Sep 17, 2025
Congratulations! You have decided to homeschool and file the Private School Affidavit (PSA). However, now you are faced with one of the most important decisions you will need to make (second only to homeschooling and a close third to choosing a curriculum). What will you name your school? What’s in a name? Choosing a name for your school doesn’t have to be difficult, but it will take some thought. Here are some things for you to consider: If your children are younger, it may be tempting to choose a “cute” name to match your “cute” kids. However, you do need to think long-term. If you decide to homeschool through high school, consider the name that will appear on the high school transcript. Do you want your senior graduating from Little Lambs Academy? Some families choose to use their last name or street name when naming their school. For example: Smith Academy or Park Place School. You may want to exercise caution regarding privacy and the information available publicly when using personal information in your school’s name. Once you have selected your name, think about how the name abbreviates or the acronym. For instance, Christian Academy for Righteous Students becomes CARS. Make sure it’s not too long for forms and official documents. Nothing is worse than running out of space when trying to fit a long name on a form! When actually filling out the PSA, you cannot include the words “The” or “School” unless they are in the middle of the name. This is a CDE (California Department of Education) policy, and their example of where it’s ok to use these words is “Corona School of the Arts.” (You can use “The” and “School” as part of your actual name and on other forms, just not the PSA.) If you decide to change your school’s name at some point, it’s no problem. When you fill out the PSA, simply indicate you are filing under a new name. It’s that simple! Brainstorming ideas The following categories provide examples of how to begin choosing a name for your homeschool, tailored to your family’s unique values and vision. Biblical/Christian Faithful Foundations Virtues and Character Integrity Academy Academic Excellence Excellence in Learning Nature Themes Mountain View If your children are old enough, invite them to help you brainstorm ideas. They can even write a paper on what they want their school to be called, and this can be one of your first homeschool assignments! The key is to choose something that reflects your family’s values and educational mission, while still sounding professional for official paperwork and college applications. This is the first question on the PSA, so you’ll want to have this decided before joining us for our Annual PSA Filing Party! Pray about it and have fun with it!
