[geeks] geeks Digest, Vol 86, Issue 11

[Joshua D. Boyd]

Lionel Peterson wrote:
>
> I think the interesting development would be if neighbors got 
> together, pooled resources, and created their own little 'private' 
> school, with each parent bringing something to the table, maybe a few 
> parents acting as 'school teachers', and the kids can pick and choose 
> from after-school activities.

In the homeschooling community in some parts (probably most parts) of 
PA, families will often pool together into various size groups offering 
group activities like choir/band/sports as well as classes on topics 
that some parents may feel they are unqualified for (AP english and AP 
calc, Biology, etc) as well as organizing field trips.  Such groups may 
cover primary, secondary, or both.

There are also groups that offer online classes for homeschoolers 
without being part of any specific cyber school.  I believe that online 
classes are usually aimed more at secondary students.

> Imagine if a church did it - all the children in the church enroll in 
> cyber school, put their PCs and materials in the church building, and 
> met each day for instruction without a lot of state regulations, 
> guidelines and mandates...
If a church in PA wanted to do that, it would be easier still to do it 
as a homeschooling group, as long as they could make sure the kids read 
and did math well enough to get past 3rd, 5th, and 8th grade standardize 
achievement tests, and as long as they could find a credentialed teacher 
or licensed psychologist to go along with them.

Of course, there are church's that run their own schools.  I don't have 
any reason to believe that a church run school is any more restricted in 
curriculum than what a cyberschool would offer.