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Services for home schoolers grow Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Giada Shaver, 8, works on a painting for a wreath during the Integrated Mornings session for 7- and 8-year-olds at the Community Learning Center in Ashland. Unlike in public school, students can attend classes at the Community Learning Center for varying times. In Ashland, they�re less isolated and get more help from public schools By Tony Boom ASHLAND � Two years ago, Debra Schaeffer Pew offered home schoolers help from a large closet at Walker Elementary School. Today she�s instructing the children in a 10-classroom, 9,500-square-foot set of buildings on a 44-acre farm owned by the Ashland School District. The term "home schooling" conjures up images of children sitting around the kitchen table, with Mom or Dad overseeing their studies. For the most part, they were isolated from other students. That image is changing � particularly in Ashland. Home-schooling families are beginning to work together and with the school district, thanks to Ashland�s Community Learning Center. "More (home-schooling) parents are looking for support in what they are doing," said Pew, coordinator and head teacher. In an effort to improve services to home schoolers and their parents, the school district greatly expanded the learning center with the purchase of the former Waldorf School ranch for $865,000 in September. The district will use the ranch, at 1497 E. Main St., for other school programs as well. The site allows some of the center�s 200 home-schooled students to study in two new integrated classroom groups for 7- through 9-year-olds that meet for language arts, mathematics and other basics. The move also allows the center to serve home schoolers of all ages, including teenagers. "There�s an Ashland School District philosophy to try to meet the needs of every group," said Superintendent Juli DiChiro. "Traditional schooling doesn�t meet the needs of all." During a recent morning, while Pew sat at a desk, students popped in and out, a backhoe operator asked about location for a picnic table, and a teacher asked Pew to check on bread in an oven. The only full-time employee at the center, Pew balances moment-to-moment demands with efforts to guide an operation that serves a wide range of home-schooling families. This is her third year as head of the center. Some of Pew�s families are "unschoolers," followers of a theory that children learn what they need to know when they need to know it � without structure or curriculum. Others are very structured, with the family sitting together for regular studies at specified times. Still others fall somewhere between the two groups. Diversity among the home schoolers presents a challenge as Pew works to shape offerings. "Most home schoolers have a very clear vision of what they want. Families who are used to being in charge of their children�s educational choices must now work with others," said Pew. "They appreciate the validation of their choice (represented by the center) because they pay taxes. Their money never came back to them if they didn�t enroll in classes." Many of the 45-member, part-time teaching staff are certified teachers, as is Pew. Some staff substitute-teach in schools or have part-time contracts with school districts. "I want to make it feel like an inclusive community," Pew said. "There are broad divisions in Ashland�s educational community. It�s important that everything here be used for the good of the whole district." Pew has a lot of leeway in choosing offerings for her students. Home schooling in Oregon has only two requirements: Parents must notify the local education service district when they home-school children between ages 7 and 18; and home-schooled children must take one of five standardized tests at grades three, five, eight and 10. Local districts are not required to provide educational materials or services or to allow class attendance for home schoolers. Jackson Education Service District notifies local districts of home-schooled children who live in their boundaries. This school year, 980 students have been registered with the ESD countywide. The figures include new registrations and students moved forward from last year�s database. Jackson ESD officials say home-schooling registration is increasing, but they suspect the data are not complete. The state no longer requires annual registration. Parents don�t always report when students move out of district or enroll in public school. "A lot of people don�t register," said ESD�s Bev Orndorff. Ashland School District has chosen an option to the state testing rules that allows portfolios of student work to be evaluated in lieu of standardized tests. Pew offers a class for parents on portfolio preparation. Unlike in public school, students can attend classes at the Community Learning Center for varying times based on learner and family desires. "I only use the center as a supplementary thing. We do the rest ourselves," said parent Sheri Bowland. Her two sons take nine one-hour classes that typically have seven or eight students. Bowland also uses the center to check out chemistry kits, electricity kits, literature and items designed to teach children arts and crafts. Bowland said her oldest son, 7-year-old Alex, was "lost" in a large class when he went to public kindergarten. "(The center) can meet individual learning styles a bit better," she said. "His self-esteem blossomed since going to CLC." She plans to both test and prepare a portfolio to evaluate her sons� learning. "I think it�s better than public school, because there are a lot less kids and you can do more things than you get to do in public schools," said 10-year-old Azalea Micketti. She is in her second year of home schooling. "I never thought we�d be home schooling," says Audrey Flint, whose 9-year-old son, Dillion McCord, gains most of his education at the center. "If it hadn�t expanded, he�d probably be in regular school." "(Home schooling) basically is about parents taking more responsibility for (their children�s) education," said Flint. "Science is my favorite class," said Dillion. At the center, he also takes math, music, art and an exploration and investigations class. He studies art with a private teacher as well. This is the first year Llupus Kulick, 17, is taking classes offered by a school district. Llupus is enrolled in biology at the center and in mechanical drawing and welding at Ashland High. His mother, Suzanne, has overseen the rest of his schooling. Llupus has taken standardized tests to meet state requirements. He also plans to take a high school diploma equivalency examination. Suzanne Kulick said the Community Learning Center has been needed for many years. "I worked forever on something like this," she said. "Finally, I had to concentrate on my kids." Parent Pamela DeHart said the center has helped bring together home-schooled families who had been isolated before. "With this option, a lot have come to the district and registered," she said. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.