40% of parents say they would choose a regular public school for their child. However, approximately 90% of Virginia’s K-12 students attend regular public schools.[2]- 39% of K-12 parents say they would like to send their child to a private school. In reality, approximately 9% of Virginia’s K-12 students attend private schools.[3]
- 11% of parents in the survey would prefer to homeschool their children. According to data collected by the Virginia Department of Education, close to 2% of school-age children are homeschooled.[4]
- 8% of parents say they would like to send their child to a charter school. Currently there are only three charter schools in operation in Virginia, serving approximately 190 students.[5]
- YOU OR YOUR GROUP WILL WIN because this fundraiser, unlike many others, is low-maintenance and highly profitable.
- HOMESCHOOLING WINS because $2 of every sale will go towards helping HEAV continue to support and equip homeschoolers across Virginia.
- THE MERCHANTS WIN because their business increases and the revenue remains in the local community.
- THE CUSTOMER WINS by purchasing a card that recoups its purchase price after only one or two uses.
- They also make nice, affordable stocking stuffers for Christmas or birthday and Christmas cards.
Dinnertime Conversations
The evening meal can be a valuable training time, yet directing dinnertime conversations can sometimes be a challenge! Here’s a simple idea to try: Have each person at the table share a couple of praises from the day. You may find it also helps you think of things to be grateful for throughout the day! Some other ideas would be to pick a topic from history to discuss…or have each person share something interesting he heard or learned that day.
What does your family talk about around the table? Share your dinnertime ideas as a comment below for others to benefit from.
Blog @ March 3, 2010 | General | Comments (0)
Black Students Make Up Nearly 10% of the Estimated Two-Million Students Homeschooled Nationwide
From Essence.com
http://www.essence.com/lifestyle/parenting/commentary_why_we_choose_to_homeschool.php
Commentary: Why We Homeschool Our Children
Tuesday, February 16, 2010 | 11:50 AM
by Aretha Taggart, as told to Yolanda Sangweni
When most people think of homeschooling, they think rich celebs and White families. But figures from the National Home Education Research Institute show that more Black families are gaining in on the practice. In 2007, an estimated 220,000 Black children were homeschooled, compared to 84,000 in 1999. Black students make up nearly 10% of the estimated two million students who are homeschooled nationwide–more than any other minority group.
Albert and Aretha Taggart decided no one could do a better job at educating their four children than they could. So Aretha left her corporate job and began teaching her children at home six years ago. Here she shares why her family made the choice to bring the classroom into their home.
Read more: http://www.essence.com/lifestyle/parenting/commentary_why_we_choose_to_homeschool.php#ixzz0gEPjEQ9P
Resources
National Black Home Educators (NBHE)
The National Black Home Educators is a nationwide organization dedicated to mentoring parents and training youth.
http://www.nbhe.net
Home Educators Association of Virginia (HEAV)
On the “Support” page, HEAV provides listings of Virginia support groups by county and city.
http://www.heav.org/support/index.html
annemiller @ February 27, 2010 | General | Comments (0)
Discounted HSLDA Membership – Now Through the End of February – Save up to $50!
Homeschool Legal Defense Association is offering a $25 discount for new memberships (anyone not currently a member–does not apply for renewals) on their two-year membership plan when you sign up using this link. Offer expires midnight on Sunday, February 28.
Become an HEAV member and save an additional $25! HEAV members save $25 on their HSLDA memberships–that brings your savings up to $50!
When you sign up, write “Affiliate 2294016″ in the space marked “Other” on Section 2, Question B (the question labeled “I received this application from”), and HEAV will receive $20 as well (new members only)!
We recommend homeschooling families join HSLDA. Even if you never experience legal trouble yourself, your HS LDA membership will help enable other homeschooling families to get the legal help they need and will help defend our right to homeschool. Joining HSLDA is a great way to support homeschooling freedoms nationwide and in Virginia at the same time!
Blog @ February 24, 2010 | General | Comments (0)
Homeschooling – Full of Pleasant Surprises!
Below is a letter a homeschool mom in Virginia sent us sharing about a pleasant — and quite unexpected — surprise!
