What do you think about homeschooling for High School?

[Sarah]

The more questions you ask the better informed you will be. NEVER stop asking them.

but I'm not sure about some of the answers you are getting.

First, if you have a medical need to be excused from school, I would think that would qualify you for homebound learning. It works like this: you remain enrolled in your current school with your current class. Each week a teacher stops by once or twice and goes over your lessons with you at home, and assigns you next week's lessons. You remain with your class as far as lessons go and you eventually get to graduate with your class. It is paid for by the school district. Obviously, it is expensive for them so that may be why they are not telling you about this option. Talk to your doctors.

second, you can homeschool which it sounds like might be the answer also because your mom is there to help you. Homeschooling is a specific set of state laws governing a parent teaching their own child. The parent takes legal responsibility for your education, decides what curriculum materials to use, purchases them with their own money and provides you with all instruction. You never have to "apply", you just "do" following the laws of your state. When your parents determine you have completed the requirements for a diploma in your state, they give you one. (google 'your state high school graduation requirements" to find them). Homeschooling is completely separate from any public or private school and is often called Parent Directed Education. You can find your state's laws at

http://a2zhomeschooling.com/

Use the alphabet at the top to find your state. You can also learn about different curriculum and where to find other homeschool families in your area.

Online schools are either public schools or private schools. Public schools are free for you just like the school you currently attend. They are governed by the same laws that govern public schools in your state. k12, Connections, Insight, ECOT and others that are free are public schools. They are also for-profit making their emphasis on profit, not education. I'll give you a few links to introduce you to them. I would not recommend them for you because of their poor reputation, high drop out rate, low test scores and very low graduation rate. That is my opinion based on what I have read about them and the questions here from students who are failing out.

Online private schools are tuition based. They can be anything from Susie Q picking up a bunch of used textbooks and stacking them in the garage with a mailbox over the the UPS store, to very good programs run by Universities. They are largely unregulated (most states only regulate them for health and safety codes) so you never know what you are getting unless you do a lot of research. Two I can recommend are:

http://highschool.nebraska.edu/
https://iuhighschool.iu.edu/

You will be alright no matter what you choose because it will be your family's choice. They know you and can select the option that is right for you. Yes, real homeschooling (not public schools that call themselves homeschooling to hide their inadequacies) is designed to fit you exactly. You get to pick your own courses which means things that interest you.

those links:

States Struggle To Keep Online Schools Accountable
http://www.pewstates.org/projects/statel...5899451690 2/15/13

Shareholder lawsuit: http://scas.issproxy.com/pdf/33187cmp.pdf

Virtual School Profits Far Exceeding Performance
May 17, 2013
http://neatoday.org/2013/05/17/virtual-s...dayexpress

Cyber schools flunk, but tax money keeps flowing 9/26/13
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/09/cy...z2gQD7kZhB

Virtual School Profits Far Exceeding Performance
May 17, 2013
http://neatoday.org/2013/05/17/virtual-s...tualschool

From Junk Bonds to Junk Schools: Cyber Schools Fleece Taxpayers for Phantom Students and Failing Grades
10/2/13 http://www.prwatch.org/news/2013/10/1225...-and-faili

School Reform and the Profit Motive
By Jay Mathews
The Washington Post
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
http://www.vnews.com/news/schools/912831...ofitmotive

Don't cry; find the answer that is right for you. As homeschoolers, we do try to keep the tears out of learning. Learning should be something you enjoy.

come back anytime and ask all the questions you want.