WWYD—I shouldn’t have put my freshman in a private school

[rzberrymom]

I homeschooled my DD through 8th grade (her homeschooling was overseen by a public charter), and I never, ever thought I’d put her in school. But then we had to move to another state for my husband’s job this year, I was worried about re-building a homeschooling community just when she was starting high school, and so I took the easy way out and put her in a private school (albeit, one that was started by classical homeschoolers years ago).

She did one semester, but the school is not a good fit for her at all. She’s used to going at her own pace, the school is small and slow, she feels like she’s falling behind in math and science (their strengths are history and language arts), and she feels like she’s there for a ridiculous number of hours and learns very little. The schedule was kind of killing her too—the school has her in class from 7:30-8:30am, then she has a break from 8:30-10:50am (!!), then class from 10:50-11:50am, then another hour break, then class until 3:30pm. They didn’t warn us about that long morning break when we signed her up—I never would have put her there if I’d known that’s how they do things. And the school costs a fortune for us. Needless to say, she’s begging for me to take her out.

I tried to find a compromise with the school. She’s done 6 classes at the university my husband teaches at, so I asked to just send her half-time to the high school and do math and science at the local university. They’re ok with that, but I still have to pay the full tuition—totally understandable, but we’re not rich and that solution doesn't feel responsible.

We’re in California now, and I’m a bit intimidated by the homeschooling bureaucracy (I’m used to Oregon where it’s laid back). I’ve got her on a waiting list for a public charter that would be very similar to what we had last year, where she can do a few university classes and then they double-check the classes she does with me at home (and we pick that curriculum). But, I haven’t been able to get a sense of when we’ll get off that waiting list and so I can’t count on it for the rest of this school year.

My husband wants her to stick out the rest of the year at the private school. We’d pay a large fee to pull her out of school, and he also feels like she should finish what we started. 

I guess I can also register as my own private homeschool with the state for the rest of this year, but I’m unsure of that solution since she’d have one semester at a private school, one semester at mom school, then hopefully homeschooling through the charter next year, plus classes at 2 different universities. I’m afraid we’d look like people that can’t stick with anything. And it feels like a lot of record-keeping to juggle when getting her ready to apply to college.

So, WWYD? Would you stick it out? Keep her there half-time even though there’s no discount? Pull her out, go rogue and hope the charter opens up? Go through the trouble of registering as a mom-school for just one semester?

Edited December 30, 2019 by rzberrymom

[Alicia64]

RZberrymom -- I was born and raised in CA and finally pulled my twins in Dec. out of Kindergarten from "a wonderful" charter. Friends thought I was nuts and told me so. (Good times.)

You asked WWYD: I'd pull her out because it doesn't sound like a great set-up. Why do they have over a two hour break anyway?? If it's makes your husband happier I would consider just having her go half-time and forgetting about the cost. (I mean it, just forget about it. How many of us have lost money here or there when we were trying to figure out what works best for our homeschooling kid? It's just part of the terrain.)

But also, I want to encourage you not to be intimidated by California homeschool requirements. I went through the state for a full year before we moved to VA and I honestly missed all that CA gave us. (I had to meet w/ a teacher once a month and show her what my boys were doing for homeschool. And everything was paid for. The first teacher assigned to me was wacky, but -- after pushing for a better person -- the second teacher assigned was phenomenal. I still miss her and my boys are 16.)

And yes, if you want to fly under the radar in CA, you can. But it means that you don't get everything paid for.

CA has such a bad rep when it comes to homeschooling. I know why too. In '03 (?) a  judge got involved and wanted to make kids go to regular school but Governor Schwarzenegger put a stop to all of it. That's the CliffsNotes version. We now live in GA and I heard in both VA and GA how "horrible homeschooling is in CA" from people who didn't know what they were talking about. I just gave up trying to give them better info. They didn't want to hear it.

Re: college. We have Dual Enrollment in GA so my two boys are taking classes at the local community college before they go into the four year. But even if we didn't have Dual Enrollment, I'd fully planned on having my boys begin college in community college. After two years they move onto the four-year and the four-year is all they ever have to put on their resume. It's what I did and nobody has ever asked about my junior college years.

Also, if you really want your daughter to go to a UC? Start her in a JC -- junior college -- where she doesn't have to take SATs or ACTs or anything. And once she's gotten her JC credits the UC system takes in 10 % of their incoming from CA junior colleges. At least that was the required # when I was in school. You might want to check.

If you want me to give any additional info. I can. I saved my files from those years so I can give you the name of the teacher I liked and everything.

Alley

[shinyhappypeople]

Homeschooling in California is SO easy. File your PSA (private school affidavit) and you're good. It's not "under the radar." It's literally how you homeschool here. 

You can also enroll her in a public school at home (PSAH) program (e.g. charter) if you want/need some of the services they offer.

