Mission Statments for Your Homeschool

“Why did you decide to homeschool?” Someone is bound to ask you that. Why did you?  What is your reason?  Do you have more than one?

People homeschool for many different reasons, and while some others who do not homeschool may not share your exact sentiments, your decision is life changing for you and for your family.  When it comes to actually putting that decision you into practice it will mean a lot to you if later you sit down now with your spouse and maybe your kids and write down some of the reasons  you are choosing to home educate and then list the things you would like to do as a family in your homeschool.  After this, prepare to write a mission statement for your home school.

It's easy.  Begin by thinking about:

• Your reasons for homeschooling.  What are your main goals and objectives in choosing to home school? 
• How you plan to do it?  List some key ideas that you have and possible ways to accomplish your goals.  (Activities, co operatives, classes, sports, )
• Why you are homeschooling and whom you do it for.
• What your family values most.

Writing a mission statement will help remind you in the future of what and why you are doing what you do and keep you on track should things ever get rough or discourging.  Keep in  miind that you can always rewrite your mission statment should things change dramatically, but having even a simple mission statement  for your homeschooling will help you in choosing how you want to begin homeschooling, in making corriculum choices, selecting activities for your family to participate in and besically help define a framework for your to work within.

Be inspired!  A couple of good websites you might want to look at on this topic to inspire you to write you own can be found at Managing Your Blessings and at The Unlikely Homeschool and also The Hmmmmschooling mom.   Knowledge House offers some more advice in this area from Terri Ann Berg Olsen, and she give sample mission statements too.

Public schools write mission statements too.  Here are some from Spokane area regular public schools. (The names of the schools have been omitted.)  Write your mission statment  for your homeschool with confidence knowing that your personal statement for your family will no doubt be as good or better than any of these.  Best of all, it is your own.

"Our vision for School name is to be outstanding and academic, to ready every learner for high school and beyond, and to promote citizenship in a democratic society."

*****

"Staff, students, parents and community will strive to provide a safe and challenging environment which creates an atmosphere of mutual respect and a strong foundation for life-long learning. Through excellence in academics and the use of technology, students will become responsible citizens and complex thinkers."

*****

" School name  is founded on the belief that the education of children is the shared responsibility of families, schools and communities.  We strive to provide a high quality, student-centered education program designed around compelling topics emphasizing the integration of the arts, science and technology.  Our learning environment will provide for multi-age grouping in a collaborative community that celebrates children’s natural curiosity in their quest for knowledge, wellness and service opportunities on their journey to the summit."

*****

"School name will inspire all students to achieve academic success and become responsible citizens."

Trojan Horses

Epeius would be proud.  Like his huge, hollow wooden  horse the public schools offer a well designed gift to homeschoolers.... the parent partnership programs.  Let's take a look at the" mission statements" for some of the local areas Parent Partnership Programs before we wheel them into our campsand call them, "homeschool."  If one is not careful, the gift could be the demise of all.  Perhaps it is wise to first look a gift horse in the mouth....

Looking at an organizations mission statement can show you a lot about the entity.  These programs often claim to "support" homeschooling.  They also claim to be in support of parents who desire to be overseers of their child's education.  Are they telling the truth?

The truth is that these programs cannot support home based education and like it or not, parents already ARE overseers of their children's education in matters related to schooling.  While the people managing these programs are wonderful people, while they are being homeschool friendly, some of them ex-homeschoolers themselves who really know the "ropes", one must not misinterpret this friendliness as support.  No. No. No.  Beware.  Like Epeius's Trojan Horse of old, it's a beautiful gifting to the homeschooling community... from the very entity that has always been opposed to homeschool. This "friendliness" of the public school is used as a catalyst for change. Let them into your family life as a homeschoolers and they will effectively change what you think and what you can and cannot do.


For example, The Deer Park Washington's HomeLink Parent Partnership Programs states:

"Deer Park Home Link is a Parent Partnership Program dedicated to serving the needs of families who have chosen to be their children’s primary educators. Our goal is to support – not to replace – the instruction done in the home. We believe that by drawing on the strengths and resources of both the home and the public school, we can offer an education that combines the best of both worlds."

 "Deer Park Home Link is a Parent Partnership Program dedicated to serving the needs of families who have chosen to be their children’s primary educators." 

  As a parent, being your child's primary educator is  not a "choice" that only some parents make and others do not. This role of teaching children face to face and hand to hand begins by a parent as soon as the child is born.  It is certainly flattering to the prospective parent to have the school officials exalting and affirming their  "choice." It may seem comforting to hear that the teachers at the school are dedicated to serving you and your needs, but it is merely flattery.  By the way, parents, all parents, ARE the  primary educators of their own children, period.  This is not some choice they make and it is not a designation pronounced upon "some" of the more special  parents by the school.  In fact, parents in school partnership programs are often referred to at high school graduations as learning coaches, or educational mentors, 
while the teachers have served as the "educators"

Parents, even those who are not potential prospects for these programs, who have not inquired about ":homeschooling" are the primary educators of their own kids.  They also have rights in matters concerning their children's well being in and out of schools.  And believe it or not, parents from all walks of life actually do care about and are involved in their children's education.  This is true whether they home educate or send their kids to either public or private school. 
 In some places parental involvement is it's called the PTA.

"Our goal is to support – not to replace – the instruction done in the home. "

This is, simply put, not true.  Let's remember... these programs are supposedly for "homeschoolers" and home based "instruction" is the term frequently used by schools to identify what homeschooling is and who is a homeschooler.   They say that they do  not want to replace the "instruction" going on in the home, as if they support you in your home based instruction, but they do not.  When you join the program your home based instruction becomes something completely different and IT IS REPLACED with public school.

Your instruction of your children is replaced with school goals and objectives and even religious material which the family might already be using as a honeschooler must go.   These programs only allow school district approved non-sectarian materials,  or at least they are supposed to. (Truth be told, there have been some serious discrepancies in the past.) Not only that... but the students time at home if they were previously homeschoioling MUST be replaced with some time being spent on a school campuses.

