I tried to comment on the following post over at the HEM Editor’s blog, but could not figure out how to log in, so thought that I would post it over here.

In reference to the Kiplinger article…I read this and was not overly impressed with the article mainly because they seemed to go out of their way to make homeschooling sound so much harder, expensive and intimidating then it is…not to mention that they got their facts wrong. I do not think this was intentional, but rather more a reflection that they really do not understand how homeschooling can work. In the article they say:

“Some decisions may be dictated by your state’s requirements. In Virginia, for example, most home schoolers must get state approval of curricula for core subjects, such as math. Buying a program can run $200 per child per year. And signing up with a school district may mean you’re subject to more oversight, in addition to the testing and annual reviews that some states require.”

This is basically not true. In Virginia you DO NOT have to get state approval of curricula and no where in the law does it even mention anything about required “core subjects”. We do have to provide a “description of our curriculum” but the DOE guidance specifically says that this is for informational purposes only and the superintendent is NOT required to evaluate or judge the curriculum in any way (other then to verify that one was provided). My “curriculum description” was as follows:

“Our curriculum will be an eclectic, interest-based, child-led learning program, to include language arts and mathematics. We will homeschool in a rich family environment that includes a variety of resources and materials as well as using the multitude of community resources available in the area.”

Not hard, intimidating nor expensive.

The last mention of “more oversight” is misleading as well. Homeschoolers in Va actually do NOT have to take the state Standards of Learning (SOLs) tests and we actually have more freedom then we would if our kids were in school because we get to choose the testing/evaluation method and have a lot of options. . We do have to provide “evidence of progress” but that can be satisfied through testing (chosen by us) or evaluation (again chosen by us).

Personally I think that this article would play into non-homeschoolers fears that homeschooling is completely overwhelming and expensive and better left to the “experts”. For accurate information on homeschooling in Virginia, please go to
http://www.vahomeschoolers.org.

Stephanie
http://throwingmarshmallows.homeschooljournal.net
Learning can only happen when a child is interested. If he’s not interested it’s like throwing marshmallows at his head and calling it eating.” – Anonymous
http://lifewithoutschool.typepad.com/
No matter how we come into this lifestyle, the purpose we most commonly share is reflected best by this one question: “What is right for my child?”