Also, community college tuition is free for high school students (you still pay for books), so that's a good fairly cost-effective option.

I've done PSAH (charter) and regular homeschooling and am happy to help with any questions you may have. 

 

Edited December 31, 2019 by shinyhappypeople

[EKS]

My older son homeschooled in 9th and half of 10th, went to a b&m private school for the rest of 10th and half of 11th, left the school in the middle of 11th to homeschool and dual enroll at the CC.  He got into almost every college he applied to (and was waitlisted at the one he didn't get into). 

The younger went to a public high school full time for 9th and the first half of 10th grade.  He then withdrew from selected classes to homeschool.  He has been homeschooled and accessing certain classes at the high school ever since.  We recently found out that he was accepted early action at one of his top choice colleges.

In both cases the decisions to pull them were filled with angst, but looking back on it, they were among the best educational decisions we ever made. 

[Lori D.]

Can't help with the CA homeschool regulations, as I'm not in that state.

But as to your other questions about whether to stick it out or jump ship with the private school... JMO, but high school is SUCH a short period of time -- only 8 semesters long -- that I can't imagine wasting yet *another* full semester (for a total of 2 semesters or 1/4th of the total high school "window of opportunity") on an option that is not meeting the student's needs or your goals. If it were me, I'd say goodbye to whatever deposit money I couldn't get back, and move on to options that are a much better fit for the student. Again, that's just me.

ETA - PS:
And while I agree that "finish what you start" is an important concept if we're talking about teaching a flighty child about the importance of responsibility or consequences of choice -- that does not really apply here. You have a responsible student who is wasting away educationally and who is eager ("begging") to stop attending the slow-paced STEM-weak school in order to be academically challenged. Why on earth would you want to say no to that? Rather than this being a case of "finish what you start", it sounds more like a "chalk that mistake up to experience"  😉  and move on to a better situation, so that you're not continuing to "throwing good money after bad" as well as forcing your responsible student to have to waste more time and lose enthusiasm for learning in a poor-fitting educational setting... Again, JMO. 

Edited December 30, 2019 by Lori D.

[rzberrymom]

55 minutes ago, Alicia64 said:

Why do they have over a two hour break anyway??

 

The almost 2 1/2 hour break is just because of the classes she picked. If I were running the school and had a brand new student, I would have said, “ummm, this is what her schedule is going to look like—are you sure you want those classes??” But, we had signed the contract before they would show us her schedule (I remember asking for it but they wouldn’t let me see it until just before classes started). My DD made the best of it, but it was taking a toll on her. The director of the school and the director of the high school were unmoved—they said, “well, our kids have that schedule too and are fine!” 

[rzberrymom]

25 minutes ago, Lori D. said:

But as to your other questions about whether to stick it out or jump ship with the private school... JMO, but high school is SUCH a short period of time -- only 8 semesters long -- that I can't imagine wasting yet *another* full semester (for a total of 2 semesters or 1/4th of the total high school "window of opportunity") on an option that is not meeting the student's needs or your goals. If it were me, I'd say goodbye to whatever deposit money I couldn't get back, and move on to options that are a much better fit for the student. Again, that's just me.

 

Yes, that’s exactly how my DD feels! She feels like all the time for the amazing opportunities in high school is slipping away. Maybe I do need to stop worrying about the money and look more at the bigger picture.

[rzberrymom]

29 minutes ago, EKS said:

My older son homeschooled in 9th and half of 10th, went to a b&m private school for the rest of 10th and half of 11th, left the school in the middle of 11th to homeschool and dual enroll at the CC.  He got into almost every college he applied to (and was waitlisted at the one he didn't get into). 

The younger went to a public high school full time for 9th and the first half of 10th grade.  He then withdrew from selected classes to homeschool.  He has been homeschooled and accessing certain classes at the high school ever since.  We recently found out that he was accepted early action at one of his top choice colleges.

In both cases the decisions to pull them were filled with angst, but looking back on it, they were among the best educational decisions we ever made. 

 

Ok, that’s really good to know!

[rzberrymom]

52 minutes ago, shinyhappypeople said:

Homeschooling in Calufornia is SO easy. File your PSA and you're good. It's not "under the radar." It's literally how you homeschool here. 

You can also enroll her in a public school at home PSAH) program (e.g. charter) if you want/need some of the services they offer.

Also, community college tuition is free for high school students, so that's a good fairly cost-effective option.

I've done PSAH (charter) and regular homeschooling and am happy to help with any questions you may have. 

 

 

I’ve got her on the waitlist for one of those PSAH charters. It seems like there’s only one near us (we’re on the central coast) that lets you have full discretion over the curriculum and only meet once/month. The others seem to have all kinds of restrictions on what curricula we use (or are packaged programs).

If the waitlist is short, then our problem is solved. But, I don’t think I can count on it.

