' on all printed and online materials but when I actually spoke to them, I was told that my kids would be public schoolers and would have to abide by public school laws. That would have been fine for many things but in my case for my high schooler it would have meant him losing two years of hard high school level work so it was not the best choice for him. So find out for sure. And find out what it means. I've talked to people who did not know that they were legally public schoolers under this same program - they never asked - and perhaps it didn't matter in the long run for them but I do think (as with anything) that it is best to know as much as you can about your situation. Now as a homeschooler, I was able to use the SPED department in our local school for my dd and she had an IEP for that portion but again, it was up to me to do my research.

In our state you are still legally considered a homeschooler if you are only participating in school on a PT basis. And you still file the DOI.

 

http://washhomeschool.org/advocacy/part-time-enrollment/

 

Homeschool centers here are ALE (Alternative Learning Environments) and can't require you to enroll FT or be a public school student.

 

That said, I personally don't care who is FT and legally a public school student and who is PT and legally a homeschooler. So long as the child is well served, who gives a rip?

 

Also, the main reason I prefer the SPED services via the ALE is that the teachers there, including the SPED teacher, are all supportive of homeschooling which has not been my experience with staff at the regular schools.

[Jean in Newcastle]

In our state you are still legally considered a homeschooler if you are only participating in school on a PT basis. And you still file the DOI.

 

http://washhomeschool.org/advocacy/part-time-enrollment/

 

Homeschool centers here are ALE (Alternative Learning Environments) and can't require you to enroll FT or be a public school student.

 

That said, I personally don't care who is FT and legally a public school student and who is PT and legally a homeschooler. So long as the child is well served, who gives a rip?

 

Also, the main reason I prefer the SPED services via the ALE is that the teachers there, including the SPED teacher, are all supportive of homeschooling which has not been my experience with staff at the regular schools.

The program I was thinking of enrolling my kids in was full-time.  

 

I don't care what anyone enrolls in either but again, I think it is important to know what you are enrolling as.  

 

Fortunately the staff at our regular schools were very supportive of us even without an ALE.  

[LucyStoner]

The program I was thinking of enrolling my kids in was full-time.

 

I don't care what anyone enrolls in either but again, I think it is important to know what you are enrolling as.

 

Fortunately the staff at our regular schools were very supportive of us even without an ALE.

I guess what I am saying is that it doesn't matter if the child is legally homeschooled or legally a public school student if that meets the educational needs of the child and satisfies their parents. So often on these boards charters and other options are all but jeered at as "public school at home." I think that sort of nonsense is wholly unnecessary. Charters/ALEs/public school options aren't bad merely because they are publicly funded. They aren't right for all families but they are a valuable resource for many, especially when paying out of pocket for everything is out of reach or if a child needs options that the parents can provide at home or the parent is really wanting support. I don't homeschool to be a homeschooler. I educate my children using any and all available options that work for them.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I guess what I am saying is that it doesn't matter if the child is legally homeschooled or legally a public school student if that meets the educational needs of the child and satisfies their parents. So often on these boards charters and other options are all but jeered at as "public school at home." I think that sort of nonsense is wholly unnecessary. Charters/ALEs/public school options aren't bad merely because they are publicly funded. They aren't right for all families but they are a valuable resource for many, especially when paying out of pocket for everything is out of reach or if a child needs options that the parents can provide at home or the parent is really wanting support. I don't homeschool to be a homeschooler. I educate my children using any and all available options that work for them.

Of course.  I agree with you.  But at the level of my teens the distinctions between homeschool law and public school law is greater because public school law at that point is so much more rigid due to diploma requirements etc.  And it was a deal breaker for us because in our case it would have hurt my son academically and emotionally.  Now this might all be a moot point for the OP since it looks like her kids are quite young.  But it is something to be aware of for the high school years.  

[LucyStoner]

Of course. I agree with you. But at the level of my teens the distinctions between homeschool law and public school law is greater because public school law at that point is so much more rigid due to diploma requirements etc. And it was a deal breaker for us because in our case it would have hurt my son academically and emotionally. Now this might all be a moot point for the OP since it looks like her kids are quite young. But it is something to be aware of for the high school years.

