Lovedtodeath Posted September 13, 2008 Share Posted September 13, 2008 Does one use them in order to have an official transcript, or is there another reason? Are their transcripts always accepted? Are they needed before High School, or mainly for that? How does one use an umbrella? Is one still free to teach what one chooses? How is belonging to an umbrella different than belonging to the HSLDA? Why would someone belong to both? I will probably think of more questions once I get some answers. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockermom Posted September 13, 2008 Share Posted September 13, 2008 :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted September 13, 2008 Share Posted September 13, 2008 Umbrella schools will vary in their need/usefulness depending on the state you live in. Here in FL they provide a way to HS without dealing with the COunty. Some more involved than others - mine i turn in 180 days and that is all she wants! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmamainva Posted September 13, 2008 Share Posted September 13, 2008 I used one when we lived in Maryland. I belonged to one every year of the nearly 10 years I homeschooled there because I only had to review once a year with them, vs twice a year with the local school board. In Maryland, they want to see your curriculum, up close and personal, and I felt that I'd rather have another homeschooling mom doing that than a public school teacher or administrator. (It was also nice because they were experienced homeschooling moms and, if I was having a problem with a certain subject or a certain curriculum, I could pick their proverbial brains for ideas on how to make it better) The one I belonged to wasn't accredited, although they would issue transcripts. (You paid more for an accredited umbrella program -- some of them were hundreds of dollars per year, per child....the one I belonged to was $60 for the entire family). You could use any curriculum, however, some umbrella schools are run by churches or Christian schools, and they would then require that Bible be taught. And the difference between that and HSLDA is that HSLDA is providing you "legal coverage", where they're willing to go to court for you, whereas I doubt an umbrella school would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted September 13, 2008 Share Posted September 13, 2008 Does one use them in order to have an official transcript, or is there another reason? Are their transcripts always accepted? Are they needed before High School, or mainly for that? How does one use an umbrella? Is one still free to teach what one chooses? How is belonging to an umbrella different than belonging to the HSLDA? Why would someone belong to both? I will probably think of more questions once I get some answers. lol Enrolling in an umbrella school will not keep you from being harrassed by school officials (or nasty Child Protective Services workers). That's why yes, you still join HSLDA. An umbrella school provides academic services, such as curriculum counseling; HSLDA provides legal services (HSLDA has more resources than that for its members, but its main thrust is legal services.) So, yes, you could do both. Whether an umbrella school is necessary depends on which state you live in. A few specifically mention some variation of umbrella school in their homeschool statutes. Most don't. No one *needs* an umbrella school for high school (unless it is part of your state's hs law). Any parent who teaches her dc at home is capable of keeping records, generating transcripts, and awarding high school diplomas. Some umbrella schools allow people to use whatever textbooks/methods they want; some require people to use specific materials. I don't know if umbrella school transcripts are "always" accepted. I owned an umbrella school in California, and my school's transcripts were always accepted, both by schools if the parents quit hsing and put their dc in school, and by colleges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelli in TN Posted September 13, 2008 Share Posted September 13, 2008 In Tennessee you have to register with an umbrella school if you do not have a degree and you wish to homeschool highschoolers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted September 13, 2008 Share Posted September 13, 2008 LovedtoDeath, are you in a state that requires an umbrella school or makes it desirable to use one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bev in B'ville Posted September 13, 2008 Share Posted September 13, 2008 by admissions people I spoke to in colleges so I called around. Call several before you choose one, if you do, because they can have very different requirements. One school wanted proctored test (and copies for their files) while another wanted my dc to come to their "school" every Monday for mandatory school counseling and also have all of their tests on the school grounds. You will get many different philosophies. I was not happy with any of the requirements offered by the umbrella schools. In my mind, it takes away a lot of the freedom of homeschooling. So, I did the next best thing. I became accredited. Yes, my little homeschool with only my dc as students is accredited in my state. My diplomas and transcripts will be "real". Check and see what accreditation avenues are open to you in your state. It really wasn't that difficult to do. I had 26 items (most of which I was already doing) that I presented to my inspector (who stayed in my office the whole time, he didn't insist on inspecting my house - whew!). I had the same inspector come by a couple of months ago and reinspect (by appointment, no surprise visits). Once a year now he'll come by and see how we're doing. Given our rural area and the state of the education in this area my little school far exceeds the standards and offerings of the local public school so he's never had a problem with our school. As far as I'm concerned it's the best thing I've ever done. Now, when my dc apply to colleges I will not have to submit the whole portfolio thing required for homeschoolers nor will my dc be subjected to the GED (which our local little college insists on for all homeschooled children). It will make the process go much smoother. HTH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anewday Posted September 13, 2008 Share Posted September 13, 2008 Does one use them in order to have an official transcript, or is thereanother reason? Are their transcripts always accepted? Are they needed before High School, or mainly for that? How does one use an umbrella? Is one still free to teach what one chooses? How is belonging to an umbrella different than belonging to the HSLDA? Why would someone belong to both? I will probably think of more questions once I get some answers. lol In my state, we don't need an umbrella school, but we joined one for a few reasons. The affadavit we turn in yearly, if we weren't in an umbrella school, would have our names and address on it. It would be clear we are a hsing family since we register as a PRIVATE school. 