Online Resource: NOAA Tsunami Workshop

US Tsunami Warning System website

What:  Workshop on the basics of earthquakes, plate tectonics, tsunami formation, tsunami safety, and emergency preparedness
Who: Middle and high school 

 After our positive experience with NOAA's Junior Hydrologist program, we were pleased to find another online workshop, this time with the US Tsunami Center. The coordinator gave us an option to have a presentation for 7th-9th graders, or younger and we opted for the former.

Our presenter went over the causes of tsunamis - the large majority (80%)  are caused by tectonic plates movement, but we were surprised to learn about meteotsunamis - even areas away from tectonic plate boundaries can experience tsunamis (though rare).

We also learned about a history of tsunamis - we have records dating a century or so back, but mankind has known of tsunamis based on stories that have passed down. Unfortunately, this knowledge can be lost, such as in the Dec 2004 tsunami - it was doubly tragic as many people were on vacation, and did not know the signs (e.g. tide receding rapidly) and instead ventured out in curiosity. As a result of that tragedy, the US Tsunami Warning Center switched to 24h operation and several countries now collaborate on a global tsunami warning system. 

Among the science facts that surprised us - tsunamis actually slow down as they approach shore. However, the column of water gets higher. The important thing is to learn the signs and respond accordingly - alerts are good, but recognizing the signs gives you more time to head inland 1 mile or go uphill.

Picture from NOAA's Science of Tsunamis

Our presenter covered her slide deck, and left time for questions. What followed next was 30 minutes of inquiry: Have you seen a tsunami? Which was the oldest tsunami? Biggest? Even we parents had an opportunity to ask questions (how is it the 2004 tsunami hit both sides of an island? Answer: wave reflection). It was clear our presenter was well versed with the science and history - several times, she drew out pictures from other slide decks, including data from Deep Ocean Access and Reporting Tsunamis (DART) buoys used in tsunami detection. 

At the end of the hour, we thanked our presenter. Living in the Bay Area, we have a vested interest in learning about tsunamis. The NOAA presentation allowed our students to learn in a helpful (as opposed to fearful) way: understanding the science, and learning how to react to it. We are thankful for NOAA making science accessible to homeschoolers like us, and see a glimpse of our Creator's power. 

Ps 42:7a  Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls.

Local Resource: BioCompass Kids (Microscopy Technical)

 

After our last workshop with BioCompass Kids, we were excited to hear that they had developed a new technical workshop. This one would be based on microscopy and histology (the study of tissues), and how they are used to study neurological disease. The workshop was still 4 hours, but class size was capped at 8 students. Recommended age is 9+ years, with an understanding of animal cells. 

As before, Drs. Aarron and Natalia had set up the workspace full of interesting tools. We started off with a overview of safety protocols. Dr. Aarron reviewed the safety data sheet for chemicals we would be encountering, e.g.  PBS (phosphate buffer saline solution). 

He also introduced how to use the pipette - this version was different from the ones that commonly come in our lab kits because it had stops. We learned best practices such as: always put a pipette with tip down to avoid contamination and eject its contents slowly to avoid air bubbles.

We then proceeded with the first experiment: staining mouse brain cells. The doctors had already pre-sliced cells using a vibratome, which they had brought to demonstrate. Microscope slices need to be thin so light can go through. One technique is via freezing tissue, but it is not always an option. The vibratome vibrates, sliding the specimen forward, before slicing it with a sharp blade. Students learned how to pick up the paper-thin slices using the flattened brush heads.

Following which was a multi-step process - the cells had to be washed of fixative (so the methylene blue would stick), then washed again of excess methylene. During each wash, they discussed cells, e.g. how it is the building block/smallest living unit of life, how there are many types of cells in the body, and why methylene blue sticks to the nucleus (the nucleus is negatively charged, which attracts it most).

During break. Dr. Natalia helped to mount the slices onto slides. While waiting, they played a neuropathology game.  There were two boards - one with symptom descriptions, another one with a picture of the brain. Pairs of cards were distributed - one of a healthy cell, another diseased. Students compared the structural changes (morphological differences), then went to the symptom board to read and then try to pinpoint in the brain where the disease occurred. Examples included Multiple Sclerosis (cells display loss of myelin) and schizophrenia (inflammation with increased micro-ganglia).

Finally, each student got to view the slide they had stained and compare it against a reference picture to figure out which slice of the brain they had been given. 

