Latest / The Christy-Faith Show / Ep. 74 - Public Schools Are Lowering the Bar—Is Homeschooling the Answer?

Transcript

Ep. 74 - Public Schools Are Lowering the Bar—Is Homeschooling the Answer? · The Christy-Faith Show

• 0:00
  Christy-Faith: Welcome to today's episode of who needs logic anyway, where we take a moment to pause, look at what's happening in our education system, and ask ourselves, is this real life? Because apparently, somewhere in a boardroom in San Francisco, someone thought, you know what would really help kids? Let's throw out homework. Tests, optional. Accountability, overrated.
• 0:23
  And attendance, meh. And then they tried to package this disaster as a bold move for, wait for it, equity. That makes no sense. Yes. Under the proposed grading for equity model, students would basically be graded on their final exam only, which they could retake multiple times until they got a score that they liked.
• 0:44
  Missing class, turning in work late, or just not doing your work at all? No impact. And the grading scale? Oh, just a teensy tiny shift where a score of 80 now earns you an a and a 21, still a passing d. Because nothing says academic excellence like scraping the bottom of the barrel and calling it progress.
• 1:03
  Now the fact that this was even on the docket somewhere is absolutely blowing my mind, but I'm not here to rant. Well, okay. Maybe a little. But if you ever even flirted with the idea of homeschooling, this might be the universe handing you your sign on a glittery poster with flashing lights. Because in today's episode, we're gonna unpack this grading fiasco, give you a quick breakdown of what's happening in the traditional schools, and spoiler, it's not great, and explore why homeschooling isn't just a viable option anymore.
• 1:35
  For many families, it might be a necessity. Before we get into this, hi. Welcome if you're a first time listener or welcome back. I'm Kristi Faith, author of Homeschool Rising, speaker and founder of Thrive Homeschool Community, a place where you can learn how to fail proof your homeschool by following solid plans and also find real connection, mentorship, and support along the way. Make sure to hit my website for some really good freebies and free ebooks to support you whether you are just homeschool curious or a seasoned veteran.
• 2:19
  No matter where you are in your journey, I got something for you on my website. I'll put a link in the show notes. And by the way, my freebies are actually good and helpful. Don't you hate those annoying freebies? I totally do.
• 2:31
  Okay. So let's break this down a little more because I know some of you might be thinking, surely, Christy, you're exaggerating. Right? I really wish I was. This isn't a joke, a parody, or a rejected sketch from Saturday Night Live.
• 2:44
  This was actually a proposal by the San Francisco Unified School District, a real taxpayer funded institution supposedly responsible for preparing children for the real world. And here's what they called it, grading for equity. Doesn't that sound nice? Like a warm hug wrapped in social justice buzzwords? But when you unpack what it actually means, it's more like grading for low expectations.
• 3:11
  Here were the highlights. Final exams would count for the entire grade. You could retake the final multiple times. So, basically, test until you guess right. Homework, classwork, quizzes, attendance, irrelevant.
• 3:23
  It won't affect your grade. And the grading scale? An 80% is now an a, and a 21% is still considered passing. Let me say that again for the people in the back. 21%.
• 3:35
  Excuse me? As in you could fail nearly four fifths of the content and still walk away with a d. I say this is a diploma in denial. Now let's pause and imagine you're a student in that system. You spend all semester doing the reading, turning in your work, studying for quizzes, and showing up to class because, you know, you think that's what school is for.
• 3:57
  Meanwhile, the kid next to you is rolling in late with no homework, no test prep, and not even a pencil. But he aces the final on his third try and gets the same grade as you do. I don't know about you, but that's not equity. That's a slap in the face to every student who's actually trying. And here's the kicker.
• 4:15
  The plan was already being piloted in 14 schools. 70 teachers were set to test this out with real students. That is until the community, including the mayor and lawmakers, finally stood up and said, absolutely not. And this isn't just a San Francisco problem either. We'll get into that right after this.
• 4:36
  As a homeschool mom who values a family together approach and leans towards the classical and Charlotte Mason styles, I often struggle to bring my educational vision to life with my kids' diverse ages and learning needs. With all our interests and super packed schedule, bridging that gap between the dreamy homeschool I want and reality, I gotta be honest. It's a challenge. Now, yes, I know perfection isn't the goal. But if you're listening and you could use a little easing of your mental load in your day to day, I found a resource that has become the quiet hero of our routine, and it could be a really great option for you too.