 This is not homeschooling and it's not anything done"support" of homeschooling.  These programs work to replace home based instruction with schooling based at the school.
Parents must even sign an affidavit when they enroll their kids, stating that they clearly under stand that they are  now enrolled in the public school.  

Home based instruction is done from the home with the parents in complete charge over decisions and curriculum and testing options.  These Parent Partnerships work hard to market to the homeschooling community and their goal is to replace home based instruction 
with public school based instruction, and yet they so  boldly assert that they do not replace it. 

Something is wrong with this approach.

"We believe that by drawing on the strengths and resources of both the home and the public school, we can offer an education that combines the best of both worlds."

"The best of both worlds" sounds good, but as you probably know, one cannot have their cake and eat it too.  No one can serve two masters, because either they will hate the one and love the other, or they will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  Either you homeschool, pubhlic school, or privaste school in Washington State to meet the compulsory education laws.  There is no provision to homeschool your kids and have the state pay for your homeschooling.  You cannot homeschool and take money to do it from the state.

And,  make no mistake, everything academically done by the student for credit whether done at home or school, is done to meet the goals, objectives and  requirements of the public school.  
These programs are full time public school if you are enrolled full-time in the program.

Essentially, by enticing parents to join calling what is being done "homeschool" and pretending to support "homeschooling" your local public school is  coopting the homeschool movement.

The East Valley Parent Partnership Mission Statement reads:

"Our mission is to partner with families by offering access to educational opportunities that enrich their child's learning experience.

East Valley Parent Partnership is a program designed to support homeschool families with enrichment classes and help with curriculum. East Valley believes in homeschooling and supports your decision to do so."

Our mission is to partner with families by offering access to educational opportunities that enrich their child's learning experience.

 Because of the Home Based Education Law,  homeschoolers can take a class at the school, they can participate in sports, band or even running start  without being enrolled in these partnership programs. (And can do so without the approval of the National Education Association too.)

Speaking of  "enrichment."  Did you know that the East Valley Schools get  $8,600.00 dollars for every student that enrolls in the program.  That's a bit of enrichment foe the district who only has to hace the student one day per week on compus.  Of course they offer to enrich the parent who signs their kid up too....  via reimbursements.  The program offers  $500.00 per student...as part of the incentive to get "homeschoolers" or potential homeschoolers, to join.  

(Is that per school year or per semester? Hmmm. better check on that.) 

 Do you have four kids?  Do the math.  That's $2,000.00. 

 However, in exchange for joining, you must stop your "home based instruction."  But don;t worry they will affirm you as a homeschooling parent anyhow... as they make you jump through all their hoops. 
You will not bite the hand that feeds you... will you?
Probably not.

 Students in Parent Partnership are required by law to spend time on campus, 
 take the WASL and  MSP, HSPE or EOC tests, and must have a have 
a WSLP and participate in the Core Curriculum too.  
You give up "home based instruction" to become a full-time East Valley school district involved..

"East Valley Parent Partnership is a program designed to support homeschool families with enrichment classes and help with curriculum. East Valley believes in homeschooling and supports your decision to do so."

One thing you can be certain of in the above statement is that the program is "designed."

  It's designed to stop home school and curb the homeschool movements notion that parents are qualified to educate their own children from home just as well, if not better than the public school.
It's designed to stop people from exercising their freedom to choose private or home school.
 It's designed to create or recapture lost revenue for schools.
It is also designed so that some ambitious parents can draw a paycheck (or financial reimbursement for "homeschooling" their own children) with government funding intended for public school.

East Valley Public School is a public school funded by the state and you can rest assured that public school cannot financially or philosophically "support" homeschooling any more than they could support private school.  The state does not have any jurisdiction to FUND a parent's decision to "homeschool."  in fact, if the school is receiving full funding for students that are "home schooled,"  then they are   breaking the law which states that "under no circumstances may a student
 who is receiving home-based instruction as defined in chapter 28A.225 RCW be reported as a full-time equivalent student for purposes of receiving state funds."

  These children and their parents are supervised, monitored, assessed, evaluated, and their work is documented by a certificated teacher employed by the school district or under contract.
Homeschooling, on the other hand, is parent directed and their homeschooled students
 are not under the direct supervision of the local school personnel. 

 Furthermore, there are homeschool support groups to support 
not just your decision to homeschool but state legislation that governs homer education laws, 
and they will tell you... Parent Partnerships are NOT homeschooling.

Bryant School's TEC program saysL

 Mission Statement:  Preparing students for life by fostering
academic achievement.

Motto: One Student At A Time

No comment.

In MEad there is the MEPP Parent Partnership.  Their mission statement reads:

"MEPP East is a Mead School District Parent Partnership Program designed to serve parents who want to be the primary educators of their children. Teachers and parents work together to design an education specifically suited to each child...with a combination of educational activities and clubs as well as off-site courses. The site-based classes are designed according to parent input and reflect the needs of our particular families. We honor parents and partner with them to provide support."

"MEPP East is a Mead School District Parent Partnership Program designed to serve parents who want to be the primary educators of their children. "

This program, like Deerp Park and others, is designed too. 
 It's designed to serve those parents who want to be the "primary educators" of their kids....

"Teachers and parents work together to design an education specifically suited to each child...with a combination of educational activities and clubs as well as off-site courses. The site-based classes are designed according to parent input and reflect the needs of our particular families. We honor parents and partner with them to provide support."

Parent partnership programs might like families, but they do not work to foster or support the homeschooling movement.  If you desire homeschool support, contact a national or state or local homeschool support organization, like the Home School Legal Defense association or the Washington Homeschool Organization.  Get in touch with the Christian Homeschool Network of Washington.  They will not be able to give you money to spend like the school apparently does, but they will defend your right to make educational choices for your family, including your ability to present your homeschooled student with a diploma for the work they accomplish and the use of religious curriculum
 in doing so if you'd like.

