After yesterday’s blog post I got quite a bit of conversation from all sides of the story. I knew that I had even more research and some calls to make to triple check my information.
Yesterday’s K-12 is not homeschooling inspired many to share their stories of using virtual schools, including K12. I have heard about families that did use virtual schools quite successfully. Several families have told me that it was a disaster and getting out of the public school option was a nightmare since the laws were not specific about leaving to homeschool, the cyber schools were only set up to leave and go to public school. Still many others that looked into virtual schools and found them to be too much a school at home style option and didn’t use them.
One thing that even with my research and talking with the K-12 company I didn’t know. If you choose K-12 or any other virtual/cyber school that is an online public school option you are NOT covered by HSLDA see their article, Charter Schools
HSLDA believes that a distinction between virtual charter schools and homeschooling is vital. While charter schools provide parents with another choice, we emphasize that they are still public schools in every sense of the word.
I called HSLDA and talked with them about this issue. They confirmed that if you are enrolled in an online public school you will not be covered. They also told me about the above article that goes into much more detail on their vision of online public schooling.
Charter schools/virtual/cyber schools are often contractors with the state. That means that they can have part of their company as a public school and part as a private or homeschool program.
I will admit when I am wrong and learn from it. Not all K12 is public schooling. Not all virtual/cyber schools are public schools. However I will not back down that the courses (from my experience) that are pushed are the public online schooling. You can also make your own opinion on that by watching the tv commercials put out by K12 or PA Cyberschool.
I am throwing a flag down for what I consider a hidden but very serious issue for special needs families. Please read all the fine print and double check if your legal protection will be affected by your choice of online education.
This is definitely a caveat emptor moment. Buyer Beware!
Here are some other online schooling options you might like to look at: A Beka, Bob Jones University, Alpha Omega, Apologia, and many more subject oriented online courses .
I would ask one more thing. I am writing from a special needs learning position to parents with special needs learners. Please think about that before judging me personally. Or judging how much time my child would need to complete an assignment or a rigid year schedule that your child did well. I am sincerely thrilled your child did well. Don’t assume that my child with dyslexia, or cerebral palsy can complete the same amount of work in the same time allotted. Many parents have pulled their children from school because they were working until 11pm at night just to get ‘regular’ homework done, EVERY single night.
As always working to help the special needs homeschooling commmunity be a better place!
Whoever listens to (wisdom) will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm. Proverbs 1:33
Thank you for the clarifications. I can only speak for myself when I say that having a special needs child is hard. Homeschooling is hard. You feel like an outsider no matter where you go or what you do. Maybe some people felt like they had become an outsider at a place (your blog) where they previously felt safe and understood and included.
I know your intentions were good and well meaning. This may explain the knee jerk reaction by so many. Your explination above about HSLDA is very helpful.
Thank you.
When we started homeschooling in 2006, we used k12. You can use it as an independent homeschooler, but that option is harder to find these days. Back then, it was a decent program. In the space of a year, I saw the focus shift from Independent Homeschoolers to Public Schoolers. They bega making changes to their science curriculum to fit with the public school system – including citing evolution as fact. That was when we left k12 and never looked back.
I am not one to split hairs. But, I wonder if a better statement to make would have been, “K12 is not PRIVATE homeschooling.”? I have been a private (christian) home school mom for 22 years, 10 of those with a special needs student. Not everybody I know who home schools chooses christian curriculum for their students. There are families that are not Christian who choose to educate their kids at home. Does this mean they are not “homeschooling” because they purchase secular curriculum? I appreciate what you were trying to point out in your blog, because our convictions have been the same over our years of schooling at home. But, for those who may not be believers or choose secular curriculum to be told they are NOT homeschooling probably seemed judgmental. May you be blessed!!!
Darlene, This is not about secular homeschooling or christian homeschooling. This is about online public schooling or homeschooling (with or without online assistance). There is a line in the sand and parents need to understand what that entails.
