Looking for the best homeschooling curriculum for your child? There are various reasons why homeschooling your kid can be the better choice. Some of these reasons can be:
- limited education choices in the area
- foreign service posts
- religious reasons, or
- personal preferences
All of these are valid. Luckily, there are many homeschool programs that can fit your needs.
As a working mom, choosing to step up in educating your child is a huge responsibility. As any homeschool family will know, it is never easy. There would always be doubts, if you are giving your child the best home education or at par with traditional school programs.
Here are some things you need to know in choosing the best homeschool curriculum for your children.
What are the personal and professional factors to consider in choosing a homeschool curriculum?
First, you should evaluate why homeschooling is the better option. Next, you need to consider the availability of homeschool programs in your area. Foreign posts due to work may put you in a place with no educational options, or in an overseas place where immersion and interaction in a real school will tremendously benefit your child. There may also be language and cultural barriers to overcome. These may factor in your decision-making.
There are also specific state requirements for homeschooling that must be followed, so it is wise to research this at your location.
In a lot of areas, you may even decide that a partial or supplemental homeschooling program will benefit your kid easier, especially if you want him or her to learn more foreign languages or a foreign history/culture.
Read more: A beginner’s guide to homeschooling for busy moms
How do I evaluate Homeschool Programs?
Next to consider is if the homeschool curriculum can fulfill the standard requirements in the place you are presently in or where you will be in the future. You should consider the requirements of the next level of education for your child, meaning target high schools, colleges, and universities. You should familiarize yourself with their admission requirements and how your kid’s homeschooling will factor into these.
In choosing the program, you should also ask yourself the following questions:
- Can the program ease your child into transitioning into a traditional school in the future?
- What is the system for the learner’s assessments? How often?
- What is the coverage of the program/curriculum?
- Will the learner progress and improve at a comparable rate to learners in traditional schools?
- How are the lesson plans organized?
- How does this program compare to other programs?
- Is the program easy to implement at home, with an organized schedule?
- What number of hours per day does the program require?
Read more: Reasons not to homeschool your child – weighing the pros and cons
Homeschool Resources and Curricula
How do I know if a homeschool program is accredited?
There are six official regional accreditors in the U.S. (recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation). These are:
Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC)
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
New England Commission of Higher Education (NEASC-CIHE)
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Read more: Homeschool supply list: Affordable must-haves for first-time homeschoolers
Accredited distance learning programs
- A Beka Book
- Advantages School International
- Alpha Omega Academy
- American School of Correspondence
- Brigham Young University
- Brightways Global Academy
- Calvert Education
- Central Texas College Online High School
- Fairfax County Public Schools Online Campus
- Florida Virtual School
- George Washington University Online High School
- Idaho Virtual Academy
- International Connections Academy
- International Virtual Learning Academy
- ISBerne Online
- James Madison High School
- K12
- Keystone School Online
- Laurel Springs School
- Latter Day Learning
- Liahona Academy
- Liberty University Online Academy
- Memoria Press Online Academy
- Mizzou Academy
- National University Virtual High School
- North Star Academy
- Oak Meadow
- Ohio Virtual School
- Penn Foster Online
- The Potter School
- Stanford Online High School
- Seton Home Study School
- University of Nebraska High School
- University of Texas High School
- Veritas Press Academy
- The Well Trained Mind
- WiloStar Treaty Academy
Non-Accredited Homeschool Curricula
- Aleks
- Ambleside Online
- Avenues Online
- DODEA Virtual High School
- Heart of Dakota
- Monarch
- Moving Beyond the Page
- QSI Virtual School
- Sonlight
- The Critical Thinking Company
- Timberdoodle
- Time 4 Learning
- University of Miami Global Academy
- Up-Words Reading
Online College Programs
Homeschooling in the U.S.
There are no homeschooling education allowances available to child dependents living in the U.S. Home instruction requirements and procedures vary by state and county. For more information, contact your state’s Department of Education.
Washington, DC Area Information on Homeschooling
- Fairfax County Home Instruction Guidelines/Online Campus – Fairfax County Public Schools offers online courses identical in content to those offered in traditional classrooms.
- Montgomery County, MD Public School System Homeschooling Information
- Northern Virginia Homeschool Support Group
- Maryland Homeschool Support Groups
- Washington DC Homeschool Support Groups
- Prince William County, VA – Offers online coursework for high school credit for students enrolled in an accredited high school.
- Virginia Homeschooling
- Washington, DC Homeschooling
Conclusion
Choosing the best homeschooling curriculum is probably one of the most crucial decisions you will make when you finally decide to homeschool your child. Whatever homeschool curriculum you choose, always remember that this isn’t about you.
Homeschool programs are designed to assist you but most especially, help you children achieve the best education available.