Here, the ALE can allow my son to access Running Start two years sooner than he could if he went to a regular school. Two years of free college tuition in lieu of high school is definitely worth it for a lot of families. Once he is in Running Start FT (if we go that route) he would be a public school student.

[Carol in Cal.]

I have looked at programs somewhat more restrictive and somewhat less so than the one that you have described.

 

I picked one that was far less restrictive.  I could use the funds (around $1600/year IIRC) for any secular, registered vendor.  This could mean for consumables, curricula, classes, etc.  Anything that was nonconsumable was technically the property of the school, but you could keep things like that over the summer if you were going to continue at the school the next year.  Realistically it was fairly hard to return things, and most people ended up keeping some of that stuff.  The other requirements were two work samples per subject area (ELA, math, social studies, science, arts, PE) per semester, state testing (which you could legally opt out of, but which the charter asserted the right to drop you the next year if you did this) and a skills-oriented start of the year hokey online test that they designed.  The parent and/or child had to meet with the ES monthly for about 1 1/2 hours, and discuss what they were doing.  I picked this charter because it was the most respectful of me as the teacher, and had the least requirements.  I went out of my way to be helpful to the ES--she had to write the POs for our educational funds, so I tried to plan big payments from them instead of nickel and diming her to death with lots of little stuff broken up over many POs.  I wrote a quick and dirty monthly report to give her and then we talked about something specific that I was concerned about instead of about the broad strokes of what we were doing.  I showed up on time for the testing and didn't drive her crazy complaining about it.  OTOH, she also knew that I would walk if it was in the best interests of my daughter.  I was the teacher, no question about it.  And I was In Charge.

Some of the others I looked at were totally 'school at home'.  One was a K12 charter--all computer work, no parental input except to drive it.  One was more designed for kids who were home for a semester after surgery. They checked out curricula to parents and then checked kids' work weekly.  It seemed pretty oppressive to me.   I had a long talk with the head of that one.  She was lovely and enthusiastic and totally delusional about how control freaky her program sounded to a homeschooler at heart.  She was really proud that if someone wanted to study Egypt in the 'wrong grade' they would 'let them'. 

 

I homeschooled, legal definition or no.  Many of the parents who use K12 seem to be homeschooling as well, in the very traditional 'school in the box' sense of the word (think Calvert boxes showing up out in foreign lands or remote locations).  That weekly checkout thing?  AFAIC, that's not homeschooling.  YMMV.  It's also pretty much the worst of both worlds, in that you're responsible for your kids' education but have no significant say in what they learn or when they learn it, and are stuck with a relentless school schedule.  I can't imagine why anyone would want to do that unless their child was injured or heavily involved in a semi-professional extra-curricular pursuit that required a lot of travel or an insane practice schedule.  Even then, I think actual homeschooling would be a lot more fun for everyone involved.

 

[Ellie]

In CA, there is no such thing legally as "homeschooling". When my kids were enrolled through a charter, they were public school students. Now that we are independent, they are private school students. There are pros and cons to each. Independent HSing gives us more flexibility, which is particularly an issue for my oldest (can I just say how much I *LOATHE* the whole UC a-g requirements?) The charter gave us thousands of dollars between the two kids to spend on the materials and classes of my choice.

 

The work samples, logging, and meeting with a teacher requirements became the straw that broke the camel's back in terms of working with a charter. Under normal circumstances, it was no big deal. But nothing about this past spring was normal. It came to the point where I was faced with a choice between skipping my little one's MRI or pulling out of the charter. The teacher and the admin were sympathetic but at the end of the day, they were bound by the legal requirements of the school's charter and the state.

 

Actually, there is now, because of the 2008 court ruling: "

In this dependency case, we consider the legality of, and restraints upon, homeschooling in California.We will conclude that: (1)California statutes permit homeschooling as a species of private school education (this is on page 5 of the document).

 

A footnote on that page says this: "We use the terms “home school†and “home schooling†to refer to full-time education in the home by a parent or guardian who does not necessarily possessa teaching credential."