[AEC]

if the PSAH charter helps you, that's great.  But you don't need it. We've HS'd in CA for 13 years now (since K. DS is now a Sr).  You just file a simple form with the state and declare yourself your own mini private school....and you're done. No one checks on anything, you don't have to file or prove anything, etc.  In exchange, you get no funds from the state.  Personally, I'm good with that.

[daijobu]

5 hours ago, rzberrymom said:

 

I tried to find a compromise with the school. She’s done 6 classes at the university my husband teaches at, so I asked to just send her half-time to the high school and do math and science at the local university. They’re ok with that, but I still have to pay the full tuition—totally understandable, but we’re not rich and that solution doesn't feel responsible.

We’re in California now, and I’m a bit intimidated by the homeschooling bureaucracy (I’m used to Oregon where it’s laid back). 

My husband wants her to stick out the rest of the year at the private school. We’d pay a large fee to pull her out of school, and he also feels like she should finish what we started. 

 

 

Paying full tuition for the year is typical...unless you've also paid tuition insurance.  Our private school requires students pay tuition insurance at least for the first reason.  We pulled our dd out of private after 6 weeks, and got a bunch of our money refunded.  (We would have received more money if she had been expelled, so we briefly considered commiting a bit of vandalism for the cause.)  You might want to double check on the insurance situation.  On the bright side, this is a great real life lesson in sunk costs.  

As others have noted, filing a PSA once a year is all that's required of you.  No testing, no oversight, no nothing.  If you want to recoup some of your tax dollars, you can enroll in one of charter schools that are specifically designed to serve homeschooling students.  You can learn more about homeschooling legally in California at this site.

I used to be a big believer in seeing things through to the end, until I signed myself up for ice skating lessons.  On the first day I fell and nearly injured my wrist.  I knew then ice skating was a bad idea at that point in my life.  With homeschooling, I just couldn't afford an injury.    Then my thinking on sticking with stuff became more nuanced.  If your dd is otherwise a dependable person, then she's earned the freedom to make her own life choices.  (Also, see the sunk costs link above.)

[Farrar]

1. Pull her now. Seems beyond obvious.

2. What you do next is dependent partly on your thinking about college. Like others are saying, the PSA route is fine. There are some distinct advantages in CA to going the PSA route when it comes time to apply to college. However, there are some advantages to a charter as well - the money, obviously, and the community in some cases. And depending on her college goals, it may not be confining at all.

[EKS]

Maybe someone already mentioned this, but if you are going to pull her midyear, you need to check with the school about what will go on her transcript.  At my son's high school, if you withdraw from a class after the withdrawal period (something like 6 weeks), you get an F in the class.  For this reason, we waited until the end of the semester.

[rzberrymom]

50 minutes ago, Farrar said:

There are some distinct advantages in CA to going the PSA route when it comes time to apply to college. However, there are some advantages to a charter as well - the money, obviously, and the community in some cases. And depending on her college goals, it may not be confining at all.

Can you help me understand this a bit more? I assumed the charter route would be an advantage when it comes to college. In Oregon, we did whatever program or curricula we wanted, and the charter then turned that work into a class with a grade and gave us a transcript. So, I just assumed that was the way to go here in CA too, especially with the UC system. But, now I’m curious as to the advantages of going the PSA route when it comes time to apply to college?

Edited December 31, 2019 by rzberrymom

[rzberrymom]

1 minute ago, EKS said:

Maybe someone already mentioned this, but if you are going to pull her midyear, you need to check with the school about what will go on her transcript.  At my son's high school, if you withdraw from a class after the withdrawal period (something like 6 weeks), you get an F in the class.  For this reason, we waited until the end of the semester.

Hmmm, good point! She hasn’t technically finished the semester—they go back for another week or two before they get their grades, and so the school was worried about her leaving now and missing out on getting those grades. I felt the opposite, that maybe it was ok to skip them and just pretend this whole thing never happened (I’d save a bit of money that way too). But, then I’d have to create my own transcript for her from the work they did, and I wouldn’t have her tests and some papers back.

But, I’ll definitely double-check whether there’s any record of her at all if we leave now.

[Farrar]

20 minutes ago, rzberrymom said:

Can you help me understand this a bit more? I assumed the charter route would be an advantage when it comes to college. In Oregon, we did whatever program or curricula we wanted, and the charter then turned that work into a class with a grade and gave us a transcript. So, I just assumed that was the way to go here in CA too, especially with the UC system. But, now I’m curious as to the advantages of going the PSA route when it comes time to apply to college?

It depends a bit on your goals. If you’re at a charter in CA and going college prep, then they’ll require A-G approval for courses. It’s limiting. Of course, it can also be fine - but with more freedom, you can potentially create a better transcript than the limitations really allow. If your aim is colleges/unis outside CA or private colleges, I’d definitely say do this. If the UC’s are your primary goal, then it will depend on who you talk to, but with good test scores, I know a number of good UC success stories who went the PSA route. If you’re thinking CC, then it doesn’t matter - do whatever you want.

