Congratulations on your decision to homeschool! That seemingly simple decision can stir up a long list of questions in your mind, like…

• Where do I begin?
• What curriculum should I choose?
• What are the requirements in my state?
• What homeschool method should I use?
• What records should I keep?

The uncertainty by itself can keep your family from moving forward into this great unknown.

Two key thoughts to remember throughout this journey are that your family is not the first one to make this decision and you are not alone. The abundance of online resources for curriculum, subjects to research for local field trips, homeschool co-ops to visit, meeting other families who have experience to share, legal resources available if you need it, etc. are there to fortify your family on this homeschooling journey.

How to homeschool in your state will vary depending where your family lives. The information shared below is very general. You are strongly encouraged to become familiar with state-specific homeschool information as laws vary widely.

Some Important Steps on How to Homeschool in Your State

• Do Your Research

We have developed a state-by-state guide to help you begin researching what rules you need to follow in your specific state. All states have their own set of requirements.

You and your family should do some research, but realize you can end up with analysis paralysis. One suggestion is write down the topics you will research for homeschooling and decide which keywords to search on web search engines. Then, review which search results you want to explore more and which organizations you’d like to contact. Ask your kids about each topic to involve them in this process. Discuss as a family what you have learned, make a decision, implement it, and adapt as you keep going forward.

• Learn Different Homeschool Methods

Whether you’re just starting to homeschool or are an established pro, learning about different ways to homeschool will help you ensure your practices line up with your educational objectives. One benefit of homeschooling is it offers many options for your child.

How does each child learn best? Is it through reading, listening, or hands-on projects?

One of the best parts of being a homeschooler is that you are not tied to one option. You have the freedom to choose between the learning styles of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. We developed this quiz to help you determine your child’s best learning style.

Homeschooling offers as many distinct styles as there are families. However, eight main classifications form the basic foundations upon which most families build their homeschools: Classical, Charlotte Mason, Montessori, university style, unit studies, school at home, unschooling, and eclectic.

While some families use undiluted forms of these eight types of homeschooling styles, most wind up using a combination that works best for their particular family dynamic. Some may even use a different homeschool style for each particular child in their household.

Just performing a web search of one of these styles can make you feel adrift in a sea of conflicting and unverified information. To give you a deeper understanding of each of these approaches to homeschooling, we have developed this simple reference guide!

Your Guide to Types of Homeschooling

Bookmark it and refer back to it to better understand your own preferences and to build better relationships with those in your homeschool community by speaking their homeschool curriculum “language.”

• Check Homeschool Curriculum for Your State

The key is finding out what is the minimum required homeschool education curriculum for your state for each grade level.  Here is where being a current member in your state home school association or homeschool co-op and working with other homeschool families can help you to find this information and stay up to date.

Do your homework online to find out what your state’s current homeschool education requirements are. Being a member of your state’s homeschool association or a local homeschool cooperative may provide assistance on keeping up with your state’s homeschool requirements.

Some of the legal items to be aware of are the number of classroom hours required for each grade level, parental responsibilities, attendance records to maintain, curriculum requirements for each grade, homeschool transcripts to record and keep, required standardized testing and frequency, any required ongoing interaction and reporting requirements with the local public school district, local and/or state homeschool registration requirements, graduation and diploma requirements. This list is not meant to be exhaustive, but to give your family a perspective that homeschooling laws are real.

Remember what may have worked two years ago in your state may not be current for your homeschool. Your family is strongly encouraged to have at least one parent keep up to date, but not stress over this area of research.

General Homeschool Information

• Homeschool Laws to Know

You do not need to be a lawyer or legal scholar to understand your legal basis as a family to homeschool your kids in your state of residence. Laws will vary from state to state.

A web search of your state’s education agency website will yield homeschooling laws, rules and other requirements. Be aware of where to find them.

Sometimes legal problems arise in your state that could interfere with your family’s choice to homeschool. One of the most common homeschool legal problems is with your state’s child protective services (CPS) agency. CPS problems are real and should not be minimized.