[Ellie]

I guess what I am saying is that it doesn't matter if the child is legally homeschooled or legally a public school student if that meets the educational needs of the child and satisfies their parents. So often on these boards charters and other options are all but jeered at as "public school at home." I think that sort of nonsense is wholly unnecessary. Charters/ALEs/public school options aren't bad merely because they are publicly funded. They aren't right for all families but they are a valuable resource for many, especially when paying out of pocket for everything is out of reach or if a child needs options that the parents can provide at home or the parent is really wanting support. I don't homeschool to be a homeschooler. I educate my children using any and all available options that work for them.

 

Yes, absolutely, the legality matters. It isn't that one is better than the other; it's only that people need to know, absolutely, whether their children are legally public school students or homeschooled/private schooled students.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Here, the ALE can allow my son to access Running Start two years sooner than he could if he went to a regular school. Two years of free college tuition in lieu of high school is definitely worth it for a lot of families. Once he is in Running Start FT (if we go that route) he would be a public school student.

Good details to know.  You've done your homework.  (Running Start was an option available to us as well.  We've stayed with the homeschooling route but it is good to have options, isn't it.  :) )

[Crimson Wife]

 

Actually, there is now, because of the 2008 court ruling: "

In this dependency case, we consider the legality of, and restraints upon, homeschooling in California.We will conclude that: (1)California statutes permit homeschooling as a species of private school education (this is on page 5 of the document).

 

A footnote on that page says this: "We use the terms “home school†and “home schooling†to refer to full-time education in the home by a parent or guardian who does not necessarily possessa teaching credential."

 

 

"Homeschooling" is mentioned nowhere in the state ed code. A court ruling doesn't change that fact.

[TianXiaXueXiao]

I worked for a homeschool charter in CA. My daughter was also enrolled there, as well. We received $1500 stipend to pay for activities, lessons, and secular materials. We had to give any materials that were not consumable back at the end of the year. It paid for all of our piano and dance classes in addition to science, math, art materials, and onsite classes such as drama, creative writing, and Chinese (my class). It was worthwhile and we only had to meet with our teacher (my close friend) once every 6 weeks. We could use any curricular materials we wanted, even religious ones (as long as we paid for it out of pocket), and we just filled out a log that we turned in along with samples from each subject when we met with the teacher. It was a pretty sweet deal. If I could have that back, I would take it, but we live in Oregon now and it's not nearly as loosey goosey here! The only thing I didn't like was the state testing. Big waste of one whole week, once a year.

[Seeking Squirrels]

We go through a charter program. Last year they purchased whatever curriculum we wanted (had to be approved, but anything non-religious was. Religious could be used, you just had to buy it yourself.) This year they changed it up and only purchased LA and math.  So we have complete control over what we teach and how. We have to report weekly with what we did, but it can be the same thing each week with a general "4 lessons math..." type of thing. End of year testing is required for 3rd and up, but you can opt out. Benchmark testing is required in fall and spring but you can also opt out of that. We're supposed to turn in work samples, but it can be anything from what we do.

 

She also attends a once-a-week program that just does fun elective stuff. Last year she took dance, arts & crafts, cooking/sewing, science, and animal encounters. (science was the only academic stuff they did but DD said it was always fun stuff or coloring.) That's changing a little this year so I'm not sure how it's going to go. The co-op day was why we signed up in the first place. DD and I were butting heads a lot last summer and we really needed that once a week break from each other. So for us it was either this program or public school. This year we signed back up because she loved her co-op day and asked to stay in the program. If it ends up being too different from last year or all academic instead of fun extras I will pull her. They didn't actually get very much curriculum for us this year, so I can replace what they'll want back for around $170.

 

Pros for us: Once a week break for me and DD/a day with just my 3yo, the curriculum they purchase, friends, the fun stuff they can offer that I can't at home.

 

Cons: legally we're public schoolers and that does bother me, reporting, testing, one less day at home to get through our work (leaves us less wiggle room for field trips or other fun days), the curriculum isn't ours and has to be turned back in, so that makes me a bit nervous with it throughout the year that it doesn't get messed up.

 

What it looks like for us: I do whatever I want at home without regard to what they want, I email the same "lesson plan" to her ES each week, I drop her off once a week and spend a day with my 3yo, once a month I meet with her ES and we discuss "goals" for the next month (which I don't do anything with after the meeting).

 

I admit that I'm sort of hoping DD doesn't like her co-op day and asks or agrees to leave. But I'm not going to pull her if she wants to stay in so long as I continue being able to opt out of testing and have control over what we do at home.

