Let us take a minute to let you know how thrilled we are about your journey into teaching your children at home.  Home education provides a door to a world of opportunities for knowledge, character development, family time and the building of your child’s self esteem.
Your home school will be unlike any other in that you have the ability to tailor the design, schedule, curriculum and organization of your school to fit the needs of your students.

The next question that arises is...how?  There isn’t a simple answer, correct formula or perfect way to home school.  If your children are learning then you are doing it right!

Please take a minute to look through the wealth of information provided on these pages. One element of any home school is enrichment activities.  Our children not only need the attention we give our lesson plans and classroom activities, but also our time in the preparation of activities outside the structure of mathematics, reading and writing.  BCHE offers these types of enrichment activities.

So where do you begin?

Consider the following........

1. Why do you want to home school? Whether your reasons for home schooling are educationally driven or stemming from challenges in public school systems, you will need to determine your level of commitment to lesson plans, organization, financial adjustment and flexibility.  Look closely at the pros and cons of home education as they relate to your family.  What level of commitment do you have toward involving your child in outside enrichment activities?  Membership in a home school support group is an excellent way to provide interaction with other home school students and families.  See About BCHE for more information on membership.

2. Where can I get information on home education? Many places offer information on home education and the laws that surround home schools in Texas and across the United States.  Not every state carries the same laws or requirements, so it is a good idea to check each area individually.  A good start is the Home School Legal Defense Association at www.hslda.org or the Texas Home School Coalition at www.thsc.org.  The Abilene Public Library also has a wonderful selection of books on home education.

So, what comes next?

1. Choosing and purchasing curriculum – Curriculum may be purchased from a number of locations.  Abilene Educational Supply has curriculum on hand to look through, or may be ordered at http://www.aes.acu.edu/home.aspx.  Internet searches and the public library will provide you with a host of suppliers to choose from; www.lamppostpublishing.com is one of those great websites.  The BCHE Resource Center also has several catalogs to choose from and some samples of curriculum to review.  The Resource Center is open by appointment for BCHE members only.

Another option is a Book Fair or Convention.   There are several in Texas:

•    Arlington, www.homeschoolbookfair.org, 972-231-9838
•    San Antonio, www.homeschoolfeast.org, 210-342-4674
•    Austin, www.cheact.org, 512-450-0070
•    Plano, www.nthen.org, 214-495-9600
•    Houston, www.thsc.org, 806-744-4441
•    THSC State Convention and Family Conference, www.thsc.org, 806-744-4441

2.  Prepare and Do - You can avoid frustration by organizing your home and study materials and following your lesson plans.  Set daily and yearly goals to keep you on track.  Record achievements and grades to help you document your child’s progress.  Prepare a transcript for your high school student to assist in college entrance.  See www.homeschoolforhighschool.com or www.homeschooltranscripts.com for more information on preparing a transcript.

3.  Withdrawing your child from public school - Follow the simple steps listed below to withdraw your child:

-    Send a certified letter of withdrawal to home school to the principal

-    If your school requests additional information, send a certified letter of assurance to the principal

-    The school does not have the right to ask for curriculum choices.  To protect the rights of all home schoolers do not give this information.

-    How to Withdraw to Home School (for an example of a withdrawal letter and letter of assurance, see the www.thsc.org

4.  Follow the Texas Law for Home Education - Texas law requires the following:

-Bona Fide Teaching:  The parents must really be teaching the children in a bona fide, good faith manner.  Parents cannot just say they are home schooling and then do nothing.

- Curriculum:  The family must have a curriculum for teaching.  The parents may select the curriculum from any source and may include video or computer oriented instruction.

-Required Subjects:  The students must study five subjects:  reading, spelling, grammar, math and a course teaching good citizenship.

For more information on Texas law for home education see http://bigcountryhomeeducators.com/www.thsc.org

Finally, relax.  Schedules and curriculum can change.  Find what works best for your family and utilize it.

May God bless your home school!