Have your own homeschool stories? Share them here! Send them to kloop@heav.org, or leave them as a comment.
Dear HEAV,
This is one I had to share: Last month we finished studying the postal system and began studying the fire department. We began with how the Pilgrims used the bucket brigade to extinguish fires and so on. My children had questions I could not answer, such as, “How long are the hoses on the trucks? How many forest fires have there been in Virginia this year?” and others.
Instead of looking up the answers for them, I asked them to write a letter to the fire department and see if their questions would be answered. I thought it would be good practice after learning about the postal system. Three weeks passed….
Tuesday afternoon the doorbell rang. I thought something terrible had happened, but instead I was pleasantly surprised. The fire department had come to our front door for an “in-person,” 30-minute, hands-on class (fire truck, ambulance, and four wonderful people). We were so shocked and overwhelmed! They said they would’ve called, but we didn’t include our phone number in the letter. WOW!
We’re working on a HUGE thank-you letter for all four fire fighters.
Note to self: Homeschooling can be full of pleasant surprises, and be careful what you ask your children to do! 8-) Amy Pickett
Katherine Loop @ February 3, 2010 | General | Comments (0)
Keeping Focused on the Mission (Part 2)
[This is a sequel to "A New Year’s Thought – Keeping Focused on the Mission."]
Last week, I wrote about keeping intent on the mission God has given to us as Christians. All week long, I’ve been trying to write the sequel. And all week long, I’ve had the hardest time keeping focused on the mission myself!
One night I felt particularly frustrated. I’d worked hard all day, but it seemed I had gotten nothing done at all. Here I was, starting to paint the office at 7 p.m. when I was supposed to have begun right after lunch. In the back of my mind, I also knew a seemingly never-ending pile of work still needed done.
I plugged in a sermon and began painting. As I listened, I grew more and more convicted. My problem became clear: my eyes were on me. My failure to keep focused on the Lord and His mission had expressed itself in my being short with my mom, brother, and several other dear people, not to mention feeling like giving up and hiding my head in a hole like an ostrich.
Lesson for the week: Part of keeping focused on the mission has to do with continually surrendering our own plans and desires and remembering we’re not here for us!
Katherine Loop @ January 13, 2010 | General | Comments (0)
The Harms of Homeschooling? Where Are the Premises?
Dr. Brian Ray recently released an article examining claims made by Robin West in her “The Harms of Homeschooling.” Dr. Ray examines each of West’s seven claims, which include educational, economic, and political harms, pointing out the lack of evidence for each one. Ultimately, he makes the case that it all boils down to a worldview: Who should decide what’s best for children, parents or the state?
Here is how he describes the article’s purpose:
“The purpose of this article is twofold, to show that the “harms of homeschooling” that West alleges basically have no foundation in research evidence and to note that West’s proposal for the state to control homeschool parents and their children is based on a worldview that it antithetical to one held by a significant portion of Americans.”
Read “The Harms of Homeschooling? Where Are the Premises?” here.
annemiller @ January 13, 2010 | General | Comments (0)
A New Year’s Thought – Keeping Focused on the Mission
This past weekend, our family headed off on a “fieldtrip” to the pentagon. As we wandered through the hallways, I was struck by the care each branch of the military had taken to convey its history and mission through various displays. One Army display particularly grabbed my attention: I will always place the mission first.
Always place the mission first. A good soldier lives — and dies — for his mission. He doesn’t let hunger, fatigue, fear, personal agendas, or anything else distract him from the mission.
The thought of placing the mission first struck a chord because our family had been examining and discussing missions and goals for the New Year. We’d also recently heard a sermon that pointed out that God has given all of us mission statements in His Word. He’s told us to trust, love, and rest in Him. To rejoice always. To serve one another in love.
Now here was the mission theme once again, this time with a soldier analogy. I walked away from the display with a thousand thoughts whirling through my head. God calls us soldiers too. What mission were we to place first? What mission has He called us to as Christians? Could other missions — even good missions — be keeping us from that? How do we keep focused on His mission? How do we live trusting, loving, and resting in Him? What would it look like if we did?
