Advice on homeschool / independent high school programs?
Hi there, I've read through the various spreads on homeschooling/unschooling here on BPN, but haven't found an exact fit to our situation so I thought I would make my own post.
I have a 17 year old who is very self-driven and enjoys being challenged academically and just isn't getting the in classroom experience from teachers or her peers that she's looking for. We homeschooled through Connecting Waters for part of 9th grade, then decided to try an in-person charter high school which we just haven't been happy with. She hasn't been getting the academic rigor that she is looking for, she's more mature than the other students in her classes, and she really doesn't want to go back to in person learning at that school (or any high school at this point). She's smart and enjoys learning about a wide range of subjects/topics, and is interested in but not super advanced in STEM, so we looking for a program that can support a nice breadth of coursework.
We're now looking at homeschooling / independent programs that can really support her, allow her to take college courses concurrently, and still be on track to complete all UC requirements if she decides she wants to go straight to a four year university. I know there are options for going the community college > 4 year transfer route, but I don't know if that's the best option for her. We're really looking for a space where she can ideally have some contact with kids her own age, a teacher/teachers who can really give her the focus and personalized attention that she needs (and are subject matter experts) while also having the flexibility of an online/virtual program so that we can travel and build in other enrichment around the "regular" coursework.
We're not able to afford a private school at this time (think Tilden Academy) and are in Oakland so can't access Berkeley High's program. I've been looking into some general general homeschooling programs like California Connections Academy and smaller localized charter programs across the state, but it's been difficult to get a clear picture of the actual learning experience since there's no physical school space.
It would be so awesome to hear your personal experiences! Thank you so so much for your suggestions and input!
Parent Replies