Ohio’s educational dilemma Times-Gazette 4/30/2009
Jim Surber

Of course, parents should have the choice to home-school, or send their children to public or charter schools.

The problem, as usual, comes down to money. All property owners (and renters indirectly) in Ohio, pay for public education through real estate taxes.

The remaining cost is paid by the state, again with tax dollars. The tough question is, should taxpayers’ money continue to be used to fund non-public educational institutions, many of which are operated for profit?

As I understand it, Ohio charter schools (on-line or not) are public schools.  (He was corrected in comments.)

Homeschooling is another alternative, except the parents oversee and are accountable for their child’s education.  Big difference, and it has been a huge controversy in and out of the Ohio homeschooling community.

He finished with this:

The governor’s proposal will require an answer by Ohio’s politicians to a difficult question: Shall taxpayers continue to fund private educational institutions, fully fund only those that are a part of the public system, or continue to fund both with higher taxes and less reform?

Are taxpayers funding private educational institutions?  I understood that private corporations were receiving a great amount of taxpayer funding, but it was done through the public educational institutions.

Mary Nix did a little research in Ohio and responded to a Times-Gazette article in her post last summer.

Funding losses are not Ohio homeschooler’s fault…..- The Informed Parent

It was reported locally that the administrator’s comments followed a remark about the loss of funding to private schools and home educators. Perhaps the local public school administrator is confusing those enrolled in a public virtual school with home educators? He or she wouldn’t be the first. Except for tax dollars paid by the parents of home educated children, Ohio home educators do not bring money into a district, nor do they take money away from it. They simply happen to live in the district. However, public e-schoolers who live in the district and are enrolled in a statewide e-school that originates somewhere else in the state or country do require local funds to leave a district.

Reading Mary’s clarifications at The Informed Parent and Valerie Bonham Moon’s post here (Public school administrator wants newspaper exposé of homeschooling), concerning the Times-Gazette publisher’s piece (In Defense of Homeschoolers),  it’s apparent that Ohio schools are in an unfortunate mishmash of inappropriate name calling.

Public School Programs Are Not Homeschooling- Alaskan Helen Hegener:  Home Education Magazine Editor’s Blog

Around this same time a whole new class of public school programs, often delivered directly into the home, gained acceptance and began increasingly targeting homeschooling families. These programs came under many descriptive terms such as charter schools, cyber schools, cyber-charters, eschools, Independent Study Programs (ISPs), dual enrollment programs, Blended Schools Programs (BSPs), Programs for Non-Public Students (PNPS), Public School Alternative Programs (PSAPs), virtual schools, community schools and various other names. But these public school programs also came with public school regulations, which imposed testing and accountability requirements in alignment with national education goals and standards.

Despite the title, this commentary linked below is actually about finding “a new way” via a public virtual school.  (I did find the Oregon article through a “home-school” news search.)

Tired of public schools? Do something about it West Linn Tidings Apr 23, 2009
By Margaret Groves

Believe me, this is not utopia. This is a tuition-free, online public charter school called Oregon Connections Academy. They are currently holding information sessions all over the state now that enrollment for the 2009/10 academic year is open.

The Oregon Connections Academy also knows the ‘value’ of using the term “free”.”

Free Online School from Home: Connections Academy

The federal government also likes to use the FREE term …freely.  Great resources or not; governmental resources are funded with lots of moola.

Margaret Groves’ reference below also seems to be an unfortunate trend in Illinois and other states.  I would appreciate administrative advice, if it’s said in a helpful, respectful manner.  (It is possible, as when we pulled our kids out of the public school, the superintendent offered resources and apologies.)

How many have found the school board to be disinterested in your concerns and been told by district administrators that you should home school if you don’t like the way they do things?

I don’t think the administrative inclination to pushout kids has been sincere or helpful, since NCLB and standardized tests have become the be all and end all of public schools’ “educational success”.

From parent Margaret Groves’ commentary:

Isn’t this what our president would want us to do, to solve the problems of skyrocketing education costs? I have already enrolled my children for next academic year and we are excited.

