Oh no! I'm faced with the charter school issue! (Georgia)

[Night Elf]

We had decided to use Keystone National High School so our children would have an accredited diploma as Georgia won't let parents issue one. DH doesn't like the idea of just a transcript saying 'done'. Keystone is expensive though! A full 4 years is $8,000. Dd17 has one more year to go. Ds13 is 3 classes into his 21 needed credits.

 

And now, our school district is offering a grade 6 - 12 school-at-home option that does earn an accredited Georgia high school diploma. Full-status for our county is free. Non-residents of our county have to pay. All part-time students have to pay.

 

This would save us thousands of dollars. I'm looking at the pros and cons even though I didn't like the Georgia Virtual Academy. But the two are different.

 

Pros:

earn diploma

free if enrolled in 4 classes

self-paced, no strict guidelines other than finish in regular school year

online, and from the few demos online, the classes look more interactive than Keystone

teacher accountability, that we love with Keystone

 

Cons:

must do yearly state testing

must enroll at least 4 classes to be full-time to be free

we wouldn't be homeschoolers anymore. It shouldn't matter but I've had that label for 9 years now.

 

It seems like there is a huge push to get kids off campuses and learning at home. The economy is forcing school closings. The governor signed a whatever-you-call-it that allows high school juniors and seniors in good standing to leave high school and begin college, earning double credits. A program was already in place that allowed high school students to have extra classes online while enrolled and attending public school. Georgia got it's K - 8th grade charter using K12 about 2 years ago (not sure when it started).

 

I didn't think I'd ever seriously consider this, but overall, if we stick with it, it would save us $18,000. That is a HUGE sum of money!! Homeschooling high school without using an accredited program is not an option my DH is willing to consider, though I'll talk to him about it again.

 

If you were in my shoes, how would you see this? A real consideration? We had already decided the program was worth the money as going back to a brick-and-mortar school is simply not an option unless it's a forced situation of some kind. But this option throws a whole new spin on our decision. Am I crazy to consider this?

 

Dd12 could do 7th grade for free as well, but I don't think it's important enough to change a schedule of classes that are working well for her.

 

Oh, the online learning system is called Aventa Learning. I have not heard of that system. I searched on the K-8 curriculum board and pulled up nothing. The high school board had one post asking about it, but had no responses. I am assuming it's a school program only and doesn't offer independent use like K12 because I can't find anything like that on their website.

[LunaLee]

We hs through a charter ( it's the only way my dd can play high school softball and still be homeschooled.) I'll say it loud and proud. If you are schooling at home, you are a homeschooler in my opinion, I know there are a lot of vetrans who will throw tomatoes at me, but there it is. So in answer to your question, yes I would consider this if was an option.

 

I don't really feel like the charter runs my homeschooling "program". I still choose what I want dd to do (including Christian material) and we do it. I do have to provide course descriptions for the Honors classes she's doing, but that's something you'd probably have to do if you were hsing HS anyways. We take the state testing and it's no big deal. I don't care about the results really, so there is no pressure to "teach to the test". Colleges don't care about them so to me they dont' have any real merrit except for funding to the state.

 

Aventa is the online program that Oak Meadow uses for it's AP and technology classes. I can't remember if it's self paced; I think it is to a certain extent, but I can't remember. I do remember I had a question and sent them an email and promptly received a response-this was at 9 pm on a Saturday night. So if you had specific questions I would just email them.

 

In the end you'll have to decide if it's worth it. It was for us and for the most part I'm really happy with our choice.

 

By the way-President Obama just declared this week National Charter School Week, fwiw.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

IMHO I would consider it since it sure saves a lot of money which could be used for college:)

 

I would be sure to ask very detailed questions about rules, expectations, etc. I would also ask to see the curriculum and materials. My posts in this thread has detailed questions t consider asking since every cyber school is different:)

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=161828

 

Good luck in your decision.

[MomLovesClassics]

The savings would be huge, and I am sure you could put that money to good use. I believe I would go for the charter option. Not sure if it is true, but I heard through the grapevine that GA universities and collages admissions are unfriendly to homeschoolers. It is always easier dealing with an accredited diploma. I do know that Connections Academy is trying for a charter, but thay have tried for many years now, also K12 is attempting to get a high school charter. What part of the state are you in? We are near Athens.

