Some US Schools Operate outside State Education System
2023-12-06
LRC
TXT
大字
小字
滚动
全页
1Nearly 9,000 private schools in the American state of Louisiana do not need state approval to give high school diplomas.
2Public schools, formal homeschooling programs and traditional private schools all need state approval.
3Nearly all of the schools lacking approval were created to serve a single homeschooling family.
4But some have buildings, classrooms, teachers and many students.
5A small percentage of Louisiana's students have ties to unapproved schools.
6The schools are being called Louisiana's off-the-grid school system.
7Some observers say they are a growing example of the nation's continuing effects of COVID-19 because families appear to be leaving traditional education.
8U.S. public school enrollment fell by more than 1.2 million students in the first two years of the pandemic.
9Many families sent their children to private school or told their state they were homeschooling.
10But the Associated Press (AP) and its partners say thousands of other students are unaccounted for.
11The students in Louisiana's "off-the-grid" school system are not missing.
12But there is no way to know what kind of education they are getting.
13The AP and The Advocate, a Louisiana newspaper, say that over 21,000 students are enrolled in the state's unapproved schools.
14That is nearly double the number from before the pandemic.
15Supporters of the system want to avoid state oversight.
16They say Louisiana's unapproved schools are an extension of the idea of parental rights in education.
17One such school in Louisiana is Springfield Preparatory School.
18The school calls itself an umbrella school for Christian homeschoolers.
19Most students there attend the school to get an education through classes or tutoring.
20However, school leader Kitty Sibley Morrison is also willing to give a diploma to anyone whose parents say they were homeschooled, even years earlier.
21"Sometimes it takes two or three times to explain to them that they are free," Sibley Morrison said.
22"Their parents are in charge of them, not the state."
23Sibley Morrison said she is not selling diplomas; she is selling lifetime services for homeschooling families.
24"We're not here to make money," she said.
25Yet a list of prices is placed on the front window of the school building: $250 for diploma services, a $50 application fee, $35 for a diploma cover and $130 to take part in a ceremony.
26The number of students in unapproved schools like Springfield has nearly doubled.
27State records show there were 11,600 students in the 2017 to 2018 school year and over 21,000 in 2022 to 2023.
28There is little information available about these schools.
29The state calls them "nonpublic schools not seeking state approval."
30To start one, an adult must only report their school's name and address, their contact information and how many students they have.
31Most of the schools are small, single-family home schools.
32However, last year, 30 of Louisiana's unapproved schools reported they had at least 50 children enrolled.
33Laura Hawkins says there is no way for the government to know whether the schools are safe, good, or even whether they exist.
34Hawkins is a former official of the Louisiana Department of Education who worked on its school choice efforts until 2020.
35The department warns parents on its website that it cannot confirm whether these organizations even meet the legal definition of a school.
36Louisiana has two options for homeschooling.
37Parents who want their child to receive a state-recognized high school diploma can apply for the official home study program.
38They must apply using test scores or copies of the student's work.
39The work must show their child has received 180 days of schooling of the same quality as a public school's.
40The state-recognized diploma is more widely accepted by colleges.
41It also permits students to be considered for a popular in-state scholarship program.
42Families can also choose to set up their own private school without asking for state approval.
43There are no requirements to prove a child is getting an education.
44The schools do not even have to provide the names of students who are attending.
45At least two unapproved schools have had abuse scandals.
46But the state Department of Education says it has no legal power to do anything.
47Today, over 12 states permit families to open a private school as a form of homeschooling, including California, Illinois and Texas.
48Around half the states require those schools to teach basic subjects such as math and reading. Louisiana is not one of them.
49Springfield Preparatory occupies two buildings on Springfield's main street. State records say 250 students attend, but Sibley Morrison said the school does not keep the number.
50Some homeschooling families come for art or science. Others attend services like career guidance, test preparation and "explanation and support in their parental rights," said Sibley Morrison.
51Some, such as Arliya Martin, go straight for a diploma.
52Martin was expelled from high school in 10th grade after getting in a fight.
53She tried a military-style program for at-risk youths but finished without her GED.
54The GED test provides what is equal to a high school diploma.
55"At 17, I was already by myself. I had my son at 18, and it was just work, work, work," she said.
56Within days of meeting Sibley Morrison, Martin visited her office and got a diploma.
57The document was backdated to 2015, when she would have graduated high school.
58It also said she had completed a program for graduation "approved by the Louisiana Board of Education," which is not true.
59After questions from AP, Sibley Morrison said there had been a mistake and that the document would be corrected.
60Signs at the school advertise "state-approved" diplomas although the state has not approved the school.
61Sibley Morrison said she can use those words because she pushes families in her program to also sign up for the state-approved home study program.
62After learning that her diploma is not approved by the state and might not be accepted by some colleges, Martin said she did not feel bad.
63Friends and family members have gotten diplomas from the same school and have gone on to college and successful careers, she said.
64Sibley Morrison said parents are the only people who can decide if and when someone is properly educated.
65"When parents say, 'My child is ready to go into the real world' - I take their word for it," Sibley Morrison said.
66I'm Dan Novak.
67And I'm Ashley Thompson.
1Nearly 9,000 private schools in the American state of Louisiana do not need state approval to give high school diplomas. 2Public schools, formal homeschooling programs and traditional private schools all need state approval. Nearly all of the schools lacking approval were created to serve a single homeschooling family. But some have buildings, classrooms, teachers and many students. 3A small percentage of Louisiana's students have ties to unapproved schools. The schools are being called Louisiana's off-the-grid school system. Some observers say they are a growing example of the nation's continuing effects of COVID-19 because families appear to be leaving traditional education. 4U.S. public school enrollment fell by more than 1.2 million students in the first two years of the pandemic. Many families sent their children to private school or told their state they were homeschooling. But the Associated Press (AP) and its partners say thousands of other students are unaccounted for. 5The students in Louisiana's "off-the-grid" school system are not missing. But there is no way to know what kind of education they are getting. 6The AP and The Advocate, a Louisiana newspaper, say that over 21,000 students are enrolled in the state's unapproved schools. That is nearly double the number from before the pandemic. 7Supporters of the system want to avoid state oversight. They say Louisiana's unapproved schools are an extension of the idea of parental rights in education. 8One such school in Louisiana is Springfield Preparatory School. The school calls itself an umbrella school for Christian homeschoolers. Most students there attend the school to get an education through classes or tutoring. 9However, school leader Kitty Sibley Morrison is also willing to give a diploma to anyone whose parents say they were homeschooled, even years earlier. 10"Sometimes it takes two or three times to explain to them that they are free," Sibley Morrison said. "Their parents are in charge of them, not the state." 11A different choice for homeschooling 12Sibley Morrison said she is not selling diplomas; she is selling lifetime services for homeschooling families. 13"We're not here to make money," she said. 14Yet a list of prices is placed on the front window of the school building: $250 for diploma services, a $50 application fee, $35 for a diploma cover and $130 to take part in a ceremony. 15The number of students in unapproved schools like Springfield has nearly doubled. State records show there were 11,600 students in the 2017 to 2018 school year and over 21,000 in 2022 to 2023. 16There is little information available about these schools. The state calls them "nonpublic schools not seeking state approval." To start one, an adult must only report their school's name and address, their contact information and how many students they have. 17Most of the schools are small, single-family home schools. However, last year, 30 of Louisiana's unapproved schools reported they had at least 50 children enrolled. 18Laura Hawkins says there is no way for the government to know whether the schools are safe, good, or even whether they exist. Hawkins is a former official of the Louisiana Department of Education who worked on its school choice efforts until 2020. 19The department warns parents on its website that it cannot confirm whether these organizations even meet the legal definition of a school. 20Louisiana has two options for homeschooling. 21Parents who want their child to receive a state-recognized high school diploma can apply for the official home study program. They must apply using test scores or copies of the student's work. The work must show their child has received 180 days of schooling of the same quality as a public school's. 22The state-recognized diploma is more widely accepted by colleges. It also permits students to be considered for a popular in-state scholarship program. 23Families can also choose to set up their own private school without asking for state approval. There are no requirements to prove a child is getting an education. The schools do not even have to provide the names of students who are attending. 24At least two unapproved schools have had abuse scandals. But the state Department of Education says it has no legal power to do anything. 25Today, over 12 states permit families to open a private school as a form of homeschooling, including California, Illinois and Texas. Around half the states require those schools to teach basic subjects such as math and reading. Louisiana is not one of them. 26'I take their word for it' 27Springfield Preparatory occupies two buildings on Springfield's main street. State records say 250 students attend, but Sibley Morrison said the school does not keep the number. 28Some homeschooling families come for art or science. Others attend services like career guidance, test preparation and "explanation and support in their parental rights," said Sibley Morrison. Some, such as Arliya Martin, go straight for a diploma. 29Martin was expelled from high school in 10th grade after getting in a fight. She tried a military-style program for at-risk youths but finished without her GED. The GED test provides what is equal to a high school diploma. 30"At 17, I was already by myself. I had my son at 18, and it was just work, work, work," she said. 31Within days of meeting Sibley Morrison, Martin visited her office and got a diploma. 32The document was backdated to 2015, when she would have graduated high school. It also said she had completed a program for graduation "approved by the Louisiana Board of Education," which is not true. After questions from AP, Sibley Morrison said there had been a mistake and that the document would be corrected. 33Signs at the school advertise "state-approved" diplomas although the state has not approved the school. Sibley Morrison said she can use those words because she pushes families in her program to also sign up for the state-approved home study program. 34After learning that her diploma is not approved by the state and might not be accepted by some colleges, Martin said she did not feel bad. Friends and family members have gotten diplomas from the same school and have gone on to college and successful careers, she said. 35Sibley Morrison said parents are the only people who can decide if and when someone is properly educated. 36"When parents say, 'My child is ready to go into the real world' - I take their word for it," Sibley Morrison said. 37I'm Dan Novak. 38And I'm Ashley Thompson. 39Sharon Lurye reported this story for the Associated Press. Charles Lussier contributed to it. Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English. 40____________________________________________________ 41Words in This Story 42off-the-grid - adj. (informal) not connected to a formal or official system 43enrollment - adj. the process of getting accepted to an institution such as a school or college and providing all necessary documents 44oversight - n. the act of overseeing and activity 45umbrella - adj. describing a group that includes many other groups that might be quite different or in different places 46option - n. a choice or possibility to do something 47tutor -v. to teach only one or a very small group of students 48diploma - adj. a document that is given to people who complete their classes and course of study at a high school, college or university 49scandal -n. something that happens because it is shocking, morally or legally wrong