[rmtzc2009]

I'm also considering doing a charter K12 school for one of my kids this fall. In my state we get no money towards curriculum but are provided with K12 curriculum for the year. My child will also go to school 3 half days a week. He'll get gym, music, art and most importantly all his services. He has a pretty detailed IEP. The fact that at this time I need the support services to be done at school is my main motivation for considering the program.

 

I would encourage you to read the contract or reg. papers thoroughly. Ours is written to say if a student misses 5 days of school they can be removed from the program. This means a big adjustment to our vacation plans this year. A charter in many ways gets to make its own rules. Our school year will not start until Sept. While the local public schools all start Aug.15th. They also only give the kids two days off at Thanksgiving & 1 week for Christmas break. Public school here gets 2 weeks off for Christmas & 1 for Thanksgiving.

 

All this to say...ask a ton of questions and search for reviews. If my son did not require so much assistance, I would not consider this program a good option. Best of luck!

[LucyStoner]

Yes, absolutely, the legality matters. It isn't that one is better than the other; it's only that people need to know, absolutely, whether their children are legally public school students or homeschooled/private schooled students.

I think it matter far less than is often argued on these boards. Parents need to know but honestly, I don't know any parents who don't know. The people I know who make the biggest deal about this IRL are often spreading rumors and scare tactics, like if your child interacts with the school system a litany of bad stuff will descend on you like locusts.

 

Not seeing any locusts.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I think it matter far less than is often argued on these boards. Parents need to know but honestly, I don't know any parents who don't know. The people I know who make the biggest deal about this IRL are often spreading rumors and scare tactics, like if your child interacts with the school system a litany of bad stuff will descend on you like locusts.

 

Not seeing any locusts.

But Katie, I do know people who don't know.  I don't really care as long as they are happy with the schooling that their kids are getting.  And these particular people have elementary students where I don't think it matters as much.  Rules tend to be much looser all around in elementary.  But I hope these people read the fine print by the time their kids are in middle school or high school.  Now granted, it is much easier to go from public school status to homeschool status but if you are trying to go from homeschool status to public then it becomes imperative because you can have some nasty surprises when you go to sign up for classes.  I've had friends who have tried battling local districts over some of these rules but got no where.  If you want their diploma you do it their way.  Again - that's their right.  But if you decide that you might want to make that change for a teen's junior or senior year, it can be brutal.

 

P.S.  I knew that you had to make a decision regarding brick and mortar high school by the start of 9th grade.  That was no surprise to me.  I was surprised to find out that it applied to the charters as well because I had always been told that if homeschooling high school doesn't work for you, then you can always have that to fall back on.  Technically I guess that is correct but at a big price (in credits) that I did not expect.  That might be obvious to others but I really thought there was more flexibility and leeway with the non- brick and mortar options because the general advertising out there implied that.  It was only when I was talking to the program director that I was told the fine print and found out that my fallback wasn't such an open option after all.  

[LucyStoner]

But Katie, I do know people who don't know. I don't really care as long as they are happy with the schooling that their kids are getting. And these particular people have elementary students where I don't think it matters as much. Rules tend to be much looser all around in elementary. But I hope these people read the fine print by the time their kids are in middle school or high school. Now granted, it is much easier to go from public school status to homeschool status but if you are trying to go from homeschool status to public then it becomes imperative because you can have some nasty surprises when you go to sign up for classes. I've had friends who have tried battling local districts over some of these rules but got no where. If you want their diploma you do it their way. Again - that's their right. But if you decide that you might want to make that change for a teen's junior or senior year, it can be brutal.

Maybe I only know cerebral fine print readers but I really haven't come across people here that are wholly in the dark. Misinformed, yes. Sometimes the misinformation comes from the district, sometimes for the ALE but most often it comes from other homeschooling parents. Still everyone I know who is using the ALEs seems to get that the ALEs are public school programs and that FT enrollment means you don't need to file a DOI. The most common bit of misinformation is that if you use the ALE you have to test there or you can only use district curriculum. Which, I can attest from personal experience, is just plain not true. I seriously doubt more that 1/2 of the kids at the one we attended tested this last year and I know parents who use the ALEs using all manner of curriculum, religious or not.