It’s not often that parents are excited about public schools after trying to be their child’s advocate within the schools.  I wish the Groves family well in their new adventure.

Rose Fernandez is the past president of the Wisconsin Coalition of Virtual School Families. She is now running for the job of WI’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Experienced Educator, Newcomer Battle for Wis. Post Education Week Published Online: March 30, 2009 By The Associated Press

Fernandez never worked in a school. She spent her career as a pediatric nurse, but got involved in education policy when she worked as president of a coalition serving families whose children attended school over the Internet.

This particular statement got my attention: “A well-known supporter of charter schools, Fernandez has promised to be the “best friend” of home schoolers”.

That’s a good political sound bite, since office seekers have figured out that most homeschoolers vote. Important point though, charter schools are public schools. Homeschools are not. That point was even made in the Wisconsin Coalition of Virtual School Families newsletter:

Full-time online public charter schools must meet the same federal and state fiscal and accountability requirements as other public schools, including No Child Left Behind requirements.Online schools are not “homeschooling.” They are public schools.

Pssstt..the newsletter says that you can contact Rose Fernandez for further information

The Wisconsin Parent’s Association has a few thoughts on their website about this coming election. I posted the outline of their article below, but suggest reading the details in the 2 page document. It’s informative, grassroots homeschool advocacy.

Election of State Superintendent- WPA
(Posted March 9, 2009)

General Background Information on the Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Relationship of the Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to Homeschooling

Should Homeschooling Be An Issue In This Campaign?

What we can do to minimize the extent to which homeschooling becomes an issue in this campaign

Need to Be Vigilant After the Election

The election is April 7th.

This point below was made in the WPA article too. From EdWeek:

The position is nonpartisan and largely administrative. While both candidates talk about broad reforms they’d like to make, most of the significant changes require legislative approval that is beyond the control of the DPI secretary.

However, they can help shape education policy by using the position as a bully pulpit to advance their agenda, working internally in their role administering state and federal aid and offering guidance to teachers and administrators, and by lobbying both the governor and Legislature.

Posted by Susan Ryan

The above quote is from an Illinois bill [HB 2448- Remote Educational Programs] sponsored by House Representatives David Miller, Darlene Senger, Robert Pritchard, Jerry Mitchell and Jehan Gordon .  Here’s the synopsis and as in so many other Illinois bills, “a fiscal note may apply”.

Amends the School Code. Allows a school district, by resolution of its school board, to establish a remote educational program. Defines “remote educational program” as an educational program delivered to students in the home or other location outside of a school building that meets specified criteria. Provides that days of attendance by students in a remote educational program may be claimed by the school district and shall be counted for general State aid purposes in accordance with the State aid formula provisions of the Code. Effective immediately.

Miller and Gordon are Democrats.  Mitchell, Pritchard and Senger are Republicans. Representative Mitchell serves as the Republican spokesperson of the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee.
This brand new section presented in this bill has the usual language that teacher unions like: certificated instructors required, along with clock hours for the money.

(3) The remote educational program is delivered by instructors that meet the following qualifications:
(A) they are certificated under Article 21 of this Code
(B) they meet applicable highly qualified criteria under the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001; and
(C) they have responsibility for all of the following elements of the program: planning instruction, diagnosing learning needs, prescribing content delivery through class activities, assessing learning, reporting outcomes to administrators and parents and guardians, and evaluating the effects of instruction
(4) The school district has in place a system to  calculate the number of clock hours a student is participating in instruction in accordance with the remote educational program.

There is a troubling piece that seems to codify parental roles in their homes.

(6) The remote educational program is at all times under the direct supervision of a parent, guardian, or  other responsible adult identified in the approved remote educational plan. The parent, guardian, or other responsible adult may engage only in non-teaching duties not requiring instructional judgment or the evaluation of students. The parent, guardian, or other responsible adult shall be designated by the school district as non-teaching personnel or volunteer personnel.

