Financial aid; from public to homeschooling.?

Question

My school has been very, very racist to me. I live in a small town, small school - the majority of attendees don't know what "diversity" means. My parents want to take me out of the school...which is completely, absolutely fine with me. The problem is that we need to know what I'm going to do for next year. See, our house has been on the market for 2 years and hasn't sold. We plan to move to the East Coast where the schools are better. But we have no guarantee that we will be moving this year so I can attend the nice public school there. But if we don't... Home schooling is an option through online courses. The problem is finding the appropriate program that accredits HS credits (so I can proceed to college...duh). Of course, in my parents' financial situation, we can't afford a private school or barely the homeschooling programs. What my parents want to do is sue the school because my sister and I are being ostracized and neglected - just from being a different race.

Suggestions?

Answer 1

First of all, you don't have to go through an "accredited" program to be accepted by a college - Harvard, Stanford, and Berkeley currently have homeschoolers enrolled, as does nearly every college in the US.  Many of them did not use any sort of outside program, but pursued their interests with curricula and other resources.

Second, homeschooling can follow you wherever you go, so whatever you choose to do can easily follow you to the East Coast.

There are soooo many resources available for homeschool kids, from DVD and CD Rom curricula, to courses that you and your parents put together with online and library resources.  For example: my son takes an algebra course by DVD, and does the work that comes with it.  His writing course is also taught by DVD, and I work with him on style and method.

However, he's studying oceanography with a unit that I put together using Boy Scout merit badge materials, an online video course through a college in Florida, a math unit through SeaWorld and NCTM, library resources, and an oceanography lapbook.  He has writing assignments (a 3-page book report, research papers, and creative writing) as well as reading Jules Verne (20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Journey to the Center of the Earth) and is studying the history of oceanography from James Cook through the present.  He's studying the methods and technology behind underwater photography and videography, as well as studying oceanscapes from various artists throughout the past 500 years (art).  He's also making a model of a volcanic island (ocean floor to above sea level) and a coral reef.

I couldn't find an oceanography curriculum that fit what he wanted to learn, so I made one myself.  For all of that, I paid under $30 - supplies, references, materials, etc.  However, it's in-depth enough to count for half a high school credit.

Through homeschooling, you really can work according to your level and interests - you're not required to have an online program, and you're not required to get a GED or anything like that.  There are free programs in some areas, but you're required to go by their schedule, and by their regulations.

Anyhoo, hope that helps!  And good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Answer 2

There might be a virtual charter school in your area that you could try.  Charter schools are public schools, so there would be no cost to you.  High school credits will transfer no matter where you go, don't worry about that.