As before, we are truly thankful for this opportunity to learn hands-on science. Drs. Aarron and Natalia had explained that they designed the lab so students would get to try things they wouldn't elsewhere - they succeeded and more. We continue to recommend their programs to other homeschoolers and look forward to new workshops!

Online Resource: NOAA's Junior Hydrologist Program

Slide from Junior Hydrologist presentation

Who: 7th grade and up

What: Interactive, online presentations on hydrology topics

Recently, we requested a series of hydrology workshops under NOAA's Junior Hydrologist Program - the topics we selected were Water Cycle, River Transportation, Flooding and Hydro Hot Seat. 

Each session was an hour, and a professional hydrologist from NOAA did each presentation. The best part (in our view) of these presentations was the ability to ask a professional our questions - they did a great job pulling out key ideas in their presentation, and adding on examples from their work. Our students were also exposed to geography concepts across the US - we had hydrologists from the Midwest and Southeast, and the challenges in each area are different.  

Our final workshop was the Hydro Hot Seat presentation - where we would learn about the science of river forecasting, and predict if/when there would be a flood. During this presentation, we were given data (e.g. from radar readings), and students volunteered to explain their reasoning as to which model would best fit the scenario. Our presenter was impressed by the stream of students eager to explain their work, and chuckled that we have a batch of hydrologists ready to go! 

We are thankful to NOAA and NWS for making this opportunity freely available, and recommend it to other homeschooling groups. It was easy to schedule the workshops (request online via the link above), and this is a great supplement for earth and general science 

PS: For an additional citizen science/hands-on activity, our presenter suggested requesting a rain gauge from CoCoRaHS and helping to form a picture of precipitation across the US! 

Day of AI: Python and Computer Vision

Today, we collaborated again with Together We AI to host webinars on AI. 

The first webinar was on Python, where we learned machine learning as well as beginning Python syntax, before writing a simple number guessing game. For students interested in learning more about Python, our presenter recommends Codecademy - free and paid tutorials are available.

 In a second session, we learned about neural networks, the concepts behind computer vision. At the end of the session, students trained an image classifier without learning code. 

A nice thing about Teachable Machine, the site used in today's webinar, is that it does not upload any of the samples/training data - everything is kept in browser, and nothing is saved.   That is good to know if your student wants to train some models for personal projects.  For students wanting to go further and code using the models they trained, the presenter recommended CoLab. 

We want to thank Together We AI for continuing to expand AI education freely, including to our homeschooling group. We encourage those interested to follow Together We AI - they post about new webinars on their site, and they are also working on an AI curriculum which can be accessed after filling in this form.

Field Trip: San Mateo County Superior Court

Where: San Mateo County Superior Court (400 County Center, Redwood City, CA 94063)

When : All year, with appointment

Who   : High school. Small group, ~10 people including parents and students

Cost   : Free

Note: Allow extra time to find parking (street or nearby garages), as well as time to pass security screening.

The San Mateo County Court's proceedings are generally open to the public, with some exceptions such as juvenile court, conservator ship. They also offer an educational outreach program, which is what we reserved - this would consist of an observation period, plus a meet and greet with a judge. They requested a small group size, which allowed us to observe proceedings without causing disruption. asked

(Note: Photos and recording are not allowed within the courthouse hence this write-up is text-only). 

We arrived at the San Mateo County Superior Court around 8:30am, after having found street parking. We had been advised to allocate extra time for security screening - indeed, there was a line of people outside the entrance. However, the screening went smoothly and we met our coordinator.

The coordinator led us to one of the courtrooms where we were instructed to enter quietly and sit in the observation area without interacting with anyone else. The court was already in session, with a judge in the center, lawyers in the front row, and a side door through which plaintiffs were led in. It took some figuring out what was going on in each case, and many cases were deferred. However, the solemnity of the situation was impressed on us - some of the plaintiffs led in wore orange or red jumpsuits, and security was high. We also observed courtroom recorders and interpreters.

After an hour, we were led to another courtroom which had a different seating arrangement - jury instead of judge, but was currently unused. There, we spoke with a judge and had the opportunity to ask questions. Some questions from our group:

Q: Do you get therapy for the distressing cases you hear?

A: Not for most judges, there is no mandate. 

Q:What are some major changes you have seen over the years?

A: We see more cases of mental distress now. 

After the meet and greet with the judge, we thanked the judge and coordinator for their time. This field trip was a worthwhile peek into the judicial system, and strengthened our civic understanding.

Psalm 106:3  Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times!