Here is where knowing where to find legal help about how to address your specific legal situation is key. Keep calm, do your homework, contact a homeschool legal defense group and persevere to a legal conclusion.

Paid membership in a homeschool legal defense group usually includes a CPS legal/attorney option where you should be able to make a phone call for very timely legal advice and help. A membership in this type of group will more than pay for itself if your family has a CPS problem.

A membership in your state’s homeschool association usually includes a CPS attorney option. Please check on this availability when researching association membership.

• Homeschool Groups

Homeschool groups are varied. These can be homeschool co-ops or families working together to cover various activities and topics, including: doing a mix of online and in person homeschooling, family homeschooling lessons, field trips to a neighborhood library or local museum, homeschool extracurricular activities like music and sport(s), curriculum cost, membership in your state’s homeschool association, joining a homeschool legal defense group, etc.

The key is talking to other families who have, are or will be homeschooling in your neighborhood, place of employment, similar business or trade, church, etc. about the ups, downs, choices to consider, education methods to consider for your kids, topics to not stress over, etc. Online research about the different homeschool topics can be very helpful, but having a local homeschool community can make a significant difference.

General Homeschool Requirements

• Record Keeping

Good recordkeeping is a must if only for the benefit of staying organized. Keeping thorough and up to date records of each class taken, class grade, grade level, and a sample of work for each child will help when you need to look back at what happened for each child in each year of homeschooling. Good records will pay off when you least expect it.

• General Homeschool Standardized Assessment

Standardized assessment usually means your child takes a standardized assessment test or another evaluation tool. These requirements will vary from state to state.

Talk with homeschool families you know, contact homeschool co-op member families, converse with your state’s homeschool association and research online your state education agency’s requirements regarding homeschool standardized assessments,  including how often they are required.

Once you determine a standardized assessment test is required then research which test is acceptable. Register for the test in advance online and be sure to find out if there is a testing fee and the testing location. Have your child prepare to take the assessment by taking sample tests online or on paper. Be early on test day and expect to wait up to a few weeks for the results.

• General Homeschool Graduation Requirements

Look up your state’s requirements for high school graduation for homeschooled students, listing the number of courses or credits they must complete in each subject while in high school.

It is typical for a state to require 4 years of English, 3-4 years of math, 2-3 years of science, 3-4 years of social studies, and a smaller number of years in areas like physical education and health, foreign languages, and fine arts. These requirements are often broken down further; many states, for example, stipulate that the required 3 years of social studies must include one year of U.S. history, one year of world history, and one semester each of U.S. government and economics.

In addition, states generally require a certain number of years of electives. Check to see if specific electives are required.

Each state has its own system for calculating credits and its own credit requirements for graduation. Most states consider a year-long course as one credit, and require around 20-24 credits for graduation from high school.

However, this does vary. In Indiana, for example, a year-long course is considered to be worth two credits, and 40 credits are required for graduation; in New Jersey, a year-long course counts as five credits, and 120 credits are required for graduation.

Make sure to follow your state’s system for calculating credits and obtain the number of credits required for graduation. You can find your state’s high school graduation requirements on the state department of education website.

Conclusion

The information provided is not one-size-fits-all when each state has different homeschool requirements for different grade levels. The key is to be keenly aware of the homeschool requirements in your state of residence.

Be confident that your family made the best decision to homeschool! Remember to be humble to learn from your mistakes on this journey, be encouraged that you are part of a larger homeschool family that believes in the freedom to homeschool, and be aware the family relationships are a key part of homeschooling that will grow between you and your kids through each lesson, curriculum, field trip, and one-on-one discussion.

Everyone will look back on the journey and say this was an amazing experience we went through as a family. We believe that raising children is a family’s God-given right and calling, which is why we support families with encouragement and practical resources like you found in this article.  Sign up for email notifications for more encouraging articles.