Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs

What is a charter school?

Charter schools are free independent public schools with rigorous curriculum programs and unique educational approaches. In exchange for operational freedom and flexibility, charter schools are subject to higher levels of accountability than traditional public schools. Charter schools, which are tuition-free and open to all students, offer quality and choice in the public education system.

Is Golden Valley Charter School a public school?

YES! Founded in 2001, GVCS is a public, WASC-accredited, non-classroom based progra.  Students are home-educated by their parents, who are the day-to-day teachers.

Is GVCS Accredited?

GVCS is fully accredited, grades TK-12, by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

What grades does GVCS serve?

GVCS serves students in grades TK-12.

What counties does GVCS serve?

GVCS serves students in Los Angeles, Ventura, Kern and Santa Barbara counties.

Does it cost anything to attend GVCS?

No! There is no cost to families to attend GVCS!

What is the age cut-off for kindergarten?

A student entering GVCS for kindergarten must be 5 by September 1st.

What is the age cut-off for Transitional Kindergarten (TK)??

A child shall be admitted to  transitional kindergarten at the beginning of a school year if the child will have his or her fifth birthday between September 2 and February 2.

A child who has his or her fifth birthday after February 2 shall be admitted to transitional kindergarten once he or she reaches his or her fifth birthday.

How do I apply?
What happens after I apply?

After a completed application is received, and we have confirmed there is space for your student(s), an Education Facilitator will contact you. 

More FAQs

When will I find out about enrolling my student?

GVCS will place students with available teachers throughout the school year, until the end of February of each year. After attending an Orientation and submitting enrollment paperwork, GVCS will confirm there is an opening in your area. If there is an opening in your area, an EF will be assigned to you.  

I submitted my paperwork in March, for the Fall. Why haven’t I heard anything?

GVCS starts placing students for the Fall in late April. All interested families will be placed on a waitlist, until we can determine the number of openings we have for the following school year. Should the number of students who wish to attend GVCS exceed our capacity then attendance, except for current students, shall be determined by a lottery. Lottery(s) will be held on or before July 31 of the following school year.

Do I have to meet with a teacher? How often?

Each GVCS student is assigned a CA credentialed teacher called an Education Facilitator (EF). The EF is there to support the parent and help make sure the student is making adequate and appropriate progress towards mastery of the grade level state standards. You and your student will have a face-to-face meeting with your EF at least once every 20 days. Meetings are typically conducted in the student’s home or some other agreed upon location.

What happens at a typical meeting?

The EF will review all completed work, document learning in the learning plan, collect work samples, and collect the attendance record which the parent fills out. S/he will also work with the parent to prepare a Learning Plan to cover the next 20 school days.

Do my students have to take state-mandated testing?

All GVCS students are required to participate in state-mandated testing and school-wide assessments. This includes CAASPP testing for students in grades 3-8, 10 and 11, and PE Testing for students in grades 5,7, and 9. There are also two school-wide assessments that are conducted online (one in the Fall, and one in the Spring).

What about curriculum? Can I choose it?

Parents may choose from many types of curriculum for their K-8 student from our approved vendor list. Curriculum must be aligned with state standards and secular in nature, as we are a public school. High school curriculum is a bit more structured, with multiple curricular options and levels to choose from for each course, as described in our current High School Catalog. GVCS also has an extensive resource library that parents may visit to check out curriculum. Curriculum from the GVCS library can be used at no cost to the family.

How does instructional funding work?

GVCS provides instructional funds to help assist with the purchase of curriculum and educational activities from our approved vendor list. Funding varies from year to year per grade. Your EF will manage these funds and will approve all purchases you’d like to make.

How long can you hold my student’s application?

We can hold an application for one school year. If your student is not placed within a year of receiving the application, a new application will need to be filled out and submitted so that we can be sure we have the most up-to-date information on the application.

My student was accepted! How do I get my student’s records from the previous school?

Once your student is accepted, GVCS will request your students cumulative file from the previous school. We do recommend that you DO NOT withdraw your student from their current school until you have signed enrollment paperwork with a teacher at GVCS.

Who can I contact for more information?

You may contact Mary Deyo at the GVCS office at mary.deyo@goldenvcs.org or 805-642-3435.

Contact Us

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3585 Maple Street, Suite 101, Ventura, California 93003

805-642-3435