Four Ways to Homeschool in California Legally
1.
Join an Independent Study Program ( ISP ) - a group
of homeschooling families who teach under one affidavit
as a private school and have an administrative staff
among the parents who help maintain records and provide
other services.
2.
File your own R-4 affidavit with the state, making
your home a private school. Maintain your own records,
set your own schedule, choose your own curriculum.
Consider joining a support group for activities.
3.
Join a public school home study program or Charter
school. Students are enrolled in and held accountable
to a public school, but are taught at home by their
parents. Certain curriculum is provided at no cost.
Some restrictions may apply. Christian curriculum
can usually be used but cannot be funded by the public
program or charter school. You would pay for your
own Christian curriculum. CHEA and HSLDA do not recommend
this option.
4.
A credentialed teacher may serve as a private tutor
to his children. Maintain you own records.
Resources For Homeschooling
P.O.
Box 2009
Norwalk,
CA 90651-2009
Info.
Message1-800-564-2432 - (562) 864-CHEA (office)
$20
- $35 annual membership- allows many discounts on
products and events.
Purpose:
Information, support, training. Non-profit. Provides
comprehensive getting-started manual: An Introduction
to Home Education; other books, pamphlets, cassette
tapes; annual Christian Home Educators Convention
- typically second weekend in July in Long Beach (Highly
Recommended Event! -
See later note.)
P.O.
Box 159
Paeonian
Springs, VA 22129
(540)
338-5600
$85
- $100/yr.
Purpose:
Provides complete legal defense for member homeschool
families. Resource books, periodicals, brochures and
videos available. (Note: Membership is highly recommended
and in fact required by many Independent Study Programs.
However, they will not defend those homeschooling
through a public school system.)
Although
standardized achievement testing is not required by
law, if you choose to have your child tested, this
organization will be helpful to you. Request a catalog
and order form by email at testing@bju.edu
The catalog will specify which
test parents with a 4 year degree may administer.
Other tests available include writing evaluations,
learning abilities tests, career/vocational guidance
and personality profiles. Note: If you are a
member of an independent study program (ISP), testing
is usually offered through that group.
Local Independent Study Programs (In
order by current size, largest first) - For a fee,
these provide legal coverage as a private school;
assist in training, documentation, support, activities,
field trips, sport events, music events, classes,
science fairs, testing etc. - different for each ISP.
The parent is still responsible for the
bulk of their child's teaching.
April,
Open House in May; Applications/Admissions final in
June
26861
Trabuco, E-76
Mission
Viejo, CA 92691 Phone# (949) 587-9650
Click
on "Homeschoolers"
P.O.
Box 6539
Laguna
Niguel, CA 92607
(949)481-9250
Administrator:
Michael Duhs
The
Academy offers:
ISP
for Christian classical home schoolers
Offerings
include Chess, English, Languages, Latin, Logic, Mathematics,
Music, Bible/History, and Science (Classes for
Middle School Grades 5-8) Admissions open through
August 25.
Students
of all ISP are welcome to take the Extension classes.
Cornerstone Community School
24821 Chrisanta
Mission Viejo, CA 92691
Contact: Admission Coordinator, Shelley Crichton
949-595-0070
We are a hybrid school, offering grades K-8, where
parents home-school 2 days per week, and students
attend on campus classes 3 days per week.
Enrichment classes are also held Friday afternoons,
and cover classes such as: worship, sewing,
Spanish, woodworking, Physical Education, aerobics
and more. We are affiliated with the parenting
classes given by Training Hearts for Jesus, and because
our parents are parenting, our teachers can teach!
Call now to find out more!
Spirit
Preparatory Academy
1372
Irvine Blvd.
Tustin,
CA 92780
(714)
731-2630
Began
in 1998. Provides a unique blend of homeschool
experience with tradional classroom setting two days
a week. Sports are offered. Grades K-12.
The
Vine Preparatory Academy (sister ministry of Spirit
Preparatory Academy)
24821
Chrisanta Dr.
