National Charter School Watch Blog

Home-based Instruction vs Alternative Learning Exp. Programs
Comparison Chart – August 5, 2005

snip from the Washington Homeschool Organization website:

Homeschooling Vs Public School Alternative Learning Experience Programs

Some public school Alternative Learning Experience programs (ALE’s) have the word “homeschool” in their title. How do I know if I’m homeschooling, or in a public school Alternative Learning Experience program? The Alternative Learning Experience Programs are modeled after one of the ways we legally qualify to homeschool, namely, by using a supervising teacher who meets with your child(ren) an average of one hour a week.

You are probably in a public alternative education program if:

• you registered your child for the program on school district forms
• you are meeting in a public school building
• school district personnel (the teachers) are supervising or assessing your child
• you have access to district curriculum materials, libraries, computers, etc.
• your child has an alternative learning plan
• you keep records on hours spent on academic pursuit at home
• your child is assessed by the school personnel
• your child is expected to take the WASL
• records are being kept at the school on your child

(end of snip)