If you’re new to CA, I guess the main thing to understand is that the college admissions landscape is more skewed, more driven, more intense than literally anywhere else. And you do not necessarily need to participate in order to get your kid into a good school. And the PSA route will let you homeschool the way you want and having more freedom and control - if you manage it well - can be an advantage in admissions. And if managing the transcript and so forth intimidates you, and the help you get on boards like this isn’t enough, there are people who make transcripts and help walk you through the process (I’m part of a business that does this, but we’re definitely not the only game in town).

[shinyhappypeople]

15 hours ago, rzberrymom said:

 

I’ve got her on the waitlist for one of those PSAH charters. It seems like there’s only one near us (we’re on the central coast) that lets you have full discretion over the curriculum and only meet once/month. The others seem to have all kinds of restrictions on what curricula we use (or are packaged programs).

If the waitlist is short, then our problem is solved. But, I don’t think I can count on it.

If it's an Inspire school, proceed with caution.  Inspire has many great families and teachers, but they're going to be audited in January (?) 2020 for quite a few financial and other regularities.  If it's not an Inspire school, feel free to disregard this 🙂

Edited December 31, 2019 by shinyhappypeople

[shinyhappypeople]

11 hours ago, rzberrymom said:

Can you help me understand this a bit more? I assumed the charter route would be an advantage when it comes to college. In Oregon, we did whatever program or curricula we wanted, and the charter then turned that work into a class with a grade and gave us a transcript. So, I just assumed that was the way to go here in CA too, especially with the UC system. But, now I’m curious as to the advantages of going the PSA route when it comes time to apply to college?

Farrar explained it pretty well.  Basically, assuming you have a typical, capable student (and you do) the charter will pressure you or outright require you to choose from a selection of pre-approved curricula in order to satisfy a-g requirements.  Technically you could choose a general (not college prep) diploma, but the state is placing more and more pressure on students in nonclassroom-based (PSAH) charter schools, to do the college prep route.  On the bright side, this will allow your daughter to apply to a UC/CSU without additional testing.  On the downside, you lose almost all of the flexibility you'd get from doing regular homeschooling for high school.  I know families who happily use a PSAH charter for K-8 and then ditch it in high school for this very reason.

If you file a private school affidavit/PSA (ie: regular homeschooling) you retain your autonomy, and can be as creative and flexible as you want in terms of coursework.  The downside is there are more hoops to jump through if your daughter wants to go to a UC.

Edited December 31, 2019 by shinyhappypeople

[shinyhappypeople]

More information about applying to UC as a home schooler starts on page 7.  https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/files/CC2019/dual-enrollment-and-home-school-applicants.pdf

There is bias against homeschoolers within the UC admissions system.  "student will enter “Home School/Home Study” as the school name. For diploma/certificate received, select either GED or Certificate of Proficiency if applicable, or select "Other" and type "None."  (This doesn't apply to students at PSAH charters, because they're legally not homeschooling)  So... if my daughter applies to a UC she'll be evaluated in the same way as a high school drop out.  Leaves a nasty taste in my mouth just thinking about it.   

Of course, if applying to a private school in CA or any school outside of CA, none of this matters.  So do what you want for high school and then apply to private or out of state schools.

[Lanny]

OP there are 18 replies listed as I begin to write mine. I haven't read the other replies.  IMO, respectfully, I believe you should remove your DD from that horrible (for her) Private school, immediately. For many reasons...

Whatever she did before 9th grade doesn't count. Starting with 9th grade, everything counts and one should not be moving around in High School.

IMO, she would be better off in a Public High School (I was born and raised in CA and attended Public High Schools there) or in an Online School, like TTU K12 (formerly TTUISD) (My DD is Alumna so I am quite familiar with that school)  or some other Online School.

Or, possibly Home School her through High School, if you are able to do that.

The ONE thing I would NOT do is to have her continue in that Private School. 

Good luck to her!

[rzberrymom]

1 hour ago, Lanny said:

Whatever she did before 9th grade doesn't count. Starting with 9th grade, everything counts and one should not be moving around in High School.

 

What about university classes? The university where my husband taught last year was nearly free for us, she loved the classes and kept taking more and more because they were such a great fit for her. In Oregon, those classes counted even though it was technically her 8th grade year. Is it different in CA? I always assumed those classes would go on her transcript when she applies to college.

[rzberrymom]

2 hours ago, shinyhappypeople said:

If it's an Inspire school, proceed with caution.  Inspire has many great families and teachers, but they're going to be audited in January (?) 2020 for quite a few financial and other regularities.  If it's not an Inspire school, feel free to disregard this 🙂

 

Oh geez, they’re the ones that seemed the most flexible, just like we used to have. The others seem really restrictive about curricula.