[LisaKinVA]

I wrote a letter to the editor regarding the public charters at home... so frustrating.

 

A homeschool group will not hesitate to "allow" a student enrolled in a private "school-at-home" program (BJU, Abeka, Veritas Academy, CLASS), attend their functions, and call them homeschooling, but as soon as it becomes a public "school-at-home" the whole attitude changes. But the only real difference is who is supplying the curriculum (here in VA, I have to pay per child to attend our virtual academy, it's not completely "free.")

 

Okay, rant off...

 

I'd do the public charter and bank the money, as long as it's giving you what you need. $18k is a LOT of money. But, it's about what we've budgeted for DS for 7-12 here in VA (we've got a lot of custom class electives that we want on his transcript...and we plan on backing off the rapid accelerations in 7th as well).

 

Go for it... and use the label YOU want (I'm still homeschooling... and the only difference between the curriculum I'm using this year is that I'm borrowing it instead of buying it!).

[ncmom2dawters]

A con to these types of programs is you have not choice in the curriculum used and what is/is not taught.

[Pam Wilhelm]

Make sure they now say that K12 is "accredited" in GA......when I left GA a year ago (Paulding County) many, many parents were confused and ticked off because first they were told K12 was accredited and then told that it wasn't. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE TRUTH.

 

Good Luck!

[Hen]

if the details are ones you can work with, I'd go for it.

 

we homeschool with a charter here in ca, and I have always considered myself a homeschooler, we school at home and I teach all the classes.

[MomLovesClassics]

Make sure they now say that K12 is "accredited" in GA......when I left GA a year ago (Paulding County) many, many parents were confused and ticked off because first they were told K12 was accredited and then told that it wasn't. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE TRUTH.

 

Good Luck!

 

K12 is not accredited in GA? I know they don't yet have the high school, and only have k-8. How can they not be accredited in the state if the state is paying them to educate kids? I am very confused. I had no idea, I need to get out from under this rock.

[Pam Wilhelm]

K12 is not accredited in GA? I know they don't yet have the high school, and only have k-8. How can they not be accredited in the state if the state is paying them to educate kids? I am very confused. I had no idea, I need to get out from under this rock.

 

I haven't used K12 myself.....but on a neighborhood message board that I used to visit quite frequently the homeschoolers that used K12 (GVA) were livid because they had been told that it was accredited and then at the end of the year told that it wasn't. I tried to find the thread...but I can't find it. It is like a lot of the homeschool threads have disappeared... the site was www.paulding.com I'll try to post over there and see what I can find out.

[Night Elf]

Thanks for the responses, we're still on the fence.

 

This particular online program does not use K12. Georgia Virtual Academy, or GVA, is a state program and uses the K12 curriculum. The online program I'm considering is offered by Forsyth County Board of Education. Forsyth Co. residents can enroll full-time at no charge, although we do have to provide our own computers and internet services.

 

As for not being able to pick curriculum, we're already in that situation. We use Keystone, an accredited middle school and high school program. They use the traditional educational path, i.e. 9th grade: World Geography, Algebra, Biology, English 1. There is no choice of materials. You get what you get and you don't pitch a fit. This has actually been a huge plus for us after years of my buying and not following through too much curriculum.

 

The major obstacle I'm facing is having ds13, who has Aspergers, handle 4 classes and complete them simultaneously in one school year. We've enjoyed not having strict deadlines. We were just about to start him in English 1 from Keystone, and after seeing the amount of work, I figured it would definitely take him longer than the 36-week guidelines. We have a year to complete it and can purchase additional time if needed. That English is with our current program, Keystone. I don't expect it to take that long, but it's nice to have that option.

 

DH says if nothing else, we can continue using Keystone this next school year and move ds13 into our local BOE's school-at-home online program in fall 2011. That might not be a bad idea considering this is the first year they'll be up and running.

 

But oh man... to think of the dollars we'll save just this year, not even thinking of the total over the course of his high school program. I just don't know, I just don't know. It's like going back to the days of being a curriculum junkie with too much analyzing materials. Egads!

[MomLovesClassics]

I think GA has been very slow to get public school at home options available. I think we need more options to choose from. I do not understand why it takes so many years for these charter schools to be approved in this state. Considering the money issue I now worry this will prevent more charters, as there may not be money to pay for them.