At Five Mile Prarie Parent Partnership in Mead, they tell us :

 "We collaborate with parents to customize education in order to prepare students for life's responsibilities, challenges, and opportunities. 

Vision Statement: We strive to provide an academically challenging, safe, and supportive learning environment for our most cherished resource, the children, while recognizing parents as their primary educators. Our learning community is committed to supporting the diversity of interests and abilities of all students in achieving their academic goals. We are committed to impart the love of learning to each child.
 Goals:  

1. Continually explore and develop learning activities designed to enrich student learning. 

2. Utilize curricula that improves each student's performance as measured by assessments. 

3. Provide staff and parents with learning opportunities that enhance their ability to instruct students. 

4. Create opportunities for the homeschool community to interact and support one another."

"Create opportunities for the homeschool community to interact and support one another."

 Hardly.

What they are doing is drawing families out of home-based education into public school and inviting those people to create their own support group within and in support of the public school program .  The autrocity here is not that these parents choose a public school for their kids.... they can do that if they wish.  It is not that the parents get an offer of money or special classes dangled before them enticing them to join.  it is not even the fact that some parents get paid to work in the programs and then recruit others.   The autrocity is that the schools often call participants "homeschoolers" and the program "HOMESCHOOL" programs.
This needs to end.

Anyone in these parent partnership programs who is an adult reciving money should realize that they do a terrible disservice to the Washington State Homeschool Law by calling this program "home school" and by telling others that they are "homeschooling" in the parent partnership program, (unless they are only part time enrolled.)  This is because they are in public school and not under home based instruction law... which is "homeschooling."   Let it be known that public school is tighly linked to the National Education Association, (NEA)  and for the last 30 years the  National Education association had dispised homeschooling.  
Funny to think that now the schools "support" homeschooling.... don;t you think?

Even today in 2014, the NEA Resolution B-83 stand against not only parents as the "primary educators" 

of their own children, but they demand that children be sent to public schools.  In the case of parents "homeschooling" the NEA demands that "only state approved corriculum be used."
This is what is taking place in your parent partnership program. 

 Unbeknownst to some of the individuals who promote Parent Partnerships as ":homescvhooling" or as "homeschool enrichment" they are playing  right into the fowlers snare.  If the NEA  supporters  have their way, the freedom to homeschool that we have under Washington law would disappear 

and the parent partnership concept would replace it.

Parent Partnerships are on a mission to seek willing participants who will change what homeschooling looks like from the inside out.  They call it homeschooling, but their goal is not to empower you to do home based education, nor to support it legislatively, nor to defend your right as a parent to "home educate" your kids.  Rather they intend to get you on board with them, control what you teach and supervise your in all you do.... as you answer to them.

It's high time to realize what these Parent Partnerships are.... supervised, alternative, NEA-sponsored-public school....  done PARTLY in the home.   To the homeschooling community, they come as a "gift" from the school.

They are a Trojan Horse.

Jesus Christ In First Place

"God is blessing the homeschool movement. This is not because people are homeschooling for the sake of homeschooling; rather, they are homeschooling for the glory and honor of God. If parents and homeschool leaders ever relegate Jesus Christ to second place, the movement will begin to falter."

Christopher Klicka, Homeschool Heroes, 

Home Based School Is Like.....

Homeschooling, where parents actively choose to educate their children instead of sending them to public or private school, is done for a variety of reasons.  Sometimes it is for religious reasons, sometimes because of dissatisfaction with the educational options available, or educational philosophies, and sometimes it is because the children, for whatever reason, are not progressing within the traditional school structure.  Whatever your reason to homeschool, it might help you to know that home based school is like.... a home based buisness.

Like a home buisness, your home school is your buisness.  It is yours to manage and create.   Homeschooling is how you, as a parent, run your home school and educate your own children and it is as individual as your family which is why someone else can seldom tell you "How to homeschool." Just as a business begins with an idea, homeschooling begins when you assess where you are and where you want to go... you might say, when you catch the vision of what your homeschool could be like.

Just as in a home based buisness, no one tells the buisness owner when to start work or how to do the work that needs to be done the homeschool parent is in charge with what takes place at home school. The homeschooling parent is a little like the proverbial ant, who, with no guide, overseer, or ruler, "provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest."

In home based buisness, the owner creates a workspace that is enjoyable to them, and sets a pace that works for them and their clientele.   In a home school, you create your learning environments for your own kids and workspace all one your own.  You start and stop school according to your own schedule.  You select and pyuurchase your own materials, you set your goals, you shoot for high outcomes, you then cover the materials that you know you need to cover because you are a responsible mananger of your home school.  A business owner works hard to see a good outcome in their undertakings, and homeschoolers do too.

Just as in a home based buisness, as a homeschooler it is wise to create a strong team of people helping you.  Your team consists of the support and assistance of your spouse as well as other homeschoolers who can leand advice from time to tiem.  Your support comes also from choosing good curriculum, utilizing books and other rescourse, and of course, finding a method and rythm of "school" that works best for your children and you.  You will hand select lessons, activities and even possibly appoint and hire tutors or join in classes taught by others to support your homeschooling efforts.  Just as in a home based buisness, it is important to make certain that members of your team are working with you, not against you in your efforts... the same is true with homeschool.

A home buisness entreprenuer might have a home office, but they often meet with clients or might also choose to sometimes work outside of the home.  Likewise, homeschoolers do not have to do all their learning at home in a school room.   A lot of learning that takes place in homeschooling tends to come from experiences in the outside world.  There are visits to the grocery store, bakery or post office. There are libraries, museums, parks, friends houses and... yes, the occasional coffeeshop to which students can cart their books and study or discuss reading content over hot cocoa with mom or dad. Some homeschoolers even read books or practice for quizzes while traveling in the car, much like home based entreprenuers do.   Home based buisnesses like home based schools are based in the home, but not all they do is necessarily done "at home."