Mission
Viejo, CA 92691
(949)
770-0990
Began
in 2002. Provides a unique blend of homeschool
experience with tradional classroom setting two days
a week. Grades K -7
2179
Meyer Place
Costa
Mesa, CA 92627
(949)
650-4466(Information)
Offers
a full-service K through 12 home school program, as
well as an online
school
for grades 4 to 12.
(This
is not an ISP but offers a valuable service)
In
conjunction with Biola University in La Mirada, this
program conducts weekly tutorial/classes in core subjects
to homeschooled teens, grades 7-12. These classes
are held in satellite location in South Orange County.
Filing R-4 Affidavits As A Private School The
Private School Affidavit (R-4) is now available online
at http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/ps/rq/affidavit.asp.
The form is to be filed between
October 1 and 15. Our group hosts an annual R-4 Mom's
Night Out to assist you in filling out these forms.
Public School Home Study Programs CHEP
- Community Home Education Program
Orange
County PublicSchoolsSouth
County Office: 23436 Madero #100, Mission Viejo, CA
92691; (949) 598-0086
Central
Office: 200 Kalmus #D, Costa Mesa, CA 92628; (714)
545-5956
Julian
Charter SchoolPO
Box 1780
1704
Cape Horn AveJulian,
CA 92036
Ph:
(866) 853-0003 or (760) 765-3847Fax:
(877) 894-4150 or (760) 765-3849
Julian
Charter School is a public charter school authorized
by the California State Board of Education for distance
learning.
Private High School with sports option for
home schoolers
Crean Lutheran South High School has a homeschool
partnership program. To learn more, please copy and
paste the following url into your web browser. Click
here for more information.
425
E. Sixth St., #105
Corona,
CA 91719
909)
272-2926
Call
for free catalog, or it is close enough to drive by
and see a large variety of curricula and supplies
first hand. Owned/operated bya homeschooling
family.
2179
Meyer Place
Costa
Mesa, CA 92627
1-800-779-6750
(catalog& orders)
Homeschool Supplies By Mail
1-800-478-0672
Small
but good, also peppered with advice from an experienced
homeschooling
family.
(303)
730-6292
Offers complete curriculum with history as centerpiece
and uses "whole" books as opposed totextbooks.
1-800-874-2352
1-800-845-5731
The
two listed above are well respected for their comprehensive
curricula--detailed,
highly structured.
Five
in a Row
Literature-based
Unit Studies for Children ages 2-12 ... and up!
(903)
643-2760
This
online guide will list most of the curriculum sellers
by subject area. A great resource!
Recommended Books for Helping You Decide Whether Or
Not To Homeschool Why
Johnny Can't Tell Right From Wrong (And What We Can
Do About It)
by
William Kilpatrick
Can
be found at your local bookstore - i.e. Borders, etc.
($12.00)
I
just finished this, and it is an in-depth account
of what has gone wrong in our public schools over
the last thirty years, and why. The author is an educator
himself, and though not promoted as being from a Christian
perspective, it clearly points to the problems that
have been caused
by
the vacuum created as God was "cleansed" from
the school system! I
highly recommend this book. -Becky
The
Right Choice: Homeschooling
by
Christopher J. Klicka
Can
be purchased from HSLDA, Christian Bookstore, or CHEA
Mr. Klicka is a homeschooling father and attorney
for Home School Legal Defense
Association. Discusses in-depth "The Incredible Failure
of Public Education
and the Rising Hope of HomeSchooling"; ($14.00)
"A
Nationwide Study of Home Education" and "Marching
To the
Beat
of Their Own Drum"
These
are brochures available from HSLDA for about $1 to
$2 which disclose theresearch
on the success of home schooling.
Strengths
of Their Own:Homeschoolers Across America
by
Brian Ray, Ph.D.
This
is the 1997 study of thousands of home educated children
and their academic success, regardless of parent's
education, socioeconomic status, etc.
Government
Nannies: Cradle to Grave Agenda of Goals 2000 and
Outcome-Based
Education
by
Cathy Duffy
Available
through CHEA
Once You've Made The Decision: Resources An
Introduction To Home Education
by
Susan Beatty & Karen Woodfin200
pages, loose leaf, from CHEA ($30.00)
Very
complete help on why homeschool and how to begin -
includes pages to copy forrecordkeeping and organizing.
