What is Homeschooling?

Depends on who you ask. Legally, this refers to a student who is learning from home and not accessing public $ to do so. However, this is not the definition we will be using.

Homeschool from a parent perspective would encompass all learning in which the parent is ultimately responsible for implementing outside of a traditional full-schedule classroom. This may include publicly funded school from home (virtually), individual classes at a school or business, the use of traditional homeschool curriculum, cooperative learning experiences, and much more.

In this section, we will explore homeschool as we experience it here in southern Oregon.

Where to Begin

Take time if you can. I suggest trying to plan ahead if possible, like the spring or summer before to spend time doing the following:

Breathe. Snuggle. Toast a cup of tea.
Embrace your freedom as a homeschooler! to do "school" a million different ways - you are free to find YOUR way!
Hang out with other homeschool families that are enjoying their experience to get inspired. BUT, also remind yourself that your journey does not need to look any which way, look like anyone else's or produce the same results as anyone else. Homeschooling is truly choosing the path you see fit for your child, adapting and flowing as you feel your way through it, and having fun learning with your child! Don't judge others' journeys. Pictured to the right are my two youngest girls. One is eclectically homeschooling and one is in a full-time classical school. They couldn't be more opposite of learning experiences, but they are both very happy in their chosen environments. I happily support them both!
Come visit one of our events to meet other homeschool parents, go "shopping" in the resource fair to see all of the local education resources, and get excited... together!
We also have a big library of homeschool resources (huge actually, so narrow your search by things that matter to you like location, approach, grade levels, or homeschool advice).
Investigate different style of homeschooling and imagine yourself using any of them to see it they fit. Here is a FANTASTIC video on homeschooling approaches.
Investigate options for curriculum. There are a million (literally) options and it can be overwhelming. Skip to our Curriculum page for some guidance on this topic.
Test out your ideas and educational tools on your kiddo. Give them the opportunity to choose for themselves what they like! Have fun getting to know your child in this new way and if something feels like you are pulling teeth to get them to do it, throw it out! There are plenty of other ways. Here is a great article on learning styles in homeschooling.

(stepping off my soap box now, LOL).

I have blogged about my personal homeschool journey this year (see below).

We don't always have time to plan ahead. Life happens and sometimes we are shoved into homeschooling by unforeseen circumstances. Don't worry, friend. We are here for you. Fill out a contact form or give us a call anytime. We will do our best to support you.

I couldn't have said it better myself!
(So, I didn't - here is a great video intro to homeschooling. Her journey is faith-based, but a great intro for secular as well.)

How to Connect with Others

Homeschooling is bound to produce some challenges and can sometimes lead to an adult feeling pretty lonely. I am a firm believer in seeking balance and homeschool communities are how many achieve that support and balance. If you ever need help getting pointed in the right direction, we are here for you! Don't hesitate to reach out.

Homeschool is huge here in southern Oregon. There are so many groups, gatherings, classes, group learning spaces, events, and social media connecting points, all you have to do is introduce yourself and viola! Ask around and you will find your tribe! I wrote a blog post about my experience finding a learning community to be a part of. It seems like every month, a new group pops up!

There are several facebook groups we would recommend. Our Options for Education group of course, highlights all options for education, not strictly homeschool.

Grants Pass Homeschoolers, Rogue Valley Homeschoolers, and Homeschooling Teens would be the other three that I personally benefit from being a part of.

Click here to go to our Homeschool Resources page to find local and online connections for your and your child.

How to Pay for Homeschool

Homeschooling is a financial sacrifice, no doubt. We don't have school choice dollars (yet) in Oregon, but there are several ways to utilize public funds to help support it, but some would say it comes with strings. I am utilizing public funds and most families I know are, but I totally respect those who value independent homeschooling. For those interested in utilizing public funds, here is a quick reference spreadsheet I made up. Don't quote me on accuracy, as things do change quickly. I will do my best to keep it up to date. You can also search the resource library and click on "free" to narrow your search to publicly funded programs. I wrote about choosing a charter school or other support in a blog post. Check it out. There are more available then when I wrote it though!

Another idea to support your homeschool adventure can be fundraising (you can join the Rogue PTA to have a nonprofit EIN to use. You can share the load with other parents. My little one takes a class over zoom with a friend who teaches her for free and I offer to take her son on field trips. We also joined a co-op that is very low cost and parents all share in the duties. I was also very happy to see that Open Ed (the source for public funds that I have chosen) offers a TON of free curriculum and courses, so we could really do school for free and get $ back! We are always on the lookout for other ideas so please reach out and share your ideas! We would love to share them!

Homeschool... Part time?

Yes. That is right. You can have the best of both worlds!

There are many programs that offer homeschool support, hybrid schedules, individual group classes or part-time virtual options.

Private Options:

Our community is amazing. St. Anne Catholic School is pioneering an innovative approach to education, offering their classes as individual class options to homeschool families!
You can find individual elective and enrichment courses in our resource library by choosing a particular subject in the filter options.
Homeschool co-ops generally offer group learning experiences once a week and allow families to opt in for interest-based classes. Search our homeschool resources for in-person options in your county.
There are several hybrid schedule or learning groups that offer part-time enrollment here. You will find them in the resources libraries as well.

In-person Public Options:

REACH is a publicly funded charter school that offers a hybrid schedule that works well for many families.
Grants Pass School District says that they are open to students coming in for a single class, whether it is a math class or their culinary program or whatever. The laws and policies certainly do allow it, but the systems aren't quite in place to support homeschool families opting in or a class or two. I did this with my older two (sent them part time to middle school) and it was not something I would recommend anyone else doing. What they do offer now is their FLEX programs with free live and asynchronous virtual school and early college for 16+. They are actively working on other offerings (I will keep you updated).

Online Options:

Open Ed offers a ton of one-off live classes and month-long series as well as individual online asynchronous offerings. This company uses public funds to provide these free of cost to their students. They will also reimburse you for your costs if you opt in to a class online or in your community!
OutSchool (and others like this: Lesson Face, etc.) provide live class instruction on pretty much any topic you can think of!
Many all-in-one online education resources offer part time enrollment. Check out our resource guide and choose the filter "online" or go to our "curriculum" page for more.

this page coming soon. for now, go to our homeschool resources page

How to Start a Group

The vast majority of the great offerings our community has to offer started with a parent wanting something for their child that wasn't available. Options for Education is the same! I am just a mom wanting more for my children. You can see some of my journey here.

If you want to get started, start by visiting our teacher & admin resources page. There, you will find some great sample programs, grants (like the VELA Founders Network that helped Options for Education and many other local founders get started) and financial advice, umbrella organizations that can help guide you, and much more. If you'd like to get connected to any local leaders, reach out! I would be happy to connect you!