When do “clock hours” start and stop when a child is learning at home?  How are those hours determined?

Apparently this was the first of a procession of bills to open up a state-wide virtual public school to replace the IL Virtual High School.  Colin Hitt (IL Policy Institute) wrote an informative piece about Private Sector Educators, Public School Students

Facing massive enrollment growth, the Illinois State Board of Education requested proposals in December 2008 for an outside provider to assume management responsibilities of the Illinois Virtual High School.  The new management firm will oversee the expansion of IVHS into the new Illinois Virtual School – an online portal for students in grades 5 through 12.

The Wisconsin Parents Association wrote a piece (pdf) about the Wisconsin Virtual School and public monies heading towards a Virginia company:

Fact Sheet: How Virtual Charter Schools Threaten Public Schools

HB 3743 is a new Virtual Public School Acts bill and there is a troubling “home-school” portion in the bill. The sponsor for this bill is Representative Chapa LaVia.  The bill is set for a hearing in the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee tomorrow morning.
It has a whole section related to the “home-schooled”:

Did the homeschooling community ask for all of this attention in a bill related to public school at home?  I should note that in HB 2448 (passed out of the Committee), it is stated that: “The home or other location outside of a school building shall not be deemed to be a public school facility. ”

My question is this: Who’s watching out for homeschoolers?  This legislative/legal quest to poke around trying to find what works educationally for children, by seemingly trying to mimic what works for independent homeschoolers could be counter-productive.

Homeschooling successes have often occurred because no governmental strings were attached and nothing is holding back an individual child’s educational needs in the home.  Besides shooting the “home-schooled” out from under the much larger Illinois private school umbrella with the language in HB 3743, these educational statutes/bills are codifying what family homes are or aren’t and what parental roles should and shouldn’t be when and where.

All this codification of “the home”.  With due respect to good intentions, we should be paying very close attention to every word inserted into these bills. Let’s not throw the little bits that do work under the school bus.

Posted by Susan Ryan

Cross posted at the Illinois Review

There’s an interesting letter to the editor of the Coshocton Tribune in Ohio, responding to the misreprentation of a virtual, or e-school, as homeschooling, and clearly explaining the differences.

Times-News, Dec. 2: Rep. Steven Thayn wants to give parents another choice for their youngster’s kindergarten year that would come with financial benefits.

Under Thayn’s proposal, which he plans to introduce in the 2009 Legislature, parents could teach their children kindergarten at home. In exchange, they would get part of the state funding that’s saved by not having the youngster attending a public kindergarten class. Parents would only be eligible for funding after their children passed a test showing a readiness for first grade.

Tacoma, Washington. Dec. 4: State auditors contend online programs run by three school districts, including two in the South Sound, might owe the state anywhere from $80,000 to $5.3 million for incorrectly documenting the number of students taking Internet classes.

They say the problems cited by auditors stem from trying to track enrollment, learning hours and academic progress in the expanding frontier of online education.

Auditors dinged Federal Way for not having a form signed by those students’ parents saying they understood their children were not being homeschooled, Federal Way chief financial officer Sally McLean said.

She said requiring parents to sign a form in those cases seems bureaucratic. While tweaking that rule would be easy, she said, “Some of the more challenging discussion might wrap around how you measure student progress in an online academy.”

HEM Editorial: While the public school programs have effectively served the needs of some families, it is unwise to allow the perception to grow that they are equivalent to homeschooling. The very construct of these public school programs runs counter to the ability of families to handcraft an education for their children.

Hat tip to Susan of Taffie.

More Students Hitting the Books Online. 21 August 2008, Las Vegas Now, Las Vegas, Nevada

Thousands of valley children head back to the classroom on Monday, but for a growing number of Nevada students, that trek takes them no farther than their own living room. Thanks to the internet and new online learning programs, the mystery and stigma surrounding home-school is quickly disappearing.

Until recently, parents choosing to home school their children felt isolated — alone not only in their belief that it would be a better choice for their family, but also because there were precious few resources to help them. But that’s not the case anymore.

