KLAS-TV Channel 8 News Las VegasHome Schooling Options
(June 20) - The uncertainty surrounding the school district has forced many parents to start looking elsewhere. Private school is one option. But there is another choice thats become popular too. Parents who have homeschooled their children say there are a number of benefits.
Kimberlie King-Patraw says, "The largest benefit is your family tends to grow closer together and are more aware of each other at home."
Now, it appears more parents are becoming aware of homeschooling. One sign of that is the first Annual Convention for the Nevada Homeschool Network, offering a chance for parents to find out what teaching tools are available, and to talk with parents who are already homeschooling their children.
King-Patraw adds, "Really what it comes down to is choice. Its a choice to bring our kids home, and teach them at home. Its a choice to use the alternative educations that are out there."
So where dos the Clark County School District stand on this issue? While they don't encourage homeschooling they have created an online curriculum for parents of children in grades k - 8.
"We do want to make sure that the parents have access to curriculum, have access to support groups, and organizations," says Julia Chavez of CCSD. The online curriculum is aligned to most standardized testing models, including the Nevada Proficiency Exam. If they want other materials they can purchase them from vendors, like the ones at this weekend's convention. Or they can go to the public libraries.
But the first question that must be answered by parents is to determine if homeschooling will be right for them and their child.
Often, it can be the wrong choice. And parents at this convention say the idea is to provide a better education than the public school system. Not just a passing grade.