[Lanny]

5 minutes ago, rzberrymom said:

 

What about university classes? The university where my husband taught last year was nearly free for us, she loved the classes and kept taking more and more because they were such a great fit for her. In Oregon, those classes counted even though it was technically her 8th grade year. Is it different in CA? I always assumed those classes would go on her transcript when she applies to college.

 

I am not sure about Home Schooling rules in CA, however, I know from being on WTM for the past 7+ years, that there are some unusual requirements in CA, especially if one is applying to a UC school.

Hopefully others more knowledgeable about CA rules will give you some solid suggestions.

IMO, the school she is in now is a school she should be unenrolled from, ASAP.

[shinyhappypeople]

1 hour ago, rzberrymom said:

 

Oh geez, they’re the ones that seemed the most flexible, just like we used to have. The others seem really restrictive about curricula.

Yeah, it stinks.  The San Diego Tribune has done a lot of excellent investigative journalism on the Inspire franchise beginning last summer.  In response to its critics, Inspire says it will now require high schoolers to complete a-g requirements.  So that means you'll be looking at choosing from a specific selection of pre-approved curricula and courses.

"Put together, Inspire schools had an average graduation rate of 69 percent last year and produced seven graduates — out of 209— who met California state college or university admission requirements. In a written statement, Inspire said it is taking steps to improve its academics. For example, it said it will require students to take courses that qualify for state college or university admission for core subjects, and it will use intervention programs to address struggling students." Inspire charter schools spread across California as critics warn of performance, financial concerns

In California, it has come down to this: if you want to homeschool, homeschool.  If you want to do a PSAH program, go for it.  But, especially when it comes to high school, the two are not the same thing.  The stricter charters aren't being mean, they're just trying to follow the law and maintain accreditation.  

[rzberrymom]

4 hours ago, shinyhappypeople said:

More information about applying to UC as a home schooler starts on page 7.  https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/files/CC2019/dual-enrollment-and-home-school-applicants.pdf

 

You guys are really helping me figure things out!! If I’m reading the link above correctly, it looks like a charter can’t count college courses towards the a-g requirements? This is what the link says:

“California high schools cannot add California community college courses to their UC-approved A-G Course List even though instruction may happen on the high school campus with a high school instructor.
The courses on the high school’s A-G Course List should be courses that are created by the high school (or adopted from an approved program or online course publisher).”

So, for example, my DD has completed 4 quarters of German 300 courses at a university—with our Oregon charter, they counted each quarter as a year of high school credit and so those 4 quarters took care of her foreign language requirement for graduation. Am I understanding it correctly that a charter in CA couldn’t use those quarters to fulfill the UC A-G requirements?

It wasn’t an official dual-enrollment program though—she just took the classes for fun and they turned out to be a great fit.

Edited December 31, 2019 by rzberrymom

[shinyhappypeople]

18 minutes ago, rzberrymom said:

 

You guys are really helping me figure things out!! If I’m reading the link above correctly, it looks like a charter can’t count college courses towards the a-g requirements? This is what the link says:

“California high schools cannot add California community college courses to their UC-approved A-G Course List even though instruction may happen on the high school campus with a high school instructor.
The courses on the high school’s A-G Course List should be courses that are created by the high school (or adopted from an approved program or online course publisher).”

So, for example, my DD has completed 4 quarters of German 300 courses at a university—with our Oregon charter, they counted each quarter as a year of high school credit and so those 4 quarters took care of her foreign language requirement for graduation. Am I understanding it correctly that a charter in CA couldn’t use those quarters to fulfill the UC A-G requirements?

It wasn’t an official dual-enrollment program though—she just took the classes for fun and they turned out to be a great fit.

I think what they mean is that a school can't list a college course on the list of courses that their specific school offers.  That wouldn't preclude a student a student from dual-enrolling at a college and using those courses to satisfy a-g. The UC's Subject Requirement (a-g) page gives examples of college courses that fulfill the a-g requirements.  

It's all kind of a big bureaucratic mess. Welcome to California. 

[rzberrymom]

4 minutes ago, shinyhappypeople said:

The UC's Subject Requirement (a-g) page gives examples of college courses that fulfill the a-g requirements.

 

Ok, this helps. Thanks!

[Jackie]

If you are planning to enroll her in a charter next year, choose the charter now. Meet with them and ask them what credits will be accepted for her freshman year, and whether they will be accepted as meeting a-g requirements (if she might consider any of the CA public universities). If you are choosing a charter, there may be advantages to sticking with the private school half-time (and paying full tuition) for easier credit transfer. Many of the CA charters do have a process to accept credits from those coming in from having been PSA students, but some do not, nor are they required to accept your credits.

If you are filing a PSA next year, then none of the matters, and you are more free to make whatever decision is right for your Family now.