Local Resource: BioCompass Kids (Brainstorm Expedition Class)

Reason #1,982,963 that we feel blessed to homeschool in the Bay Area - how often do you get to meet neuroscientists? And how many of them would jump at the chance to teach a K-12 class? We met Drs. Aarron and Natalia when they did a popup event in Foster City introducing BioCompass Kids, their project to introduce science to children in an accessible yet rigorous way. They agreed to run a 4 hour neuroscience class for our middle and high schoolers. 

When we arrived, they had set out a variety of stations with colorful materials such as those pictured above, and we immediately knew this would be a fun class with hands-on opportunities. They started with an analogy - the brain is like the internet, with grey matter being the nodes/computers and the white matter being the connections between them. 

(Note about photos below: Our class was held on Halloween so our instructors were dressed as mad scientists😀)

Pointing out grey vs white matter

Starting from macrostructures, we learned about main lobes of the cerebrum: frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital. Each has functions, e.g. the frontal lobe controls decision making, the occipital controls visual input. The instructors then distributed some cards with problem scenarios, and asked students to match them to the lobe the problem might lie, e.g. "You can't remember your friends' names (temporal lobe - memory)".  Some were hard - "You try to catch a fast moving ball but fail".. is it frontal (movement), occipital (vision), or something else?  Hint: look up proprioception. 

Game board for matching lobes to functions

Even though the cerebrum has defined lobes and functions, one cannot just study a single region because brain cells are interconnected and can rewire themselves (neuroplasticity). For example, a stroke patient may be unable to speak, but with therapy the brain can wire new connections to undamaged areas so the person can relearn speech. To understand the process better, our focus switched to brain cells (neurons). 

‘Neuron’ by Casey L. Henley (CC-BY-NC-SA).
Credit: MSU Openbooks

Neurons can vary in size and shape, but have parts in common: cell body, axon (output), and dendrites (input). Dr. Aarron showed us cells using their digital microscope - we were delighted to learn it was homemade using OpenFlexure's microscope model. We also passed around slides, and he described how scientists prepare samples for labs using tools to make thin (40 micron) slices and dying them with H&E to color the nucleus purple and cell body pink.

It was time for a dissection demo! Dr. Natalia brought out sheep brain samples which had been preserved in formalin. Students could choose to handle the samples - those who did donned PPE (plastic coat, gloves). 

Before cutting, she pointed out the protective membrane (meninges) - when those were removed, we could see the folds that increase the surface area for grey matter cells. It was fascinating to compare the number of folds for a sheep brain compared to a mouse's brain which was smooth - animals have different folds, depending on complexity.  Also, both sheep and mice brains have comparatively large olfactory bulbs (nerves connecting from nose to brain)

Folds for sheep brain

Mouse brain has fewer folds

We also reviewed structures of the brain (cerebrum, cerebellum, brain stem, optic chiasm) and the lobes of the cerebrum since we could view the brain from the top (dorsal view) and below (ventral view). Dr. Natalia proceeded to cut the sheep brains in different ways (sagittal and coronal cuts). Students were asked to use pins to label major structures. 

Moving on, we learned about the connection between neurons. Information from one neuron's axon flows to another neuron's dendrites, but neurons aren't directly wired to each other. If all neurons were wired together and firing, that would actually cause a seizure. Instead, chemical neurotransmission occurs via: 

1. An axon converts its electrical signal to a chemical (neurotransmitter), which can be excitatory (e.g. glutamate), inhibitory (e.g. GABA), or modulatory (e.g. dopamine), and which is dumped into the space between the neurons (synaptic cleft)
2. Neurotransmitters drift across to the dendrite which converts the chemical signals to electrical. When received, ions from the brain flow into the neuron so the neuron builds up charge and fires a signal to the next neuron 

Neurotransmission is fast, about 20 milliseconds, but some neurons can send information faster because of myelin. To illustrate these, students were asked to run a relay race to pass a "secret" to another team member, with and without myelin. 

Running with myelin "booster"

The next activity demonstrated how neurotransmitters are cleared from the synapses by astrocytes. If this were not done, the remaining chemicals would interfere with neurons' receiving new messages.

What a mess!

Finally, students learned about inhibitory neurons - without them the brain would have a hard time distinguishing between a signal and noise from other neurons. The instructors brought a LED game to illustrate this principle - teams had fun challenging each other to stop the noise. 

That wrapped up the session - students had a lot to tell their parents that evening, and we are thankful to Drs. Aarron and Natalia for sharing about the fascinating world of neuroscience! 

