The WSLP

The bane of my existence mmkay....

WSLP stands for Written Student Learning Plan and I hate it.  Seriously- HATE.  IT.  Each month I have to update this plan with what we've done in our homeschool, the progress the kiddo has made, the activities, the curriculum, approximate time spent on each item as well as test scores and grades.  But here's the kicker- you have to do this all a MONTH BEHIND.

So let's just stop right here.

We are Eclectic Homeschoolers who follow Unschooling whenever possible.  I triple dog dare you to figure out a way to measure this business in a WSLP.  Go ahead- I'll wait.....

Exactly.

Can't be done.  We don't test.  We don't follow a set curriculum.  I never know from one month to the next what we will be doing, let alone try to remember an entire month back.  Ugh.

The second part to the dreaded WSLP is the twice yearly update.  This one is more exhausting and seems to be at the whim of state legislators as it's requirements change each time.  It's here that we have to plan out an entire six months worth of homeschooling.  SIX MONTHS.  Yeah- no.  We do this at the very beginning of Fall before 1st semester begins and again after Christmas before 2nd semester begins.

I have learned to type in the words and phrases that the state wants (at this moment) and then simply copy and paste from the first plan to the second.  I also NEVER do any of this work ahead of time because as I've said- the requirements change each time.  I clearly am not about to waste my time.

And y'all, this isn't even discussing the fact that the program that contains the WSLP seems to NEVER be working correctly.  No joke.  This thing has not run smoothly in the six years we've been attending.  How is this possible?  I just can't even....

I GIVE UP

So why am I telling you all of this?

Well- if you're going to be attending Edmonds Heights K-12 or any public school funded homeschool program, be prepared to deal with this nonsense.  While we have enjoyed our time here at EH, putting up with this ridiculousness has put a big damper on my desire to continue with this program.  Add in the fact that they got rid of many of the free classes taught by certified teachers and instead replaced them with expensive "workshop" classes and that they've had several recent threats to the campus and this Mama is seriously about to pull the plug.

While there are some benefits and I'm hesitant to leave a community that we've been a part of for over six years, it's come to a point where independently homeschooling is easier than being a part of this program.

I'm jumping through hoops and for what exactly?


So here's what the husband and I have decided-

• For now, the kiddo will still attend this public school funded homeschool program.
• We will be reducing the amount of hours/days he's at this program.
• No longer will we use this program for core classes.
• This will be an extension of our homeschool rather than the focus.
• As a result, we will be changing how we do school at home.

The kiddo greatly enjoys the socialization found here.  He loves his Spanish class and I'm sorry to say it- but this Mama is simply NOT going to be busting out the Rosetta Stone anytime soon.  Pottery is fun and while he won't admit to it, he's really enjoyed his Myth, Fable & Fairytale playacting class this year.

These are all good things.

For now, the good is still outweighing the bad.  However I will say, that in recent years- it's a close race and the scales are more evenly divided.  If our state (Washington) keeps making changes to the requirements for public school funded programs such as ours, it will no longer be worth it to attend.  And that's probably their end goal.  I would not be surprised if "they" sit in their offices in the capital and dream up obstacles for programs such as ours to "encourage" families to drop out and then enroll in a more traditional public school.

But jokes on them- 

We will just drop out completely and become 100% independent.  Adios WSLP!  Peace out....

The Public School Funded Homeschool Program

Say what?!?

I know....I know...this is really a confusing concept.  So here it is, an update on the program William attends.  To see my previous post on this program, click here.

Ok, so what exactly is a public school funded homeschool program?  Well, it's exactly like it sounds.  It's an "alternative" school in our local public school district.  They are funded just as every other public school is funded- with our hard earned tax dollars mmkay....Although, dare I say it...I feel that programs such as these are held to stricter standards then say, those for the high school dropouts.  But really, that's just my own opinion.

Many, many, many public school districts are now offering a program for homeschoolers.  If yours currently isn't- just you wait!  I bet you'll see one in the years to come as homeschooling gains in popularity.  Now, each program will vary depending on your school district.  We are fortunate to live near four different districts and so we've chosen the best homeschool program of the four local districts- Edmonds Heights K-12.

The other programs didn't offer actual classrooms but rather take home work, or they didn't have a campus but held classes all over the city and one was SO small it was stuck in a tiny room inside the school district's main office.  So when looking at homeschool programs- do your research!  Not all are created equal.


Now let's talk about Edmond's Heights K-12.


It's a large program, the largest I've come across.  The school campus uses an old high school in the town of Edmonds.  Y'all- Edmonds is seriously a beautiful city!  In the mornings when we pull up to "school" I can hear the nearby ferry boats and smell the salty ocean water- yeah, we are very blessed.

Edmonds, Wa

The school has a Principal, fully credited teachers, expert workshop instructors and families.  Lots and lots of beautiful homeschooling families of all races, cultures, sizes, social backgrounds and they travel from all over the area for the ability to attend this wonderful program.  There's a brand new playground that we raised money for just a few years ago.  There's an great arts program with full on musical productions and artist showcases.  We have a library, computer labs, co-ops, debate teams and more.  Folks- this place is simply awesome.  We're in love.


Sounds great, right?  Now- how does this all work?


Well, it's almost exactly like community college.  There's a building, staff, teachers etc- we've already covered all that.  But as far as the classes go, it mirrors the way college works.  You pick the classes you want to take each semester and we have 2 semesters per year.  The classes run on either a T/Th schedule or a M/W and there are no classes on Fridays.  It's like they knew that no one would want to be there on Fridays...genius!  The classes are broken up into grade levels and usually its 2 grades combined or 3 grades, for example, William has a Multiplication & Division class this Fall and it's for grades 4, 5 and 6.  This works well for kids that are both ahead of their grade level and behind their grade level.  The class size is also restricted depending on what the subject is- so usually 10 or 15 kids max.  Wow what a difference from a traditional public school classroom with 30 or 35 kids!

A typical class at EH

For us- since it's a 35-40 minute drive just to get there, I really try to limit our days that we are there.  So typically I try to arrange for all of William's classes to either fall on a T/Th or M/W.  Last year I got them all on a T/Th but so far, this Fall we will be attending on M/W.  It just depends on what the class schedules are and what's being offered.

**To see William's complete Fall schedule, click here.


So that's just a little bit about how our public school funded homeschool program works.  This program has been a huge benefit to us in our homeschooling journey.  William enjoys attending the classes and playing with his friends and I love meeting fellow homeschooling families.  It's been a good place for us and I would highly suggest you look into your local public school homeschool programs.  Don't be scerd mmkay...they really can be a wonderful thing!