How to Start Homeschooling
Thinking about homeschooling this year? You’re not alone—many parents across the country are facing school closures in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, whether the choice has been forced or not. Many brick and mortar schools are not equipped and prepared for virtual learning. There were many complaints from families on the lack of quality education when the schools shutdown back in March and attempts of virtual learning via Zoom were not as successful as expected. For whatever reason, if you have decided to withdraw your public student from their school, and start homeschooling, welcome. You have come to the right place. I have been a homeschooling parent for the last three years and I am happy to assist you with your homeschooling journey.
So, I’m here to tell you the process is seamless. Homeschooling is accepted by all 50 states; however, varying in regulations with some states stricter than others.
Step one:
Visit HSLDA to research homeschooling laws, options and step-by-step instructions for your state.
Select the state you reside in and you will get a detailed information on how to withdraw from public school, homeschooling requirements including testing & mandatory subjects, plus resources and more. Every state has different homeschooling regulations, some stricter than others. In California, for example, homeschooling parents must file a Private School Affidavit (PSA) that essentially establishes their home as a small private school. In Connecticut, on the other hand, there are virtually no legal requirements. Whatever state you're in, it's important to officially withdraw your child from their current school to avoid falling out of compliance with mandatory attendance laws. If you don't, you could be charged with truancy. If your child has never attended a public or private school, the withdrawal process does not apply.
Step two:
Depending on where you live, you may be able to enroll your child in a homeschool charter school, which is like an independent study program you can do at home with a curriculum of your choice and assistance from a licensed teacher. You may also choose to join (or organize) a homeschool cooperative (co-op) with other families in your area. Many co-ops offer a variety of classes to choose from and some even assign "academic credits," while others are more flexible and focused on non-academic instruction. Finally, you can choose to go alone; lots of families choose to be independent by submitting a private school affidavit with their state. This gives you the most freedom, but it can be intimidating for newbie homeschoolers making the transition from public school.
Here are the top five options, depending on where you live. Note: Some of these names are slightly different from state to state but nevertheless the same options.
Private tutoring
Credentialed teacher or tutor (often child actors or athletes).
Not very popular or common.
Private school satellite programs (PSP)
Also known as Private ISP, PSSP, umbrella or cover schools.
Usually charge a fee, provide transcript services, report cards.
They file your paperwork with the state.
Public school independent study programs (ISP)
Provided by local school districts - not all school districts have it.
Often used if a kid is chronically ill, having problems, or needs to go away for a while.
Sometimes the district gives you the work/curriculum.
If interested, ask school district about their ISP specifically for homeschoolers.
Public charter schools (Most common by first time homeschoolers, if available in your state)
Every charter student is given funds electronically - about $2,500 per kid per year, for state approved non-religious curriculum, resources, classes and services through approved vendors, etc.
Parents are responsible for providing attendance records.
Meeting with a certified teacher every month to review school work and turn in work samples.
Participate in standardized tests. Legally, you may opt out, however, it is frowned upon as it can take the charter down.
Charter schools serve the county they reside in and the counties that touch their county.
Find public charter schools in your area and apply ASAP. Get on their waiting list. It’s okay if you’re on waiting lists for multiple charter schools. Many states such as CA are passing restriction laws (AB-77) preventing new admissions and restrict funding due to the high demand this year.
For my CA followers, here is a list of Charter schools by your county.
Full time private schools or Private School Affidavit “PSA” (the name varies from state to state) - MOST POPULAR ACROSS MOST STATES
Turning in PSA in some states is time sensitive. Example: CA window is Oct 1st-Oct 15 every year.
You are free to educate your child in the way you want, but you don’t get money. Every cost is out of your pocket.
Check your state law on how to file a private school affidavit - you may need to register annually.
The government does not oversee you or suggest/tell you what to do.
Nobody asks for work samples or standardized tests.
You choose it all (curriculum, God in education, standards, when you teach).
The records a private school must keep on file include:
Copy of your completed affidavit.
Attendance record, including days absent.
Courses of study offered.
Immunization records or Personal Belief Exemption in a student file (home based private schools are exempt from being up to date with CDC vaccination schedule).
Optional: Cumulative File — If your child ever transfers from your homeschool, the new school will request a cumulative file. Here are some items to include:
Legal name of student.
Date of birth, place of birth and verification of birth date.
Sex of pupil.
Placing a copy of the birth certificate in the file would provide the above information.
Name and address of parent of minor.
Entering and leaving date of each school year.
Subjects taken during each year your child is in your school.
