CA is one of the few states in the entire country that has charter schools with such home study programs. For new homeschoolers, these charter schools make it easier and more affordable to homeschool. With the funds that are available to you, you can choose the newest innovative curriculums out there and also be able to get private tutors or small group classes - depending on the need of each child and their learning style.
http://www.ogcs.org/
- Independent free public charter school funded by the state where the parent is the main teacher.
- Each family is assigned ONE Educational Specialist (ES) who will be the guide for all of your school aged children. If your oldest is high school, you will get a high school credentialed teacher. If your oldest is middle school, you will get a middle school credentialed teacher.
- Funds: $2000 a year. You will receive in your account $1000 in August and $1000 in December. If you start late it will be pro-rated. For high school it is $2500 a year.
- These funds can be used to order any books and supplies that you need and for outside classes. However, it can only be from an approved vendor - a company that is approved by Ocean Grove. And it has to be secular. There is a vendor list online you can search. However for outside classes, you need to double check with them because they may no longer be vendors. Once you Submit the order to your ES, she will get it approved by the school (3 days) and then she will place the order. Then she will bring you the books in your next meeting.
- They have a resource center where you can get books, curriculum, kits for free, but you have to make an appointment and drive to Boulder Creek (near Santa Cruz). Or you can ask your ES to look for certain books and she can bring them for you.
- Note: All books through the charter school are property of the school, and when you leave you must return them, except for workbooks/consumable items. Ocean Grove is strict in this policy. Others are not as strict in collecting, but then their resource center is not as well stocked.
- You are required to meet with your ES once a month (every 20 school days), usually in your home but can be in any place that is convenient to you. It will take about 30 minutes per child. You have ONE ES for all your children. If you do not like your ES or feel that they are not helpful, you can request another one.
- At the meeting, you will sign for attendance, submit a sample for each subject (pictures are acceptable), and give her a written summary of what topics the child learned that month in each subject. The ES will ask the child some questions from the samples.
- The ES will also want to know what the child did in PE and Special Interest areas. PE can be anything, with no minimum time requirement, but they like to see a gradual progress through the year, for example jumprope 10 times, the next month they could jumprope 20 times.
- For Special Interest - they like to know what hobbies or extracurricular subject the child is working on. A second language, cooking, knitting or any life skill or talent.
- Testing: There is an assessment test and the beginning of the year and at the end of the year. The test is online - Math and Reading. The teacher usually has to proctor the test, but this year they are trying out parent proctoring so that the teacher doesn't have to keep coming to the house several days in a row until the child finishes the test. The school uses it to evaluate the child's progress. Then there is the state testing in the spring for grades 3+.
- Types of Vendors: On site classes for homeschoolers like Academic Antics & A-TEAM; complete curriculums like Calvert, BookShark, Moving Beyond the Page, and even K12; private tutors; tutoring centers like Sylvan & Kumon; PE classes; online classes; science kits; montessori supplies; waldorf supplies; Lakeshore store; Rock-it-Science class; National Geographic Kids magazine; Educational Videos; Special interest classes like pottery, horseback riding, outdoor science, sewing, woodworking;
- ES is available to tutor the child 1 hour a week, using your funds.
- Fieldtrips: There are field trips arranged. I think there is a small fee that they deduct from your funds.
- Parent support: There is a newsletter, there is an email group, the school website has a lot of resources and articles, you get emails with alerts on new vendors. ES will help you in selecting curriculum and supplies and keep track of your funds.
Other Charter Schools for Santa Clara District: Connecting Waters
Connecting Waters is similar to Ocean Grove. The slight difference is the resource center is in Modesto, funding is a little lower, new parents have to attend an orientation in Modesto, and the resource center is not as well stocked. Those who live in East Bay usually choose Connecting Waters, but for South bay Ocean Grove is closer.
For other areas, check this site to see which charter schools are in your area. http://www.ieminc.org
Um Ibrahim
Um Ibrahim
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