School Options
The first step in your homeschooling journey is to decide what type of school you want to participate in. This sounds counterintuitive (I want to homeschool, duh?), but stick with us. The Chico area offers a variety of ways to homeschool your child. We've highlighted the different options here and linked them to places to learn more.
3 Ways To Homeschool
Here are 3 ways to homeschool in California.
Public Homeschool Charters
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Most popular way to homeschool in the North Valley
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Provide funding for curriculums and activities
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Offer the support of a credentialed teacher to guide you through the process of teaching your kids
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Like all public schools, they follow California State Standards, do yearly testing, and are secular.
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Require periodic meetings with the teacher and work samples.​
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Enrolling in a charter school is similar to enrolling in a conventional public school. Each school will have its own process. Once you find the school you like, follow the instructions for enrollment on their website. Links to the schools are listed below.
It is worth noting that many of these charters have waitlists. If you think this might be the right option for you, then applying early is a good idea.
Private School Options
There are two ways to homeschool via a private school.
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PSA: You can set up your own private school by filing a Private School Affidavit (PSA) with the state.
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By filing a Private School Affidavit (PSA) with the state, you open your own private school and enroll your kids.
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This path will provide the maximum amount of freedom but no funding and no academic support.
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2. PSP: You can go through an established private school that serves homeschoolers through a Private School Satellite Program (PSP).
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This is a hybrid option between charter and PSA.
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In this option, you enroll your children in a private school established by someone else.
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This option usually requires an enrollment fee.
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May provide some academic support but no funding.
