I draw the line on who is funding it? If it’s private funded, parents paying 100% for it, directly out of their pocket, it’s homeschooling. If it’s funded by the government in any shape or form then it’s public school at home and no longer homeschooling.
Many homeschool advocate groups like HSLDA draw the line in the sand at the same point. If you are using a public school at home option HSLDA will not allow you to join or will not cover you … because using public school at home is not homeschooling. So I look at the same way if a advocate group like HSLDA will let your join then you are homeschooling if they turn you down because of your schooling method then you are not actually homeschooling.
As homeschooling evolves (and grows), the marketplace is noticing…look at all the curriculum providers, umbrella schools, hybrid options with public schools. They’re chasing dollars. So where homeschooling used to be parents assuming all responsibility for curriculum, instruction, assessment, recordkeeping, costs, etc., these days the waters are getting pretty muddy.
Also keep in mind that given changes in government-funded education, (such as closely monitored school “performance” via testing, and federal dollars tied to the actual number of students attending the public school) the public schools are very eager (some are desperate) to get and keep students’ butts in their chairs. Especially the high-performing butts, of which homeschoolers are a significant percentage. Hence, the government is trying to lure families with attractive “compromise” options - dual schooling, hybrid schooling, “free” curriculum and even cash incentives (at least when we lived in AK, they were throwing computers and cash at HS families) to allow them to register the kids on their public roll…boosting their census, boosting their federal aid dollars, and, if you read the fine print on the agreement, allowing them to retain significant control over curriculum, testing, and sometimes even methods. Caveat emptor.
So I think I agree with Mommyof2green’s observation, in part. If the parents ultimately are the legal entity responsible for financing, selecting, implementing, and assessing the educational program, then it’s homeschooling in the true sense.
I would have to add a category of “hybrid” schooling, where the parents are responsible for certain aspects (selecting an umbrella school, such as Oak Meadow), supervising day-to-day work of the children via instruction or selecting third-party instructors (co-ops, cyberclasses, dual-enrollment with a public/private institution), but have ceded power/authority to outside organizations in other areas. For example, Oak Meadow will sell a parent a box of curriculum/supplies as a one-off transaction - from that point on, what the parent does is his/her own business. But Oak Meadow also offers a “distance ed” enrollment…the parent receives the box 'o stuff, supervises the day to day activities, performs instruction…but they are required by Oak Meadow to submit work every couple weeks, which is graded by the OM teachers, records are maintained by OM, and the student follows the OM course of study, resulting in an OM diploma. In some states, this actually counts as private school enrollment, legally, so that family wouldn’t be listed as HSers. In my current state, MA, the OM distance-ed enrollment is not sufficient for homeschooling. The parent still must submit an education plan to the local district annually, and submit an annual progress report/evaluation (there are few options for this, but the bottom line is, parents have the ultimate responsiblity). So all these “dual” things are murky, indeed. People interested in home education should carefully research the legal requirements in their state/district as they select their HS format/curriculum/method.
To speak to Mommyof2green’s comment about the HSLDA, I think it stresses the importance of carefully looking at all obligations contracted by use of third-party providers in homeschooling, whether it’s an umbrella school, curriculum provider, public school program, co-op, independent teacher-evaluator, testing compay…there can be some unfortunate fine print that might “bite back” farther down the road. It’s important to keep one eye on The Big Picture for your children and for your family.
That is pretty much what it means to us. It also means freedom and flexibility. Every new year brings different surprises and curriculum ideas with different children having different needs:juggle:
