Homeschooling is an option in California for parents who would
like an alternative to traditional school, and a new program in the
Morgan Hill School District makes homeschooling students
easier.
Homeschooling is an option in California for parents who would like an alternative to traditional school, and a new program in the Morgan Hill School District makes homeschooling students easier.
The new program offers parents who want to teach their students at home additional resources to meet state guidelines.
“The program is not prescriptive,” said Laura Dzek, coordinator for Morgan Hill’s homeschooling program. “We don’t require a certain set of books. There are 1,000 ways to get to the state’s standards.”
Dzek said that parents can form their child’s education to fit their child’s interests. Morgan Hill’s homeschooling program will give the parents the tools to customize their child’s education.
“If the child is interested in astronomy, than we work to bring it in,” Dzek said.
Morgan Hill’s homeschooling program is available to students from K-8.
In its first year, 33 students participated from all different age groups; however, Dzek says the student makeup is weighted on both ends of the spectrum. She says two-thirds of the students are K-4 with eight to nine students in junior high.
Morgan Hill began offering homeschooling in the fall of 2003.
Before the program, parents would have to do all of the studies on their own, or with a group of families who also homeschool.
Homeschoolers register with the state as a private school, said Sharon Bates.
As a private school, homeschoolers don’t fall under the same standards as the state, though many will use the standards as a starting point, said Cera Malech, a Morgan Hill mother who homeschools her children.
“Most will meet the standards, but they try to go over,” Malech said.
Since the Morgan Hill program stops after junior high, parents wishing to continue through high school have to go through private homeschooling.
Because homeschoolers don’t fall under the state standards, standardized testing, such as the STAR or SAT9 tests, are not required.
Morgan Hill’s schedule for homeschool students is similar to students in the regular public school system: They go to school in the fall through spring, have a summer vacation and start schooling again in the fall.
Parents may choose to continue teaching their children through the summer, which is the norm for private homeschoolers; however, they would do it on their own.
Parents who are interested in enrolling their children in the homeschool program should go to the district office and sign up like they would for any student into the school system, said Assistant Superintendent Claudette Beaty.
“Parents are required to fill out a registration packet,” Beaty said. “We then notify the teacher and she meets with the parents and talks with them to find out what they want to accomplish and tells them how the program works.”
By signing up in the program, parents have access to help to structure a curriculum for their students as well as a networking opportunity with other parents and students who are also involved with homeschooling.
Once a week, parents and students meet at Barrett Elementary School.
Along with assistance meeting state standards, the homeschooling program also offers parents and students the opportunity to go on field trips and have other special events.
The only draw back this year has been money.
Morgan Hill’s homeschooling program is funded through state Average Daily Attendance (ADA) money. ADA is money paid by the state based on student attendance. But Dzek says the district won’t see the money until the end of this month.
She is optimistic, however, that next year the homeschooling program will be able to grow and offer different opportunities.
“We hope to offer a better program next year,” Dzek said. “There is always room to improve; there is always more you can offer.”
For the next school year, Dzek hopes to provide professional speakers, improve networking between the students, more field trips and play groups.
Dzek has been an active educator for 13 years. In 2001 she served as the interim principal at Jackson Elementary where she took over for Mike Crocker while he was out sick.
She took a year off after having a child.
But starting last fall, her son was ready for kindergarten. Because of severe allergies, he was unable to attend regular school.
As a result, Dzek approached the district to find out what options she had for homeschooling. The district proposed that Dzek create a program for homeschooling in the district. She put together a proposal, submitted it and the district accepted it.
Dzek says she has loved the experience over the past school year. She especially loves working with the parents who she says are very devoted to their children.
“This has been a wonderful opportunity,” Dzek said. “The parents are so committed to their children and they have worked really hard.”
Beaty says that the program is still relatively safe in light of recent budget cuts in the district and the state.
“If there is a cut in ADA revenue limit, than the program will be affected,” Beatty said. “But other than that, it only takes one classroom.”
Parents who are homeschooling have a wide variety resources on the web and in California.
Details, visit www.abeka.org or www.homeschoolcentral.com
