Hey all! Out here in CA, homeschoolers have access to public homeschool charters, which offer $$ for books and extracurriculars in return for your agreement to meet with a teacher once a month (an ES) and participate in testing. To many, it is not a bad trade, and we have belonged to a charter for 2 years. We lOVED it. But when we moved a bit further north, we just couldn't make that drive any more. I did a bunch of research and signed up with a new charter school. Since they dont' have a physical building you have to meet at, and they don't offer classes, they really rely on their ES and testing as their only point of meeting with you and seeing how you are using those resources. I'm OK with that because I understand they are accountable in the end for that $$. So we are with this new charter, and just found out last week that our TKD school is not an approved vendor, so we have to pay for TKD. I knew there was a 50-50 chance of this, so while I am bummed, I expected I might have to pay for that anyway. But that is the only thing I pay for -- the school covers everything else. As of this year, my kids completed grades 7, 4, and 2 at their old charter and have official school documentation to the effect. They are young for their grades. Yesterday I get an email from my ES (who is super nice) that the kids are in the "wrong grades" according to their specific school policy. So essentially my kids will be in 7, 4 and 2 again. Now this is just on paper, and my ES (who was very apologetic) said that their curriculum would not change at all - they would still be in the accelerated curriculum, it would just be for the school records and for testing. At first I bristled HARD. They already did those grades! They are "holding them back" for no reason! However, my dh level-headedly point out that it is the education, not the grade that we care about. Since I don't plan on putting the kids in putting the kids in ps anytime soon, this really doesn't affect me, except that my ds (12) will have an extra year before high school... I do see the benefit, especially for my ds. It would be a lot less pressure on him this year and next. Plus, they will now see superbright for their ages It will give my ds some time to develop his writing and math before it "counts" Plus, I had been pushing the kids HARD lately, especially ds. Maybe this is God's way of saying "slow down and enjoy this a bit more"? So far I like this charter, so dh and I figure we will stay for this year, and if more like this happens or we don't like what happens this year, we can leave and either go independent or sign with another local charter. What do you think? Is there anything I am forgetting or not realizing about this situation? Any tips, advice or support would be greatly appreciated!
I sometimes wish I could have something of this sort only because I hate pinching pennies to keep my kids at home. At the same time, I hate having anyone telling me what to do, so I would balk really fast at it. My only advice is the advice you and your hubby already came up with... use this year as a trial year and if you dislike it don't do it next year.
Thanks for the support on that. I mean, I really like most of the stuff this charter does and it really does help financially. I get to do and buy some great materials I normally couldn't, and help support homeschool product companies at the same time. I'm with you though, having someone tell me what to do makes me bristle! But we will see what this school does otherwise - up til this, everything was pretty much on the level.
It doesn't sound like a big deal but it would bug me too. Kids are rarely held back in public school so what's the big problem except that if they are hoping to have your kids in their program an extra year. And if that happens-you will still be getting fund. I belomged to a charter for several years and had to keep reminding myself that every meeting was worth $ towards school needs. Can you try and get your TKD as an approved vendor? Many studios are happy to work with you because in the end they will get more students too.
We tried to get the TKD school approved, but since the do full contact sparring, they are considered "high risk" and won't approve it. Funny, the TKD school is approved by other charters in the area, just not this one. Lucky me. But if that is the ONLY thing I am paying for, It is totally worth it.
Just wanted to say best wishes on which ever way you decide to go. We did an online school last year, a bit different though- as we didn't get to pick any curriculum- we had to do what they required.
I wouldn't worry about it. If they were telling you to go back and do the same work over I would leave, but since it is only a number on a paper and doesn't impact what you teach them I would just move on. I miss the charters now that I am in CO!
I use a charter school and I'm in CA. I think I would be a little bugged by in essence holding them back it doesn't make sense at all. But every charter school is different, ours lets us move them up if we feel they can handle it. And if I remember correctly in our area a lot of kids were held back in PS when my kids went I think at least 5 kids in every class. It was insane and to me that just proved the no kids left behind does not work because kids are being left behind.
If you're okay with it, I would stick with it, and go for the trial year. I can't tell you what I would do, since we're totally different. xD
We had our homeschool park day and the moms there were real supportive about it all, so I think that makes me feel a bit better too. I think I just lost sight of what I was doing with the kids and why. This definitely helped me refocus!
You might want to ask that if your DS does HIGH SCHOOL classes will he get HIGH SCHOOL credit? That's why we enrolled ds this year because DH said he thinks the transcript will be worth it with the highschool classes being done now (7th grade)...
THat is a great question - they have some funny rules about HS that I might have to look into. It is no big deal this year, as we weren't going to do any HS this year, but next year is Algebra, and I will want credit for that. BUT according to NCLB, you need a special ES, take one of their classes, or a college course to fill that HS approved requirement. Now, I am a college prof of Eng and Comparative lit (3 languages total) - so I wonder if *I* fit the mold for the "college class" requirement. I figure I will keep him in for this next year, and at the end of the year ask about that requirement issue. IF they give me flack, then there is another charter in the area that is a bit more liberal with their rules, or we will just teach him independently.
I know we were given a list of credits they will need and my dd is taking an Algebra class now as a freshman and it will be credited class. She is taking it on campus though.
It would seem to me that a child should get an Algebra credit for the class REGARDLESS of when she took it. Rachael took it three years ago, as a 7th grader. She took Geometry in 8th, and Algebra 2 in 9th. And she pulled an "A" in all three classes. So why should it matter if it was "high school" or "middle school"? She also took a writing/grammar class at age 12 that was taught by a retired high school English teacher. It was considered a high school class, and had young people ages 12-17. She did the same work as the older students, and got the same credit. I'd like to see them tell me it isn't good enough because she was only 12!
I also wonder if he will get credit for his Algebra class if he takes it in 8th (it WOULD have been 9th!) While he should get credit, I will have to ask, but it doesn't bug me too much. By the time he is 17 we are hoping he has enough college credits to transfer to a university, so having a high school diploma is pretty moot. *sigh* we will just have to see how it goes and cross that bridge when we get to it.