Tips for other homeschoolers interested in organizing a class:

• Drs. Aarron and Natalia can be reached through the BioCompass Kids website or Instagram. They are also planning for future classes with different topics. 
• Our class size was capped at 12 students - this was an ideal number for discussion/interaction
• Plan for a large enough room (ideally with outdoor access) to accommodate all activities.

Local Resource: College of San Mateo

College of San Mateo entrance
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Overview

College of San Mateo (CSM) is one of three community colleges in the San Mateo Community College District (SMCCD), with a student population of 12,000 students. Being the largest community college in the district, it has a wealth of offerings in classes and certificates and serves homeschoolers well.   

CSM is located in San Mateo off Highway 92's Hillsdale exit. It is also served by SamTrans 250 and CSM which mainly serves San Mateo; there is also a free CSM shuttle running hourly between the college and Millbrae BART/Caltrain.  The college also provides one free Lyft roundtrip ride daily to the campus from designated spots (e.g. San Carlos and Belmont Caltrain stations) however students must be above 18 years old.  Homeschoolers planning to drive/drop off will be glad to hear that parking is free (as of May 2025) and ample, but they should check the parking page to confirm if a permit is needed and which lots are open for student parking.

Concurrent Enrollment and Middle College

For 2024-2025, homeschoolers 9th grade and above can take up to 11 credits per semester free across all the community colleges in the district; beyond that, they will have to pay tuition of $46/credit (2024-2025 rates) for all credits taken. Courses may be in any discipline and generally students take introductory courses; if a course has pre-requisites students must show they they fulfill them. NOTE: Concurrent enrollment is the term used within SMCCD for this option where homeschoolers take some courses for college credit so be sure to fill out the correct form, see our High School page for instructions.  

Some coursework/pathways that are distinctive to CSM: 

• Astronomy
• Cosmetology
• Dental Assisting
• Digital Media: Includes broadcast, multimedia and graphics. 
• EMT/Fire Training
• Nursing: Option to graduate with a BSN degree with an additional 6 months coursework

Another option for homeschoolers is Middle College. Applicants must reside in the San Mateo Union High School District (SMUHSD).  If accepted, charter and private homeschoolers may need to transfer to one of the schools in the district - we recommend checking if your credits will be accepted.

Under Middle College, juniors or seniors take all their classes on the CSM campus as part of a smaller cohort. The classes fulfill SMUHSD graduation requirements, e.g. American Literature, United States History, English, Economics and American Government. Students graduate with a high school diploma from SMUHSD and credits that transfer toward a Career technical education certificate, an Associate degree, and/or a four-year college. 

Post-Secondary Options

Homeschoolers can also consider enrolling in CSM after high school. This is also a great option if students are undecided about what to study. 

Students interested in the University of California system (UCs) and California State Universities system (CSUs) can also consider completing their general education requirements and transferring into those colleges. The Transfer Center offers different pathways, e.g. TAG for certain UCs or Transfer Success Program for CSUs. The Honors Transfer Program offers priority consideration for transfer students applying to UCLA or UCI, as well as research seminars.

For students interested in options other than 4-year colleges, the college offers certificates through Career Education. Some are designed for high school graduates and have no pre-requisites. Distinctives include:

• Administration of Justice
• Dental Assisting
• Digital Media: Recording studios and opportunity to work on CSM's 24/7 radio broadcast.

Student Services

There is a wide array of services to support disadvantaged or first generation college students (Foster Youth, Project Change, Promise, TRIO). Through these programs, students may receive financial assistance such as textbook stipends, monthly gas allowance, personal student advising and priority registration. If they qualify, students may participate in multiple programs.  

Students can also participate in learning communities where they take classes in common with a cohort. Learning communities can have a common theme, e.g. Katipunan - Filipino, Mana - Pacific Islander, Puente - Latino, Umoja - African American or study areas, e.g. Honors, Writing in the End Zone. Besides learning communities, students can choose from a wide variety of clubs. 

There is also a Disability Resource Center where students may request assessments for LDs, or assistive technology. 

Nursing Program

CSM offers an Associate of Science degree in Nursing (ASN) program - students who complete it are qualified to take the National Council Licensing Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) for RNs. A popular option is to concurrently enroll in San Francisco State University's Bachelors of Science in Nursing program - students can graduate with a BSN with just an additional 6 months to 1 year coursework. The BSN program is an impacted program at SFSU, so this is an excellent opportunity to experience its highly ranked program. 

