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Homeschooling questions, answered.
The things parents ask before they start, and the ones they ask in February. Plain answers from a homeschool family.
Every question
- How do I start homeschooling?Check your state's rules, withdraw the right way if your kid is enrolled, start with reading and math, and keep the first weeks short. The order that works.
- Is homeschooling legal, and what are the requirements?Homeschooling is legal in every US state. What changes from state to state is the paperwork: a notice, records, days, or testing. How to find your state's actual rules.
- How many hours a day should we homeschool?Much less than a school day. A rough guide by age, from Pre-K to high school, why one-on-one teaching takes less time, and what to do when the day runs long.
- How much does homeschooling cost?Homeschooling can cost almost nothing or several hundred dollars per child a year. Where the money actually goes, where it's easy to overspend, and the cost nobody lists.
- How do I choose a homeschool curriculum?Pick curriculum subject by subject, starting with math and reading. What to look at in a sample lesson, how much teacher time it needs, and when to switch.
- How do I know what to teach at each grade level?The usual order for math and reading from kindergarten through 8th grade, where public school standards come from, and why your kid's level matters more than the grade.
- How do I make a homeschool schedule?How to build a homeschool schedule around a short morning: the order of subjects, blocks versus a loop, how many days a week, and what to do when the plan falls apart.
- How do I homeschool multiple kids at once?Teach shared subjects together, keep math and reading separate, and stagger your time so each child gets you one-on-one. How families with several kids manage it.
- Can I homeschool and work at the same time?Working parents homeschool by keeping the day short, moving it outside nine to three, sharing the teaching, and giving older kids independent work.
- What about socialization for homeschooled kids?Homeschooled kids make friends through co-ops, sports, church, the library, neighbors and classes. It takes planning, especially for teenagers. How families build it.
- How do I switch my child from public school to homeschool?Look up your state's rules, withdraw in writing, ask for your child's records, and take the first weeks slowly. How to move a child from school to home any time of year.
- How do I homeschool kindergarten?Kindergarten at home is short lessons in letter sounds and counting, lots of reading aloud, and a lot of play. What to teach, how long it takes, and what can wait.
- How do I keep homeschool records and grades?What homeschool records to keep, from attendance and work samples to a reading list, when grades start to matter, and how a high school transcript works.
- Do colleges accept homeschoolers?Colleges admit homeschooled students every year. They look for a clear transcript, course descriptions, test scores where required, and outside grades.
- How do I homeschool a child who learns differently (ADHD, dyslexia, autism)?Teach at your child's pace, in short lessons, with movement and routine built in. How homeschooling works for ADHD, dyslexia and autism, and where to get an evaluation.
- What are the different homeschool methods (classical, Charlotte Mason, unschooling)?Classical, Charlotte Mason, unschooling, unit studies, Montessori, textbooks, and the eclectic mix most families end up with. What each looks like at the table.
- How do I know if my homeschooler is on track and I'm doing enough?How to tell whether your homeschooled child is learning enough. Compare them to last year, watch reading and math, test if you like, and know what behind really means.
- How can I homeschool on a tight budget or for free?The library, used curriculum, public domain books, free printables and trading with other families. How to homeschool well for very little.
- What does a typical homeschool day look like?Sample homeschool days for a young child, an elementary kid and a middle schooler, how long the focused work takes, and what fills the rest of the day.
- How do I avoid homeschool burnout?Signs of homeschool burnout, the usual causes, and what helps: cut the list, take a real break, get help with one subject, and give yourself permission to change course.
- How do I homeschool high school (courses, credits and a transcript)?Plan high school as courses and credits, keep the transcript from ninth grade on, add labs at home, and hand your teen more of the work each year.
See your kid’s year before you pay a dime.
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