The National Charter School Watch discussion group (NCSW) is assessing the state of things six years after its founding by homeschooling mom Annette Jurczak in June, 2004. The group’s description explains in part:

We welcome those seeking information about charter school issues in their states and nationally, as well as those sharing information about charter schools. Objective discussion focused on the *issues* at hand and in the service of better understanding these issues, is welcome.

The discussion group’s membership consists of charter schoolers, virtual schoolers, homeschoolers and advocates of homeschooling. Annette posted on July 11:

“Much time has passed since this group was started, and much has changed over the years. So what are your thoughts? What have you learned as it relates to hsing and ps at home programs over the years? Do you think hsing is being negatively impacted? Do you think there has been any loss of homeschooling freedoms? Have your attitudes and opinions changed and if so, how?”

Join the group at the link above and join the discussion beginning with Annette’s July 11 post.

A seemingly inane announcement in a Seattle-area publication:

The Edmonds Homeschool Resource Center has changed its name to Edmonds Heights K-12. The school recently changed its name from Edmonds Homeschool Resource Center to Edmonds Heights to reflect their association with the Edmonds School District. “We changed our name because we wanted to clarify our mission in serving students and partnering with parents as a part of the public school system,” said Principal Danny Rock.

Does it raise red flags, ring any bells for anyone? If not, see if this helps:

Public schools and business people are increasingly trying to convince homeschoolers to enroll in their programs and use their services. At first glance, the offers may seem attractive. However, they undermine homeschoolers’ identity and freedom and serve the interests of their promoters to the detriment of homeschoolers.

From the same column:

…in Washington state, the growth rate for homeschooling, which had consistently been 15-20% per year, has dropped to zero in the past two years, in large part because of the growth of alternative public school programs.

-Excerpts from Homeschoolers, Is Our Good Name for Sale? by Larry and Susan Kaseman, Home Education Magazine, Sept-Oct, 2000.

Guess our good name outlived its usefulness. Wonder how many families got sidelined from bona fide homeschooling in the process?

Keeping an eye on the cyber charter schools vs. public school debate I found this piece from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Southmoreland superintendent still questions cyber school costs.

The reason to watch this? Read the title in your browser window from this page.

Linda Dobson at Parent at the Helm, “PA School Spycam Case: Computers Rigged to Spy; Protocol Ignored”:

And yet again, I implore you to share this information with all parents, regardless of where their children go to school or how they are educated. …while this appears to be an isolated incident, I don’t for one moment believe that others aren’t taking advantage of the technology. Couple it with just a bit of that “we know what’s best for you” attitude sweeping through government employees today like the plague and said technology is employed to…help educate your children? Crucial lines have been crossed here, and it’s up to parents to start drawing some lines of their own in response – or to tell the system it will just have to get along without your children.

And a critical point to keep in mind as you read about these developments: Children enrolled in charter schools are public school students.

It is tempting to just give this the Worst Headline award, but it is only Thursday morning:

Homeschool parents seek charter school in Medford

A group of parents who homeschool their children submitted an application today to found a public charter school for homeschoolers in the Medford School District.

Logos Charter School organizers say they want the K-12 school to serve as a guidance and resource center for parents and to allow homeschoolers to earn regular diplomas from the Medford district rather than GEDs.

~~~
The curriculum would be based on state standards, and students would be required to take the same state and local academic assessments that other Medford pupils have to take.

I can not address this group of parents’ decision to engage with public schooling. I do make the judgement that if you enroll in a Charter School and “curriculum would be based on state standards, and students would be required to take the same state and local academic assessments that other Medford pupils”, this is public schooling. Please don’t call it homeschooling.

Read the short article here. I hope we learn more.

A new pilot charter school has been approved in Indiana. “The home-school effect” came up in the Journal Gazette, just as it often does in much of this educational trend’s media coverage, potential vendors’ marketing points, along with many legislators’ concerns.

Charter schools set for online trial run The Journal Gazette

by Niki Kelly Published: July 19, 2009
Legislators included a significant restriction on the student population that could save money.

It says at least 75 percent of the students enrolled in the pilot had to be counted in the public-school enrollment the prior year. This means the state is already funding those students in some school district and the money will simply shift to the new charter school.

But if children who are currently home-schooled enter the program, they will cost the state additional money because those students aren’t covered by state funding now.

One legitimate defense is that homeschoolers do save the state money with our education/funding accountability. That might not be significant to those who want the control, but fiscal conservatives like the notion.

Former elementary school principal and current Sen. Connie Sipes finds the charter school curriculum satisfactory for homeschoolers.

It will be a good curriculum for home-schoolers,” said Sen. Connie Sipes, D-New Albany. “We aren’t paying for them now, so it will cost us more money.

It might be a good curriculum for some homeschoolers, but certainly not all. We can be flexible in fitting the learning around our kids and their particular best education practice styles.

Lynette Quinn presides over the Indiana Families for Public Virtual Schools, and independent homeschoolers can appreciate the “Public” noted in the name. There leaves no doubt who is accountable for the education, financing and accountability.

Lynette Quinn, president of Indiana Families for Public Virtual Schools, discounts the home-school effect, saying many of those families want a Christian-oriented education with flexibility in curriculum that a public school – even a virtual charter school – can’t provide.

She also noted those students would then have to take the state ISTEP+ test.

But it appears that Senator Sipes has a more significant concern (to her); school socialization.

“Call me old-fashioned, but I just think it’s important for kids to be around other kids,” she said. “Learning to interact with one another, to tolerate differences, is part of going to school. I want kids and people in general to learn how to get along with each other.”

History lessons would surely show that socializing was fairly successful in the years before modern public education was conceived. Learning to interact with others, tolerate differences and learn how to get along with each other could be a more likely possibility when you’re not in a classroom surrounded by classmates of the same age and within the bounds of the community.

That is a “home-school effect” that has more possibilities in promoting free-range living and learning.