New to homeschooling? These are the articles we wish existed in our first year. From the very beginning, step by step.
Getting StartedA portfolio is more than a legal requirement. When done right, it becomes the most useful thing in your homeschool — a record of real growth that no standardized test can capture.
Getting StartedWhen people ask what grade your homeschooled child is in, the honest answer is often complicated. Here is how to think about grades, what they actually matter for, and what you can say.
Getting StartedEvery family that pulls their child out of school needs a period of deschooling first. Most skip it. Here's why that's a mistake and what it actually looks like.
Getting StartedCreating a high school transcript is one of the most important practical tasks in homeschooling. Here is everything you need to know — from what to include to how to calculate GPA.
Getting StartedThe first week of a new homeschool year used to fill me with dread. Here is the planning framework that finally made it feel manageable — and why I plan less than I used to.
Getting StartedA homeschool transcript is not as complicated as it sounds. Here is exactly how to build one that colleges will accept, what to include, and how to document nontraditional coursework.
Getting StartedThe families who worry most about homeschool and college readiness are usually not the ones who need to. Here is what colleges actually look for in homeschooled applicants — and what a genuinely college-ready homeschool education looks like.
Getting StartedHigh school does not need to be more complicated than the years before it. Here is a year-by-year framework for planning homeschool high school without the anxiety — and the decisions that actually matter.
Getting StartedRecords are either simple and consistent or they are not. Here is the system we have used for five years that takes less than ten minutes per day and has everything we need when we need it.
Getting StartedThe worry about being behind haunts almost every homeschool parent. Here is how to assess where your child actually is — and what to do about it if they are behind in something.
Getting StartedStandardized tests, state assessments, and annual evaluations — the testing landscape for homeschoolers is confusing. Here is a plain-language guide to what is required, what is optional, and when testing actually matters.
Getting StartedStarting homeschooling in January, February, or any month that is not September is more common than you think. Here is exactly how to make it work without overwhelming yourself.
Getting StartedAssessment in homeschooling does not require standardized tests. Here is a practical approach to knowing where your child is, what they have learned, and where to focus next.
Getting StartedThese are the questions that appear in every homeschool Facebook group, every new family email, and every conversation with someone considering this for the first time. Here are the honest answers.
Getting StartedHomeschooling is legal in all 50 states, but the requirements vary wildly. Here is how to find out what your state actually requires — and the one organization you should know about.
Getting StartedHomeschool kindergarten does not look like school kindergarten. Here is what a real kindergarten year looks like at home — and why the families who do it best do less formal instruction than you might expect.
Getting StartedMany families pull their children out of school precisely because the school was not able to meet their child's needs. Homeschooling a child with learning differences is possible. Here is the honest guide.
Getting StartedHomeschooling preschool does not look like school. It looks like a childhood. Here is what we actually did in the early years and what I wish I had known before I bought the preschool curriculum box.
Getting StartedThe range is enormous — from almost nothing to more than private school tuition. Here is what actually drives the cost and how families at every budget level make it work.
Getting StartedThe first week of homeschool sets the tone for the year. Here is what to do, what to skip, and why the best first week often looks nothing like what you planned.
Getting StartedMost comparisons between homeschooling and public school are written by advocates for one side. This is not that. Here is an honest look at what each genuinely offers and what each genuinely costs.