More to come next week!
Katherine Loop @ January 6, 2010 | General | Comments (0)
Strong Support for School Choice
- By Yvonne Bunn, HEAV director of homeschool support and legislative affairs
Although 90% of Virginia’s school-age population attend government schools, many families would change that if they could.
According to a newly released study, School Choice Survey: Virginia’s Opinion on K-12 Education and School Choice (released by the Friedman Foundation in November 2009), Virginia parents support educational freedom and school choice.
39% of the parents with children in public school would choose another form of education, while 40% are satisfied with their child’s education. The survey results reveal a major disconnect between the preferences of parents and actual school enrollments.[1]
The survey also reveals many parents have succumbed to the “not-my-school” syndrome. The same survey participants who believe there are problems with the government-run system don’t think things are as bad in their child’s school as in other schools. 62% of Virginians believe their school is “good” or “excellent.” But if given the chance to send their children to a private or charter school, or to homeschool, then 54% said they would make a change. Residents in Northern Virginia shared the most positive views of government schools (70%).
Interestingly, the survey indicates a majority (65%) of tax-paying survey participants underestimate how much it costs to educate public school children in Virginia. 19% believe it costs less than $3,000, and 28% believe it costs between $3,001 and $6,000. In reality, the average cost to educate a child in Virginia in 2007 was close to $12,000 per student.
The entire survey can be reviewed here.
[1] The subgroup “K-12 Parents” makes up 31% of the total survey sample (n=367).
[2] Regular public school enrollment (2007-2008) obtained from the Virginia Department of Education (VDE): http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/dbpubs/Fall_Membership/2007/readme.htm.
[3] Private school enrollment estimate obtained from Stephen Broughman, Nancy Swaim, and Patrick Keaton, Characteristics of Private Schools in the United States: Results From the 2007-08 Private School Universe Survey (NCES 2009-313). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences (U.S. Department of Education. 2009), Table 15.
[4] Homeschooling data from the document posted on the Virginia Department of Education website: http://www.heav.org/assets/files/law/Homeschool-Numbers-2008-2009.pdf.
[5] Virginia’s charter school information obtained on the Virginia Department of Education website: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Instruction/OCP/charterschools.html.
annemiller @ December 16, 2009 | General | Comments (0)
Earn Extra Money for Christmas, Extracurriculars, Your Support Group or Team — and Support HEAV at the Same Time!
Needing extra cash for the Christmas season…or maybe for extracurricular activities, a sports program, mission trip, band program, or curriculum? Could your support group use a financial boost? Have an entrepreneurial child?
Selling Peel-A-Way cards is a simple and do-able way to raise funds either as an individual or as a group. People love the cards AND you’ll be supporting HEAV at the same time!
How Does It Work?
There are NO up-front costs, risks, storage, or spoilage. You or your group sell Peel-A-Way cards — a credit-card-size coupon card with 32 mini peel-off “Buy-One-Get-One FREE” offers from local merchants. Each card sells for only $12, has a value of over $150, and is good for 12 months or longer. The purchaser saves the cost of the card on the first or second use!
For every Peel-A-Way card you sell, you or your group will make $4, and HEAV will make $2.
Everyone Wins!
Ready to Get Started?
Ten families selling ten cards per family can make $400 for your group! The coupons are good at locations across the state. Just give us a call at 804-278-9200 to request the number of cards you want. The sooner you call, the sooner you can get started raising the extra money you need!
Blog @ November 24, 2009 | General | Comments (0)
A Few More Vaccination Opportunities
The files below contain information on a few more upcoming vaccination opportunities.
Central Region Vaccination Plans as of 11-12-2009
11-12-09 Pediatric Vaccination Clinics
Important Note: HEAV does not recommend or endorse any vaccine. Because homeschoolers fall within the target at-risk group for H1N1 influenza, HEAV is publishing information regarding the availability of the H1N1 vaccine. Vaccination decisions are the responsibility of the parent.
Blog @ November 13, 2009 | General | Comments (0)