The Celbrate Home Education Rally featured several youth who wrote about their home education story. Here is one feature story:

Casey's Homeschooling Success Story

January 2017

I have been homeschooled my whole life, and I will be forever grateful for all the opportunities it has
given me. I have been able to custom make my curriculum and pursue my interests while learning all of
the essential skills I need to survive. My flexible program allows me to go out and explore the real world
through volunteering and part-time jobs. Earning me experience and a level of maturity that leads people
to believe that I am so much older than I really am! Participating in Wisdom’s online reading courses is
always a lot of fun, and I learn just as much from reading the classics as I do from the other students. I
find I am free from most peer pressure because I can focus on my education rather than what other
students think of me or public school dramatics. Homeschooling has helped me shape my dreams, I know
where I want to be in five, ten, fifteen years down the road. I can spend my time making my goals happen
rather than memorizing random facts for a pop quiz. When I look at the difference between
homeschooling and public schooling I am floored by how much more freedom I have opposed to other
students. With that freedom comes responsibility and a need for organization, and whenever those skills
are called upon I know that I am prepared to be depended on and expected of things. Homeschooling has
also taught me the value of hard work, you get what you put into a project, and I know I want the best
result possible, and how to get it. With the customization of my education I can choose what I want to
expand upon by finding educational opportunities outside of the regular classroom setting. I appreciate
my schooling because I know that learning is the lighting of a fire, not the filling of a bucket. I would
never give up my education, I love homeschooling from the deepest corners of my heart and will alway
remember how Wisdom helped me create who I am.

On January 5, 2016, the court hearing for the continuation of the Trinity/WISDOM Homeschooling injunction will occur.

The following is a short explanation of what this means and what will happen during this court proceeding.

On October 25, 2016, the Ministry of Education removed the accreditation from Trinity Christian School, thus effectively closing WISDOM Homeschooling.

Trinity/WISDOM launched court proceedings in opposition to this closure and was successful on November 4, 2016 in getting an interim injunction to that Trinity/WISDOM could continue to operate albeit without funding.

A further hearing was set for January 5^th, 2017 to determine if the injunction should be continued and funding restored (which would happen if the conditions are met to have Trinity/WISDOM to remain open pending a judicial review).

Please pray for all involved in these court proceedings.

Discernment, truth and clarity are very important, especially at this time.

AHEA will provide an update once the court has made a ruling on the injunction.

reimbursement. It may be found at: https://education.alberta.ca/home-education-blended-programs/responsibilities/everyone/resources/

February 28, 2016

In Alberta, there are a couple different ways to legally educate your children at home. The first way is to Home Educate under the Home Education Regulation 145/2006 http://www.qp.alberta.ca/documents/Regs/2006_145.pdf. This regulation outlines the responsibilities and recognizes the parent's primary role in developing, monitoring and evaluating the program plan for their child(ren). A parent must notify of their intent to home educate using the form set out by the Minister http://www.thewise.ca/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Home-Education-Registration-Form.pdf and a teacher from their board must conduct at least 2 evaluations of the progress of the student (according to the outcomes described in the parent's program plan) per year. The parent may develop their own plan using the Learning Outcomes for Students as the basis of the plan, or may follow the Alberta Program of Studies. A parent may receive reimbursement to defray the costs incurred by the parent, up to a maximum amount set out in Alberta Education's funding manual.

The second manner of educating at home consists of providing a school authorized program at home (sometimes inaccurately referred to as 'aligned'). With this method, a school allows the parent to educate at home, but the school maintains the authority for all components of the child's education. The expectations on the parent will vary from school to school, as the parent is officially providing a school program at home. The range of programming is as vast as under the Home Education Regulation, but who is responsible for the programming is where the difference lies. In a school at home program, the school authority maintains ultimate authority for the program, monitoring and evaluation, and as the authority responsible for the education of the child, they place requirements upon a parent and student as they deem fit. The school is not required to provide any financial reimbursement to parents, but they often do, and often at a higher monetary value than possible when educating under the Home Education Regulation 145/2006.

A blending of these two types of educating at home may also be done.

While the 'look' of each program may appear to be similar, who maintains the authority for each program is clearly different. The parent is the responsible party when the child is educated under the Home Education Regulation 145/2006. The school is the responsible party in any other form of educating at home.

It is important for parents to understand the difference in parental and school authority between the two methods.