On one side you are a public school student at home without the legal protection from homeschooling organizations or educational freedom of homeschooling. On the other you are a homeschooler that has legal protection if you wish and educational freedom to chance any study that strikes your family’s fancy.
God bless
Heather
Thank you for all your hard work and great information. We looked into k12 but it didn’t work for my daughters medical needs. Homeschooling has been the best thing for her. Thx again for everything
We are embarking on our first year of homeschooling and have chosen a homeschooling option through a public school. Now after I read all this I am scared to death. Things have started out differently then others I have heard though.This school requests 504 and IEP plans if they exist. Since my son has such a delay in speech he will qualify for some in home speech therapy via skype. I agree there are probably horrible options, I am praying this one is not that. I have heard lots of good things and I got to pick my curriculum myself with input from the Educational Adviser only when I asked for it.
My sister’s son tried another online public school. He was expected to complete the entire curriculum on his own with no help. He didn’t quite get it all done, so he was denied credit for that school year. When he wanted to go back to public school the next year, he was told he would have to repeat that grade entirely. As a result, he dropped out at age 16, after finishing only up to 8th grade officially. A year later, he is on probation. Research is showing that children who do online curriculum through the public school have an extremely high drop-out rate.
Ok Heather time to share my experience here. When I first pulled my kids out of Public schools my son who was double blessed has ASD as well as being gifted was going into 5th grade. My dd was going into 3rd but could barley read and was struggling the local school told me she was just a quiet kids and really had no issues yet she would come home and shut down for HOURS 😛 So as a segway our of PS we choose charter school with a k-12 school my youngest wasn’t old enough for school. The first year was ok my dd tested at the 2nd grade level so she got mostly second grade stuff but it was workable… The Next year came we thought ok this is good they are doing well I can do this with 3… well that year my middle daughter was laid up had gotten Lyme’s disease and was sick for most of the year and I was trying to do the virtual school with my youngest as well…
My dd was falling behind so they tested her and gave her more work. Not only was she shutting down again from being sick but now emotionally it had taken the toll. I suggested they tested her for LD type issues cause she just wasn’t grasping things (later found out she has ASD issues and processing issues we think from the Lyme). She was so stressed out that she was starting to self harm at 9 years old!!! The school wanted to come to my home with a number of people to “evaluate my classroom.” Even though she had numerous medical and emotional issues documented they were convinced somehow it was my parenting:P The teacher told me “your home is a public class you have to let us come” to which I refused and ended up pulling all my kids. The teacher called me the following week to insist I tell her which school to send the records to. I simply stated to send the records to the school district (where we filed the Home school documents to.) About 2 weeks later I had children and youth knocking on my door they reported me for among other things “educational neglect” and “medical Neglect” as well the said the kids had no beds and we had no food in the house. Thankfully I had all my i’s doted and t’s crossed and I had all the affidavits there and objectives as well as lesson plans figured out to show them. within a week the case was dismissed. So my advice with the virtual schools is DON”T do it unless you want your state considering your home a state classroom,no flexibility in what you do or when.
yes don’t let them fool you…my had no problem 6-8 grade but this year he is in high school and its not your own pace and he has an iep and there telling me they won’t modify his work or anything ..and the teacher tries to say you have to be online at 9 and work at least an hour in each class…he has 8 classes thats worse than a job..so if you are thinking of enrolling because its your childs own pace and can do it when they want to do work think again
I’m so glad I found this blog….last week we were asked to find other educational needs for our Grandaughter …we were with K12. She did well with their special Ed and Speech, but you have to be at grade level/age. Upsetting week. Now we start again.
Lydia In Ca.
Yes..I found out that they don’t offer free home school in MD, but from what I’m hearing about K-12 I’m glad they don’t! Anyone know about Adelante Academy online schooling? I’m looking into it for my repeat 8th grader,who failed it in public school.