Homeschool Hangout

Come Fill Out Your 2023-2024 California PSA with Me Live!

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Is this your first time filling out the California PSA for independent homeschoolers? Have you filed before but have wished you could have someone to ask the random questions you think of? Would you like to have me right beside you as you fill out your PSA for this year? For $10 you can! I will be doing more livestreams this year but this is the only one scheduled right now. So don’t delay because this one is coming up soon!

$10 must be paid before your registration is complete. Payment can be made by PayPal or Venmo.

Link to register (or fill out the form here on the page): https://forms.gle/K2L4WJYMeFLZRLZb7

How Children Are Like Salmon & Huge Giveaway!

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I have been homeschooling for 17 years now do you want to know what I wished I would have known before I started homeschooling? Well, in reality, that is a long list but first and foremost I wish I had known how children are like salmon. Yes, I said that. It isn’t a perfect metaphor but stick with me and see if you understand what I mean!

So on to the giant giveaway!!!

2023 Back to Homeschool Giveaway leaderboard
Even though it feels like summer just started, a new homeschool year will be upon us in no time! Have you started planning and prepping yet? Preparing for a new homeschool year is an exciting time, but it can also create feelings of overwhelm and stress! What curriculum should we use next year? What supplies do we need? And how are we going to pay for it all? Many homeschoolers live on one income and have to stick to a strict budget that doesn’t always allow for much wiggle room. That’s why I’ve teamed up with a group of amazing homeschool bloggers to make getting ready for your new school year just a little bit easier and hopefully a little less stressful for you. Our hope is that we can bless a few homeschool families (although we wish we could bless many more) and ease a little of that financial burden and help you check some extra things off your homeschool wish list this year. Three people will win a $250 gift card to either Rainbow Resource Center or Christianbook.com – two great places to shop for homeschool curriculum and resources, with the best prices around!! To enter for your chance to win, simply use the Rafflecopter form below to enter.  Now I know this is quite a few entries, but each of these bloggers has generously chipped in their own money to make this giveaway possible, so I hope you will take the time to do all of the entries.  And hey, the more entries you do, the better your odds are of winning! Giveaway ends July 21, 2023 at 11:59pm ET.  Must be at least 18 years of age.  Must be a resident of U.S. or Canada to enter.  Selected winners will have 48 hours to respond to email notification to claim their prizes or another winner will be drawn.  By entering this giveaway, you agree to be added to the email lists of the participating bloggers (see the Terms & Conditions on the Rafflecopter form). a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you would like to know what other homeschoolers wish they knew check out the other videos in the What I Wish I Knew About Homeschooling Playlist.

Looking for some more posts to check out?

Major California Homeschool PSA Change for 2023

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There has recently been a major California Homeschool PSA change regarding the availability to file for the 2023-2024 school year. I am sure you may have questions as to what it means but breathe, it will all be just fine. Let’s look at how things used to be, what the changes are, and how it affects private homeschoolers in California going forward.

Major California PSA Change for 2023

How it used to be for the California PSA

So, the education code states that if you are an existing private homeschool in California, you are to file your California PSA (Private School Affidavit) between October 1st and October 15th of the school year. That PSA is for the school year that goes from August 1st of one year until June 30th of the next.

The California PSA remained online and available for any new schools for that are established in the school year (or anyone who forgot to file between October 1st and 15th). On June 30th the PSA for the old school year went down and you were unable to file anything until October 1st. All schools formed before October 1st and continuing schools could begin filing on October 1st.

What California Homeschool PSA Change is

The change is simply that the California PSA for the school year will become available on August 1st instead of October 1st for the whole academic year. That is really it. The statue still reads that you file from October 1st until October 15th but the PSA itself will be open starting August 1st. This is a change in practice meaning you can start filing on August 1st but they didn’t go through and actually change the statue. The PSA will still be unavailable for filing for the month of July.

How does this affect California Private Homeschoolers going forward?

This just means that you don’t have to wait until October 1st to file, but you are still legally allowed to wait until October 15th to file. Which means if for some reason a sheriff knocks on the door or an old school calls, you could tell them to check on your PSA after October 15th.

If you are like me and like to have all the school setup done before the fall really kicks off, then file in August! If you are pulling your child out over the summer, you can now file your PSA starting on August 1st then you can send your school your transfer letter. You don’t to mess will all the waiting and possibly getting harassed by the public school.

Why was this done?

That is really it! In my conversation with the Private School Department, the California Homeschool PSA change is really just to make everyone’s life a little easier. It used to be that the PSA was only available to be submitted from October 1st to 15th and if you forgot or started a new school you would have to print out a paper version and mail it it. A few years ago they started leaving the PSA available for the remaining time of the school year so things didn’t have to be mailed in or reporting delayed.

Making the PSA available on august 1st will help veteran homeschoolers to not forget. It also really helps new homeschoolers and public schools! Public schools would have to keep lists of students to verify in October. It is the public schools’ responsibility to make sure that students transfer to real schools.

