The California Constitution has guaranteed free education for children in grades K-12 since 1879. School districts are assigned by neighborhood of residence, and some districts, such as Palo Alto, require residency documentation to enroll. For students coming from other countries or states, it is recommended to check with the new school district as soon as possible to ensure enrollment. Independent charter school programs are a great option for home-learning students who don't want to go alone, but don't want to be told what to teach. As long as you meet certain requirements, you are free to create a program that works for you and your child.
Homeschool classes are offered at learning centers in Temecula, Corona, Riverside, Santa Ana and Hemet. American River Charter School is located in Garden Valley, Northern California and offers a personalized homeschool program with optional weekly classes. You can choose your own curriculum and materials, and sports, theater, band and dance are offered to high school students. This charter contracts with the Black Oak Mine Unified School District and complies with all district policies. San Diego Neighborhood Homesschools is located in Oceanside and serves San Diego County.
School requires monthly teacher meetings for K-8 students and weekly meetings for high school students. Parents and teachers work together to choose a curriculum that conforms to California content standards. Section 1115 (c) (D) of the Act requires targeted assistance programs to assist preschool children in their transition to primary school. The University of California Scout Program allows high school students to take online courses part-time and earn credit for a fee. There are about 3,675 private schools across the state of California, offering families unique learning environments.
Open enrollment is an important form of public school choice; open enrollment refers to whether a state allows parents to send their children to schools outside their district. If you want to homeschool your children in California, public homeschool programs are an option available to you. A relatively new California program called “transitional kindergarten” is available for any child who has a birthday in September, October or November; this program provides a year of free public education similar to preschool. Children who are eligible to attend kindergarten may attend any pre-kindergarten summer program maintained by the school district. Elementary school is kindergarten through fifth grade (5 to 5 years old), middle school is 6 to 8 years old (11 to 1 years old), and high school is 9 to 12 years old (14 to 14 years old). Current literature reveals that retention can have a negative effect on student achievement, school attendance, attitudes toward school, and student drop-out rates.