How To Homeschool in CA
Did you know? The Compulsory school age for children in California is 6yrs by Sept 1st. If your child turns 6 by Sept 1st it’s legally required that you enroll your child in school or homeschool through one of the following options. Read more about the Compulsory School age in CA here.
For specific questions we recommend reaching out to a long-time homeschooling mother, teacher, and founder of Open Minded Learning, Heather Palatucci. Heather is offering new homeschooling families a free 10min consultation, learning resources, and custom tailored support throughout your homeschooling journey. Contact her today!
We recommend visiting California’s HSLDA (CA Homeschool Legal Defense Association) webpage for helpful articles on how to homeschool and many commonly asked questions.
There are 3 ways to Homeschool
Option 1: Enroll your child in an online charter school
Receive Funding: Receive academic funds to help supplement the cost of curriculum, academic materials, and enrichment programs like EverWild! EverWild accepts charter school funds to offset the cost of our Forest Preschool and Kindergarten, Nature Immersion Program, and Rites of Passage Programs. We accept partial and full payment using funds. You must be enrolled in one of our partnered charters to receive charter funds. If you do not see the charter school that your child is enrolled with, let us know! Please note that EverWild’s programming and all classes are non-religious.
Flexible Schedule: Children enrolled in an online charter school are not required to physically attend school in classroom based settings. This gives your child the freedom to choose which classes they want to attend, the ability to create their own schedule, and the option to choose when the will work on curriculum, projects, or passion based activities. A flexible schedule for your child also gives your family the opportunity to prioritize your time together whether that means coordinating family trips outside of the traditional holiday break schedule, utilizing Fridays as a museum day, or just spending more quality time together. Many families who homeschool and are passionate about spending time in nature are often in sync with the Earth’s natural rhythms. Having a flexible schedule allows your child and family to immerse yourselves in natural events including, surfing the local swell as it rolls through the coast, tide-pooling at the lowest tides, hiking under a full moon, skiing or snowboarding fresh powder after a snow storm hits the local mountains, or going on a mushroom foray just after the rains.
Community Oriented: Charter schools often have vendor fairs, homeschool days and more. These events give your child an opportunity to meet other homeschoolers that attend the same charter.
Curriculum Options: Online charter schools do a wonderful job of offering a variety of curriculum options for all types of learners. Using a curriculum is optional but it’s always nice to have educational resources available to choose from. In addition to curriculum, your child will be paired with a credentialed teacher who guides your family through the homeschooling process.
EverWild’s Partnered Charter Schools:
Option 2: File a PSA
When filing a PSA you are notifying the state that you are legally homeschooling your child by registering your home as a private school. You will need to fill out a Private School Affidavit (PSA) between October 1st and 15th of each year of enrollment.
Here are a few notes:
– Each household must register as a private school.
– You do not need to file a PSA if your child turns 6 after September 1st of the year of enrollment.
Option 3: Private Satellite Program (PSP) - Hire a credentialed tutor
The tutor must have a multiple subject teaching credential (or multiple tutors must add up to have all of the required courses) appropriate for the age of your child(ren) and provide instruction for at least 3 hours a day, 175 days a school year. The instruction must be in English and take place between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. The tutor may be the child’s parent or hired by the parent.
Private School Satellite Program Information – almost all of these will charge a fee (unlike the public school options)
Remember: if your child will not be 6 by September 1st, you do not have to worry about legal options yet.