To that length sometime students sometimes could be marked truant until the filing period closed in October. Then the parents would have to deal with calls and letters in the mail. This can help to avoid all that wasted time and annoyance to all.

That is what California Homeschool PSA change is! Are you like me and glad that the PSA is now available starting on August 1st or do you think it is a waste? Let me know in the comments what you think!

Join our community over on Patreon for webinars, hang outs, and printables/templates (like a transcript template)

You might also like Homeschooling in California: 10 Pros and Cons of Homeschooling You Need to Know

Oh No! I forgot to file my CA homeschool PSA???? What now?

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https://youtu.be/mLzZM1QOdyE

A question I receive every year is “Oh no! I forgot to file my California PSA for homeschooling! What do I do?” So I reached out to Private School section of the California Department of Education to get concrete answers. Everyone just breathe, it will be ok.

If you haven’t filed for this academic year (August 1st – June 30th)

In previous years I have been asked and I have always responded with the fact I don’t know and that you should just file it ASAP. Come to find out, I was right;). The California PSA is available to fill out online until June 30th of every academic year. No matter when during the year that you file it registers as the school existed in that academic year. It is basically binary, it existed or it didn’t.

If you forgot to file for a year

What happened if you forgot to file for a whole year or more? Well, there is no way to go back and file after the academic year is over. For the most part (like if CPS were to be called because someone thinks your children are truant or not being educated) nothing will happen as long as you have a current PSA. They don’t look back to see the history.

But where it can be a problem is when dealing with other schools. If you choose to put your children into a public k-12 school, they may not accept your transcripts if they look up the history. The public school can already be bit prickly about accepting transfers into specific grades when the kids are in high school. Also, colleges may ask about it and you will have to work harder to defend your classes and grades.

That said, I have never been asked for a copy of my affidavit (or historical years) for CSU’s, Community College, or the Army.

Don’t think the PSA isn’t important!

So if it isn’t a really big deal if you forget, should we even bother. Yes, it is the law! Your children have to attend a public school unless they are in a private school that is registered. You can be accused of legal neglect if you don’t have your children in school.

So, file your PSA! The law says file it between October 1st and 15th. It isn’t legal required until October 15th but after then you can get in trouble.

What other questions do you have and how can I help? Don’t worry, you have got this!

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How to Pull Your Child Out of Public School Over the Summer

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Now that the school year is over in many places there is a common question that I get asked. People want to know how to pull your child out of public school over the summer. Especially since the California Department of Education started pulling down the private school affidavit July 1st through September 30th. Well have no fear, it isn’t hard at all. Just take a deep breath and let’s get started. Just a note, the first step is not filing your California Private School Affidavit. If it is still up it is for the 2022-2023 school year.

Submit a withdrawal letter!

This is something that intimidates people but there really isn’t a lot to it. There are basically 3 things to include:

  • Your student is transferring to “New School Name”
  • Effective date (will not be returning for Fall 2023)
  • Request a copy of all records to be sent to “address of school” and that it should be all records including health and disciplinary records.

That is all there is to it. Sign it and either take it in, email it to the proper person, or mail it in.  Then between October 1st and October 15th just file your California Private School Affidavit. If you would like a sample to modify and submit, you should join my Patreon! It is included in my files I provide to members!

What to do if asked for a completed PSA?

Tell them no.  Yes, I AM being serious. I don’t care when in the year they ask for a copy of the PSA, tell them no. The California Department of Education has provided public schools with a look up tool. All they need is to input the school’s name and it will verify that the school is registered. Also, you can’t file for the 2023-2024 school year until October 1st. And the California Department of Education Private Schools Department has personally emailed me that public schools should know better than to ask.

From the California Department of Education page:

” Affidavit Filing Period

The statutory filing period is October 1 through 15; however, the filing system remains open throughout the school year to accommodate new schools. Schools established between July 1 and September 30, shall wait to file an affidavit until the PSA filing period begins in October.”

What if they won’t provide the records?

First off, if your kids are elementary school ages the records don’t do all that much. You can just blow it off. But if you want them for any reason, they legally must give them to you. California law says that public schools must give the records to the new school. According to California Education Code section 33190, you are a private school even before you file the affidavit. Also, public schools accept Federal money. That then means under FERPA you are entitled to the records just as a parent.

Don’t let anyone push you around! You can totally do this, and the law says you can. This is really all it takes to pull your child out of public school over the summer. Seriously, you are starting on a fabulous journey for you, your children, and your family as a whole! Make sure you check out our Patreon and join our community!

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How to pull your child out of public school over the summer.

You might also really like: Homeschooling in California: 10 Pros and Cons of Homeschooling You Need to Know

Join Our Growing Homeschool Community!

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I am so excited to talk about growing this community and making it more of a community! I have been making videos and homeschooling for a long time. But as my children are getting older I can change my focus to being here consistently! Part of my vision is build out more of a community and I am going to be using Patreon to do it.

There are a variety of benefits and incentives to join in! Depending on the level, you will get quarterly webinars, online hangouts, a moderated Discord server for you and your families, and even private coaching! If you don’t need a community but want to support us, there is even a $2 level!