• 5:08
  BJU Press homeschool curriculum. Now many think that BJU Press homeschool is solely an all in one option, and though it does excel in that role, did you know you can also opt for specific courses and tailor them to fit your family's needs just as I have? BJU Press homeschool provides the perfect balance of structure and flexibility and easily complements my family's mixed age family together on the couch learning style. They are second to none in integrating a biblical worldview, stimulating critical thinking, and offering tons of hands on activities in the lessons. To find out how BJU Press Homeschool can come alongside you in your homeschooling goals too, visit bjupresshomeschool.com or click the link in the show notes.
• 5:49
  Is your child struggling with attention, memory, reading, writing, or math? If you're experiencing this, you know how heart wrenching it is to watch them face these hurdles. You've poured love, time, and attention into their education, yet the struggle persists, leaving you feeling stuck and desperately searching for answers. You guys, I want you to know about LearningRx, a proven program designed to help your child's cognitive skills, enabling them to think faster, learn more easily, and perform at their best. I'm talking getting real long term help here with things like ADHD and dyslexia.
• 6:21
  LearningRx is backed by thirty five years of research and their results are transformative. Use code HOME 50 for $50 off your cognitive skills assessment. Go to learningrx.com or click the link in the show notes. In Chicago, a principal recently warned that these kinds of lenient grading systems, ones where you can't grade behavior, can't penalize late work, and aren't allowed to give a zero even when a student does literally nothing, are becoming the norm. His words, quote, these students are going to be hit with a harsh reality when they enter the real world and realize that life doesn't work this way, end quote.
• 6:57
  To which I say, exactly. Because try telling your boss, hey, I know I didn't show up for work at all this month, but I did resend that one email. So does that mean that I get a raise? Let me know how that works out for you. Okay.
• 7:11
  Now, deep breath. I know a lot of you know that I have strong feelings about grades, testing, and the traditional school model in general. I'm not here to say that we should all be obsessed with letter grades or that standardized testing is some kind of savior. But, and this is important, this is the very model that homeschoolers are constantly being compared to. We're told, but how will your kid get into college?
• 7:34
  Or don't you want your child to be held to real academic standards? Or you can't possibly offer the same rigor as the public school system? To which I say, okay. Well, let's actually look at those standards, shall we? This episode isn't about defending grades as the ultimate measure of success.
• 7:50
  It's about asking if this is a system that we're supposed to measure up to, what exactly are we measuring against? Because if 21% is now passing and effort, consistency, and responsibility have all been voted off the island, maybe it's time we stop pretending that this is the gold standard of it all. So why am I even spending time talking about this right now? Why does this matter to you? The parent who maybe isn't even in San Francisco or Chicago and thinks, well, my local school district isn't doing that yet.
• 8:23
  Here's why. Because policies like this are not isolated incidents. They're part of a larger pattern, one that's reshaping what education even means in the traditional school system. The foundation is cracking and instead of fixing it, we're slapping on a sticker that says equity and hoping no one notices that the roof is caving in. And if you're a parent regardless of where you live, your child is going to feel the ripple effects because once one district pilots a program, others watch.
• 8:53
  They take notes. They go, that might boost our graduation numbers. Never mind the fact that the numbers become meaningless if they're built on sand. And while we're over here as homeschoolers being told that we're not rigorous enough, the system we're supposed to be chasing is literally rewarding students for doing nothing. Parents, this is the moment to ask, is this really what I want for my child?
• 9:17
  Do I want my child to be taught that deadlines don't matter, that hard work is optional, that showing up doesn't count, and that real learning is just performance that you can redo until the numbers start to look good? Because here's the truth. The real world doesn't work this way. Colleges don't work this way. Jobs don't work this way.
• 9:36
  Life doesn't hand you multiple choice retakes and bonus points just for breathing. And more importantly, and let's not get lost in the weeds here, our kids deserve better. Not just better grades, but a better education and better values. Our kids deserve an education that teaches them responsibility, critical thinking, consistency, integrity, and yes, how to bounce back from a bad grade without blaming the system. If public education continues to lower the bar, maybe the answer isn't to panic.
• 10:07
  Maybe the answer is to step out of the system altogether, and that's where homeschooling comes in. So what are we supposed to do as parents? Do we sit around hoping our district doesn't get inspired by the chaos in San Francisco? Do we cross our fingers and pray our kids' teachers still believe in effort, deadlines, and, you know, actual learning? Or do we just step off this crazy train altogether?
• 10:31
  A question we will answer right after this word from our sponsors. Before we continue, I wanna share with you a program that's been a game changer for our homeschool. At our center, we instructed and helped kids through pretty much every math program on the market and know firsthand just how important a solid math foundation is for our kids' futures. As a career educator with high standards, finding the right program that checked all the boxes felt like too tall of an order. Until one day, I tried CTC Math.