At CSM, nursing students attend lectures 2 days/week, plus 2 days/week for labs and additional days throughout the semester rotating through clinical sites in the Bay Area, e.g. the San Mateo Medical Center.  On our tour, we were impressed by the nursing lab - it has 8 patient rooms, 2 of which are simulator rooms, and 14 beds. This simulator rooms have high fidelity manikins, both adult and pediatric, which allow instructors to run different scenarios, and students get extensive hands-on experience.

Understandably, the nursing program is popular so interested applicants should study the rubric (2025 rubtic) or reference the CSM Nursing Apply link for the latest info. A science-heavy background is required, and relevant experience through working or volunteering (e.g. EMT training) is helpful. Required science courses include Anatomy, Physiology in addition to Biology and Chemistry - students can apply the coursework towards another A/S degree while applying (or if they are waitlisted). other courses and preferably have work or volunteer experience. Also, taking the NCLEX-RN gives students a license to practice in California - the process for applying to other states is easier after this is granted. 

Art/Music

We also learned about music classes - CSM offers AA degrees in Music and Electronic Music, as well as certificates but students on other tracks will also find interesting courses and opportunities to participate in ensembles.  No prior experience is assumed, and students will find ample support for their creative vision, e.g. they can take lessons, digitize their recordings, and use them as sound track for films. 

Likewise, CSM's Art department offers AA degrees in Fine Art as well as courses in 2D Art, 3D Art, Art History, Photography and Graphic Design.  

Reaching Out to CSM

Homeschoolers can contact community outreach for a personal or group tour. CSM was also featured on The College Tour so families can tour virtually through we recommend touring in person since you can get specific questions answered. 

 

Local Resource: Skyline Community College

 

Minette Lontsie, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>,
via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

Skyline College is one of three community colleges in the San Mateo Community College District (SMCCD), with a student population of 9000 students. Like the other colleges, it offers classes and certificates including some unique offerings such as auto tech certificates. It is also popular with homeschoolers.   

Skyline is located in San Bruno off Highway 35's Skyline exit. It is also served by SamTrans 121, 141, and SKY which cover Daly City, Colma and South San Francisco; there is also a free Skyline shuttle running hourly between the college and Daly City BART.  For homeschoolers planning to drive/drop off, the good news is that parking is free (as of March 2025) and ample. They should check the parking page to confirm if a permit is needed, and which lots are open for student parking.

Concurrent Enrollment and Middle College

For 2024-2025, homeschoolers 9th grade and above can take up to 11 credits per semester free across all the community colleges in the district; beyond that, they will have to pay tuition of $46/credit (2024-2025 rates) for all credits taken. Courses may be in any discipline and generally students take introductory courses; if a course has pre-requisites students must show they they fulfill them. NOTE: Concurrent enrollment is the term used within SMCCD for this option where homeschoolers take some courses for college credit so be sure to fill out the correct form, see our High School page for instructions.  

Some courses that are distinctive to Skyline: 

• Automotive Technology: Hands-on introductory and consumer courses available
• Barbering, Cosmetology and Estheticians: Hands-on introductory courses.
• Biotechnology: Full lab access, prepares students for biotech manufacturing
• World languages: Includes Spanish, American Sign Language, Arabic, Chinese, and Filipino.

Another option for homeschoolers is Middle College. Students must belong to one of these districts: South San Francisco Unified School District, the San Mateo Union High School District, and the Jefferson Union High School District.  If accepted, charter and private homeschoolers may need to transfer to one of the schools in their district - we recommend checking if your credits will be accepted.

Under Middle College, juniors or seniors take all their classes on the Skyline campus as part of a 120 student cohort. Three of the classes are high school classes that satisfy high school graduation requirements, others will be integrated courses in American Literature and United States History, and a career exploration class. Students graduate with a high school diploma and credits that transfer toward a Career technical education certificate, an Associate degree, and/or a four-year college. 

Post-Secondary Options

Homeschoolers can also consider enrolling in Skyline after high school. This is also a great option if students are undecided about what to study. To help narrow down interests, Skyline has an interest areas which group related fields together, e.g. Business, Science & Health. Within each page, there are program maps with links to individual areas and careers, as well as coursework and student groups available at the college.

Students interested in the University of California system (UCs) and California State Universities system (CSUs) can also consider completing their general education requirements and transferring into those colleges. The Transfer Center offers different pathways, e.g. TAG for certain UCs or Transfer Success Program for CSUs. The Honors Transfer Program offers priority consideration for transfer students applying to UCLA or UCI, as well as research seminars.