[TXMomof4]

I've decided (I think) to use the charter this year. I need some help, my kids will be home, I'll still have more flexibility than if they were at "real" school. Honestly, the only downside is that I won't be a 'pull it all together myself' homeschooler and that offends my own sense of what a homeschooler should do. It's entirely a case of pressure I'm putting on myself. It's funny to me how hard that is to change. Handing over that control is apparently a much bigger issue for me than I thought it would be.

[Ellie]

A homeschool group will not hesitate to "allow" a student enrolled in a private "school-at-home" program (BJU, Abeka, Veritas Academy, CLASS), attend their functions, and call them homeschooling, but as soon as it becomes a public "school-at-home" the whole attitude changes. But the only real difference is who is supplying the curriculum (here in VA, I have to pay per child to attend our virtual academy, it's not completely "free.")

If you enroll your dc in one of those distance-learning programs, you are complying with the homeschool laws in your state (or, for people in other states, they have to still do additional things to comply with their laws), and your dc are either *legally* homeschool or private school students. If you enroll your dc in a charter school, they are *legally* considered public school students. Most homeschool groups prefer to use their resources for homeschooled students; public school students usually have access to resources through the public school. Seems fair to me.

[Cinder]

Make sure they now say that K12 is "accredited" in GA......when I left GA a year ago (Paulding County) many, many parents were confused and ticked off because first they were told K12 was accredited and then told that it wasn't. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE TRUTH.

 

Good Luck!

 

 

About a year ago we were looking into accredited programs for ds (when we thought he might be interested in the US Coast Guard Academy, which requires an accredited diploma). Then I happened to be perusing Kennesaw State University's website. At that time it listed a bunch of "accredited programs" that homeschoolers use that THEY WOULD NOT accept. NAHRS was listed. I think ABeka and BJU as well as several others I can't remember. That was an eye-opener for me and goes along with what Pam is saying above. Now KSU's website lists which accrediting bodies are acceptable, not which ones aren't. Issues like this are why there are so many accredited homeschool programs here in GA, or "hybrid" schools.

 

I know this doesn't help with the OP's original question, just wanted to add my $.02 to the conversation.

 

Cinder

[mrs.m]

Another con is that the program can be cut at any time--even though it is new. We were enrolled in a charter (virtual school) program and the state cut the budget in January. We didn't have funding for school! And I had to change gears mid-year because I couldn't afford the tuition.

[TXMomof4]

If you enroll your dc in one of those distance-learning programs, you are complying with the homeschool laws in your state (or, for people in other states, they have to still do additional things to comply with their laws), and your dc are either *legally* homeschool or private school students. If you enroll your dc in a charter school, they are *legally* considered public school students. Most homeschool groups prefer to use their resources for homeschooled students; public school students usually have access to resources through the public school. Seems fair to me.

 

Are there homeschool groups you could participate in for free?

 

It seems to me that you're saying I shouldn't be allowed to take my kids to a homeschool art class because *legally* they will be ps students. That seems a little wonky to me. I have to pay for that art class now, I will pay for it next year, our social group will be the same, we will just be using a different curriculum. (Which happens to be a curriculum I have drooled over for many years.)

[Supertechmom]

I wrote a letter to the editor regarding the public charters at home... so frustrating.

 

A homeschool group will not hesitate to "allow" a student enrolled in a private "school-at-home" program (BJU, Abeka, Veritas Academy, CLASS), attend their functions, and call them homeschooling, but as soon as it becomes a public "school-at-home" the whole attitude changes. But the only real difference is who is supplying the curriculum (here in VA, I have to pay per child to attend our virtual academy, it's not completely "free.")

 

Okay, rant off...

 

I'd do the public charter and bank the money, as long as it's giving you what you need. $18k is a LOT of money. But, it's about what we've budgeted for DS for 7-12 here in VA (we've got a lot of custom class electives that we want on his transcript...and we plan on backing off the rapid accelerations in 7th as well).

 

Go for it... and use the label YOU want (I'm still homeschooling... and the only difference between the curriculum I'm using this year is that I'm borrowing it instead of buying it!).

 

Edited to say - (Kicking baby and one hand typing messed up most of this post) The beginning of this post started with * in my state* with an explanation of what my state defines as charter school. I was addressing the legal use of the label because here it affects even how you get your driver's license.

