Again in California: Home school parents must have teaching credential

the thing that I don't think they are thinking about seriously is that our schools are failing to the point of closing schools for lack of funding. Where do they expect to put 200,000 or more students HA?
We have over loaded schools here in our wonderful state, there are waiting lists for good private schools, and new ones poping up but our public schools are closing because they can't afford to pay the teacher salaries. Let alone pay for anything for them to teach.
This was in the news last week before this wonderful thing in LA.

 

Very good question, T'mom! And if that many people decide on civil disobedience and refuse to send their kids, they sure can't take that many kids from their parents and put them in the foster system!!!

 

Ugh, I missed Dr. James Dobson. I was giving a spelling test and when I remembered it was just about over. Did anyone catch it? I may try to listen to the afternoon broadcast.

 

OH my yes, re foster system here is over loaded already toO! in fact I was told there are tons of Babies even that need homes!

 

Lee, I posted the link. If you go there, you can listen on-line so it's OK if you missed it.

 

Oh thanks, it's one of those crazy days and I know that I'm not catching everything. We did get an A on our spelling test though - Yippeee!!!!!! Also got our tax return and paid off alot - another Yippeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Okay back to school......

 

I just hear the show. AWWWW! I hope that every homeschooling parent listens to it, whether they are Christians or not. I liked that they lists past cases that were used to influence the courts dicision. It gave more detail to what we already know.

 

This is not the first time that the government has tried to strongly regulate or stop homeschooling. If you listen to Focus On The Family, they discussed different times when in government was pushing for a change in Legislature.

 

But it's not the government trying to regulate or stop homeschoolers!!! The state most likely felt just as blindsided by the decision as homeschoolers.

Here is a quote from another post that goes into more detail and really lays out what happened:

By everyone she means the state and private schools. Apparently the law does NOT say teachers at private schools need to be credentialed but rather that they must be "capable of teaching.”

We're getting closer to the truth which seems to be a bad interpretation on the judges' parts. And THAT is something best dealt with in appeal.

 

OK, I haven't read every post in this thread but if you missed the Dobson broadcast...there is a thread on it and on the petition.

Link to Dobson broadcast:
http://www.oneplace.com/Ministries/Focus_on_the_Family/Default.asp

Link to thread with petition info (that I posted earlier today)
http://www.homeschoolspot.com/showthread.php?t=11176


Rhonda C.

 

Are there any updates on this issue?

 

Hi, you can get updates at HSLDA, here is the link.

http://www.hslda.org/Default.asp?bhcp=1

Blessings,
Dianna

 

Here is a nice little letter that the schools districts will send out to homeschooling parents now:

http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ai/sb/documents/homeschooling.doc

This is directly from the CA dept of educations website:

Other than traditional public school classrooms, what choices are available for my child's education?
California law explicitly recognizes four choices available to parents who wish to seek an educational setting other than a traditional public school classroom for their child:

A tutor who holds a current California teaching credential for the grade level being taught (EC 48224). The tutor must provide instruction:
In the English language
In all the branches of study required in the public schools
For at least 175 days per calendar year
For at least three hours a day between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
Because the tutor must provide instruction in all branches of study required in the public schools, the Multiple Subject Teaching Credential satisfies the credential requirement at all grade levels. The Single Subject Teaching Credential is not sufficient at any grade level. The Multiple Subject Teaching Credential is valid for kindergarten through grade twelve in self-contained classrooms, whereas the Single Subject Credential authorizes teaching a special subject only, such as math or English. Further credential information is available from the California Commission for Teacher Credentialing (Outside Source) Web site.

The credentialed tutor may be the parent or any person employed by the parent. A tutor is not required to file the Private School Affidavit.

A private full-time day school or boarding school (EC 48222) where instruction is provided by "persons capable of teaching," that keeps an attendance register indicating clearly every absence of the pupil from school for a half day or more during each day the school is maintained during the year, and that provides instruction in the English language and all the branches of study required in California public schools. The Private School Affidavit must be filed annually by the private school.

Independent study through a public school district or county office of education (EC 51745 and following), where the student is enrolled in a school of the district and enters into a written agreement, prior to beginning independent study, that specifies the curriculum and methods of study, the arrangements for meeting with the teacher and submitting assignments, and other information.

Independent study is an alternative to classroom instruction that is offered by many public school districts pursuant to EC sections 51745 and following. Independent study is not an exemption from public school attendance. Rather, it is an instructional strategy that allows students to carry on their public school education outside the classroom based on a written agreement. The agreement includes requirements consistent with the local school district's course of study. A certificated employee of the district is designated as the "supervising teacher," and this person makes the assignments, evaluates the student's work, and assigns grades.

A child with exceptional needs may participate in independent study only if his or her individualized education program, developed pursuant to
EC sections 56340 and following, provides for that participation (EC 51745(c)).