But there are some diffeences....

The rewards in home education is not monetary like in  a home based business.  In fact, in WA, parents are required by law to finance their own home-based education, so, like a home-based buisnessses, you do well to keep your costs to a minumum.   Homeschoolers can keep costs low by smart shopping at stores, on the internet and at homeschool conventions and used corriculum sales, even by havoing friends eho share their books or microscopes.  Homeschooling doesn't bring in the dollars, but it certainly makes sense!

Homeschooling has regulations to follow, (At least in WAshington, which is one of the strictest taates in which to homeschool.  Buisnesses have regulaions too.  In WA, parents must meet certain legal criteria to homeschool, and then they have obligations of educating their children too.  They must either have a college degree or take a homeschool qualifying course.  They must file yearly intent forms to declare they are homeschooling.  They are required to cover 11 specific school related subject areas and required do yearly testing, of their own selection from a list of state approved tests, (and note, these records are kept by the parent, not the school.) Essentially, parents are the keepers and managers of what they do.  How one home-schools, what they do to fulfill the requirements is up to the manangers of the homeschool.

The most important thing to remember is that homeschooling, does not have look anything like traditional "school" anymore than a home based buisness is required to look like a Walmart store. Homeschooling is your family's personal endeavor.  It is required by state law that your children are educated, and as a parent, you need to see to it that they are.  If they are not enrolled in  some type of school by the age of eight, you are subject to penalties of law.  It is up to you as the individual parent to comply with compulsory education laws.

Many people associate the notion of homeschooling with being religious or even "Christian," but don't be fooled. Homeschooling is not just a Christian concept. It's universal in scope, an extention of what a parent has already been doing since the time their child was born. Kids who homeschool, come from all walks of life and home based education exists because it is the right of a parent to take their child out of school and help them and direct and plan their learning in ways the parents think best.

Home based school is a lot like running your own home based buisness, only it's cooler because you get to do it with and for your kids.

Parents or the United Nations Social Workers?

“The question is, who should make critical decisions regarding the care and raising of children who have disabilities? Their parents or United Nations social workers? “There is no need for the CRPD, as our nation’s state and federal laws already protect our precious loved ones with disabilities. It is outrageous that U.S. senators would support a treaty that surrenders U.S. sovereignty and family integrity to unelected UN bureaucrats.”

-J. Michael Smith, President of the Homeschool Legal Defense Association

Human Events article 

Learning in Freedom

Mark Twain, the famous author, once said,
"The man who does not read books has no advantage over the man that can not read them." 

Ignorance takes many forms.

Some people think going to school is what makes people smart.  Little do they know, school can get in the way of an education.  For this reason among others, many people over the years have returned to the concept of homeschool as a means of educating their children. However homeschooling is not always approved of and for a long time, not sending your children to school, or taking them out of school was illegal.  People pushed limits and laws to homeschool and pushed legislators to make home school legal and make homeschool laws.  People worked hard to make it possible for parents to choose private schools as well.

Fact was, parents had a right to make decisions about education  for their kids.  Fact was, parents did educate their own children at  home with great results.  Due to public demand, and facts that proved their points, statesmen began to work voting on legislation to ensure a parents freedom to homeschool.

The idea caught on like a roaring river.   Everyone was "homeschooling."  It became the IN thing to do.  Even public schools began marketing themselves to whose who had this ideology of homeschooling.   Washington State law guaranteed homeschooling as a separate entity from both public and private school.  Parents directed the learning of their own children applied their own philosophy of education too.  Homeschooled students had access to military and colleges.  They made use of programs allowing 16 yr olds to enter colleges and get dual diplomas and AA degrees by the age of eighteen and were able to take the GED too.  (Not that it is necessary to do GED, you can award a diploma.)

Recently, I read an article which declared,"homeschooling, as an ideology, has simply run it's course."  Not only that, but the author made it a point to tell school officials that parents with their desire to teach their own from  home were nothing for the public schools to worry about.  Did you know public school teachers and principals lay awake at night worrying about homeschool?  Apparently they can sleep a little easier now because the river of homeschooling ideology that was once running free has been dammed.

Maybe what concerned them was that with the WA Home School Laws, Laws governing Home Based Education, the local public school essentially lost the right to criminalize those who didn't send their kids to them for education.  The article stated that school officials needn't worry...  the homeschooling movement is, he declared, done.  It's finished.  It is no more.  The  main reason for this, he said, was that there homeschooling was no longer just for those free thinking, 1960's, love-child, Jesus-freak and "hippy"-type, sometimes religious... wacko's and antidisestablishmentarianists  that it started from.  Homeschooling had gone, what he called "mainstream."  No longer did homeschoolers flow against the current of public school, in his opinion,  they were joining forces.

It's true.  People "partner" with the schools and mistakenly, (usually due to the schools misinformation to students and parent,)  think they are 'homeschooling" or participating in the "homeschool program" at the school.  It's professionally marketed to them that way too.  This too is part of the "homogenization." The purity of the concept of a home education has been clouded, even removed from their mind.  They like the money offered, they feel more confident partnering with schools.  Their friends are doing it.  Maybe there are too many unknowns, or so  it seems... when like a pioneer of yesteryear or some famous knowledge explorer you are embarking into the unfamiliar territory of home based instruction for your own child.  Parent partnerships feel like home, so people join them without even thinking too hard about it.

“Far from failing in its intended task, our educational system is in fact succeeding magnificently because its aim is to keep the American people thoughtless enough to go on supporting the system.” ― Richard Mitchell
It takes a certain conviction about something for a parent to choose to homeschool.   What convinced me, may not be the same thing that convinced or convinces you, but were both convinced that homeschooling is the way to do for our families, and so we file a Declaration of Intent form  (DOI) This declaration form that is filed goes completely by the wayside when the student is enrolled, full time, in public school.  It means no more, but in many cases it was the filing of this form that made the student eligible for the alternative learning program at the school.