 

 

Sorry but in this legal world you really can't use whatever label you want. The only real difference you stated is a HUGE one. After all, your program is now provided for free by every taxpayer in the state. All the laws of education now apply to you, not homeschooling ones. You are told what to use, when school is in session etc. This creates problems when people who use that option insisit on using the term homeschooler. Then people begin to go but "they have testing", "we tell them what books to use", "we set that schedule" and try to apply that to all homeschoolers. Thus, homeschoolers have to keep the distinction clear or our rights begin to erode. I'm really tired of telling lawmakers I can set my own schedule or use my own books just because they see the public school at home attenders abiding by a different set of rules than me. It's old explaining but I homeschool and they use public school at home. There's a legal difference.

 

IT does matter if you are on any competitive academic teams. Some national programs have very strict team eligibility requirements even as far as to separate public school in brick buildings from public school at home from charter schools from private from homeschoolers. I would be all kinds of ticked to be told the kid on my son's team is a homeschooler and then get disqualified because you couldn't be on our team due to the fact you were technically a public school at home student. :glare:

 

Legally allowing public school at home members into your support group also means you have no authority (depending on how your state laws are written ) to refuse to allow public school building attenders. Sometimes it is just a legality issue and not a us verses them kind of mentality. Public school at home, public school in buildings, and homeschoolers each have a completely different set of needs. I can't help you with a teacher dispute or if a program isn't working and vice versa.

 

I have no answers other than there are places where it matters and you can only hope to be on the "right side" of it matters when it does.

Edited May 4, 2010 by servin

[LunaLee]

You know, I was trying really hard to bite my toungue in all of this about the division between those of us that use a homeschool charter and those of us who are private homeschoolers since this was Elf's thread asking us if we would consider using this option. It's one of those borderline things where by nature of the question it could get inflammatory, but you hope people use their good senses...

 

Sorry but in this legal world you really can't use whatever label you want. The only real difference you stated is a HUGE one. After all, your program is now provided for free by every taxpayer in the state. All the laws of education now apply to you, not homeschooling ones. You are told what to use, when school is in session etc. This creates problems when people who use that option insisit on using the term homeschooler. Then people begin to go but "they have testing", "we tell them what books to use", "we set that schedule" and try to apply that to all homeschoolers. Thus, homeschoolers have to keep the distinction clear or our rights begin to erode. I'm really tired of telling lawmakers I can set my own schedule or use my own books just because they see the public school at home attenders abiding by a different set of rules than me. It's old explaining but I homeschool and they use public school at home. There's a legal difference.

 

IT does matter if you are on any competitive academic teams. Some national programs have very strict team eligibility requirements even as far as to separate public school in brick buildings from public school at home from charter schools from private from homeschoolers. I would be all kinds of ticked to be told the kid on my son's team is a homeschooler and then get disqualified because you couldn't be on our team due to the fact you were technically a public school at home student. :glare:

 

Legally allowing public school at home members into your support group also means you have no authority (depending on how your state laws are written ) to refuse to allow public school building attenders. Sometimes it is just a legality issue and not a us verses them kind of mentality. Public school at home, public school in buildings, and homeschoolers each have a completely different set of needs. I can't help you with a teacher dispute or if a program isn't working and vice versa.

 

But I couldn't let this go...It really makes me mad when people who have never used a charter school or haven't even bothered to do research on it make these general assumptions that ALL homeschool charters are like this. Not all "SCHOOL AT HOME" Charters are "school at home." I know of 3 in my area alone who aren't. Yes there certain standards that you are expected to cover, but you would see that they are very similar to what WTM, The Core Knowledge and most other homeschool programs suggest as well, the sequence maybe a little different, but it's mostly the same. And let me repeat: In my school I the parent get to choose what I want to use-not the state. I choose what subjects we study and in what order. I choose the schedule in which we do it. Are there homeschooling charters who are more strict than others, absolutely. Just like there are homeschoolers who are more relaxed in their methods of homeschooling. There are charters of all types and I would expect anyone who is looking at this option to do their research. But, if you don't use one or have had an experience with one or know someone in another part of the country where there are better homeschool charters, then don't generalize that that's how they all are.

 

And you know its funny...'cuz my daughter can't play competitive high school sports because is in a charter school. Actually, she couldn't play if she was a private homeschooler either, but that's not the point. If your homeschool team of anykind was disqualified because they allowed a "public school student" on their team, then someone didn't do their homework.