In which century was this piece written? 

“Mystery?” 

Results 1 – 10 of about 9,050,000 for homeschooling

“Stigma?”

Results 1 – 10 of about 133,000 for colleges admit homeschoolers

“Isolated?”

Results 1 – 10 of about 478,000 for homeschool support

“Precious few resources?”

Results 1 – 10 of about 718,000 for homeschool curriculum

How hard was all that?

As for “NCA,” well, it seems that active marketing of services is accepted by state bureaucracies everywhere.

The following article popped up because of the inclusion of one of the subjects of the article having homeschooled her kids. Otherwise, the article isn’t about homeschooling, but focuses on telling prospective employees how to implement online school programs. I’d say ‘teacher training,’ but I’m grumpy about mystiques lately.
(and it’s not just ‘teachers,’ the ‘homeschool mystique’ makes me grumble, as well, and don’t even get me started thinking about the power structure between medical people and ‘patients’ — the dental floss company I use refers to me as a “patient,” for crying out loud)

Teachers Go to School on Online Instruction, 11 August 2008, Education Week News, Bethesda, Maryland

A university professor who put her retirement on hold to become part of a new approach to education. A former teacher returning to her passion after home-schooling her children. A classroom veteran deciding to work at home so her child could attend half-day kindergarten.

Those educators were among more than 800 teachers, from 23 states, who gathered at a swanky conference center here last week with the goal of sharpening the skills they will need to teach this fall at schools partnering with the online education provider K12 Inc.

I don’t think I’d have blogged the piece if I hadn’t read the article and seen:

A session of about 50 elementary-grade teachers spent an hour rehearsing the initial telephone call that an online teacher must make to speak with the parent of each student. The presenter of the session told teachers to be diplomatic in setting ground rules for home instruction and to avoid seeming to read from a script. She advised them how to disarm parents who raised various procedural objections.

That just makes for a bad taste, although I know it’s SOP from an organizational standpoint. Manipulating the customer is status quo.

I suppose part of my reaction to this was primed by another website I read earlier today. On an email list, a mother wrote in to ask whether anyone else had accessed a limited-availability web link in order to received a free text. I was intrigued by the concept, and clicked. I found that the blog offered a variety of materials, some new, some old, but only for a single day. I wondered what the ‘gimmick’ was and continued clicking.

In the FAQ, the site’s writers advised that people taking advantage of the free “homeschool” materials (there’s that mystique thing again) were not allowed to share them with others. I read through the various entries and noticed that a number of the materials were ones I knew were in the public domain. If materials are in the public domain, they are copyright-free. You can share them with the entire town and the outlying counties for all anyone cares. I searched for some of the titles, and found them freely available — you just have to know to look for them.

• George Washington’s Rules of Civility
• Aunt Mary’s Primer
• Grammar Land
• The Nest in the Honeysuckles

I suppose rather than putting a copyright notice on the free texts that are still under copyright, it is easier to have a blanket prohibition against sharing any of the materials, and to limit availability at the site to create perceived scarcity. It’s also a way to get repeat ‘customers.’

In reference to the blog, offering links to materials is a service to people looking for interesting stuff. I think that’s a good thing. Saying that no one other than you can share public domain materials is selfishly disingenuous.

In reference to the training article, providing a paid-for service to parents who want to have their children learn at home is a good thing. Setting up the parents, aka ‘learning coaches,’ to be second bananas in their own homes is a power play. Yes, it’s probably the price of using a publicly-funded program, but the precedent leaves me queasy. Compulsory attendance laws followed the popular use of schools [page 3, footnote 4]. Publicly-funded “Pre-K” is following the popular use of day schools for little kids. What will follow the popular use of in-home publicly-funded education programs?

I ignored the free materials site earlier today, and then I almost ignored the article about training employees of online public school programs. Individually, they were ho-hum. Together, the micro-trend niggled. I hereby release my inner niggle.