California court strikes a blow for children; homeschooling virtually outlawed.

[quantum_mechani]

The key issue here seems to be getting overlooked, not what are the credentials of the people doing the teaching, but the results. The same standardized tests that are used to judge teacher effusiveness in public schools are (in most states) also applied to home schoolers. Just like any other teacher, if parents are meeting the standards, fine; if not, take steps to correct it. The steps might of course involve relieving either teachers or parent from teaching duty.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by GePap
Funding is only part of the problem. The unwillingess to create centralized nationawide curriculums, and to keep the untrained (ie Parents) away from creating curriculums is also a problem.

Agreed this is a huge problem.

[Dinner]

BTW there are some damn good schools in California San Jose and San Diego both have good schools (though San Diego's tends to be the rich sides of town rather then the poor sides). The problem is the standards aren't unified and set at the top.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by GePap
Funding is only part of the problem. The unwillingess to create centralized nationawide curriculums, and to keep the untrained (ie Parents) away from creating curriculums is also a problem.

No. The #1 problem with education in the US is that the smart kids have to go to the same schools and the normal ones, unless they're very lucky and live near a magnet school.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Kuci,

Agreed that is a big problem (don't know if it the #1 issue) but very serious nonetheless, Which is part of the reason why I have normally been impressed with home schooled kids. The entire family typically places premiums on smarts as opposed to requiring their kids to be subjected to lowest common denominator teaching.

Congrats to Kali for finding new ways to enforce mediocrity.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Originally posted by quantum_mechani
The key issue here seems to be getting overlooked, not what are the credentials of the people doing the teaching, but the results. The same standardized tests that are used to judge teacher effusiveness in public schools are (in most states) also applied to home schoolers. Just like any other teacher, if parents are meeting the standards, fine; if not, take steps to correct it. The steps might of course involve relieving either teachers or parent from teaching duty.

No it is purposely being overlooked. By concentrating on the teaching requirements (accreditation) the results become secondary. Exactly what teaching unions are striving for. Ongoing job security without accountability to results.

[Kidlicious]

I don't know what they are so afraid of. Homeschooling is never going to be that popular. The only break parents get is when their kids are at school.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
Are you aware Oerdin, that this law was initiated by Hitler in Nazi Germany in order to ensure that all the children were indoctrinated in the beliefs of the Nazi party?

Are you aware that Nazis breathed air? I demand you stop breathing to prove you are not a Nazi!

[Arrian]

Have 'em take the standardized tests. If they pass, they get no gummint intereference. If they fail, they have to jump through a hoop or two.

That's not so hard, is it?

Oh, and "keeping the unqualified (parents) away from the curriculum..." yeah, that's what we really want: parents to stay the hell out of their kids' educations! Right.

We want parents involved, if we care about results. This means suffering the slings and arrows of creationist idiots whining about biology, yes. So be it.

-Arrian

[GePap]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker


No. The #1 problem with education in the US is that the smart kids have to go to the same schools and the normal ones, unless they're very lucky and live near a magnet school.

Even if we were the designate "the smart kids" as say the top 5% of performers in standardized exams, what kind of planner designs an educational system based on the needs of 5% of students????

Answer: not a smart one.

Magnet schools and honors programs are fine, but they are not even close to the central issue in education.

[The Mad Monk]

Originally posted by Zkribbler


It's an affirmation that people who teach children should be qualified to teach children.

Most folks who were homeschooling in California were breaking the law. What kind of example is that for our youth to observe?

The people who taught the children to talk, walk, feed and dress themselves are NOT qualified?

In that case, should the state take over those functions as well? If not, why not?

[The Mad Monk]

Originally posted by Oerdin
It's not outlawed as has been said several times in this thread. A parent would just have to get a teaching credential in each age category. Overall credential 2 year (comes with one age category) plus one year extra for each additional age category (there are 4 categories, pre-school, elementary, middle, high).

How much does such a credential cost?

Is it one time, or must it be renewed?

The teachers I know are required to take continuing education courses , to maintain their credential -- of course, such training is usually subsidized by the system they work for.

[The Mad Monk]

Let's look at the numbers involved -- 166 thousand children; let's also stretch a bit and say that there are four children in each homeschooled household.

That's over forty thousand people in need of immediate training. Is the state prepared to absorb that?

[The Mad Monk]

Took a little digging, but I found the actual requirements:

Steps to a California Teaching Credential

1. Obtain a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited university or college. You don't need to have a degree in education to get a teaching credential. A degree in any major will qualify you for most programs. If you're interested in teaching high school math, a degree in math will be beneficial.

2. Begin a Teacher Preparation Program approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC). Make sure your program is approved. All California school districts have different requirements, so check out the school district you're interested in and look at their teaching requirements.

3. Get classroom teaching experience. Classroom experience is a basic part of learning how to teach. All California teacher preparation programs include at least one semester of student teaching.

4. Pass the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST). For more information on the CBEST, please see the Useful Links section.

5. Complete the US Constitution Course. Every California teacher has to pass this course before receiving a credential. You can pass an exam in the subject given by a regionally accredited college or university or you can complete a course. Applicants from the interstate agreement states are considered to have successfully met the US Constitution requirement.

6. Pass the Subject Matter Competency Exam (CSET). For more information on the CSET, please see the Useful Links section.

7. Apply for your California teaching credential. Get started today by browsing our directory of accredited teaching credential schools.

http://www.alleducationschools.com/faqs/california-teaching.php?src=goo_aes_california_020607_119

[Jon Miller]

Yeah, this is purely cali wanting to force kids to use their ****ty public schools.

How many of those kids weren't getting a proper education? Statistics say less then 25% of them. On the other hand, 50% of kids in the ****ty public schools aren't getting a proper education.

JM
(what I am considering a proper education is actually a lot higher then what the state does, if you use the states definition the numbers are even worse)