2 staff with the same last names and 2 children registered makes that obvious. LOL With the umbrella school, we are part of THAT private school. So we don't fill out the affadavit ourselves, the umbrella school does. Our names aren't listed on it. No, it doesn't keep CPS or local school districts from being nosey or hassling us, but we aren't clearly marked out as hsers either. We also did it for the accountability. Our school just requires attendance (which our state also requires we keep), course of study, quarter grades and vax info. Some umbrella schools require more invovlement. It depends what you're looking for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted September 13, 2008 Share Posted September 13, 2008 Bev - this is interesting! I hve a friend in GA pondering what to do for High School, i'm going to send her to this thread to see you said it was easy :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted September 13, 2008 Author Share Posted September 13, 2008 by admissions people I spoke to in colleges so I called around. Call several before you choose one' date=' if you do, because they can have very different requirements. One school wanted proctored test (and copies for their files) while another wanted my dc to come to their "school" every Monday for mandatory school counseling and also have all of their tests on the school grounds. You will get many different philosophies. I was not happy with any of the requirements offered by the umbrella schools. In my mind, it takes away a lot of the freedom of homeschooling. So, I did the next best thing. I became accredited. Yes, my little homeschool with only my dc as students is accredited in my state. My diplomas and transcripts will be "real". Check and see what accreditation avenues are open to you in your state. It really wasn't that difficult to do. I had 26 items (most of which I was already doing) that I presented to my inspector (who stayed in my office the whole time, he didn't insist on inspecting my house - whew!). I had the same inspector come by a couple of months ago and reinspect (by appointment, no surprise visits). Once a year now he'll come by and see how we're doing. Given our rural area and the state of the education in this area my little school far exceeds the standards and offerings of the local public school so he's never had a problem with our school. As far as I'm concerned it's the best thing I've ever done. Now, when my dc apply to colleges I will not have to submit the whole portfolio thing required for homeschoolers nor will my dc be subjected to the GED (which our local little college insists on for all homeschooled children). It will make the process go much smoother. HTH.[/quote'] Bev, this is what I really wanted to do all along. Do you have a college degree? Is it required to get your school accredited? Where would I find the guidelines for accrediting my school? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bev in B'ville Posted September 13, 2008 Share Posted September 13, 2008 I'm PM'ing you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted September 13, 2008 Author Share Posted September 13, 2008 I have a friend who homeschools her kids via TWTM and she cannot get her son into community college. This prompted my interest. I do not understand why most umbrella schools require membership in the HSLDA. When you enroll, you are not cosidered a homeschooler! I have also heard that HSLDA will not represent in CPS cases and will not represent eclectic schoolers. Does not sound like they help that much. I found this for high school which looks promising. http://narhs.org/ They are accredited, but only require 80 hours for a HS credit and 17 and a half credits (though you are free to earn more, of course). They do not require membership in HSLDA, or any Bible courses, but you can use Bible courses for credit if you choose. You can use your own curriculum plan. It is not cheap, but I got my HS diploma through correspondence with a college, and it was more, so its not too bad IMO. More thoughts are welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted September 13, 2008 Share Posted September 13, 2008 We also did it for the accountability. Our school just requires attendance (which our state also requires we keep), course of study, quarter grades and vax info. Some umbrella schools require more invovlement. It depends what you're looking for. My umbrella school was also in No. California :-) The state actually requires that a private school keep a register on which it is indicated when children are *absent,* not when they are *present* (this is Section 48222 of the Cal. Ed. Code), for each day "that school is maintained." There's also no requirement for a minimum number of school days. Many umbrella schools have the requirement for attendance, but with mine, I assumed that the dc were always present (you get up every day and there they are!), and kept an attendance calendar in each child's cum file, similar to the one on Donna Young's site. When the parents contacted me monthly, they had to convince me that their dc had been absent before I would mark it on the calendar. No one in 16 years ever succeeded, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted September 13, 2008 Author Share Posted September 13, 2008 My umbrella school was also in No. California :-) When the parents contacted me monthly, they had to convince me that their dc had been absent before I would mark it on the calendar. No one in 16 years ever succeeded, lol. My DD stays the night at Gram's house. On those days, if she doesn't bring schoolwork with her, she is indeed absent.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted September 13, 2008 Share Posted September 13, 2008 My DD stays the night at Gram's house. On those days, if she doesn't bring schoolwork with her, she is indeed absent.:D But if she's not with you, you're not doing school with her. So school isn't in session, so she's not absent. See? Besides, she's present at Gram's house.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted September 13, 2008 Author Share Posted September 13, 2008 So school isn't in session, :D Oh yes... when I count her absent now it is because school is not in session. I think we have to establish 180 days though, so we count the days school is in session and the child is present. A different method altogether. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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