For students interested in options other than 4-year colleges, the college offers several certificates. Some are designed for high school graduates and have no pre-requisites. Distinctives include:

• Administration of Justice: 
• Allied Health:  surgical tech, sterile processing tech, respiratory care, and emergency medical care.
• Automotive Tech: Morning, evening and weekend classes. 
• Barbering, Cosmetology and Esthetician: Barbershop, salon and spa on campus open to the public. 
• Paralegal Studies: Opportunities include a community legal clinic and Project Change on campus.

Students who work can also choose to convert some of their working hours into college credit via the Work Experience Education program.

Student Services

There is a wide array of services to support disadvantaged or first generation college students (Foster Youth, Project Change, Promise, TRIO). Students may participate in multiple programs.  

Students can also participate in learning communities where they take classes in common with a cohort. Learning communities can have a common theme, e.g. Kabayan - Filipino, Puente - Latino, Umoja - African American or study areas, e.g. Biology/Chemistry Scholars, Engineering/Technology Scholars. 

There is also a Educational Access Center where students may request assessments for LDs, or assistive technology. 

Reaching Out

Homeschoolers can contact campus outreach for a personal or group tour. On our tour, we found the campus accessible and grouped logically. Key buildings were Building 19 (Student Success including Admissions, Student Services and the Transfer Center), Building 5 (Learning Center including Educational Access), Building 7 (STEM) and Building 11 (Auto Tech). 

The Outreach program also runs a Priority Registration event every semester - we recommend attending these to get all the paperwork done in one go. 

Local Resource: Cañada College

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Overview

Cañada College is the smallest of the three community colleges in the San Mateo Community College District (SMCCD), with a student population of 6000 (compared to Skyline's 9000 students, and CSM's 13,000 students). Despite its size, it offers a wide variety of classes and certificates. It is also homeschool friendly, a bonus for families looking for high school options. 

Cañada is located in Redwood City near 280's Farm Hill Blvd. It is also served by SamTrans 278, and the Student Life page offers other options like carpool, but homeschoolers will probably find it easiest to drive/drop off. Parking is free (as of March 2025), but check the Parking page to confirm if a permit is needed, and which lots are open for students to park.

Concurrent Enrollment and Middle College

As of 2024-2025, homeschoolers 9th grade and above can take up to 11.5 credits per semester free across all the community colleges in the district; beyond that, they will have to pay tuition of $46/credit (2024-2025 rates) for all credits taken. Courses may be in any discipline and generally students take introductory courses; if a course has pre-requisites students must show they they fulfill them. NOTE: Concurrent enrollment is the term used within SMCCD for this option where homeschoolers take some courses for college credit so be sure to fill out the correct form, see our High School page for instructions.  

Another option for homeschoolers residing in the Sequoia Union High School District is Middle College. Under this program, juniors or seniors take all their classes at Cañada (least 3 classes/7 credits per semester), with a college counselor from Cañada to guide their course selection. There is a caveat - if a private or charter homeschool student is accepted into the program, they must register with one of the feeder schools (Carlmont, East Palo Alto Academy, Sequoia or Woodside per the FAQ as of 2024-2025) which involves verifying their address falls within SUHSD boundaries. Homeschoolers, especially those using the private option, are advised to consult if their prior coursework will be accepted by the feeder school.  At graduation, the feeder school will issue the diploma.

Outside of these programs, homeschool students are eligible to take honors classes and participate in research through taking the Honors Research Seminar (IDST 150) which allows them to work with a professor on independent research, a rare opportunity for homeschoolers. 

Post-Secondary Options

Homeschoolers can also consider enrolling in Cañada after they graduate. This is also a great option if students are undecided about what to study - Cañada has a helpful page of interest areas which group related fields together, e.g. Business, Science & Health. Within each page, there are program maps with links to individual areas and careers, e.g. the program map for Science & Health links to this course path for becoming a medical assistant.

Students interested in the University of California system (UCs) and California State Universities system (CSUs) can also consider completing their general education requirements and transferring into those colleges. By completing general education classes at Cañada, students save on tuition and avoid large, weeder classes. However the process can be convoluted, so students should work closely with the Transfer Center to learn about programs like TAG (for UCs) which ensure classes will be accepted by the target school and degree program.   If applying to competitive schools like UCLA, students should also consider the Honors Transfer Program which offers priority consideration for transfer students applying UCLA's College of Letters and Sciences.