Marks, grades, or credits, if given. Grades or report cards are not required.
For high school students, include a current high school transcript, or GED, if applicable.
Step three:
Once you’ve reviewed your state laws and decided on an option, it’s time to select a curriculum. You can purchase one comprehensive homeschooling curriculum that covers all academic subjects for the grade level(s) you need; there are many to choose from, so make sure you research the instruction methods of each as well as the materials they require or provide for the cost.
A great resource for curriculum review is Cathy Duffy Reviews.
Some popular curriculums among homeschoolers include:
Time4Learning (We use this as a supplement - online interactive)
Easy Peasy All-In-One Homeschool (FREE - This is our primary curriculum - printables as well as ready books available for purchase)
Khan Academy (FREE)
Some parents love the structure of having a preset curriculum, but many families buy smaller, subject-oriented curriculums (like only for math or language arts), and then take a more hands-on approach with other subjects. Many even choose to put together an entire customized curriculum, studying what they want, when and how they want.
Additional info on curriculum:
Think there's just one way to homeschool? Think again! There's traditional, classical, Montessori ... even unschooling. Whatever your life is like, there's a style to suit your needs, so it's a good idea to review the different varieties of homeschooling to see which one feels like the most natural fit for how your child learns.
This might mean more typing and less handwriting, more video instruction and less textbook reading, more oral presentations and less persuasive essays. Try not to box yourself in right from the beginning; be flexible and open to change, leaving yourself room to find your own unique approach within a specific style.
Popular methods of curriculum:
Charlotte Mason - The whole person must be educated, not just the mind. “Education is an Atmosphere, a Discipline (habits), a Life (living thoughts, ideas).” Outdoors, art, beauty is big.
Classical - 3 part process: grammar (name, memorize), logic (reasoning & analytical thinking), rhetoric (applies logic to what was learned to persuade) Pursues truth, goodness, beauty, virtue.
Montessori - Key principles: independence, observation, following the child, respectfully correcting the child, prepared environment, absorbent mind.
Unschooling/John Holt - Child-led learning with parental support/facilitation.
Waldorf/Steiner - Strives to develop students intellectual, artistic, and practical skills in an integrated and holistic manner.
Helpful resources:
Rainbow Resource Center
Lakeshore Learning
Amazon
Teachers Pay Teachers
Outschool
BraveWriter
Frequently asked questions:
Can my child go to college if we homeschool?
Yes! Colleges and universities actively seek out homeschooled applicants.
”Schools such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard, Stanford, and Duke University all actively recruit homeschoolers,” - Education expert Dr. Susan Berry, on Business Insider.
According to the National Home Education Research Institute: https://www.nheri.org/research-facts-on-homeschooling/
The home-educated typically score 15 to 30 percentile points above public-school students on standardized academic achievement tests.
Home-educated students typically score above average on the SAT and ACT tests that colleges consider for admissions.
2.5 million children are being homeschooled in the United States, and that number is growing.
I’m not a teacher, how can I teach my child?
You do not need a teaching degree to teach your child. In a day and age of the internet right at our fingertips, we can count on it when needed. Also, most curriculums have a detailed teacher’s manual to guide you through the lesson planning. If you need assistance on a specific subject, you can ask other homeschool moms in your local Facebook groups. There are private tutors available online as well as in person based on hourly fees, if needed. If you are through a charter school, your certified teacher is always there to help with any questions.
How can I meet other homeschooling families?
Join homeschool groups on Facebook
Attend homeschool seminars - More info here
Join (or organize) co-op
Do I need to obtain some type of legal insurance?
You are not required since homeschooling is legal in all 50 states and as long as you are compliant within your state laws. If you choose to have legal support, HSLDA has a great membership program for those seeking assistance with legal advice, assistance with state laws, testings, requirements, and so on. They are a great resource and an extra cushion of security to have for a small annual fee.
What is the standard length of teaching time required a day?
The following recommendations and guidelines are presented as suggested minimum and maximum times of engagement by each student in remote learning activities.
https://www.isbe.net/Documents/RL-Recommendations-3-27-20.pdf
I really hope this was helpful for your family to get started on the homeschooling path. I will update this post as needed with new resources/links, etc. If you have any question at all, please don’t hesitate to comment below or email me direct. I know how the beginning of this journey can be scary and unknown - I have been there. It takes time to adjust to a new routine. Don’t try to recreate a school environment. Follow a basic routine with built-in breaks. It’s a learning experience on behalf of you and your child so have fun with it and remember kids have a short attention span so focus on quality rather than quantity.
xx,
Salpie
