Need Help W/ Ideas for Alternative Schooling Choices

There are options out there....Homeschooling in the Bay Area is huge. I am in Benicia, and my children were homeschooled from 3rd to 12th grade. They are now in college doing great! We went through 'Pathways Charter' for the High School years, and Independent studies for the elementary years. Heritage Homeschool group is the social group I belonged to. It is in the Benicia and Vallejo area, but we had students from surrounding towns as well. Most towns have groups like this. The group offers classes that are taught by parents.(Specialty calsses were always offered, such as latin, pe, art, violin, drama, debate...and many more) as well as at the charter school center. This was very important not only for social interaction but lab classes, field trips, and functions(parties, holidays, graduatons etc.) I chose to go through an organization for record keeping, I was thankful later, because colleges are easier to get into when you have state records. If you declare your home a 'SCHOOL' and register it in the state, you can teach your child at home and keep your own records. I enjoyed the charter experience. State paid for, and everything is supplied. Meet with a teacher/facilitator once a week for elementary school and once a month for high school. They even came to your home for the meetings if you prefered that. As young learners, the students thrive with the one on one teaching. Routine is everything. Children need a routine. The California Vertual Acvademy is another option. It is a charter school also, so it is fully state funded. They give each child a computer to use for the school year, but I couldn't use that system because my kids were in high school by the time I learned about the program and they only offered up to 8th grade at the time. But now I believe they go all the weay to 12th grade. For Christian education there is the Abeka Charter DVD schooling. You have to look into the content though, because it requires classes that are not always neutral as far as religion goes. I had to supplement a lot. We did this only for a year, The students watch a DVD and it is like you are in a classroom watching a teacher.(this program is spendy, at the time it was around $1000 per year.) You can check out all these options on the internet. Another great reason to homeschool your child is that when they get to jr. high and high school, they can take classes at the jr. college level and get three school units for every one college unit, so your child learns more from a college professer and graduates early because they complete the unit requirements sooner. The best part though is.....They are being educated not babysat! No wasted time in the classroom, or negative exposure. As the parent you control the exposure your child gets through homeschooling. We were even able to travel to Europe for a month, the kids took school work with them and did it while riding on trains and boats. They experienced learning, kept a journal and lived history. We stood in the Anne Frank House in Holland as my daughter read the book about her experience. It was amazing.
Hope this helps, I know your child is young, but having a plan is good.
Here is a link to homeschool groups in California.

http://www.homeschoolfacts.com/groups/group_states.php/Su...

What a great parent you are to be thinking of this now. Bless your efforts.

I haven't researched all the options, but I'm interested in home schooling as well. My baby is also 1 1/2. Maybe we can meet for a play date and talk schooling? T. ehrlich (all one word) at yahoo dot com.

Really depends on where you live. In Walnut Creek we have Eagle Peak, a charter Montessori school, that accepts students via lottery -- but they only start with grade one -- and they have a big waiting list. There are lots of great co-op preschools in Berkeley, Oakland and San Francisco that my friends have been in and were very pleased with -- that might be a great way to start. I always thought that I wouldn't want to send my child to public school, but we moved a bunch of times and by default we could only get her in the public preschool through the city of Walnut Creek (at Heather Farms). She's now been in public school for three years. All of the teachers she's had have been AMAZING!! They've gone above and beyond consistently and have been so loving and creative. There have been lots of opportunities for parents to come in and share their own knowledge with her classes (I've taught poetry!) Her elementary school was just awarded 2008 Distinguished School. I know we're very lucky here and you may not have the same options where you live. Regardless of what you decide to do know that EVERY place will have it's issues -- obviously we all have to do what is right in our hearts. Best of luck.

I'm not sure whatever happened with the bill that was trying to be passed that anyone who does homeschooling must also be credentialed in the state of california, but you might want to check on it before embarking on this path. Also, STAY AWAY FROM ABEKA curriculum if you are or end up considering private school. It's TOTALLY biased and most of it is incorrect information. I taught it for 2 years and if it hadn't been for the supplemental information I gave my classes (and the fact that I threw out a lot of the course and taught my own manner) they would have been very ill-prepared. (That came from my former students with whom I have maintained contact.) Good luck in your searching! :)