Please pop over to Patreon to get details and to join our community!

6 Essentials for a Homeschool High School Graduation on Amazon Prime 

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Are you concerned about your homeschool high school graduate will be missing out on the experience of a high school graduation? Have no fear your homeschool high school graduation can have all the trimmings of a “normal” graduation! When children graduate from a public school it seems they always have a ton of things they need to order from a specialty store like Jostens to have a graduation ceremony so where is a homeschooler to start to just buy enough for 1 or 2 students? Have no fear, it is easy to get all the things you need for your homeschooled graduating high school students to have a pretty traditional graduation and they are all available on Amazon Prime.

Graduation Gown, Hat & Tassel

A graduation gown with a hat and a tassel are a non-negotiable for homeschool high school graduation to feel like a traditional graduation ceremony😉. I know that I still have my tassel from my high school graduation back when the dinosaurs roamed the earth. Our homeschool group gets gowns from a traditional graduation event company but that isn’t the only way. You can pick up the entire gown, hat, and tassel set from Amazon for only like $25! And you can choose from all the sizes and quite a few colors. I found one specific one but there are a variety to choose from.

Graduation Sashes or Cords

When I was graduating from high school (and when I got my Associates) there were a variety of sashes and cords for different achievements. I personally had a sash in college for Cum Laude (grades) and for actually graduating during Covid😉. But in high school there were different things for honors societies and accomplishments. You can choose a variety of colors and styles on Amazon. Sashes https://amzn.to/3KUgXcM Cords https://amzn.to/43uJjBA

Diploma Holder

Having a degree is kind of the whole point of doing a graduation ceremony. But that can look like a couple things. Remember, you typically never show the actual certificate😉. One option is a tube. Yes, a tube. When I graduated recently from the Junior College they handed out a tube. But it wasn’t empty, it had instructions on how to get our actual diploma😉.  They do have an elegant look and are easy to set on a shelf and can store any cords you use.

We do a diploma cover, and we get it in a boring black. We just got one from Amazon for $10 right and they do have it in other colors. Then if you can to be able to display it, you will need a frame too!

Class of 2023 Clothing

There is a ton of clothing out there for the graduating class. Do you want a sweatshirt (https://amzn.to/3GJAZEl ) or a t-shirt ( https://amzn.to/3L1jwdm )? How about themed shirts ( https://amzn.to/3L0ODpi ). You can choose a ton of different colors and styles.

Senior Yard Signs

I don’t know when yard signs became a thing, but they are. There are companies around in my area that create custom hard board graduation signs that are about 2 feet by 1 foot starting at $75. If they make it through living in the front yard, then you have to figure out how to store it as a keepsake. And I don’t want my kid’s full name and school in the front yard. Ok, mini rant over.

But I am not a total joy kill. There are a lot of yard sign and display options. You can get a 9 foot sign with a bunch of balloons for only $16! And have 3 different color choices. If you do want a spot to write a message or even put your student’s name, then there is a great set for only $20 that is actually 4 different signs.

Class Jewelry

Amazon has a ton of senior jewelry options! You don’t have to be part of a school to get something. They have pretty rings for women, necklaces, and guys rings. Frankly they are so much cheaper than any class ring that was sold in my high school. At our school it was hundreds of dollars but you can pick up a necklace for like $16 and rings for $50. The rings are totally customizable too. You can pick stones, put your school on it, and even your name.

Necklace https://amzn.to/3L2rt1Y

Women’s ring https://amzn.to/3MNtZu2

Men’s ring https://amzn.to/43xnjpM

As you see, it isn’t hard to have a great homeschool high school graduation! Everything can be picked up easily on Amazon with speedy Amazon Prime shipping. Frankly, I think it is much more affordable then sending your children to a public school graduation! And everything is bespoke and personal to your student (or students if you are in a group). Don’t worry that your high school homeschooled student will be missing out at all.

List of Items

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Get Help with Quick & Effective Homeschool Transcripts (Livestream & Template) on April 24, 2023

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How do I do homeschool transcripts for my high school (or junior high)student? Will colleges accept my transcripts? What needs to be on a transcript?

These are some of the most common questions we receive! But have no fear, homeschool transcripts don’t need to be hard in order to be accepted by colleges, scholarships, and even the military. On Monday, April 24, 2023, at 6pm Homeschool Hangout is hosting a Livestream on making quick and effective transcripts.

So what does all that mean?

We are going to gather online for one hour. I will lay out how I make my transcripts in a super homeschool friendly manner. It accounts for the fluidity of time and semesters that we as homeschoolers like to have. I will talk about key information that needs to be included. I will also address how we handle honors and college classes in the GPA.

There will also be plenty of time to ask any questions you may have. How do you write up that odd life experience type class? What about volunteer work? Jobs? All that will be addressed.

You will also receive a simple template that you will just need to customize to your students to create awesome homeschool transcripts! All that is included in this $15 session! Please register as soon as possible to secure your spot! (Registration is completed when payment is received)

Quick & Effective Homeschool Transcripts (Livestream & Template) image