r4info

Life Long Learning

R4 (PSA)Filing Information for
California Life Long Learning Families

As promised, below is the information for California Life Long Learning families and how to file an R4 to legally be a Life Long Learning family.

* Please Note: If you are not able to just click on the downloadable files to download, simply, right click and select the 'save as' or 'save link as' option to begin download process *

Filing an R4 (or PSA - Private School Affidavit)

Filing an R4 is simple!

The link to the actual R4 filing paper is available at:

http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/ps/rq/ap/form.asp?formtype=blank

HSC has a website which is free, that has instructions available on how to precisely fill out the CDE's (California Department of Education) R4 Form. They are available here at : http://www.hsc.org/chaos/legal/r4instructions.php

How to file R4

Simply fill out the R4 as per the instructions from the first link above, which shows step by step what to put where. Once you have hit submit, print out two copies one for your records and one for you to send off to the address on the form and Viola! You are done!:) It is really that simple. The R4 form is required to be filed with the state every October - anytime between October 1st through the 15th. There is more information about this and other legal facts available here http://www.hsc.org/chaos/legal/legal_faq.php#howr4 and http://www.hsc.org/chaos/legal/private_school_option.php

More information on the legalities on homelearning may also be found here at http://californiahomeschool.net/howTo/legal.htm

Records to Keep

There are records that you are supposed to keep on file such as attendance, immunizations, etc. Here is the list of them....

The R4 form - A copy of the R4 form that you will have just completed of course!:)

Attendance - For our family, I just have a blank calendar page for each month and if the are "here", I leave it blank and if they are "sick" I write sick. This way, I do not have write anything. I know of other homelearning families whom have more complex systems, but this is what works best for us:)

Course of Study - The Course of Study we use is available here to download. You may utilize it and/or reinvent it in any way you choose, it is my gift to you. Remember that this is a course of study of what your "private school" offers, not necessarily what your child(ren) are learning, as it can be more or less or whatever you want, you just want to keep it so you have it.

Immunizations - This is just a copy of them if you do immunizations. Just fill out the blue card available here for download (printed on computer it will be white, normally it is blue) with the list of immunizations and sign it in the appropriate places. If you do not wish to immunize due to religious or other beliefs, then simply sign the back of the form with the exemption on it. Also included needs to be one of the following two forms:

Health Exam - Report of Health Examination for School Entry
Health Check-up Waiver - Waiver of Health Check-up for School Entry

Qualifications and Faculty - This is what the HSC website says about this topic.....
"Teachers in private schools do not need to hold state teaching credentials, even though many state officials seem to think they do. The statute is very clear on this point. '48222 requires that the teachers be "capable of teaching," but this phrase is not explained or defined. We believe most people who can speak and read competently in English generally could be capable. Most home-based private schools do not have any employees because the parents are the primary teachers. Parents teaching their children are the faculty. Keep updated risumis of your faculty in your school records, including their names, addresses and qualifications. If the teacher does not have a credential, list other qualifications that make him or her capable of teaching. These qualifications could include experience teaching in your school, other work or volunteer experience, undergraduate and advanced degrees, educational conferences attended, including homeschool conferences, or training sessions. Some homeschooling families hire others to help with certain aspects of their children's education, such as piano teachers or athletic coaches. Weekly piano lessons or even daily sports lessons do not qualify these teachers as your employees. However, if you are interested in hiring full- or part-time teachers, you can do so. Any employee hired to work with your children must provide you with sufficient information to determine that he or she is capable of teaching. Additionally, you must obtain the criminal record summary and TB certificate described below. "'Employment' means the act of engaging the services of a person, who will have contact with pupils, to work in a position at a private school at the elementary or high school level . . . on a regular, paid full-time basis, regular, paid part-time basis or paid full- or part-time seasonal basis." (EC '44237(b)(2).) Thus, the piano teacher or gymnastics instructor with his or her own studio, and a grandmother teaching ! her grandchildren without being paid, are not employees. However, anyone you hire and pay to teach within your home under your direction on a regular full- or part-time basis may be considered an employee. You may wish to consult with an attorney to clarify the difference between an independent contractor and an employee. Each situation is unique and can have important tax and record-keeping consequences".

Thus, I have a resume on file with a description of what makes me capable of teaching. Now for me, being that I was a teacher within the public and private school systems , this then includes my teaching experiences. However, you can include anything that you feel is of importance to show your capability of instructing your children.

Last but not least....

Criminal Record Summary - Really, this does not apply and you do not have to have one unless you hire someone to come and instruct your children within your home. This is what HSC speaks of on this topic on their website..... "Criminal Record Summary: §44237 explicitly states that the criminal record summary is not required for parents teaching only their children. Since most homeschooling families do not hire employees, the exact procedure will not be discussed in depth in this article. However, if you do hire others to teach your children in your home, you may need to obtain criminal record summary information on them. Each employee must submit two sets of fingerprints that the school then submits to the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Further information can be obtained from your local county office of education."

Important to Note!

If at anytime, someone was to come to your door and ask for your homelearning records, THE ONLY THING you need to show them is your copy of your R4 and NOTHING ELSE. DO NOT invite the person into your home, keep them outside. You are not liable to show them anything else but that copy of your R4 and it is not for them to keep ONLY to show. Anything else any other records that you choose to keep they cannot see without a court order. For more information on this, please visit CHN's website at http://californiahomeschool.net/howTo/cps.htm

And That's All Folks!:) Happy Life Long Learning....California Style!:)

If you have any further questions regarding this information, please feel free to email me.

Infinitely Universal Copyright Lifelonglearning4all.com and Dr. Patti "Diamondlady" Diamond, DD
Please feel free to distribute this information as you so choose, as this information is available for all to learn from