California Homeschool ISPs changing names?
Why? You may ask. It is reported that during the recent Appellate Court Case, the California Department of Education (CDE) has been confused by the term "private school independent study program." It is CDE's position that an “independent study” program as outlined in the Education Code can only apply to public school home study programs.
Lenore Hayes of BayShore School feels that this move is premature and that making a change now might confuse the issue even further. She has a valid point when she says, "If the CDE is confused by terminology, I suspect that they will be the entity to decide upon a change. It is my opinion that unnecessarily creating a new designation will only further cloud the issue – especially if legislation is ever enacted and an entirely new name is given to private ISPs." BayShore has been operating as a private school independent study program since 1992.
What is your opinion? Do you think that Independent Study Programs (ISPs) should change to Private School Satellite Program (PSPs)? Will your group be changing at this time?
Comments
It would seem to me that the California Department of Education is confused by far more than “private school independent study program”.
Anyway, I think changing “ISP” to “PSP” seems a little premature.
Lance
The CDE doesn’t give names to private school programs, which are not highly regulated. So we should not wait for the CDE to name this one. I think it’s prudent to stop using a term that they and the court find objectionable when used by private schools; if it makes it less likely that a court would find a program illegal, seems like the right thing to do.
CHEA, CHN, HSC, HSLDA and Private and Home Educators of California have been working tirelessly to protect our right to homeschool legally. Please take their advice! Nobody knows the issues like these people do! There is one more organization recommending this change: Roy Hanson, with Family Protection Ministries. These organizations are all in agreement that these changes are important to preserving our homeschooling freedom. You can visit their websites for more information.
Becky Hunter - Goleta, CA (recent attendant at the CHEA Convention and Leadership Conference in Long Beach.)
This court case poses a real and serious threat to the right of parents to educate their own children as they see fit, and in the legal world terms and names have great meaning and implication. Since these judges have already indicated a hostility toward homeschooling and have demonstrated a lack of understanding about the whole structure of it here in California, it seems very wise to do everything to be clear and open about how homeschoolers are meeting the legal requirements of compulsory education here in California. Those groups (CHEA, HSLDA, HSC, CHN, and Private and Home Educators of California) that are making the recommendation have been involved in the legalities of homeschooling for many years (at least two for 25 years) in California and in the case of HSLDA, the entire nation, and have earned a reputation for protecting, defending, and supporting homeschoolers. These are varied groups with different religious and philosophical beliefs and it is awesome that they working together on this issue. I don’t believe they would all agree on a recommendation unless it truly will be helpful to the situation brought on by this court case. It won’t affect what goes on in an ISP to change it’s name to a PSP, but it might help some officials who are uninformed and unfamiliar with homeschooling understand the structure of these programs. Homeschooling produces excellent results for the children whose parents pursue it, but we need to stand together and united to maintain this right here in California from those who would deny it. It’s only sensible that if a term like ISP is widely known through a large institution (the public school sytem) then there would be confusion when small institutions (private schools) use the same term to describe something else. The CDE at it’s upper levels is not hostile to homeschooling at the moment, so I say let’s keep it that way and let public school’s have their term. We’ll use our own term and be clear to everyone who inquires what the system is and we can give less opportunity for confusion and accusation even to those who are antagonistic and uneducated about homeschooling.
If they are confused by terminology, maybe they should be the ones in school. Home school is a great way to educate yourself on vocabulary.
I say they all need to just quit whining and let parents be in charge of their children’s education if they so choose. Either that, or take notes on how Texas gets it done (it is called FREEDOM).