I second the caution about enrolling with Inspire for high school. This audit is not looking particularly positive, and that could leave a lot of students without a school suddenly. In addition, having heard many parents talk about their experiences with Inspire, they’re great for K-8, but have completely dropped the ball for a lot of high school students. There are stories galore of them doing things like approving a courseload at the beginning of the year, then suddenly deciding they were wrong and throwing out half a year’s credits, or telling people that only online classes counted for a-g, or just piles of other bizarre stuff.

If you use Facebook, join the group CA Homeschool College Seekers. They’re a wealth of information, including having people who can give great information on the charter choices.

[daijobu]

19 hours ago, Farrar said:

It depends a bit on your goals. If you’re at a charter in CA and going college prep, then they’ll require A-G approval for courses. It’s limiting. Of course, it can also be fine - but with more freedom, you can potentially create a better transcript than the limitations really allow. If your aim is colleges/unis outside CA or private colleges, I’d definitely say do this. If the UC’s are your primary goal, then it will depend on who you talk to, but with good test scores, I know a number of good UC success stories who went the PSA route. If you’re thinking CC, then it doesn’t matter - do whatever you want.

If you’re new to CA, I guess the main thing to understand is that the college admissions landscape is more skewed, more driven, more intense than literally anywhere else. 

 

I agree with the above re: PSA.  If you have a high achieving student, a PSA will allow your student to really shine.  My dd was also one of those PSA to UC success stories and she also did well with private colleges.  We also didn't need the money and I would have felt constrained in a charter.  (I left charters when my dd's were in middle school.)  

I think @Farrar's assessment isn't nuanced enough.  Some people think college admissions in California begins with UC Berkeley and ends with UCLA.  These two campuses attract applicants from all over the world. (UCLA receives the most undergraduate applications of any college.)  But there are many other UCs: UC Merced admits 75% and UC Riverside admits 66% of applicants and there are several others.  Then there are all the Cal States and the CC to UC transfer route.  There are a lot of options available, thought I do admit it's a steep learning curve since every single dang campus has its own policies.  

[daijobu]

9 hours ago, shinyhappypeople said:

 

There is bias against homeschoolers within the UC admissions system.  "student will enter “Home School/Home Study” as the school name. For diploma/certificate received, select either GED or Certificate of Proficiency if applicable, or select "Other" and type "None."  (This doesn't apply to students at PSAH charters, because they're legally not homeschooling)  So... if my daughter applies to a UC she'll be evaluated in the same way as a high school drop out.  Leaves a nasty taste in my mouth just thinking about it.   

 

 

We did not find this to be the case in our situation.  My dd applied as a PSA homeschooler and was admitted to UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Diego and one other I forgot.  If she was compared with high school drop outs, then apparently she came out on top!  

[daijobu]

 

4 hours ago, shinyhappypeople said:

I think what they mean is that a school can't list a college course on the list of courses that their specific school offers.  That wouldn't preclude a student a student from dual-enrolling at a college and using those courses to satisfy a-g. The UC's Subject Requirement (a-g) page gives examples of college courses that fulfill the a-g requirements.  

It's all kind of a big bureaucratic mess. Welcome to California. 

 

Agree with this and the link to the a-g list.  The problem is that California decided applicants should generally study widely in all the major subject areas:  math, history, science, foreign language, etc.  That's fine.  The problem is that they took a huge leap and decided to approve each and every single class offered by every high school--public AND private--in California.  Every single school, every single class.  It's weird.  There's actually an online database where you can look up your local high school and see which specific classes are a-g approved.  

I ask you, do you think this approval process is being made thoughtfully, taking into account the quality of the textbooks, exams, syllabus, other media?  

For every single class at every single high school?  

No, of course not.  Most likely it's just a quick rubber stamp approval process.  Schools check all the right boxes and it gets automatic approval.  

Now enter the homeschoolers.  And remember, in California there is no such thing as homeschooling:  all students are enrolled in a school.  (That's why we have the PSA/charter weirdness here.)  So where is OUR list of approved a-g classes?  Are we not California students?  (Also, students from out of state and out of the country do not adhere to a-g's although it's a good idea to hit all the major subject areas.)  Turns out we homeschoolers (even though we aren't homeschoolers) are allowed to behave as if we were from out of state.  

We don't need to meet the a-g's specifically, but it is a good idea to have studied english, history, math, etc.  

Now, to our specific case, my dd is a good test taker.  She satisfied most (but not all) of the a-g's with AP exam scores and SAT subject test scores.  She didn't specifically satisfy all the a-g's but she did take classes in all the subject areas.  This is where it gets confusing because I think the UC websites do not do a good job telling us homeschoolers what to do.  HTH.  

