Do you belong to your state hs'ing organization (if any?)

Yes, I belong in Florida... I got the convention tickets half off, plus I get a card that you can use for discounts at Barnes and Noble, and other places... and I like reading the newsletters.

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Yeah, that's why I'm thinking of joining ours. For the cost of convention, I could get a ticket at half price and a year's membership. The newsletters look good and there are other perks that would come with it.

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MN is the same way. I haven't joined because of it. Someone local let me borrow a copy of one of their newsletters. I found it highly offensive.

I'm thinking about attending a conference next year though. Going to the state one would be cheaper but, the live and learn conference holds more appeal.

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I'm across the river in WI, but I know some folks in MN who belong to MHA-- that might be an option for you?

I have joined WPA here in WI. They are secular, and do a great job of keeping our wonderful homeschool laws. The conference didn't blow me away, but it was ok. I wish they offered id cards.

ZM

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I've only heard of MACHE. I'll have to look into MHA. Thanks for the info.

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No. We haven't found a reason to join. We can get discounts at book stores and such without membership, I'm not interested in attending homeschooling conferences, and homeschooling magazines and info are available online or elsewhere so I can't see a benefit.

When there was a big deal over the legal issue of hsing here a few years ago, there was loads of info on the yahoo lists and of course, we were able to contact our senator/assemblymen on our own, without being part of an organization.

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We joined the WPA in Wisconsin for the same reason...they seem to be proactive in their work to maintain homeschooling laws and also assist members who need it.

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Do you know or have you looked into the difference betweenCHN and HSC? I'm 90% sure we will join one starting this year, but I can't tell if there is a difference.

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Thanks for that tidbit Dar ... I'm in southern CA, and that makes sense as the CHN conference is in s. CA and the HSC one is in Sacramento. (Though I think I wouldn't mind driving up to Sacramento for a conference ... my boys would love the railroad museum!)

I'm still away from home, and will be on the road for weeks after this, but stopped in to relax for a few minutes. This subject title caught my eye, because I was very involved with HSC in CA for years. It began as Northern CA Homeschool Assn., but went statewide in the early 90s - and there have been board members all around the state over the years.

I'll try not to go on too long from the soapbox, but I personally feel that it's important for people to get involved with their state volunteer organizations in order to continue to support the amazing array of services they provide, especially the preservation of freedoms. So many of them have been vitally important in gaining, defending, and explaining homeschoolers' legal rights - as well as in providing a number of other great services through volunteer labor and initiative. HSC, for instance, among its many services, including a conference, maintains a really nice newsletter/magazine, as well as an email list of around 2,000 members in which you can post a question and get feedback from list members and the legal team (composed of volunteering lawyers who are also CA homeschoolers) - all through volunteer work. The legal team can also be contacted directly with problems and questions. If homeschoolers stick together in these non-profit, all volunteer, grassroots ways, it really helps maintain their freedoms in a special way.

Okay, I'm off the computer for another stretch... Lillian

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I plan on joining ours, and especially after learning that, lol. I had no ideait had all those perks.

Thanks Dar and Lillian for your insights. It's good to know the background of these two organizations. Lillian, I totally agree about involvement in a volunteer organization like these. The CHN conference is offering a number of sessions that I feel while give us some great ideas for dd and will give dh more of an insight into hs'ing. I think this one attracted me because it is more local than HSC (although, if I could get the time off work, I wouldn't have minded a road trip up! ) However, being a newbie hs'er still in planning phase for my dc, I could see joining both and then deciding which one (if either) speaks more to me.

As of a few minutes ago I do. http://www.iche-idaho.org/index.html

Yeah, I've been a member since about Saturday now...