This making people file DOI forms with an intent to homes for the purpose of actually putting them into the program at the local public school, asking them to wait for a period of time before actually enrolling in a PPP is a deception.  It misleads the parent into thinking that the school is offering a homeschooling program.  This is only covering up the parent partnership for what it really is... alternative school... and in the mind of school officiates, alternatives school is school for public school "drop outs." Additionally, high enrollment rates in these "homeschool programs" if they are called that, serves to tell the NEA that they were right... and the parents who want to homeschool...they were wrong, because, you see, all these parents in the programs agree.  They need the help from experts at the school.

This is a travesty people.

Public school parent partnerships are NOT homeschooling.  They tell you they are not home based education, but home based education IS HOME SCHOOL in WA.  These partnerships are extensions of the public school now operating within a private home.  If it's your home, then it's probably your kitchen table.  You now answer to them for what your teach in your own home.  The two, home school and public school are completely different beasts.

It's weird.  "Homeschooling," is like some strange designer insignia on clothing, something viewed with prestige. Everybody wants to wear the ideology of teaching their own children on their sleeve. "I am a homeschooler," they all shout.   Have you ever seen two parents, one who homeschooling and one in a parent partnership, debating the issue of what homeschooling is and who a homeschooler is and isn't.  It can become a heated topic of discussion.

It reminds me of the two woman arguing before King Solomon who both wanted to be the mother of the living child.  (1 Kings 3:16-28)  Solomon knew a way to determine the true mother of the child.  He knew one would desire to ensure that her beloved child would live.  Solomon was right.  One mother didn't really care if the child lived or if he died, the other desired nothing but for it to live.  Likewise, as people argue about who is a honeschooler and who is not, or even what constitutes "home school" there is a way to tell:  See who supports and cares about protecting and defending the current homeschool law.  The one who does, is.  The one who doesn't isn't.  (Like the woman in the story, they's be happy to see it torn into two and disappear.)

Homeschooling parents do not write to legislators asking for funding for homeschool programs at the school.  It is illegal for schools to fund home based school.  Homeschoolers do not work side by side in some kind of partnership with the public school and they do not have their curriculum paid for by the tax payers of their state.  They do not school their children in every subject under the direct supervision of teachers at the local school.  They even have no requirement to meet or attend classes on any school campuses ever! Homeschoolers are learning in freedom.

Homeschoolers are exempt from the WASL and Core Curriculum testing too.  Their school is done at home with their teacher, the parent, who is also director, not merely a learning mentor or educational coach. Homeschoolers can use religious materials for credits given towards a diploma, send their kids on to colleges, and their homeschooled students may join the military too.

You might say homeschooling is just one little real-time exercise among many in what "freedom" looks like and truly is.

A brief narrative description of the journal article, document, or resource.

What Your Child Needs To Know... When

What Must Your Child Learn?

Washington Schools posts a helpful page for parents about understanding of what your child should be learning each year of schooling from Kindergarten until Grade Ten.   For some reason grades 11 and 12 do not exist.

 Read it here in lots of different languages too.

I have slightly modified their text in order to write about it, but for example, in Kindergarten... which is listed here even though children are not required to enroll in school until age eight, (about third grade,) your child will learn:

WRITING
• Knows that an audience exists outside of self and understands writing has different purposes
• be able to analyze ideas, select topics and add details to stories and narrations
• Know and apply spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar and paragraphing appropriate to the
grade level as all kindergartners should.

MATH
• Begin to develop basic notions of numbers and be able to use numbers to think about objects and the world around them  (also known as "learning to count")
• Learns what it means to add and subtract by joining and separating sets of objects
• Learns to describe attributes of geometric shapes, such as triangles, rectangles and circles

READING
• Recognizes, understands and applies concepts of print and sounds (Alphabet?)
• Expands oral language skills and gains meaningful vocabulary for reading (letter sounds)
• Demonstrates comprehension by responding in different ways when listening to or viewing text of all kinds (follows directions and can understand the sequence of things...(the beginning middle end of a story)
• Shows interest in a variety of books

SCIENCE
• Learns that scientific investigations involve  trying to answer questions by making observations or
trying things out
• Learns to use simple tools (e.g., pencils, scissors) and materials (e.g., paper, tape, glue and cardboard) to solve problems in creative ways
• Learns about the properties of liquids and solids, objects seen in the sky and the needs of plants and animals

For Kindergarten, that's what the schools have listed as the learning standard.... and Kindergarten is not even "required" by law.... neither is first and second grade.

By the Tenth Grade it gets a little tougher:

WRITING
• Writes for a variety of audiences and purposes, including persuading and explaining
• Analyzes ideas, selects a manageable topic and elaborates using specific, relevant details and/or examples
• Knows and applies spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar and paragraphing appropriate to the grade level

MATH (GEOMETRY)
• Formalizes geometrical experiences from earlier grades and uses more precise definitions in developing proofs
• Develops the concepts of congruence and similarity and applies right triangle trigonometry
• Connects algebraic formulas to geometric concepts in order to analyze, model and solve real-world problems

READING
• Shows awareness of vocabulary and comprehension strategies used, especially when encountering
difficult text and/or reading for a specific purpose
• Shows greater ability to make connections and adjust understandings as knowledge is gained
• Continues to increase academic vocabulary

SCIENCE
• Learns to construct sophisticated system models, including the concepts of subsystems, boundaries, flows and feedbacks
• Extends and refines understanding of the nature of inquiry and ability to formulate questions, propose
hypotheses and design, conduct and report on investigations
• Learns that cells have complex molecules and structure that enable them to carry out life functions such as photosynthesis

So... after reading this about your state's learning standards, do you as a parent have any apprehension about you being your own child's primary teacher and being able to provide a great education if you decide you want to homeschool?

A superior help for understanding what to teach when is this.

