Options For Homeschooling In California For Families Concerned About The Vaccine Mandate
With the recent vaccine mandates coming out of the California governor’s office, many people are looking for ways to homeschool their kids. And in the state of California, there are several publicly funded ways—Homeschool Charters, In District Charters, and Independent Studies Programs (ISP’s).
These are all homeschooling schools that your children can enroll in and often have similar requirements as public schools.
I have worked for several of these types of programs and am a big fan of how they can be run. Public Charters and ISP’s can provide a wonderful community and support system to homeschool your children. So many people are extraordinarily happy in these programs. However, if you get a teacher who does not understand homeschooling, you could end up extremely unhappy.
And at this time of the year, I imagine that most of these public programs are full. Although, I also imagine that districts are going to start scrambling to make these programs more available for all those who will leave the schools in the face of the mandates. It might not be a terrible idea to hang in there and “force” the districts to provide these for you—if you want to go this route.
PSAs and PSPs
There ARE a couple other options that exist outside of the public and charter school system:
- Forming your own Private School by filing a PSA (Private School Affidavit)
or
- Joining a PSP (Private School Satellite Program)
Both of these options offer complete freedom for your homeschooling journey- both educational freedom- you get to choose the standards and means of education, and medical freedom.
Wonderful learning pods, learning co-ops and nanny type programs are organically popping up all around Santa Cruz County—these can help you with day to day homeschooling of your children, BUT THEY ARE NOT SCHOOLS.
To avoid legal truancy hassles, your children need to be enrolled in something, if not enrolled in a Homeschool Charter or district Independent Study Program, your child must be enrolled in either your own private school (that you create by filing a PSA), or join a PSP.
Filing a Private School Affidavit (PSA)
This website offers a great explanation of exactly how to file a PSA. Filing a PSA is easy and free, but offers no extra support. You may not need this support if you have found your own tribe. However, you do have to submit your information to the California Department of Education, which some people prefer not to do. As the administrator of your PSA, you maintain your school records and would pass these onto any future school.
Joining a Private School Satellite program (PSP)
A Private School Satellite program is a program that has filed a PSA on your behalf (without using your name). As PSP’s, we file with the state and you enroll with us. We provide an administrative home for you, give you a letter of enrollment, hold your vaccine records, create report cards or transcripts, and can give your graduating senior a diploma. Then, when requested, we pass these records on to your future schools.
As a PSP, Pacific Sands Academy offers the following (* included with cost of enrollment)
- Letter of enrollment *
- Request of records from your previous school *
- Maintenance of your current school and vaccine records *
- Monthly parent coffee hours *
- Monthly local field trips or beach days *
- Weekly KidZoom Meetings
- Weekly Teen Discord Meetings*
- Weekly/monthly mentoring for teens
- Monthly mentoring for newly homeschooling parents
- Report cards at the end of the year*
- Individualized graduation plans for high schoolers
- Transcripts for high schoolers
- A Zoom graduation ceremony for graduating seniors (and 8th graders)
- Possible Accreditation by National Association of Legal Support of Alternative Schools (NALSAS).
Still Confused? My brain always likes a good chart. So perhaps this will help you too:
| Question | PSA | PSP | Public Independent Studies Homeschool Program or Charter School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Does enrolling or filing meet the legal requirement for homeschooling in the state of California? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Does it cost money? | No | Yes | No |
| Are vaccinations required? | No | No- You are asked to submit your records sometimes but exemptions are fine. | Sometimes: depending on if there is a classroom component. You do have to submit records, and in some programs exemptions are OK. |
| Do you have to turn in work samples and follow standards? | No | No | Yes |
| Do you have to do assessments and national tests? | No | No | Yes. There is usually pressure to do so. |
| Do you have educational freedom? | Yes | Yes | Sometimes |
| Does the state get your name and address or any personal info? | Yes | No | Yes |
| Do you get support from anyone? | No | Yes | Yes |
| Can you get a transcript and diploma? | Yes, but you create these on your own | Yes | Yes |
I sincerely hope you found this helpful, and hope you find or create the program that best matches your needs. If you would like to find out more about our program, Pacific Sands Academy, please click here, and set up a free consultation to see if we are that program for you. Also check out Seacliff Academy, another local PSP.
Options For Homeschooling In California For Families Concerned About The Vaccine Mandate
With the recent vaccine mandates coming out of the California governor’s office, many people are looking for ways to homeschool their kids. And in the state of California, there are several publicly funded ways—Homeschool Charters, In District Charters, and Independent Studies Programs (ISP’s).
These are all homeschooling schools that your children can enroll in and often have similar requirements as public schools.
I have worked for several of these types of programs and am a big fan of how they can be run. Public Charters and ISP’s can provide a wonderful community and support system to homeschool your children. So many people are extraordinarily happy in these programs. However, if you get a teacher who does not understand homeschooling, you could end up extremely unhappy.
And at this time of the year, I imagine that most of these public programs are full. Although, I also imagine that districts are going to start scrambling to make these programs more available for all those who will leave the schools in the face of the mandates. It might not be a terrible idea to hang in there and “force” the districts to provide these for you—if you want to go this route.
PSAs and PSPs
There ARE a couple other options that exist outside of the public and charter school system:
- Forming your own Private School by filing a PSA (Private School Affidavit)
or
- Joining a PSP (Private School Satellite Program)
Both of these options offer complete freedom for your homeschooling journey- both educational freedom- you get to choose the standards and means of education, and medical freedom.
Wonderful learning pods, learning co-ops and nanny type programs are organically popping up all around Santa Cruz County—these can help you with day to day homeschooling of your children, BUT THEY ARE NOT SCHOOLS.
To avoid legal truancy hassles, your children need to be enrolled in something, if not enrolled in a Homeschool Charter or district Independent Study Program, your child must be enrolled in either your own private school (that you create by filing a PSA), or join a PSP.
Filing a Private School Affidavit (PSA)
This website offers a great explanation of exactly how to file a PSA. Filing a PSA is easy and free, but offers no extra support. You may not need this support if you have found your own tribe. However, you do have to submit your information to the California Department of Education, which some people prefer not to do. As the administrator of your PSA, you maintain your school records and would pass these onto any future school.
Joining a Private School Satellite program (PSP)
A Private School Satellite program is a program that has filed a PSA on your behalf (without using your name). As PSP’s, we file with the state and you enroll with us. We provide an administrative home for you, give you a letter of enrollment, hold your vaccine records, create report cards or transcripts, and can give your graduating senior a diploma. Then, when requested, we pass these records on to your future schools.
As a PSP, Pacific Sands Academy offers the following (* included with cost of enrollment)
- Letter of enrollment *
- Request of records from your previous school *
- Maintenance of your current school and vaccine records *
- Monthly parent coffee hours *
- Monthly local field trips or beach days *
- Weekly KidZoom Meetings
- Weekly Teen Discord Meetings*
- Weekly/monthly mentoring for teens
- Monthly mentoring for newly homeschooling parents
- Report cards at the end of the year*
- Individualized graduation plans for high schoolers
- Transcripts for high schoolers
- A Zoom graduation ceremony for graduating seniors (and 8th graders)
- Possible Accreditation by National Association of Legal Support of Alternative Schools (NALSAS).
Still Confused? My brain always likes a good chart. So perhaps this will help you too:
I sincerely hope you found this helpful, and hope you find or create the program that best matches your needs. If you would like to find out more about our program, Pacific Sands Academy, please click here, and set up a free consultation to see if we are that program for you. Also check out Seacliff Academy, another local PSP.
