EDUCATION DIRECTORY EXPLORE YOUR HOME SCHOOL AND PRIVATE SCHOOL OPTIONS FEATURE | FAMILY EDUCATION DECISIONS, DECISIONS, DECISIONS. WHICH WAY TO GO WHEN IT COMES TO THE 2020-21 SCHOOL YEAR written by Kimberly Davis Guerra f any of you had a last TEXAS • Good citizenship schools to choose from in the semester of the 2019-2020 HOMESCHOOL is similar to civics. Greater Houston area alone. school year like we had at my Public schools teach Depending on your affiliations house, I know this thought LAWS 2019 one semester of civics, or preference, you can narrow has crossed your mind. ”If On June 15, 1994, after a usually in the senior down your options. my kids are learning at home, nine-year court battle, the year of high school. Here are some of the categories Iwhy not just home school? It Texas Supreme Court in TEA Teaching U.S. and Texas to consider. would probably be easier to v. Leeper issued a 9-0 decision history, government manage and more organized, guaranteeing the right of Texas (theoretical and Private Schools: which would make our lives parents to teach their children practical), the Pledge of • All Girl/All Boy easier. Bonus, they might at home without fear of Allegiance, and similar • Religious Affiliation actually learn something.” prosecution. activities will also help (Christian, Lutheran, The other opinion I have The court held that meet this requirement. Methodist, Jewish, etc) heard is, ‘I’m not feeling really homeschools are exempt THSC provides several • Hybrid (Part home school / comfortable sending my kids from compulsory attendance ways to help you meet part on campus) back to a school filled with because they are considered this requirement (see • Traditional Non- 1,000 other students. I’d feel a type of private school. The resource box below). denominational more comfortable in a private compulsory attendance statute • Online only environment with smaller is currently found in Section There is no need to register classrooms/school setting. One 25.085 of the Education Code. or in any way contact the local Once you have an idea of that offers more control and In accordance with the Leeper school or the state government the type of campus environment flexibility.” decision, homeschools are prior to homeschooling, unless you are interested in, then you With the turbulent times exempt from the compulsory your student is currently in have to look at the curriculum https://thsc.org/ and the roller coaster ride that attendance statute because they public school and student to teacher ratios. sending-a-withdrawal-email/ COVID-19 has caused in our are considered a type of private If you have a kid who is really lives, it is wise to consider all school under Section 25.086(a) If your child has never been focused on sports and they don’t your options. The fact remains, (1) of the Texas Education Code. enrolled in public school, simply offer any, that will be a problem that as we go to press, the TEA According to the Leeper case, obtain curriculum and begin. It for your child. If they are really and Governor Abbott have the only legal requirements to is also to your advantage to find into robotics, make sure they not come to terms with what homeschool in Texas are: a local support group to help have a killer computer lab and the requirements will be for • The instruction must be you in this endeavor. programs to keep them growing the 2020-21 school year. In bona fide (i.e., not a sham). in the right direction. Last, you fact, even if decisions are made • The curriculum must be MANY CHOICES want to be sure that they are in today, they may change due in visual form (e.g., books, AVAILABLE a small class environment, given to rises in cases or outbreaks. workbooks, video monitor). the recent outbreaks. They will So, it stands to reason that you • The curriculum must If you decide to look into be less likely to be exposed if need to be prepared either way. include the five basic options other than the they are surrounded by fewer Knowing what your options are subjects of reading, spelling, traditional public school route, kids on campus. is the first step. grammar, mathematics and there are many options to The other benefit afforded good citizenship. choose from. According to latest by the private schools is, let’s stats, there are over 1,200 private face it, greater resources. Many researching, I was blown away are already equipped with state at all of the options available. FREE: Abeka of the art facilities. With the Not only are there private Texas Connections Academy www.abeka.com current outbreaks, you can online programs there are also www.connectionsacademy.com/ bet that they are upgrading free, public online programs texas-virtual-school Time4Learning webcams and streaming services available! There seems to be www.Time4learning.com to offer more online teaching price points and benefits for DiscoveryK12 environments for students, every type of family. www.discoveryk12.com Whether you choose to depending on their needs and The curriculum seems to be go with a private, homeschool comfort levels. extremely well-balanced, straight Ischool Virtual Academy of Texas or public education program *Check out the education forward and easy to access. One- www.ischoolvirtual.com for your child, it is going to directory following this article on-one relationships are available take time and research to for more information on stand for students to enhance learning, IUniversity Prep decide which path to take. out schools in our community as well as group opportunities www.iuniversityprep.com We encourage you to begin to meet classmates. Clubs are your research early, so that you HOMESCHOOLING, available for kids who have Texas Virtual School have time and are not stressed specialized interests to interact www.txvs.org out before the kids go back to IS IT RIGHT FOR with like-minded students. There school. As with any start of a YOUR FAMILY are even groups for parents to K12 Academy new school year, children are interact with other parents to www.k12.com anxious enough. We do not If you are still concerned about discuss issues they are facing. need to add to it if we are going exposure for your family, All in all, it seems like a strong CHRISTIAN: to make any big changes to their you may want to go with platform to consider. Alpha Omega Acdemy future. the homeschooling option. As always, we recommend www.aoacademy.com Look to Houston Family’s Before COVID-19, I never doing your due diligence. daily E-newsletters throughout considered it. However, with United Christian Home School Research the options, talk with the month of July & August the continuing ups & downs friends and family who have www.unitedchristianschool.org for more tips and information our city is facing, it only seems tried it and make the right on education and support prudent to strongly consider Enlightium Acacademy decision for your family. information. We are here to making the change. www.enlightiumacademy.com Here are just a few websites help provide you with answers Did you know there are of programs to check out for to your questions! over 300,000 homeschoolers Paratus Academy more information: in Texas? Once I started https://paratus.academy SPECIAL ADVERTISING | EDUCATION DIRECTORY ARCHDIOCESE OF GALVESTON- 11123 Cypress N. Houston Rd. HOUSTON CATHOLIC SCHOOLS Houston, TX 77065 As the largest private school system in Texas, our 60 Catholic Schools serve students in grades Pre-k HOUSTON CHRISTIAN HIGH through 12. Actualize your child’s potential and SCHOOL choose a Catholic school. Houston Christian High School engages students to www.choosecatholicschools.org become impactful leaders through an empowering, dynamic education within a spiritual worldview. 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