For Kindergarten

For Tenth Grade

For Twelfth

For The Love of Money

Children, of all ages, from all walks of life inevery neighborhood are "forced"  to go to school, yes FORCED to attend... even  "dangerous schools."   They will even take your kids as early as the age of four if you will let them.  Kids, your kids, are after all, their livelihood and their business... and business is money.   It's a symbiotic relationship.  School teachers, school officials and school personnel want your kids in their school.

Lets remember that all too often, parents are not given a say in what teacher their child has all day or what kids are influencing them at school.  If you live in a certain school district and are of a certain age, (and if your parents have not made other arrangements, like private or homeschool,) then you, as a kid,  MUST go to that particular local public school... and only to the school in the district you are in.... no other.   There are exceptions of course... but it is a rule.  It leave one to wonder what it would be like if you were told that the only store you could ever shop from was the one nearest to your home or for that matter, designated to you by a state official?

Thank God for homeschooling.  However, beware.  When you homeschool, schools lose potential money and money, you know is an indispensable commodity in public education.  This is one major reason why schools, generally speaking, do not like it when people choose to homeschool.  When you do, the school looses that $10,000.00 (or so) per child they would otherwise have and they hate to loose the money.

To regenerate the money lost, the schools have created a way to make that money back by creating  partnership programs like the Spokane Valley Learning Academy, Northstar School, Homelink and TEC to share the wealth they regain per student with parents who enroll.  The call it homeschooling to attract people, but it's not homeschooling it's public school. The big draw for many people is the money offered them if hey join the program.  This is not homeschooling.  These programs are not homeschooling, they are public school.

"This notion that the children belong to the state, that their education must be provided for by the state … is inimical at every step to liberty.” – J. Gresham Machen

Parents... some of them,have been grossly mislead.  Product of "public school" themselves, they have adopted the same notion.... that school administrators and teachers always know more than parents do about kids. They falsely believe that the only way to get an education is the public school.  Some have  no idea that here in Washington, children are not even required to attend a public school until the age of 8, because no one working at the school told them this when they inquired about starting school.  More kids in school, means more money for the school and you can bet your school wants money.  If you want to homeschool, but find yourself enticed by these programs, is it because you want money too?

According to a report by National Public Radio, the amount of money spent publicly educating one child in the US is, on average, about  $10,000.00 dollars per year.  That's a good chunk of money, but even at that rate, you can bet that $10,000.00 is not enough to ppurchase books and pay teachers, after all, your local school is always asking for more.  In comparison, homeschooling is much more cost effective, and with great results.  It does not even drive the National Deficit higher, because people are not taking money from Uncle Sam.

The main funding resource for schools is property taxes.  But there are many ways that schools get funding besides taxation.   They will be happy to take your money through any means, including stock and bonds, formula assistance monies, teachers monthly payroll deductions, special federal grants, lottery ticket purchases, and charitable contributions .  Yes, and according to Turbo Tax, your contributions to the public school, are tax-deductible. Visa, MasterCard, Discover, they'll take it all.

You can safely wager that he who contributes big to the school will be the ont to drive the proverbial "school bus" in return. Big money pulls a lot of strings that make the puppet move.  Contributors can pretty much tell the school what to teach, what to test, how to administrate, what to say, and at the very least, they get free publicity, for being a school hero and "contributing" to the schools.  For this reason, there is a lot of contributing going on,   Contributions to public schools is so common that your public school is not as public as you might think.

It used to be that school was a parent teacher affair, but these days, big business is actually  invited by the local schools to partner with them, to get their hands in the not just the raising and educating of children, but in "contributing" (a,k,a,) controlling and manipulating your supposedly locally organized public school in exchange for....money.  Schools get money, buisnesses get noteriety with parents and influence over growing youth and everyone is happy.  And make no mistake, businesses and corporations dole out big money to the education system, both for tax purposes and for control. When it comes to public education and governmental funding there is always all sorts of financial "string" attached.

But in all fairness, let's be fair here.  Not everyoe does something to get money or noteriety in return.  When it comes to schools, some people donate money, others donate their time and servoces, and it just isn;t fair to make it look as if everyone does it to get something in return.  Let's fac it, people notonly participate, but donate to public schools for a myriad of reasons.

Some do so because they believe they are doing good for kids... making their neighborhood strong, building  up community, contributing to the prosperity of future generations.  People have been brought up to believe that schools are the fginal authority of how to eduate kids.  But let's not hide our heads in the sand and not realize that when it comes to schools we ar talking big money and thought control.  There are in fact many who look to the schools as an income and livelihood, a means of investing and making money as well as taking a tax break and gaining public recognition, or even control.... by donating to the school's 501 3c .

The sad part is that schools, while they are managing millions of dollars, have people thinking they always lack funds.  While putting forth the notion that they are in need and are deserving of your financial charity they force you via law, to put your kids in school run by paid personnel, some of them, paid quite well.  And lyou can rest assured that the nice person running your local Parent Partnership Program,  as well as those who work in the programs, get paid for promoting the programs according to the programs success.  They want you to join, because it helps create their jobs.

When it comes to public funded education, parents are expected, not only to turn over their kids, but to answer to teacher who know better than they do.... who have been trained in important things, like Core Curriulum.... and then they are also expected to allow the school calendar dictate their lives and vacations for years on end.  Then, after giving their kids over to school and paying high property taxes, they must also endure the never ending message that school needs more funds.

Do you know anyone who has sent out their kids out to sell gift wrap and other items to friends and neighbors to help support the needy charity of the local public school?  Have you seen or been handed a supplies list from a local school or classroom?  The sad part is that the school supplies are not for the child of the parents pmaking the purchases.  No.  How dare you think they might be for your child to use.  Items brought to school by the child are not to be marked with ythe child's name because they do not belong to the child.  They are a donation of are "community" supplies.

