project exposing school board members and school leaders focused on indoctrinating children rather than educating them.CURRENT GRADE: F
There are no true education freedom options in which tax dollars follow the student. The only option is publicly controlled charter schools.
Homeschooling is not authorized under state statute. Families who want to homeschool must establish it as a private school with government oversight. There is also a vaccine mandate.
Compulsory education is for ages 6-18.
Education Options
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- This program permits students to attend public schools out of their district if the district school participates in the program.
- Districts are not required to participate.
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- These schools are still overseen by local school boards.
- May not be subject to all the same state laws and regulations as other public schools
- If applications exceed number of seats, students are chosen via lottery.
- Online charter schools are also an option but still provided by the government.
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- California requires every child to be vaccinated for 10 diseases.
- There is no exemption for personal or religious belief.
- A medical exemption is permitted if authorized by a physician.
- This mandate is also for private school.
Homeschooling Laws
Here are state laws on the topic of homeschooling:
Here are state requirements on the topic of homeschooling:
- California does not have a statute that authorizes home schooling.
- Some public schools offer independent study or home-based study as an option.
- In order to be exempt from public school attendance, parents must open their own private home-based program and meet certain requirements such as record keeping (including vaccine requirements).
- Local district authority is over this exemption.
- Must instruct in the same subjects as public school.
- Attendance must be kept in a register (and shown to local attendance authorities).
- Must maintain a list of instructors.
Religious Exemptions:
The state has no formal laws related to religious exemptions.
The First Amendment states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Many argue that a religious conviction to provide a home-based education is constitutionally protected and a state religious exemption law is not a requirement to be able to homeschool on religious grounds.
It should be noted that the U.S. Supreme Court in Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972) established that “Under the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment, a state law requiring that children attend school past eighth grade violates the parents’ constitutional right to direct the religious upbringing of their children.” (The case involved a challenge of a 16-year-old student to be exempt, so the scope was limited)