 

As for high school and grade promotion, one of the biggest advantages that I see of the ALEs is that I can get an official transcript for all of his home based work. His counselor can add high school credits for me at any time (which we are shying away from starting intently because of the spelling bee*). I know many homeschooled juniors and seniors who decided to spend the last 1-2 years at a regular school and were able to do so, even if they were accelerated and young for their grade, because their parent(s) jumped through the ALE hoops from the time they started high school level work and had their home based instruction documented with a standard transcript. If that's a door people want open to them, they have to research it in advance, ideally before high school. Some high schools and ALEs are easier to work with than others for sure. I have heard a number of not great things about the ALEs on the Eastside (I think one even closed more than a few years back) and the one in our new area was/is not ok with me so we don't use it. I know more than a few eastside families who go through one of a few other districts (primarily Edmonds or Monroe, which are the most popular).

 

*I swear if I feel controlled by or beholden to anything, it's the friggin spelling bee. ;)

[Jean in Newcastle]

You only quoted the first part of my post (before I added to it) so I don't know if you read the whole thing.  I was in the dark and misinformed or something.  That may just mean that I'm more clueless than most.  My district is Renton though and from what I've heard they are not as easy to deal with as some others.  The thing is too that my reason for looking at this late was that it was my fallback and I felt like my health had finally hit a wall where I needed to use it.  So I wasn't looking at all of this from a position of strength health wise.  And I wasn't looking at this proactively because I didn't think I needed it at that point.  And. . . I was told and believed that it would be "no big deal" to switch to if needed.  But it was a big deal.  And we didn't.  And ds is graduating from homeschool after all.  

[LucyStoner]

You only quoted the first part of my post (before I added to it) so I don't know if you read the whole thing. I was in the dark and misinformed or something. That may just mean that I'm more clueless than most. My district is Renton though and from what I've heard they are not as easy to deal with as some others. The thing is too that my reason for looking at this late was that it was my fallback and I felt like my health had finally hit a wall where I needed to use it. So I wasn't looking at all of this from a position of strength health wise. And I wasn't looking at this proactively because I didn't think I needed it at that point. And. . . I was told and believed that it would be "no big deal" to switch to if needed. But it was a big deal. And we didn't. And ds is graduating from homeschool after all.

I'm not familiar with the Renton one at all since we live a gajillion minutes of traffic away from there. I think I was probably responding while you were editing.

 

One thing to know, just in case someone you know asks or you look into it for your daughter is that it's pretty easy to get an out of district transfer for the ALEs. I know of at least one ALE that for sure will transfer in homeschool high school credits and another that basically only handles transcripts and Running Start for high schoolers. Since we do most of our work at home, I'd rather drive for a 1-2x a week class than use the ALE in my district which I find rather restrictive and not exactly onerous but not exactly friendly either IYKWIM. It seems more geared to people who bombed out of public school than homeschooling families. There's also one high school that I know for sure accepts high school homeschoolers without costing them years of credit and again, it's usually open enrollment even to out of district waivers.

[Scarlett]

I'm also considering doing a charter K12 school for one of my kids this fall. In my state we get no money towards curriculum but are provided with K12 curriculum for the year. My child will also go to school 3 half days a week. He'll get gym, music, art and most importantly all his services. He has a pretty detailed IEP. The fact that at this time I need the support services to be done at school is my main motivation for considering the program.

 

I would encourage you to read the contract or reg. papers thoroughly. Ours is written to say if a student misses 5 days of school they can be removed from the program. This means a big adjustment to our vacation plans this year. A charter in many ways gets to make its own rules. Our school year will not start until Sept. While the local public schools all start Aug.15th. They also only give the kids two days off at Thanksgiving & 1 week for Christmas break. Public school here gets 2 weeks off for Christmas & 1 for Thanksgiving.

 

All this to say...ask a ton of questions and search for reviews. If my son did not require so much assistance, I would not consider this program a good option. Best of luck!

My son has been in k12 since grade one and we have never stopped our lives for their schedule except for the testing in the spring which is required. Usually 2 days worth. Yes the attendance rules were like you say but it wasn't hard at all to have ds work a head and then log in attendance while we were on vacation. It is just a matter of learning which hoops are most Important and keeping the record keepers happy.