Homeschooling in CA

[Vespertina]

Anyone homeschool and live in CA? We'll likely be moving out to San Diego in the summer. I've heard from a couple people that I won't be able to homeschool without a teacher's certification. Is this true? That seems to conflict with what I've read and been told by others.

[ChildoftheMoon]

You do not need a teacher's cert.

You have many options in CA. You can sign up with a charter or do it on your own....... If you do it all on your own, you only have to fill out an R-4 form once a year establishing your private school. This is a simple form submitted online, just a formality. Then you can do what you want!
This is an outline of your options for CA: http://californiahomeschool.net/howT...CHNJTF2010.pdf

We have been happily homeschooling in CA for over five years now, we do it on our own........ lots of freedom!
Good luck and welcome to California

[Lillian J]

It's amazing how much misinformation floats around about CA homeschooling - it's one of the best places for independent homeschooling! You'll love it.

Maybe some of the confusion comes from the fact that "homeschooling" is not addressed in the law - but people have been homeschooling independently by way of the private school option for decades. You establish your own private school with not a whole lot more effort than snapping your fingers - and you file an affidavit with the state to let them know the school exists. Private school teachers are not required to have a teaching credential - there are private schools all over the place with teachers who are not certified.

Some confusion may also be from publicity about a crazy court case that was later settled in favor of homeschooling - some who were not in CA at the time may never heard the positive outcome: California Homeschoolers Win Landmark Case.

If you were to want to use the Tutoring option instead, that's when a certificate is required - but that's just something that's mainly used in cases where children are working in something like the film industry or sports, where a teacher would come in and tutor them in their spare time. That option does have certain hours specified for tutoring - just to protect children from exploitation and not having to be tutored late at night or something.. But the Private School option has no such requirements.

Here's another site for finding out all about CA homeschooling:
HSC, HomeSchool Association of California Here's the page with information on the Private School Option.

Lillian

[oceanbaby]

Ditto to the two previous posters. We homeschool legally and easily in CA without any certification.

[Vespertina]

Thank you, ladies! We look forward to moving back.

[Lisalee2]

We're also a homeschooling CA family and have done the R-4 form in the past along with a charter school for now. Never have we had any problems. Good luck!