Homeschooling in California? What do I need to know?

[Veritaserum]

I'm in information-gathering mode. I homeschooled for ten years in Utah, which was very simple legally. We have relocated to California. My children are currently attending local public schools. My 11yo 5th grade child is struggling with life generally (currently in the hospital again) and her pyschiatrist is recommending an alternative to daily school once she is released. Her psych recommends a hybrid option (time split on and off campus) as a way to balance dd's tendency to be overwhelmed easily and her need to learn how to tolerate/interact with her peers. Our local school district has a homeschool program in which they provide all the materials and require the parent to check in weekly. Dd would be able to attend her local school for things like band. I'm not sure what else she'd be allowed to do on campus.

 

An internet search brings up a lot of charter schools in our county. Some are on campus only. Some are independent study only. Some are a mix.

 

I'm also considering straight up homeschooling so we can better customize for her needs, but I'm completely unfamiliar with the laws in California. I recall discussions here that talk about registering as or with a private school? Can someone walk me through this?

 

I don't know how longterm dd needs this. She has missed a month of school this year for a recurrent medical problem. Now her anxiety and depression are causing her to miss more school (that's what the current hospitalization is for). I'm currently a student (online), so I'm not available for fulltime instruction but I think we could develop a working schedule in which I check in with her a few times per day to make sure she's on task/progressing.

 

She does have a 504 plan at school. I emailed the person in charge of that this morning to see what the school can offer in light of the psychiatrist's recommendations. I want to look at all of our options, though, since I'm not sure the school can deliver on the psych's recommendation for small class size and a quiet classroom. :)

[Arcadia]

Filing the PSA is very easy. The filing period is open until July 31st 2018. Link is to the PSA page and you would be using the blank form https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/ps/affidavit.asp

 

Homeschooling K-8 is easy here with no oversight, just the annual PSA filing which just ask you the grade level and doesn’t ask for child’s name or other information . So I only need to list that I have a 7th grader and an 8th grader.

 

At 5th grade level, just getting language arts and math done regularly is really good enough while she copes with her medical needs. You can always ramp up in 7th/8th grade.

[JenneinCA]

There are various charter schools with whichever regulations are involved with them. Most require samples of work and meetings with a teacher, sometimes called an Educational Specialist. They also require testing, depends on the charter how often and which tests. But they give you money, sometimes significant amounts of it, to be used on books, classes, therapy, whatever is on the approved list.

 

The alternative is to file the Private School Affadavit and become your own very small private school. Previous poster gave the link. (Thank you for finding it!) There is no testing requirement or sample requirement or any other requirement. You are the person in charge of deciding what is important for your school and your students. But you get no money and no easy way to connect with other homeschoolers.

 

We have used the PSA route for several years and it works for us. I hope you and your daughter are able to find something that works for you.

 

Where in California are you? Los Angeles Area? San Francisco Bay Area? The charters and their regulations are different in each.

[Ellie]

Arcadia is correct, although I would say that homeschooling 1-12 is easy with no oversight, ever. :-) Compulsory school age is 6, not 5, so kindergarten is not mandatory; and there are no requirements for private school students (which includes private homeschoolers) to graduate.

 

I almost always advocate for private homeschooling. It gives you the most freedom. As always, remember that in case y'all like homeschooling and do that until high school, that you should make that decision when your dc would be entering 9th grade, because after that as there are no guarantees that credits earned at home will be accepted by any school.

Edited November 8, 2017 by Ellie

[Lori D.]

Welcome back! :)

 

I know many have greatly appreciated and benefitted from your Classical House of Learning (free classical secular literature guides).

 

No info to share about homeschooling in CA, but just wanted to express my sympathy for you and 5th grader, and sad to hear she is having struggles.

 

I hope your older DD is doing well -- I remember from several years back when your family was transitioning to brick & mortar school, that trying to find the best fit for your older DD and high school was challenging.

 

Wishing you and your family all the best in your new home state and in finding what works best for school! Warmest regards, Lori D.

[Veritaserum]

Dd would love to be homeschooled again. For her I am concerned about making sure she has ample opportunities for socialization. However, given her current status and needs that might be best achieved in therapy groups.

 

Good to know that it's simple to homeschool solo. In Utah we just had to file an affidavit without additional reporting or testing (unless we participated in a charter school program). We are in San Diego now.

[SeaConquest]

I'm so sorry about your daughter. I swear we talked about this before, but I couldn't find a message. If you need any help navigating the homeschooling world in SD, please feel free to message me. That also goes for any help you need navigating SD generally, or just for a cup of coffee or glass of wine. Hugs, mama.

[Crimson Wife]

Charter schools will give you funding for classes and materials but your student will have to take the state standardized tests and depending on the specific charter they may put up a lot of hoops to jump through. We're now on our 4th charter due to a combo of a move, one school going out of business, and a family medical crisis in 2015. I have also filed the PSA some years.

 

Our current charter has been very "hands off" so far. Previous charters wanted 1-2 work samples per subject per month but this one only wants 1 sample per subject per semester.

[Ellie]

 But you get no money and no easy way to connect with other homeschoolers.

 

 

 

I beg to differ. California has a well-developed support network, in all parts of the sate. There's no reason for anyone to homeschool anywhere in California and not find plenty of other private homeschoolers. All three statewide homeschool associations include support group listings on their websites. and you can find easily find support groups by doing an Internet search.