If a student's school district does not offer independent study, parents are encouraged to contact their county office of education regarding the availability of independent study through the county or through other districts in their area. Contact your local school district or county office of education for more information.

Enrollment in a charter school organized in accordance with EC sections 47600 and following.

A charter school is a public school, and it may provide instruction in any of grades
kindergarten through twelve. A charter school is usually created or organized by a group of teachers, parent and community leaders or a community-based organization, and it is usually sponsored by an existing local public school board or county board of education. Specific goals and operating procedures for the charter school are detailed in an agreement (or "charter") between the sponsoring board and charter organizers.

The Charter Schools Web page is available with more information.
Is home schooling recognized in California as exempting a student from public school attendance?
California statutes do not explicitly authorize home schooling. Whether a home schooled child is attending a private school, and therefore is exempt from public school attendance, is a decision made by local school districts and law enforcement authorities.

May a parent who is home schooling his or her own child file a Private School Affidavit?
Yes. A parent offering or providing private school instruction and who meets the requirements of EC Section 33190 may file an Affidavit in the manner described. However, filing such an Affidavit with the CDE does not constitute any opinion by the CDE as to whether a student enrolled in that school is exempt from public school attendance.

I have filed the Private School Affidavit certifying that I maintain all of the required private school records. If the attendance supervisor from the public school district verifies the filing of the Affidavit, am I also required to show the records to the attendance supervisor?
Yes. EC Section 48222 requires that private schools maintain attendance records in a register that records the absence of a pupil for the school for a half day or more during any day that school is maintained. In addition, EC Section 33190 requires the annual filing of the Affidavit, and EC Section 48222 provides that a child's exemption from public school is not valid until the district's attendance supervisor has verified the filing of the Affidavit. The certification on the Affidavit is not a substitute for showing the attendance records to the attendance supervisor. By reviewing these records, the attendance supervisor can confirm a student's attendance at the private school.

I am planning to use a correspondence course to teach my child at home. The umbrella organization that provides the course also provides testing, assigns the grades, and provides the diploma. Is this an exemption from the compulsory attendance law?
California law does not recognize correspondence courses as exempting a child from public school attendance. Whether this situation could qualify as private school instruction would depend on whether the requirements specified in EC Section 33190 were met. In addition, the question of whether a home schooled child is attending private school, and therefore is exempt from public school attendance, is a decision made by local school districts and law enforcement authorities.

I had to dig around my garage to pull my papers from CA , I found them and back in 2004 the laws are the same as they are now. Its up to each district within the State of CA to accept the Private School affividat from homeschoolers as a way to comply with the attendance laws of the state.
So even if you used the PUBLIC SCHOOL independent study program you would still be breaking the attendance laws of CA!!!
That is what this ruling is about, attendance!! So homeschoolers are not the only ones effected by this, ISP's ,charters and correspondence schools ( like K12) are under fire also!

 

Yikes Crystal!!

Thanks for posting more of the details. Lots of praying going on for all you CA Homeschoolers on our end (as well as signing the HSLDA petitiion, of course).

Rhonda C.

 

Dawinns you sound lke you would know... does this judge even have the juristiction or right to make such a blank statement? covering so much ground I mean? One thing I will say is this probably made a lot of homeschoolers scared and working harder at making sure they are teaching correctly and all
my kids said I should get my credetials then I could teach anyway, not a bad idea ... took my friend who also taught as she went at private and state schools like 20 years to get through her teaching, but she worked full time and schooled off and on... I wonder how long it would take to go from two year certif program to the full thing? Maybe I will click on one of those teaching certif at home links one of these days haha!

 

ok, if this is only about attendence then what's the big deal, we keep records of attendence doesnt everyone?

 

From what I can tell, it's about physically showing up at a public school building each day.

 

We do not keep attendance.

I am chiming in because the news has hit national. Big coverage on the local stations here, in Texas. What makes me nervous is that you have people "Chiming in" on this topic who didn't even have homeschooling on their radars, yesterday.

Yesterday, everything was fine.
Now suddenly everything is "Suspicious" and water-cooler talk fodder for Monday morning office worker moms who have their kids in public school. Suddenly, something will have to be done to make sure those homeschoolers aren't getting away with something.

Sorry, just the mood around here.....

 

No attendance records here either. Technically we're supposed to do 180 (ish) days BUT the only req'ment to meet the law, is to jump thru a year end hoop....we chose standardized testing as it's the easiest for our family.

Rhonda C.

 

You know, Jen, those "office worker moms" are more than welcome to follow me around on one of my typical days!!! THEY can see how much studying goes on in my house, how I juggle three kids' schedules with all the "social" activities we do, how I grade papers, keep them on track, do the grocery shopping, laundry, keep house, drive Carl to and from work because we only have one car, and ALL with a SMILE on my face (though sometimes I think it's more of a grimace, lol!). And it's not just ME, and you ALL know that's true! Just LET THEM try to keep up with us! "Pulling something over" INDEED!!!