For students interested in options other than 4-year colleges, the college offers several certificates in industries from accounting to radiologic technology through their Career Education program. Some of these certificates are designed for high school graduates and have no pre-requisites. Some certificates that are distinctive to Cañada include Digital Art and Animation, Fashion Design and Merchandising, Interior Design, Photonics and Laser Technology, and Radiologic Technology.

Clubs

Credit: Cañada College Athletic Center

Concurrent enrollment students taking fewer than 11.5 credits/semester do not have to pay the Student Body fee; if they wish to participate they can pay the fee at the registrar. High school students may not participate in sports teams, but may participate in clubs. 

Several Cañada students we spoke to mentioned the College Athletic Center as a perk. Homeschoolers younger than 18 will not get full benefit (though parents may purchase a family membership). However, students who are older than 18 can enjoy a $0 application fee, and low monthly dues ($15/month in 2024-2025) which are waived if the student visits more than 15x/year. 

Student Services

Cañada offers several services to help students:

• Disability Resource Center: Includes testing, assistive technology and counseling for accommodations and academic needs. 
• Extended Opportunities and Programs for Students (EOPS): For economically disadvantaged students, assistance with transportation, books and other expenses. 
• Promise: For part/full time college students (not including concurrent enrollment). Covers tuition, books (any excess from stipend goes to the student) and offers priority registration.
• Puente: Learning community for first generation students who take a year of introductory classes together, and receive mentoring and priority registration. 
• Technology: Students may check out graphing calculators, hotspots or Chromebooks from the library
• TRIO: Support for students with a low income, first generation college, or disability background. Mentoring, priority registration and counseling.

Students may participate in multiple programs simultaneously. A full list can be found under Student Services.

Reaching Out

Homeschoolers can contact campus outreach for a personal or group tour. Prior to the tour, we suggest reading through their student services plus their degrees and certificates page, and letting the outreach coordinator know if there are specific points you would like to learn about. Our outreach coordinator was able to arrange for us to hear from students in the Promise Scholars program, and staff working for  the Trio program.  After the tour, we were also able to stop by the Records Office (Building 9, Floor 1) and have questions about individual applications answered. 

The college also runs "Super Registration" events every semester - we recommend attending these to get all the paperwork done in one go. Students will walk out having registered for classes for the semester. 

Summary 

Cañada College offers opportunities for homeschoolers to explore their college readiness through taking classes in a small environment, participating in clubs and practicing executive functioning such as managing deadlines and communicating directly with administration and teachers. 

Families should consider time (college classes can be time-intensive) and maturity (class content assumes students are 18+, and grades go on a permanent transcript). While students may need some time to adjust, community college can be a natural extension of students' lifelong learning environment, as well as provide labs and advanced challenges that they have been looking for. 

Local Resource: School for Independent Learners

Photo credit: School for Independent Learners

Overview

School for Independent Learners is a private high school in Los Altos which focuses on individual or small group learning. Local Bay Area homeschoolers may find it helpful because it offers community for students taking its classes (including in-person labs), and it is open to hosting external students for AP and PSAT exams.

High School Classes: Honors, AP, Dual Enrollment 

Students can sign up to take high school courses through SIL anytime throughout the year. The classes may be regular, honors, UC a-g accredited, AP or college level (e.g. Differential Equations). Instruction is usually 1:1, or families can form with a few others to make a small class; either way, instruction is individualized. 

SIL also has a dedicated lab space setup, and can work with homeschoolers to create a tailored lab experience. For example, they had a student who wanted to do a series of lab intensives before going to college and designed a sequence that the student completed over a few weeks in summer. Homeschoolers who feel disadvantaged by lack of lab access will find this option attractive. 

Community

Beyond academics, the school has lounges where students can hang out between classes and try new activities. Also, students can form interest-based groups each year, which is also a draw for homeschoolers seeking to connect with other high schoolers. 

Exams: AP, PSAT and more

Depending on their course offerings, SIL offers dedicated exams such as AMC and AP exams. They may also offer PSAT testing, depending on circumstances. SIL students have first priority, but generally there have been enough seats for external students (e.g. homeschoolers). As with other locations, the key is to contact them early - in early Fall, they publish a sign up sheet for the exams they will offer which also lists their proctoring fees. 

Tuition

Because course instruction is highly individualized, it is hard to predict how much a course will cost, e.g. a student may speed through a year's of material within a few months. SIL charges by the hour - for 2024, the cost was $155/hour for 1:1 classes and $120 for group classes (they have no minimum hours requirement). There are also part-time and full-time enrollment options, although those options are probably less applicable to homeschoolers. 