[coastalfam]

HSing in California is easy. If you do it privately, you fill out a Private School Affidavit with the state. And of course, alternatively, you have learned of the numerous charters we have in our state for a hybrid option. We HS with a charter. I have two kids with exceptional needs. One has Down syndrome and an Anxiety Disorder, one has chronic illness and some other mental health issues we are sorting out. I would say, with your daughter's situation, it might be really good to start out HSing privately, because the charters, at least in our small area in northern Cal, can be so drastically different when it comes to accommodating students with disabilities or other concerns, and also what they offer in terms on on-campus classes, funding for you to use on supplies and extra curricular activities, and freedom in choosing curricula. You will really want to research this, and probably get parent recommendations from parents in your area. We live in a small area with only three HS charters locally, and I found one of the three to be superior to the others for accommodating my oldest child with Down syndrome (one of them refused to admit him, actually, which is illegal, but I don't want to get mixed up in a school with hat attitude!). That said, what we have found has been a profoundly positive experience at a charter school that has made every attempt to accept a wide spectrum of students, provide appropriate supports on and off campus, and a teacher who really works hard to make sure we have everything in place that we need to support our kids, and believes in my authority and ability to school them without overstepping her bounds. So it can be a fantastic support. :)

[...................]

It is absolutely not true that “there’s no easy way to connect†If you don’t use a charter. All the homeschool groups that have charter Homeschoolers also allow private and psp.

 

I’m not saying you should not use a charter - im just saying it makes no difference as far as finding friends :)

 

I think where the charters start to be worthwhile is if they allow a lot of parental freedom, (IEM managed charters Re the best) and if you have more than two kids. Once you have 3, 4 or more kids that 2400 a year really means a lot.

[maize]

Dd would love to be homeschooled again. For her I am concerned about making sure she has ample opportunities for socialization. However, given her current status and needs that might be best achieved in therapy groups.

 

Good to know that it's simple to homeschool solo. In Utah we just had to file an affidavit without additional reporting or testing (unless we participated in a charter school program). We are in San Diego now.

Another option for meeting socialization needs might be an extracurricular activity, ideally with a physical component (tumbling, cheer, martial arts, dance, swim team, etc.) as that can help immensely with mental health.

 

I've homeschooled in California, it is super easy to do it independently if you file as a private school. I made a binder that included the required records (super simple, mostly just a calendar to mark attendance on).

[SeaConquest]

It is absolutely not true that “there’s no easy way to connect†If you don’t use a charter. All the homeschool groups that have charter Homeschoolers also allow private and psp.

 

I’m not saying you should not use a charter - im just saying it makes no difference as far as finding friends :)

 

I think where the charters start to be worthwhile is if they allow a lot of parental freedom, (IEM managed charters Re the best) and if you have more than two kids. Once you have 3, 4 or more kids that 2400 a year really means a lot.

Many of the charters allow you to combine funds too. We may have to switch charters next year, and the new school allows combining. My kinder likely wouldn't use all 3k, so I can divert some of those funds to older brother.

Edited November 10, 2017 by SeaConquest

[Peaceful Isle]

We haven’t t made any connections or friends through our homeschool charter here in CA.

 

All our friends come from church, neighborhood or other activities. They go to a weekly band coop that is not paid for by the charter because it is Christian. My boys plays sports at a local Christian group, also not from the charter.

 

 

We use the charter for their art lessons and also fencing and horbackriding lessons. None of which actually give them any friends, just activities, ya know?

[daijobu]

Welcome to California, and I sincerely hope your dd recovers fully.  

 

We used a charter for elementary and part of middle school.  Elementary was a breeze, quite lovely actually, and I loved that I wasn't leaving money on the table so to speak.  (Ballet classes paid for!)  By middle school, the red tape got to be too much, so we quit.  I also heard not great things about high school, so we haven't looked back.  

 

Charter was great while it lasted, but we are also happy doing the PSA now.  Have you seen the HSC site?  It's full of clearly explained information.

 

[mamakelly]

We homeschooled with a private school for 8 years. I’m on year 7 with a charter and that’s been good too. CA is easy to homeschool in. Welcome!

[shinyhappypeople]

I'm in information-gathering mode. I homeschooled for ten years in Utah, which was very simple legally. We have relocated to California. My children are currently attending local public schools. My 11yo 5th grade child is struggling with life generally (currently in the hospital again) and her pyschiatrist is recommending an alternative to daily school once she is released. Her psych recommends a hybrid option (time split on and off campus) as a way to balance dd's tendency to be overwhelmed easily and her need to learn how to tolerate/interact with her peers. Our local school district has a homeschool program in which they provide all the materials and require the parent to check in weekly. Dd would be able to attend her local school for things like band. I'm not sure what else she'd be allowed to do on campus.

 

An internet search brings up a lot of charter schools in our county. Some are on campus only. Some are independent study only. Some are a mix.

 

I'm also considering straight up homeschooling so we can better customize for her needs, but I'm completely unfamiliar with the laws in California. I recall discussions here that talk about registering as or with a private school? Can someone walk me through this?

 

I don't know how longterm dd needs this. She has missed a month of school this year for a recurrent medical problem. Now her anxiety and depression are causing her to miss more school (that's what the current hospitalization is for). I'm currently a student (online), so I'm not available for fulltime instruction but I think we could develop a working schedule in which I check in with her a few times per day to make sure she's on task/progressing.

 

She does have a 504 plan at school. I emailed the person in charge of that this morning to see what the school can offer in light of the psychiatrist's recommendations. I want to look at all of our options, though, since I'm not sure the school can deliver on the psych's recommendation for small class size and a quiet classroom. :)

:grouphug:

 

Are there any university model charter schools near you?  They're basically home study charter schools with regular on site classes 2 or 3 days a week.  Kind of combining the best of both worlds.  

 

I'm so sorry your daughter is hurting.  Best wishes as you navigate through this  :grouphug: