What would be the advantage of doing K12 through a charter rather than independently?

[Perry]

I've seen some negative comments on this board about the charter option , and I'm wondering what the positives would be.

[Sue G in PA]

Really. Some have had awesome experiences with their charter and some have not. We...did not! Too "in your face" and like a brick and mortar in my living room! Other charters are very hands-off and very flexible. Ours, again, was not. Calendar too rigid, rules for "taking off" too ridiculuous, dr's notes, field trip permissions, etc. (just like a brick and mortar!...Blech!). If you can find a flexible charter...you get the best of both worlds. K12 is an awesome curriculum and it would be FREE! THAT right there is benefit #1, IMNSHO! K12 also sent us computers and printers to use...benefit #2! You get ALL the materials you need (including science lab supplies, math manipulatives, art supplies, etc.), an on-line school that has your day/week all planned out for you...benefit #3! If I could afford it independently...I probably would have stuck with it. Well, maybe not, b/c we did want a more Christian world-view for our science and history.

 

Really, it's all about the charter. K12 is great and if you can find a charter that fits your family needs...you've got the best of both worlds! HTH

[Night Elf]

From talking to others who use K12 in our state virtual charter school, they like the free materials, being part of a community of others in the same program (planned field trips, get-togethers), and a teacher to hold them accountable in getting the work done. They also like having an outside source, the teacher, reassure them their child is doing well or give them advice on helping the child if he/she isn't doing well.

[TracyR]

Sue is very right about that . We are with a cyberschool that we actually like quite a bit . Has been very flexible and hands off . BUT you still have to follow their rules ( state testing , making sure you get the work done at a certain time etc . ) For us we are using a Calvert cyberschool and after 3 yrs both my girls and I are burnt out . Not so much from the cyberschool but from the curriculum . Its just not fitting our needs anymore . I don't like having to push my girls when they aren't ready to move on so that we are done for the year to go to the next grades. There have been several times where I really needed to stop and just review things more and we couldn't because of the " we HAVE to get these tests out !"

Also if you are used to tweaking things with your homeschool , its alot more difficult to do . Especially the higher up the grade . You can't say " Well this math program doesn't work well we need to drop it and find something else . " Unless you can find a math program that follows the same scope and sequence as the math program you are with . Juggling two curriculums is very hard ( BTDT ) . If you don't like this subject or that , you still have to use it .

I know it really has drained my dds love of learning and I'm working on getting that back .

I agree with all of Sue's reasons , except if I could afford curriculum it would not be Calvert . Not for us at all . I have had to tweak so much of the program that if I had to pay for it I wouldn't because it wouldn't be worth it at all . I've heard good things about K12 though and have seen bits and pieces of the curriculum .

Like Sue said too its B&M school at home . I hope this doesn't sound too negative because the cyber we are with is excellent . It really got us on track when we needed it my oldest was becoming very lazy about school work and the deadlines helped at the time . But I've found myself saying alot lately " We've got to get this test out !!! And that isn't what true learning is about .

Again the science and history we want a more Christian world view . So I've decided this is pretty much our last year of cyberschooling .

If you feel you can stick with one curriculum for all subjects , need a second hand to help then cyberschooling is worth it .

If I could chose my own curriculum that suited each of my daughters and stay with out cyberschool . I would .

Hope those scattered thoughts help.

[Shasta Mom]

Gosh - I guess I'm really lucky. We're part of a public charter school in CA. We meet once amonth with our Educational Facilitator who reviews what we have been doing. I have complete flexibility in what curriculums I want to use, and if one doesn't work out we get another. We have a healthy annual budget, and our only limitation is that being a CA public school, we can only purchase secular materials, which is what I want anyway. Yes, twice a year we do testing (which ds likes - so did I come to think of it). There are a few categories we have to educate ds in - and I don't even remember the specifics because we meet them all easily in what we want to learn. I think part of the reason our EF gives us such flexibility is that she trusts me and my judgement. I think there are some families that she has a more hands-on approach.

 

I also rally like all the resources I can draw from, and if ds lasts in hs'ing, then I think for the high school years, we will get valuable help when considering college, etc. He will also receive a diploma, but I'm pretty sure without grades. I feel very fortunate, but even if I didn't have our wonderful charter, I would continue independently.

[Shasta Mom]

Oh silly me - I misread the heading - I didn't know k12 was a curriculum:)