The Napa Valley area of California is known for its wineries. And now it's making news because of homeschooling, too:
It could have been Wednesday or Saturday. For Ellanah Rhoades, 13, and her family, those two days aren't as different as they are for most. Rhoades is a student at Napa Valley Alternative School, the independent study program run by Napa Valley Unified School District, and she makes up her own schedule.
The independent study program has been around for decades, originally designed to serve kids who were on the brink of failing out or who didn't fit in, as well as bedridden children who became ill during the school year. But long-standing enrollment caps were lifted three years ago. Now that anyone can attend, a growing number of people, like the Rhoades family, are signing up for a brand-new reason: to homeschool.
The homeschooling contingent remains a significant minority of the 120 students enrolled, but they have been increasing in numbers, said Kurt Schultz, who oversees the program...
June Rhoades doesn't have to help her daughter much. Ellanah, who caught up to her mom in height in the past year, is a smart kid, scoring above her grade level on standardized tests and "going through books like water," June said. A teacher assigns homework and monitors her progress, meeting with Ellanah once a week to grade assignments and talk about the coming week.
Interestingly, the Napa Valley materials are often based on Christian beliefs, which fits, I suppose, with an area that describes itself as "Eden" (for wine grapes, anyway). And, delightfully, there is competition in the homeschooling market in this area, which forces the NV Alternative School to try to keep up. Who benefits the most from this? Three guesses, and the first two don't count.
Posted by kswygert at November 14, 2004 03:13 PM