Steps to Home Schooling

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Reimagine Education

Homeschool & CO-OPS

Charter & Umbrella Schools

Micro-Schools

Hybrid Schooling

Curriculums

FAQs

Step One
Your State Requirements

Knowing your state requirements is important as each state is different. We cannot stress the importance of this step! While there are many comprehensive resources out there, such as the Home School Legal Defense Association, we recommend that you check your state's Department of Education website to ensure you have the most accurate and up to date information.

Step Two
Homeschool Styles

The chart below lists a few of the most popular styles.

CURRICULUM NAME	Defined
Charlotte Mason	“Directed learning approach, that strives to nurture a love for learning and reinforce good habits, rather than just having children memorize facts. This method consists of three important components: 1/3 atmosphere, 1/3 discipline, and 1/3 learning to “come to life”
Traditional	Creating the classroom setting in the home.
Classical	Systematic approach to learning. Focusing on the three stages of learning: Memorization/Repetition/Analytics/Thinking Rhetoric.
Theme Study	Theme approached learning. Work is based around a common theme that fits in all subjects.
Unschooling	Child led learning. Greater consideration is given for each child’s interests and the timing of when they tackle various topics and skills.
Eclectic	Combination of the best homeschool styles that work for your family. Generally, means more parental input, but can shift in and out of child led.

We recommend taking the short quizzes at the links below to help identify the best style for you and your child/children.

Step Three
Accredited versus Non-Accredited

It is important to understand that accreditation comes from the school you enroll in and not from the curriculum you choose.
Schools are accredited, curriculums are non-accredited.

Which pathway will you choose?

Pathway	Pros	Cons
Accredited	You only keep track of what the school requests. The school keeps a record of all credits, hours, grades, and testing.	Curriculum follows state standards.
	More time and focus on the teaching effort.	Teaching may not line up with your beliefs, morals, and values.
	The child is learning material that is grade-level appropriate. Can easily transition back into the public or private school system.	More challenging to personalize the curriculum for your child. You have to work within the schedule and time frame you are given.
Non-Accredited	No state standards to follow.	The parent is responsible to meet state requirements for home schooling. The parent will keep track of a portfolio, grades, testing, hours, transcripts.
	Choose a curriculum that is more tailored for your child.	The parent will need to submit what is required if ever transitioning back to the public school. You should learn the requirements for entering and exiting your school district.
	Teach spiritual and moral beliefs.	Will have to create a diploma stating requirements have been met.
	Less structure so your child will learn time management skills, to complete assignments on.	You are responsible for you child's progress and decide how to measure it.

Do you want to stay connected to a school or break away and pursue non-accredited? Many choose to start with non-accredited education and change to accredited in middle school or high school years. If you foresee going back into the public school, please learn the expectations of your local school system.

The public school system is ever-changing so you will want to consider what is happening in your local district. Many parents who choose non-accredited education do an incredible job of keeping portfolios, grades, tests, transcripts, and diplomas. Universities such as Princeton welcome home school students. Please follow the link for an example of what they request:

Step Four
Education Model Comparison

Education Model	Flexible Schedule	Shared Cost	Socialization	Structure	Community of Shared Values	Time Investment	Provide Currciulum	Provide Extracurricular Activities	Less Time Commitment	Non-Acreditted-You control the curriculum	Accredited -State Standards	Accredited or Non Accredited
Home School	✔️					✔️				✔️
Home School Co-Op		✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️		✔️				✔️
Umbrella / Charter Home School Private / Public (Provide Curriculum)				✔️				✔️	✔️	✔️		✔️
Umbrella / Charter Home School Private / Public (You Choose Curriculum)	✔️					✔️						✔️
Micro-School		✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️					✔️
Micro-School Partner W/Public, Charter or Umbrella			✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️			✔️
Hybrid School	✔️		✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️			✔️	✔️	✔️

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