Getting Started

Welcome to one of the most exciting, challenging, frustrating and fullfilling journey's of your life. Perhaps you are starting out on your journey with confidence, perhaps with trepidation, probably some of both. All of us who contributed to this website were once where you are now, and although we have as many different paths as we have homeschooling parents and children, we are all so glad that we had once had the courage that you have now, and made the choice you are now making. No matter what methods or philosophies we tried, used, or discarded we all seem to agree on one point. We are so glad that we decided to take this time with our children. As you proceed on your journey, may your family be filled with love, your learning filled with excitement, and your days filled with adventure.


Empowering Families: Starting the Homeschool Journey

We know you have a lot to think about, and we are here to help.


The go-to booklet for California homeschoolers, Empowering Families: Starting the Homeschool Journey, has 48 pages filled with helpful information on everything from withdrawing a child from school to getting them into college. Just a few of the topics are: legal options, socialization, finding support, special needs, teen years, and finding learning resources of all kinds. Please take a look at the Table of Contents.

 

You may purchase a print copy or immediately download  a copy of Empowering Families: Starting the Homeschool Journey.


Legal Homeschooling Options

Unlike many other states, California does not have any actual homeschooling law. Instead, homeschoolers choose between a variety of different legal options. This may seem confusing, but it offers the opportunity to choose an option that most suits a particular family's interests and needs. When getting started homeschooling, you will need to decide which legal option you want to use, at first, but remember that you can change your mind and make a different choice at any time.


Establish a Private School  

Many homeschooling families find that the independence of operating within their own private school brings an exhilarating freedom that can open up a special way of thinking about education. They can expand and experiment in a variety of ways they might not have otherwise realized were possibilities. This is also an especially good choice for a child who has a unique learning style or who has developed a particularly negative reaction to the school model of education. More information on starting your own private school.
Private School Satellite Program  

In addition to the private schools operated by one family for its own children, there are a number of other types of private schools that offer homeschooling programs. Click here for more details 
Public Independent Study Program  

Public school independent study programs may be operated by individual schools, school districts, or county boards of education. Enrolled students are public school students. The programs offer state-approved curriculum materials and the services of a credentialed teacher, standardized testing, and a variety of resources.

Charter School  

 Charter schools may be operated by schools, school districts, county boards of education, private companies, or nonprofit organizations. They are funded with state tax dollars. They operate with more flexibility than public school independent study programs regarding curriculum and resource offerings. Some offer distance or online education. They require supervision by a credentialed teacher, standardized testing, and additional reporting.

Tutoring  

Parents with a valid teaching credential can act as tutors for their children, or parents may employ a credentialed teacher. However, tutors and parents who choose to tutor their own children must fulfill certain legal requirements, including the teacher must have a valid and current California state credential appropriate to the grade level of the child or children being taught.




    Link to the HSC conference website.     
                                    August 1-4, 2013



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