Sean C. Morgan
School District 55 Supt. Larry Horton is continuing to reach out to families who are home-schooling their children and who might be interested in taking advantage of programs the district can offer.
Horton hosted a second meeting with four families on March 28 to find out what programs might interest home school families most. He held the first meeting in February with several families.
“At this point, I’m going to try one more letter seeking interest in several different programs,” Horton said. During the meetings, district officials provided information to families about potential district programs that could augment home school programs.
Supt. Horton plans to send a survey to the families of approximately 80 home-schooled children in search of a larger response to the district’s overtures.
The district would need at least 20 students from home schools to pencil out the numbers and create a break-even program, Horton said. That number can vary depending on the programs the district might operate.
Some of the families already talking to the district have their children in a classroom in the Central Linn School District once a week for three to four hours.
Home school parents at the two meetings have been most interested in a Central Linn-type concept, Horton said. Topics are selected by parents and taught by a district employee, who is responsible for finding and presenting curriculum with parental input.
“It gives them a chance to socialize and gives them the chance to find out what it’s like to be in a classroom setting,” Horton said. “If we can get enough interest, then we will start trying to put the program together.”
Some programs wouldn’t cost anything extra, Horton said. One of the programs offered by the district, College Now, costs $15 for any student. The student is dually enrolled in Linn-Benton Community College and Sweet Home High School.
Courses are taught by specially certified high school teachers and counted as college credit. That generates state funding for both the college and District 55.
Talking with people at LBCC, Horton said, he has learned that students enrolled in the College Now program tend to do better in subsequent classes at the college than those who do not participate in the College Now program.
Parents also have a great deal of interest in swimming classes, Supt. Horton said. Those can be put together without meeting the 20-student threshold.
In any case, home school programs will need to break even, Supt. Horton said. The district will not spend more money than is generated by the time students enrolled in the district programs. Those students are counted on an hourly basis for purposes of state funding.
“I am hopeful that the home school parents in Sweet Home will embrace our offer,” Supt. Horton said. Several children attend the Central Linn program in Brownsville. A similar program in Sweet Home would at least save transportation costs for those families.
“I know there is an interest on the board to reach out to home school parents and their students,” Supt. Horton said. “If any parents are even thinking about participating, definitely, give me a call and let me know.”
Horton may be reached at 367-7126. The upcoming survey will be Horton’s last attempt to reach out to home school families this year, but he said he won’t quit.
“I know it can work,” Horton said. He saw a successful program while superintendent in Oakridge. He said he hopes families “are willing to at least try it and see if it works.”