Homeschool Resources
1. How to start
2. Common questions
3. Choose Curriculum
1. How to start
The last couple of years found many of us homeschooling unexpectedly,
not knowing where to start and feeling alone.
STEP 1: UNENROLL
The first step you need to take is to unenroll from public school. Register online to notify the Willamette ESD that you intend to homeschool. https://www.wesd.org/Page/1477
STEP 2: GET CONNECTED
There are a multitude of homeschool organizations and community groups out there that will help you create a schedule, choose curriculum, access resources, etc.
New Covenant Christian Academy, Placement testing and curriculum resource,
Curt & Jenny Bumcrot, Email: info@basicskills.net, Phone: 503-650-5282
Oregon Homeschooling Co-ops and Academic Enrichment Classes:
OCEANetwork is a great resource for parents wishing to homeschool. Regardless of affiliation, OCEANetwork has many resources and videos for families just starting out homeschool.
CONNECT TO HOMESCHOOLERS; http://www.ohen.org/homeschooling-in-oregon/connect-to-community/
BASIC SKILLS Assessment & Educational Services, New Covenant Christian Academy
Email: info@basicskills.net, Phone: 503-650-5282
HOME SCHOOL LEGAL DEFENSE ASSOCIATION (HSLDA) is the trusted movement leader that makes homeschooling possible by caring for member families and protecting and securing the future of homeschooling.
https://hslda.org/post/special-education-provisions-for-oregon
2. Common questions
Who pays for home school?
The parent pays for homeschool and private schools The Oregon Department of Education pays for public schools and public charter schools. BEWARE, with money comes obligations... The Oregon Law Re Funding of Schools: https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_327.013. Federal School Funds: A district or public agency must control and administer the CARES Act funds; no funds may go directly to a private school. Funding does not have to be used at only Title I served schools nor for only Title I eligible students. Activities allowed under any federal education grant such as IDEA, Title I, Title II, Title III, Title IV, 21st Century Community Learning Centers, Perkins, or McKinney-Vento, are allowed under CARES. Non-public school Activities must be non-ideological, secular, and neutral in nature. Fiscal rules of EDGAR and OMB apply as any other federal fund.
Where do students access Special Education services, if needed?
The llocal Education Service District (ESD) and local school districts are not required by law to provide educational materials or services for students who are being home schooled. Acquisition of these materials is the responsibility of the parent. However, some school districts may be able to provide materials on loan. A deposit may be charged. Various instructional materials and other resources are available on the Department of Education’s website. For private and charter schools, the local school district sends SPED teachers to the school. A school district must provide IDEA funds to charter schools that reside in their district on the same basis as the school district provides IDEA funds to other public schools in the district, including proportional distribution based on relative enrollment of children with disabilities, at the same time as funds are distributed to other public schools in the district.
Can homeschool kids participate in the local school district sports programs?
ORS 339.460, Interscholastic Activities; and OAR 581-021-0033, Interscholastic Activities Eligibility Requirement for Home School Students. Interscholastic activities include those activities administered by the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA). Home schooled students must be tested every year and must score at or above the 23rd percentile to be eligible to participate in interscholastic activities. Assessment scores must be submitted annually to the school district by the student’s parent or legal guardian. A school district may adopt alternative methods to determine eligibility, including a portfolio of work samples.
STEP 3: CHOOSE CURRICULUM
Ascend (weascend.org), a public advocacy group that champions empowering youth to avoid the risks of sexual activity through healthy decision-making is a good place to start when looking for Sexual Risk Avoidance curriculum that is an option other than the Sexual Abuse Prevention programs used by public schools today.
THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST FROM PARENTS DEFENDING EDUCATION
https://defendinged.org/resources/curriculum-choices/
INSTEAD OF CSE --
COMPREHENSIVE SEXUAL EDUCATION, TRY ASCEND
INSTEAD OF SEL--
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING, TRY EMPOWERED PATHWAYS
EmpowerED Pathways EmpowerED Pathways is a 501(c)(3) organization principled in human-centered solutions. Established in 2017 to provide educators, students, and communities a framework for life, leadership, and learning. Our framework, Empowered Humanity Theory focuses on fortifying the individual and increasing societal cooperation by centering a value-centered identity, human dignity, disrupting mindsets of fear/judgment with inquiry and compassion, and intentionally engaging in 3 Pathways of Practice:
-
Practices that build awareness and equanimity
-
Practices that build kindness and compassion towards self and others
-
Practices that celebrate common humanity, and break the walls of indignity
INSTEAD OF DEI-- DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION,
TRY THE FREE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS AT MORAL COURAGE ED
Moral Courage ED, Diversity Without Division—Empowering students to hear, not fear, different perspectives. Moral Courage ED provides a unifying alternative to “intersectionality” and related models of anti-racism. The no-shaming practice allows students to grow beyond cancel culture.It supports middle and high school teachers, student cohorts, parent groups, and entire educational districts. Its offerings include LIVE virtual workshops, faculty book studies, and professional certification through Oxford University. In addition, the organization will soon be launching an online course for educators called “Diversity Without Division.”
Theory of Enchantment, Looking for an antiracism program that actually fights bigotry instead of spreading it? You’ve come to the right place. We teach love and compassion. Let us train your team. Theory of Enchantment is really trying to get people to exit the demonization/deification mindset and grapple with complexity, the complexity of their own lives, the complexity of their relationships with others, and the complexity of the societies in which they live.
OR K-12 FREE SPEECH CURRICULUM
K-12 Free Speech Curriculum, from Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE). FIRE’s curriculum draws on our 20 years of experience in actively defending free speech in academia, as well as our legal expertise and extensive scholar/educator network. These First Amendment resources for teachers equip educators to foster appreciation and respect among students for freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and the free exchange of diverse ideas.
Free Black Thought, There are black conservatives and liberals, socialists and free-marketeers, traditionalists and radicals, theists and atheists, everything in between, and more besides. FREE BLACK THOUGHT seeks to represent the rich diversity of black thought beyond the relatively narrow spectrum of views promoted by mainstream outlets as defining “the black perspective.” You’ll find the thinkers represented here to be frequently non-conforming, often provocative, sometimes contrarian, but always enriching.
MORE CHOICES FOR CURRICULUM
HERE IS A LIST OF CURRICULA COMPILED BY ILLUMIN-ED
"By clarifying what students are learning and uncovering divisive ideologies that undermine our shared humanity, we seek educational excellence for all."
The Hillsdale 1776 Curriculum:
The Hillsdale 1776 Curriculum determines what students should learn in history and civics based on the answers to a single question: What ideas, words, and deeds have most significantly formed the world into which students were born? Studying the answers to this question provides students the fullest understanding of the world in which they will live their lives.
PragerU Kids:
Prager University offers free kids shows, magazines, books, action guides, resources, and community to teach and celebrate American values.
1776 Unites:
The 1776 Unites curriculum offers authentic, inspiring stories from American history that show what is best in our national character and what our freedom makes possible even in the most difficult circumstances. 1776 Unites maintains a special focus on stories that celebrate black excellence, reject victimhood culture, and showcase African Americans who have prospered by embracing America’s founding ideals.
Bill of Rights Institute:
The Bill of Rights Institute is a non-profit educational organization that works to engage, educate, and empower individuals with a passion for the freedom and opportunity that exist in a free society. Its resource page offers parents and educators full texts of primary sources for U.S. history, government and civics classrooms and hundreds of ready-to-use lesson plans, essays and videos.
Izzit.org:
Free to Choose Network: Educators, teachers, homeschoolers, parents, and grandparents can access educational materials, videos, teachers’ guides, activities, quizzes, and much more on a variety of subject areas.
Teaching American History:
Through the Ashbrook Center, Teaching American History provides parents and educators seminars, document collections to learn more about those who lived through America’s past and their challenges and choices, a web-based document library of primary sources, and other resources.
The Tuttle Twins — America’s History:
A 240-page history book that teaches inspiring stories and powerful ideas from our nation’s past to help empower children to live their best lives today. Students will learn how the ideas of America’s founding are relevant to their lives today and will be challenged to learn from the past and apply those lessons to our world.
SEE ALSO:
Memoria Press,
Veritas Press,
Logos Press, and
Classical Academic Press.