Public homeschooling?

June 28, 3:14 PMSan Diego Public Education ExaminerHeather Siladi

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Innovations Academy

The San Diego Unified School District has "hybrid schools" among its many innovative programs. Hybrid schools are district or charter schools that offer flexible programs for homeschooling families.

For parents who are contemplating homeschooling their kids, there are many issues of concern: Do I have the time to devote to this? Am I qualified to teach every subject? How do I put together a lesson plan or a curriculum? How will I make sure my child is meeting state and national standards? Will my child have difficulty getting into college without all the proper paperwork? How will I afford all the necessary textbooks and supplies?

There are many online resources for homeschooling parents, but SDUSD takes homeschool support to a whole new level.

Programs like Mount Everest Academy, an alternative public school, offer on-site support, tutoring and classes. At other schools like the Innovations Academy charter school, your child can attend school two to five days a week. The Learning Choice Academy offers everything from supplimentary electives to a full day of class. For high school students, iHigh Virtual Academy offers online courses that they can access from any internet capable computer 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Because these homeschool alternatives are offered through a public school district, all of these programs offer a state-approved curriculum, free supplies, tutoring, state testing, and legal school records. All while giving the family as much control over their child's day-to-day learning as they are comfortable with.

The general public benefits from these programs because homeschool children remain in contact with professional educators when they otherwise might not. I personally beleive that all homeschool families should be required to maintain contact with a nearby public or private school, if only to show up for a grade-level test once every four to six months. I have personally witnessed parents use homeschooling as a way to allow their kids to legally drop out of school in the sixth grade. That's an extreme example, and rare; most homeschooling families are wholeheartedly devoted to their children and their children's education. Still, our public school system is not only a vehicle for education, but a safety net for abused and neglected children.

If you know of any public homeschooling programs in your area, please tell us about them in the comments section of this article.

For more articles, visit the Examiner's Homeschool debate page, and visit my page for more homeschooling articles all this week.