Children do not even have an opportunity to share thier personal school items with others because nothing belongs to them.  Everything is school property, "community property" and you as a parent are expected to provide it, even school basics, like pencils and paper rulers and protractors.... those basic tools of the teaching trade.  If not pencils and paper, rulers,  dry erase markers and textbooks, it makes you wonder what your taxes pay for in public education.

Public school is not a charity.  Public school is not a charity run by benevolent volunteers. It's workers are public servants doing a public service, and while they might love kids andenjoy their job, they are government paid.  This is why people call it "government school."   Public school is a government funded venture, one that you support as a citizen of this country, whether you have kids or not, wehether you currently use the schools or not.  This is not to say that tax support of a good public education system is a bad idea...  but it is to say that the public education system is never satisfied with money and it is not the only means of educating kids.

But in today's world, if the young parent inquires at the school about homeschooling they are not directed to a homeschool organization.  No.  They are told that there is a nice little program that supports homeschooling and homeschool parents through the school.  Why?

Because they make money.  You can too... but first you need to understand that you are not under the Revised Code of Washington that exists to make homeschooling egal and even possible in Washington state. The schools program has some rules and regulations, some requirements for joining, but if you will join,  you'll reap the financial benefit of them sharing their money allotment for the enrollment of your student with you!

You may not realize it, but if you join thee programs, and think that you are "homeschooling" you basically conceed that ...  parents just cannot "homeschool" without help from the local school.  You also may not realize that you now "partner" with the very entity that would gladly repeal our Washington state homeschool law that empowers parents to educate from home.  These Alternative education programs are not "homeschooling." They are a tempatation and a snare that is easy for people  to fall into when they want to homeschool but feel that they lack the confidence to actually do it... or when they desire to curcumvent the regular classrooms offered at schools and fund their child's personal education... and are willing to compromise whatever it takes to do so.

Parents joining in these programs, like the Deer Prk area's HomeLink for example,  have been snared into something other than "Home Based Education" or  "Home School."  They have been lassoed into a partnership with schools instead of partnering with other homeschooling parents and organizations.  enrolling fuull time in public alternative education is not even akin to enroling your child in the local public school down the street.  Parent who enroll kids in regular public school down the street are at leat are their own child's best advocates whle the children attend school, meanwhile partnering parents are submitting themselves and their families to the school personnel and decisions... for they are working for the schools in their homes.  Some even get paid for making these programs work and recruiting others.  (All teacher's slaries as well as aides can be viewed publicially. Know anyone promoting Parent Partnerships to homeschoolers?  Type in their name, see if they are getting paid. )

The schools offered to fund partnering parent's personal prefererences of textbooks and sctivites for theier kids in exchange for enrollment full time in the public school.  Of course, over time, changes had to be made bcause the schools were not being responsible in how they presented themselves or what they were spending money on.

Apparently, these programs are not intended to fund  religious materials  nor can religious materials be legally counted for "credit" in obtsaing a  public high school diploma.   Abeka MATH is banned.
Perhaps you have seen how Timberdoodle Company is now going religious free, and therefore is able to be marketed to public schools?  ("Smart buisness move," you think?  Or is it just the love of money making this decisive move?)

There is no doubt that many parents in partnership that call themselves" homeschoolers "feel like they are getting a great deal... the best of both worlds...as some would contend, as if two different masters could be equally served.  Choosing their own teaching materials from district approves lists, writing reimbursment requests, these parents pocket a few bucks earmarked for public education and work to meet school district goals and objectives with their own kids at home.  It's not "home school," and they are not homeschoolers.  Homeschoolers can use religious or secular materials and they make their own lists.  They can even legally use an Abeka MATH book if they want to.

Parent partnership programs have paid for ski lift tickets, horseback riding lessons, piano lessons and dance classes, all submitted by participating parents of course, at the directive of those running the program and receiving their requests.  Some parents in the program even get paid for teaching a class or two.  Meanwhile families in your neighborhood struggle to buy  donate... pencils and crayons to be shared in our poor money deprived classrooms and pay for expenditures like band instruments in regular public school.

Proud of getting some financial reimbursement from good ol' Uncle Sam, honored at the thought of "coaching" or "mentoring" their child through all the requirements of public school, (note: The state does not recognize these parents as "teachers," unless they are certified.) program participants love what they are doing and embrace the Trojan Horse.  Enamoured with the word "homeschool" in the presentation of the public school program,  mesmerized by all the lovely offerings of the school and school personnel, thier thinking is clouded.  They seldom realize that beforepartnering with the school and entering their children on a full-time basis they must give up their "intent" to actually participate in home based school.

Home based school, or "Home School"  is equal under the law in regards to compulsory attendance, and yet very different than Public School and Private School.  Parents are teacher to their children both in and out of schools.  Homeschooling parents have special role, once they agree to meet certain criteria.  As teachers of their own kids, they are free to use any corriculum they want to and use their own philosophy of education too.  We have a Home Based Education Law in Washington, whereby parents can legally HOME SCHOOL their kids independently; not independant of the law.... but independant of the local public or private school.

When it comes to homeschooling, the botton liine is this:

Do not let the love of money be the detrmining factor in what you do.

Recommended reading:
Forbes.com  Opinion of Bill Flax
Love, With Some Strings Attached by Lee Binz
What Is it with Homeschoolers and Money?

H-O-M-E-S-C-H-O-O-L. What Does That Spell? Homeschool!

H-O-M-E-S-C-H-O-O-L or H-O-M-E  S-C-H-O-O-L?
What's the proper spelling?
What does the word even mean?

Ask a different person and get a different answer.... or so it seems. But not everybody knows what they are talking about because they have no done their research or maybe they just do not care...9 they like the word and the concept of homeschool and no matter what, want to apply it to everything and anything....liberally.  If you want to know what homeschool is, the first place to look for answers and information is with your state's homeschool organizations.

