Defining School Choice and the Best Schooling Options
It is National School Choice Week!
NSCW is one week in January where thousands of people get together at events that bring awareness to schooling options available for families in the United States. Check out the School Choice Week website to find an event near you!
What is School Choice?
School Choice is the ability for parents to choose the best learning environment for their children. Parents have the option to choose between public school, private school, charter school, or homeschool.
Why is School Choice so Important
No child is the same as the next. Each has his or her own learning style, needs, and skills. While some children & parents thrive with a public or private school setting, others do much better in online classes or homeschool.
Choosing what type of schooling a child will enroll in is an extremely personal & important decision for parents to make. I don’t want someone else making that type of decision for me because I know my child better than anyone else.
What School Choices Are Available?
Homeschool
Obviously the school of choice for my family is our home. You can read about our son’s transition from public school to homeschool here if you would like.
Homeschooling is legal in every state, but each state has their own rules set up. You can check out the homeschool laws in your state on the HSLDA website.
Public School
Public schooling includes Traditional, Open Enrollment, Charter, and Magnet options. These schools are tuition free & open to all children. Most states are opening their enrollment (hence the title of open enrollment) to children regardless of what school district they live in.
Private School
Private schools usually require a tuition. There are several options-such as scholarships, tax deductions, & education savings accounts-to help families who might not be able to afford private school on their own.
Virtual School
Many parents do not realize that they have this school choice. Parents have the option to allow their children to complete their schooling with online curricula. Virtual schools can be online public schools or online courses by independent providers. We incorporate virtual learning into our homeschool with Veritas Press History courses. You can find an online public or private school with the K12 School Finder tool.
What School Choice Options Do You Have in Your State?
Considering an educational change for your children? Find out if your plans are supported by your state here!
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- How to Switch from Public School to Homeschool
I have been looking for information for my school choice Argumentative Essay assignment. I really like the way you described the different learning environment options available to parents.I’d love to hear the methods you use to make the best choice for your children.
Thanks for reading, Brooke! My oldest child went to public school until the end of 1st grade. He was pretty far behind in reading and the teacher couldn’t dedicate the time that he needed to catch up because of the teacher to student ratio. We were in the middle of a move so we decided to give homeschooling a try. He has since caught up to his grade level in reading & he is a level ahead in math. We love the flexibility of homeschool!
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