[shinyhappypeople]

32 minutes ago, daijobu said:

 

 

Agree with this and the link to the a-g list.  The problem is that California decided applicants should generally study widely in all the major subject areas:  math, history, science, foreign language, etc.  That's fine.  The problem is that they took a huge leap and decided to approve each and every single class offered by every high school--public AND private--in California.  Every single school, every single class.  It's weird.  There's actually an online database where you can look up your local high school and see which specific classes are a-g approved.  

I ask you, do you think this approval process is being made thoughtfully, taking into account the quality of the textbooks, exams, syllabus, other media?  

For every single class at every single high school?  

No, of course not.  Most likely it's just a quick rubber stamp approval process.  Schools check all the right boxes and it gets automatic approval.  

Now enter the homeschoolers.  And remember, in California there is no such thing as homeschooling:  all students are enrolled in a school.  (That's why we have the PSA/charter weirdness here.)  So where is OUR list of approved a-g classes?  Are we not California students?  (Also, students from out of state and out of the country do not adhere to a-g's although it's a good idea to hit all the major subject areas.)  Turns out we homeschoolers (even though we aren't homeschoolers) are allowed to behave as if we were from out of state.  

We don't need to meet the a-g's specifically, but it is a good idea to have studied english, history, math, etc.  

Now, to our specific case, my dd is a good test taker.  She satisfied most (but not all) of the a-g's with AP exam scores and SAT subject test scores.  She didn't specifically satisfy all the a-g's but she did take classes in all the subject areas.  This is where it gets confusing because I think the UC websites do not do a good job telling us homeschoolers what to do.  HTH.  

I wonder what would happen if I tried to get a-g approval for younger DD's courses.  Has anyone tried this as a PSA homeschooler?  

ETA: Nevermind - I looked it up and only regionally accredited schools can create a-g course lists.   My kids take a class at an unaccredited private school, so I guess their full-time students are in the same boat as my girls.  Crazy.

Edited January 1, 2020 by shinyhappypeople

[daijobu]

Here is the database of approved classes.  Enter the name of your private school and it should be there.  

[rzberrymom]

17 hours ago, Jackie said:

If you are planning to enroll her in a charter next year, choose the charter now. Meet with them and ask them what credits will be accepted for her freshman year, and whether they will be accepted as meeting a-g requirements (if she might consider any of the CA public universities). If you are choosing a charter, there may be advantages to sticking with the private school half-time (and paying full tuition) for easier credit transfer. Many of the CA charters do have a process to accept credits from those coming in from having been PSA students, but some do not, nor are they required to accept your credits.

This helps a lot. With Inspire being a mess, I think I will keep her in the school half-time while I try to find a good fit for next year. Thanks so so much you guys!!

[rzberrymom]

16 hours ago, daijobu said:

 

We did not find this to be the case in our situation.  My dd applied as a PSA homeschooler and was admitted to UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Diego and one other I forgot.  If she was compared with high school drop outs, then apparently she came out on top!  

This is good to know!

[Reefgazer]

On ‎12‎/‎30‎/‎2019 at 3:13 PM, rzberrymom said:

I homeschooled my DD through 8th grade (her homeschooling was overseen by a public charter), and I never, ever thought I’d put her in school. But then we had to move to another state for my husband’s job this year, I was worried about re-building a homeschooling community just when she was starting high school, and so I took the easy way out and put her in a private school (albeit, one that was started by classical homeschoolers years ago).

She did one semester, but the school is not a good fit for her at all. She’s used to going at her own pace, the school is small and slow, she feels like she’s falling behind in math and science (their strengths are history and language arts), and she feels like she’s there for a ridiculous number of hours and learns very little. The schedule was kind of killing her too—the school has her in class from 7:30-8:30am, then she has a break from 8:30-10:50am (!!), then class from 10:50-11:50am, then another hour break, then class until 3:30pm. They didn’t warn us about that long morning break when we signed her up—I never would have put her there if I’d known that’s how they do things. And the school costs a fortune for us. Needless to say, she’s begging for me to take her out.

I tried to find a compromise with the school. She’s done 6 classes at the university my husband teaches at, so I asked to just send her half-time to the high school and do math and science at the local university. They’re ok with that, but I still have to pay the full tuition—totally understandable, but we’re not rich and that solution doesn't feel responsible.

We’re in California now, and I’m a bit intimidated by the homeschooling bureaucracy (I’m used to Oregon where it’s laid back). I’ve got her on a waiting list for a public charter that would be very similar to what we had last year, where she can do a few university classes and then they double-check the classes she does with me at home (and we pick that curriculum). But, I haven’t been able to get a sense of when we’ll get off that waiting list and so I can’t count on it for the rest of this school year.

My husband wants her to stick out the rest of the year at the private school. We’d pay a large fee to pull her out of school, and he also feels like she should finish what we started. 

I guess I can also register as my own private homeschool with the state for the rest of this year, but I’m unsure of that solution since she’d have one semester at a private school, one semester at mom school, then hopefully homeschooling through the charter next year, plus classes at 2 different universities. I’m afraid we’d look like people that can’t stick with anything. And it feels like a lot of record-keeping to juggle when getting her ready to apply to college.