 

Fwiw, when my kids are asked, they say they are homeschooled. End of story. Why would they say anything else? They learn at home and I teach them. Since I am not a public school employee and no public school employee teachers my children why would they say they are in public school? I don't care what they legally are. And as far as I'm concerned any group who is so close minded that they can't look past a family who uses a charter school and see the child, isn't worth my time anyways.

 

If going through a charter school to homeschool was the only or financially best option for a family to have to homeschool, why wouldn't we as homeschoolers be supportive of a fellow homeschooler?

 

TEAR DOWN THE WALL PEOPLE!!! WE ARE ALL HOMESCHOOLERS!

[Supertechmom]

You know, I was trying really hard to bite my toungue in all of this about the division between those of us that use a homeschool charter and those of us who are private homeschoolers since this was Elf's thread asking us if we would consider using this option. It's one of those borderline things where by nature of the question it could get inflammatory, but you hope people use their good senses...

 

 

 

But I couldn't let this go...It really makes me mad when people who have never used a charter school or haven't even bothered to do research on it make these general assumptions that ALL homeschool charters are like this. Not all "SCHOOL AT HOME" Charters are "school at home." I know of 3 in my area alone who aren't. Yes there certain standards that you are expected to cover, but you would see that they are very similar to what WTM, The Core Knowledge and most other homeschool programs suggest as well, the sequence maybe a little different, but it's mostly the same. And let me repeat: In my school I the parent get to choose what I want to use-not the state. I choose what subjects we study and in what order. I choose the schedule in which we do it. Are there homeschooling charters who are more strict than others, absolutely. Just like there are homeschoolers who are more relaxed in their methods of homeschooling. There are charters of all types and I would expect anyone who is looking at this option to do their research. But, if you don't use one or have had an experience with one or know someone in another part of the country where there are better homeschool charters, then don't generalize that that's how they all are.

 

And you know its funny...'cuz my daughter can't play competitive high school sports because is in a charter school. Actually, she couldn't play if she was a private homeschooler either, but that's not the point. If your homeschool team of anykind was disqualified because they allowed a "public school student" on their team, then someone didn't do their homework.

 

Fwiw, when my kids are asked, they say they are homeschooled. End of story. Why would they say anything else? They learn at home and I teach them. Since I am not a public school employee and no public school employee teachers my children why would they say they are in public school? I don't care what they legally are. And as far as I'm concerned any group who is so close minded that they can't look past a family who uses a charter school and see the child, isn't worth my time anyways.

 

If going through a charter school to homeschool was the only or financially best option for a family to have to homeschool, why wouldn't we as homeschoolers be supportive of a fellow homeschooler?

 

TEAR DOWN THE WALL PEOPLE!!! WE ARE ALL HOMESCHOOLERS!

 

I wasn't trying to inflame anyone. Part of the beginning of my post disappeared explaining the many varied definitions of charter schools and how they operate here in my state. The reps even created the term "public school at home" to further clarify the distinction between those who use a charter school under the public school and those who use the program under the homeschool laws. We have a lot of laws that depend solely under which option you school under. I wasn't trying to divide homeschoolers who use charter school verses those that use classical verses whatever. Just pointing out that you have to know which one you are using here or it can pop up in the strangest places - like the DMV. You do need to know what option your "charter" school falls under as the same program can be used under both options in my state. And not all people who use the public school at home are homeschoolers. I have public school friends who would be shocked that you think they homeschool because they have children at home in online charter school. :D

[Night Elf]

Oh, I don't mind the thread digressing. I didn't think about it when I posted but I'm not surprised. Ideas that are tossed out on a public forum like this are meant to be discussed, batted around like a badminton even. It grows the way it grows.

 

I wanted some opinions on how I should look at this. What draw me the most is the fact that it would be free. The curriculum is about the same. What repels me is the idea that my son would have to take 4 or 5 classes in one school year. I just really don't think he's up to it. I like taking time to let the children master concepts. I don't want them pushed through because we need to get to the next thing.

 

So, I've decided against using iAchieve this year. We can afford to continue homeschooling the way we were before we even saw this opportunity, at least for this next school year. We can re-evaluate Summer 2011. So we're all good. :)