In Washington, we see the word spelled in different ways and we also see it presented in differing applications. This is a problem for the homeschoolers in our state. If anyone needs to know what homeschooling is and isn't, homeschoolers must know for sure, and they should not let public schools or private schools steal the name of the type of education they are doing. This is because there are three ways in our state to comply with state compulsory education laws: PUBLIC SCHOOL, PRIVATE SCHOOL, and you guessed it, HOME SCHOOL...( aka homeschool or homeschooling.)  While it's a word homogenized into our culture, it's does in fact have a specific meaning.

Begin your research into what homeschool is with the Washington Homeschool Organization, After all, with the word "homeschool" in their name, and 29 years of being a homeschool organization in the state, the people being this name, ought to know. They are not run by the state, but do represent a large part of Washington's diverse homeschooling families. WHO, as it is called, has a long history of hosting homeschooling conventions, offers free information to homeschool interested families and runs a website where information on homeschooling can be found.  They even have representatives all over the state in various cities who volunteer their time and energy who will talk with you about homeschool, offer support in figuring our what works for you and direct you to other reputable sources and resources for homeschooling your family. In our state, you will find various other homeschooling organizations and support groups, but a bit of advice here, steer clear of programs offered in the in the public schools. What they offer people is NOT homeschool.

Another homeschool organization is the Christian Homeschool Network of Washington. Sometimes shortened to CHNOW.  CHNOW actively lobbies in Olympia on behalf of all homeschool families (whether they are "Christian" or not.)  Mrs. DiAnna Brannan, who works as a volunteer is a registered lobbyist in WA state and she knows homeschooling well. A former home-based educator herself, she knows her stuff and works year round watching educational bills that go through Olympia.  She alerts families and locally oriented homeschool support groups when new legislation arises in our state that both negatively or positively affect homeschool related issues.  With stringent homeschool law as we have in Washington, this is an important resource for homeschoolers to support.
Another organization that has a lot of experience and homeschool expertise is the Home School Legal Defense Association.  This is a non-profit, national, homeschool advocacy group that legally defends homeschoolers in court when they face conflicts with state or local officials over homeschooling matters.  As a homeschooler, (check your state's specific homeschool laws and requirements,) you may purchase a membership with this organization.  As a member, you have an advocate that you can call for free legal advice or even to represent you in an otherwise costly courtroom if the need be.  This group watches and tracks federal legislation and works to ensure freedom and advocate for the rights of parents in every state.

A little bit of Washington's homeschool history here... Homeschool or Home School in WA is an education independent of both public and private school. It actually stands on it's own merit. It is not usually associated with either private or public school, though there are sometimes part-time homeschoolers who will participate in our public and private schools for either academic classes or sports. There is to be a clear distinction made between public and home-based school, because homeschooled students, like private schooled students are legally not to be funded by the monies of the state.

Like home-based businesses, home-based school is self contained. A homeschooling parent is the accountant and purchaser over their own expenditures. They also act as director of their own affairs and decide their own curriculum. They act as teacher, appoint tutors and learning coaches for their students and as the teacher they also creates their own home-based learning atmosphere. The home based instructors give assignments, administers or oversees all quizzes and tests, tracks the students progress in their own way, arranges for field trips and lets the kids go out for recess... and this after making the family lunch. And note this, a homeschool parent of a student who is receiving home-based instruction may award a homeschool diploma and send that student off to college too. Homeschooled students can take the G.E.D or even take a class or two, like calculus or honors English offered in a local public school if space is available.

There are some things that homeschooling is not.

Homeschcooling is not what a parent does after school hours with a child who attends a public school all day each day of the week as required by state law. That would be called helping the child with homework. Every parent helps their children with homework from time to time, but doing schoolwork at home is not "homeschool." Despite what some school officials will tell you, homeschool is not closely associated with the local public school. It is however legitimized by laws signed into effect by our state governor and homeschoolers are required to submit what is called a DOI form yearly to the superintendent of their schools.

Homeschooling is not what a parent does at the kitchen table with a child who is enrolled as a full time student in a local parent partnership program or alternative education program. The parent in these situations is being an educational mentor or coach. The learning mentor, (usually a parent, but this could be another person as well,) works closely with the student on lessons at home, but is under the direct oversight and supervision of an assigned public and accredited school teacher and must follow all the rules of the Washington Administrative Code, (WAC) just like every other public school and student is. Parent Partnership Programs are not homeschooling. this is public school, accomplished off campus, off site... at home. In contrast, homeschoolers are not governed by the WAC in what they do.

Homeschooling is not simply to be considered an alternative eduction. Homeschooling is not something parents individually make up to be whatever they want it to be. There are guidelines, requirements and rules, and in a state with strict laws like we have in Washington, it is important that parents are in compliance, abiding with legal requirements as well as feeling confident and protected by the law that declares home school as a means to fulfill the compulsory education law. 

In WA, a student MUST be enrolled in a public school,private school, or be legally receiving home-based instruction once they turn eight years of age. It's the law. Most people register their kids for school at the age of 5 for kindergarten, but it is not required that a child attend school in WA until he or she is eight. If you are a parent homeschooling a child younger than 8 you need not register at any school or file a DOI with the superintendent's office until their birthday, but do not be late.

Sometimes people like to say that Washington parents have choice in education, but compulsory school attendance laws proves them wrong; parents are forced to enroll children in the school. If you have no financial means to send your children to private school or if you have no will to utilize the home based instruction law and fund your children's education on your own, then you have only one option: public school.  Families that legally provide their own kid's education do have flexibly, but first they must opt out of public school and to do this they pay a financial penalty of paying both the property taxes that support public education and whatever their private school or home school financing requires. This is much different that simply choosing what "educational option" you prefer.

For homeschooling families who have worked hard to maintain professionalism in how they fund and manage their home-based schools, and who work publicly to make it possible for other parents in our state to be the home-based managers over all aspects of their own children's education, and do it well, the word "homeschool' is important.  It is not simply some generic term synonymous with homework, or a learning situation offered at the local public school.  

Homeschool, however you spell it, has a special meaning of it's own.