Summary

SIL's model is closely akin to homeschooling so many of its strengths will be familiar to homeschoolers. 

Pros: 

• Personalized instruction to fit your schedule and preferred mode of instruction (in-person or online)
• Advanced courses especially in mathematics, plus full lab for hands-on sciences. 
• WASC-accreditation for those who need a-g courses through a certified school (note that private homeschoolers are usually admitted by exception for UCs so this might actually be more useful when applying to international colleges)
• Opportunities to participate in larger student clubs/groups

Cons: 

• Cost: Regardless of model (instruction per hour, part-time or full-time), a SIL course will likely cost several times more than any other option open to homeschoolers. However, SIL is open to working with homeschoolers, e.g. if they want to design a specific class together. 

Local Resource: Elite Prep San Jose

Photo credit: Yelp

Overview

Elite Prep is a private college prep school with worldwide branches, including one in San Jose. The school offers full-time as well as part-time enrollment options - this post focuses on offerings which homeschoolers might find helpful.

AP Courses

EOS offers blended courses - AP coursework is written by Apex Learning, a provider of asynchronous* (with some exceptions) online courses which have been AP approved by the College Board. Most courses are also UC and NCAA approved.  * Some courses are synchronous: AP Research, AP Seminar and AP world languages (Chinese, French, Spanish) since they require feedback throughout the year. 

Students will watch lesson recordings on their own, and submit their work to the portal for grading. An EOS teacher will check-in periodically to ensure students are keeping up with recommended pacing and they are ready for the AP exams in May. If labs are required, students can schedule an appointment to do the lab onsite during business hours, while an EOS teacher supervises. Science labs usually take two hours, so EOS recommends doing the labs as they occur in the pacing guide, rather than accumulating them in a week of intensives. 

Since the courses are asynchronous, students can start a course in fall, spring or summer. Prior to enrolling, EOS staff meet with families to ensure readiness, taking into account the student's workload and level of preparation (e.g. AP science courses usually require a year-long regular course). 

Pros

• AP exam availability: EP is a test site, and students get a discount on AP exam fees.
• Flexible schedule: students can start an AP course in summer, or take a break mid-course to travel so long as they maintain pace. Signups occur in July (for fall), September (for Spring), or March (for summer).
• EP provides a space and supervision for hands-on labs . 
• External accountability with EP staff - good for students who are learning to be independent.
• Can be used by charter schools since Apex is UC-certified to provide a-g courses
• Offers AP Capstone Diploma: students take AP Research, AP Seminar and 4 AP exams. This option is usually not available for homeschool students since teachers must be trained for AP Research and AP Seminar.

Cons

• Cost: Tuition ranges from $1450 (as of 2024) which is more than some synchronous/live online AP providers. Families still need to pay for books, lab kit and exam fee (though discounted).
• Quality: APEX learning is asynchronous, which students may find less effective compared to live classes. 

AP Exams

EP offers limited seats for paper and digital AP exams. Families should email sanjose@eliteprep.com in early October about availability - first priority for exam seats is given to students in EP courses. For 2024, most exams are $250, though some exams cost more ($350: Music Theory, $550: world languages). EP also offers late testing. 

Dual Enrollment

EP offers dual enrollment courses including Psychology and English. The courses are WASC accredited so they can often be transferred into colleges. For 2024, college courses were upward of $1525. 

High School Courses - Honors, College Prep and Career Technical Education

EP Honors courses are UC-approved, meaning they qualify for an extra point on UC's GPA calculation. However, note that extra points are capped for 11th and 12th grade; also the calculation applies for charter school students but not for private homeschoolers (who apply by exception). 

Other courses include college prep and CTE. Some college prep courses are approved as UC electives, meaning they meet requirement "g" for charter homeschoolers applying to UCs. CTE courses may be specialized (e.g. learning Adobe Photoshop or Unity game programming) or broad (Career exploration courses). 

For 2024, high school courses were upward of $1225. 

Summary

Elite's strengths are in its wide variety of course offerings, and blended model which allows students to do hands-on labs under supervision. Since EP has WASC accredition and/or approval from College Board or UC, it can be a convenient building block for charter school students. 

Since EP is located in San Jose, it is a 40 minute drive for San Mateo county residents; however there is ample parking so it could be an option for weekly visits combined with other South Bay errands.