• 10:57
  CTC Math is an online math curriculum for k to 12 students with motivating interactive lessons that allow kids to learn at their own pace. It does all the teaching and grading so you don't have to and their adaptive lessons adjust so your child is progressing confidently. With CTC Math, your child is getting a top notch education and you just made your homeschool life easier. Visit ctcmath.com to start your free trial today or click the link in the show notes. I've got some news.
• 11:23
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• 11:56
  Visit lovevery.com/christyfaith today and use code Christy 10 to get 10% off your purchase of the reading skill set by Love Every. That's lovevery.com/christyfaith. This is what is so wild to me. Homeschooling nowadays, it isn't just a last resort anymore. For more and more families, it's becoming the logical choice, the proactive choice, the I don't wanna wait around and see how bad it gets choice.
• 12:27
  This is my kid. I got one shot. And before you say, Christy, I could never do that. I could never homeschool. Chances are you could, like, really could and do it well.
• 12:38
  Maybe you're not in a position right this second. Maybe you need to make a plan to make it happen. But most families who are determined to figure out how to homeschool, figure out a way. Now not everyone can homeschool and not everyone should homeschool, but I will tell you from working with thousands of families that when someone is determined to figure out a way to make it work, they usually do. Is it easy?
• 13:00
  No. Most things worth doing aren't the easy road, but it is exponentially worth it. I actually wrote a whole book all about this, homeschool rising, because I kept meeting parents who were interested in homeschooling but overwhelmed by all of the doubts. My book breaks down the myths, shows you what's actually possible, and gives you the tools and encouragement to get started with confidence. Because listen, you don't need a teaching degree or a Pinterest perfect setup.
• 13:27
  You just need a mindset shift, a vision, and a solid plan, which conveniently, I also have for you inside my mentoring community, Thrive Homeschool Community. It's my private space that I have built out. In there, we have the fail safe homeschool setup so you can stop reinventing the wheel and actually figure out your homeschool logistics and how you're gonna set everything up. I give you a process. And it also has the eight step homeschool success framework because winging it might work for brunch, but not for building your child's future.
• 13:55
  If you're not quite ready for Thrive Homeschool Community, please visit my website because I have so many freebies and guides and resources to help you build a homeschool that works for your family, not against it. But what I want you to know is that you're not alone and you're not crazy for questioning the system. You know what you're doing? You're just paying attention, and that's step one. So if you're sitting there listening to this podcast episode and thinking maybe this is my sign, it probably is.
• 14:21
  Maybe today I made you laugh. Maybe I made you cringe, or maybe it just confirmed that you're not the only one looking at the modern education system and thinking, wait. What? Whether you're already homeschooling or just starting to research or somewhere in the I'm just listening to this while hiding in the pantry phase, you're not alone. You are in the company of a lot of parents who are looking at this landscape and saying, what in the world is going on here?
• 14:46
  What am I putting my kids into? Because we've already known for a while that this antiquated system from the industrial revolution is preparing kids for a world that no longer exists, but we've been kinda putting up with it. But I gotta tell you, people are starting to say enough is enough. And as a parent who's wondering if homeschooling might be the right fit for you, I want you to know that you are more than capable. You can absolutely give your child a rich, meaningful education at home, one that is built on values, connection, and actual learning, not one that rewards 21% effort and hopes for the best.
• 15:19
  So here's what to do next. Shameless plug here, grab a copy of my book, Homeschool Rising. It's on Amazon Prime. I'll put a link in the show notes. It's like a pep talk and a road map had a baby, and it's there to help you ditch the doubt, figure out your next step, and confidently move forward.
• 15:34
  You can also join Thrive Homeschool community if you're ready. We're waiting for you. And in there, you'll get access to all of my trainings, my frameworks, my master classes. It's kinda like starting a master's degree in homeschooling, but with all your besties and not as much homework. You don't have to reinvent the wheel with homeschooling.
• 15:50
  We walk you through exactly how to set everything up. And if you're still feeling unsure, binge a few of my earlier episodes. I'm not going anywhere. I want your child to have an education that actually fits them, and I want you to have the confidence that comes from knowing that you're doing what's best for your family, not just following the crowd. And until then, just remember, you don't need approval from a school board, a principal, or a bureaucratic circus to take charge of your child's education.
• 16:16
  You just need a little courage and maybe a podcast like this in your ears. Thanks for listening today. I'll see you next time. If you like this episode, I think you're gonna love this one too. And don't forget to check out all of my freebies and my book, Homeschool Rising.