So, WWYD? Would you stick it out? Keep her there half-time even though there’s no discount? Pull her out, go rogue and hope the charter opens up? Go through the trouble of registering as a mom-school for just one semester?

I wouldn't even think twice about bagging that school mid-year.  Do what is right for her; even if that means paying the fee and learning to cope with California's requirements.

[EKS]

Maybe someone has mentioned this, but if you end up homeschooling independently (via the private school affidavit option), you could start now with those classes.  She could do them during her downtime at her current school.  If you design the classes yourself, you could ensure that any output required works with the ebb and flow of the output (homework) required by her school.

[shinyhappypeople]

32 minutes ago, EKS said:

Maybe someone has mentioned this, but if you end up homeschooling independently (via the private school affidavit option), you could start now with those classes.  She could do them during her downtime at her current school.  If you design the classes yourself, you could ensure that any output required works with the ebb and flow of the output (homework) required by her school.

That is a really good idea.  Redeem the time. 

[JennyD]

I know nothing about homeschooling in CA, but I emphatically agree with daijobu's post re sunk costs, above.  The money is gone, it's spent.  The question now is how you and DD best spend her time.

Good luck!

 

 

[rzberrymom]

1 hour ago, EKS said:

Maybe someone has mentioned this, but if you end up homeschooling independently (via the private school affidavit option), you could start now with those classes.  She could do them during her downtime at her current school.  If you design the classes yourself, you could ensure that any output required works with the ebb and flow of the output (homework) required by her school.

Definitely, going half-time will let her do math and science outside the school. She’s excited about that!

It will also eliminate that almost 2 1/2 hour morning break, which she’s even more excited about.

Edited January 1, 2020 by rzberrymom

[Janeway]

On 12/30/2019 at 2:13 PM, rzberrymom said:

I homeschooled my DD through 8th grade (her homeschooling was overseen by a public charter), and I never, ever thought I’d put her in school. But then we had to move to another state for my husband’s job this year, I was worried about re-building a homeschooling community just when she was starting high school, and so I took the easy way out and put her in a private school (albeit, one that was started by classical homeschoolers years ago).

She did one semester, but the school is not a good fit for her at all. She’s used to going at her own pace, the school is small and slow, she feels like she’s falling behind in math and science (their strengths are history and language arts), and she feels like she’s there for a ridiculous number of hours and learns very little. The schedule was kind of killing her too—the school has her in class from 7:30-8:30am, then she has a break from 8:30-10:50am (!!), then class from 10:50-11:50am, then another hour break, then class until 3:30pm. They didn’t warn us about that long morning break when we signed her up—I never would have put her there if I’d known that’s how they do things. And the school costs a fortune for us. Needless to say, she’s begging for me to take her out.

I tried to find a compromise with the school. She’s done 6 classes at the university my husband teaches at, so I asked to just send her half-time to the high school and do math and science at the local university. They’re ok with that, but I still have to pay the full tuition—totally understandable, but we’re not rich and that solution doesn't feel responsible.

We’re in California now, and I’m a bit intimidated by the homeschooling bureaucracy (I’m used to Oregon where it’s laid back). I’ve got her on a waiting list for a public charter that would be very similar to what we had last year, where she can do a few university classes and then they double-check the classes she does with me at home (and we pick that curriculum). But, I haven’t been able to get a sense of when we’ll get off that waiting list and so I can’t count on it for the rest of this school year.

My husband wants her to stick out the rest of the year at the private school. We’d pay a large fee to pull her out of school, and he also feels like she should finish what we started. 

I guess I can also register as my own private homeschool with the state for the rest of this year, but I’m unsure of that solution since she’d have one semester at a private school, one semester at mom school, then hopefully homeschooling through the charter next year, plus classes at 2 different universities. I’m afraid we’d look like people that can’t stick with anything. And it feels like a lot of record-keeping to juggle when getting her ready to apply to college.

So, WWYD? Would you stick it out? Keep her there half-time even though there’s no discount? Pull her out, go rogue and hope the charter opens up? Go through the trouble of registering as a mom-school for just one semester?

This was our situation, sort of. We let our son go to a classical education charter school. Everyone said how tough it was. In reality, it just had tons of work, but nothing was really new to him. I suppose it would be great for the student who needed their days directed or they would not move forward. He did not. Finally, at beginning of senior year, he brings me the books being read that year and told me he read all of them. And they were reading them in class, outloud, and it was punished if a student looked elsewhere or was otherwise deemed to not be paying attention. I spoke to a teacher who said he caught my son looking at a different part of the book during read aloud time. Umm, my son had read this book already. I could feel the torture my son was feeling being in a class where others had not done the reading and he had to sit while their hands were held. He left the school.