Help!
I'm Homeschooling
by
Debbie Casteneda & Pam Gieb
Getting
organized, copysheets for recordkeeping, tips on schooling
with toddlers, etc.
from
CHEA $12.00 or various catalogs
The
Successful Homeschool Family Handbook
by
Dr. Raymond & Dorothy Moore
$10.00
at local bookstore or various catalogs
High
School Handbook
by
Mary Schofield
CHEA
$18.00 or various catalogs
Christian
Home Educators Curriculum Manual: Elementary
Christian Home Educators Curriculum Manual: Junior/Senior
High
by
Cathy DuffyCHEA
$20.00 ea., through catalogs, or homeschool supply
store
Both
excellent resources to help you filter through the
mounds of available material and choose what will
meet your needs and your child's needs.
The
Big Book of Home Learning
Vol.
1 - Getting Started
Vol.
2 - Preschool & Elementary
Vol.
3 - High School
Vol.
4- Enrichment, After School, Extras
by
Mary Pride
$17
to $23 each
These
are excellent general resources covering most all
of the bases. From a well-respected homeschooling
mother and author.
"Teaching
Home" Web Sites:
There
are many methods to select from which add to the flexibility
of the homeschooling
parent
in choosing an appropriate classroom style for their
home. These web sites will give a brief description
of these choices, from the traditional textbook approach,
to "unschooling," and everything in-between, and include
some of the curriculum writers and suppliers which
serve these approaches.
A
typical course of study for K-12 is available by linking
to the "World Book" web site:
"The
Parent Educator"
"The
Home School Court Report"
from
HSLDA
1-800-346-6322
1-800-395-7760
(352)
475-3088
CFE
Newsletter
Christian
Family Educators of Orange County
908
N. Lowell, Santa Ana,CA 92703
(714)
835-3189
(and
many other secular journals)
Our "Favorite" Homeschool Support Event and Pep Rally:
The
annual CHEA Convention occurs each summer, usually
the first or second weekend
in
July.
It
starts Friday with sessions for homeschool support
leaders and a free session for those seeking basic
information. It continues through Sunday with ten
to twelve sessions running at a time -- you choose
to meet your current interests/needs. Also general
sessions of inspiration and worship. The parking lot-sized
room of distributor's booths, displaying more than
you could ever need or see, is a magnet for those
of us who like to get our eyes and hands on the materials
before we pay for it. A shopper's paradise (or in
my case, a nightmare, because I hate to shop but love
books and homeschooling, so I go anyway and am swallowed
up in decisions!! -Becky) I have samples of past workshop
topics and syllabi for anyone who wants more information.
For your teens, there is also a teen convention -
500 attendees in 1996, plus 6000 parents.
Finally,
there are support groups around the county which provide
fellowship, education, events (field trips, etc.)
They spring up wherever there is a need
and you can start your own.
South
Coast Christian Home Educators(SCCHE)
Our support group was started in March of 1996 as
a ministry of Saddleback Valley Community Church (we
were formerly SVCC Homeschoolers) by homeschool moms
desiring that our children would be able to know other
homeschooled kids in our church, as well as supplying
support for the parent/teachers. We have grown to
over 200 families now and are approaching a new turn
in our group, thus the new name.
We have regular park days, field trips, Mom's Night
Out and other special events, a private web site,
monthly assemblies during the school year, monthly
community service at local assisted-living facility,
and a resource library. We are also available for
information to those who are considering homeschooling.
Any homeschool family is welcome to join the South
Coast Christian Home Educators. As a member you may
participate in our private internet discussion board
(at My Family.com) where we talk about homeschooling,
curriculum choices, and educational and social opportunities.
The discussion board also contains a calendar of all
our activities, including park days, assemblies, and
much more. To become a member of our group, read through
the Rules & Regulations, then click on the Membership
form on this site.
Any other questions? Please email us at information@scchomeeducators.org
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