By filing a Private School Affidavit, you can transform your home into a registered educational institution. Under this option, you'll need to withdraw your child and his records from his current school and make your address available on public record so you remain transparent in your techniques. California mandates the teaching of math, science, reading, and social studies, but with an affidavit, you can choose your unique teaching method and specialized subjects, even instructing considerably above grade level if you so desire.
The Private School Satellite Program is an option for those who'd like to register as a teacher within a private school that has filed its own affidavit. In this case, you don't need to provide your own address as a school site; though you're educating within your home, you're a member of the private school, to which you submit all attendance and academic records. These institutions often offer field trips and other social activities for homeschooled students, and some offer comprehensive curriculum materials to educators.
Some public schools offer an independent study option, and charter schools are designed to work with the wide range of student needs. In this scenario, the student is still technically enrolled in a public school, and the parent is seen as a teacher's aide. A credentialed instructor oversees the administration of curriculum, but schedule flexibility is increased. This is a nonreligious option most often chosen by those who wish to home school on a more temporary basis.
Using this option, parents who have earned a California teacher's credential can educate their children under the private tutorial exemption. Though you have the necessary training, you may still only educate your child while he's studying in the grade level covered by your credential. Alternatively, an outside tutor can step in and take over all teaching duties, but this must be done between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. for three hours each day, 175 days of the year, to comply with state law.
Once you've decided to create a homeschooling plan, there are a number of resources available to help you begin the journey. The California Homeschool Network provides connections to seasoned homeschoolers and several curriculum options. You can contact the Christian Home Educators Association of California and access its website to find teaching aids for every grade level and information about local gatherings with fellow home educators and pupils. National resources can also be found online, each offering an extensive collection of tips and facts.