Homeschooling in New Hampshire
Hi, my name is Donna, and I homeschool in New Hampshire! I've been homeschooling my youngest child for three years. I also have two older children, who were public school students their entire academic lives. I had never considered homeschooling to be something that we mere mortals could accomplish, until I was lucky enough to meet a wonderful homeschooling mom who was willing to share her experiences. After talking to her, I knew this was something that I could do, too, and that it would be a better "fit" for my youngest child. Both my brother, and my oldest son had been "square pegs in round holes" their entire time in school, and I just KNEW there was a different way to teach all the things a child needed to learn to succeed in life.
If you have any questions or comments about homeschooling in New Hampshire, contact the New Hampshire Parent Forum.
New Hampshire Homeschooling Resources
For more information on specific homeschooling requirements in New Hampshire, visit one of these sites:
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Legal disclaimer: This section is one family’s story and how they meet the mandatory school attendance laws in New Hampshire. It is not intended and should not be used as definitive legal advice. In most states, parents find a variety of legal methods to pursue the educational approach that they prefer for their child.
Some of My Favorite Resources
I belong to several homeschooling groups, which provide moral support, as well as ample opportunities for that all important "S" word: socialization.
Homeschooling in New Hampshire
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE homeschooling in New Hampshire! We have the most wonderful, supportive people here! Whenever we are out and about, we constantly run into people who think it's just awesome that we're homeschooling. There are lots of educational opportunities around, and people are very willing to share their knowledge with us. Did I mention that I love it?
New Hampshire is pretty easy to homeschool in. First, you pick what they call a "Participating Agency." This could be your local school district, or a private school which is willing to work with homeschoolers. There are several private schools willing to do this for a small fee, which starts at approximately $40/year, depending on which school you choose. It is free to use your local school district. There is an option to use the state department of education, but they encourage people to use the school districts, instead, to help keep their paperwork load manageable.
So, once you decide who you want to use as your "Participating Agency," or PA, you send them a letter informing them of your intent to homeschool. The letter must include your name, the child's name, child's date of birth, address, parent's phone number, and the date you intend to start your homeschooling program. It is important to note that you DO NOT need to include any lesson plans, scope and sequence, or curriculum in your letter of intent. There are sample letters available on several NH homeschooling websites, but my favorite one can be found on http://nhhomeschooling.org/law
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During the year, you keep sample copies of your child's work, which the state calls a "portfolio." You are required to keep your portfolio for two years. At the end of your school year, you turn in an evaluation of your child's progress to your PA . You can choose a standardized test, or a teacher evaluation. If you used your local school district as your PA, you can have them evaluate your child's progress for you. The law states that "any nationally recognized" standard tests would be acceptable. The child must score above the 40th percentile on the test. If you choose teacher evaluation, the teacher will most likely ask to see the portfolio, as well as interview the child. You send your PA a signed copy of the evaluation, showing progress "commensurate with the child's age and abilities."
My family uses our local school district as our PA, and we use the IOWA Battery as our end of year evaluation method. I have found our local school district and the principal of the school very helpful, and easy to work with. One year, I did use them to help with our evaluation, and they were just wonderful. The principal offered to let us use her reading specialist, and the specialist was able to offer lots of advice and suggested a very nice reading program to us.
A Typical Day in our Homeschool
You might be wondering what an average day in our homeschool looks like. This is a little difficult to answer, since we are pretty relaxed! Our days don't always look the same. Some days, we are very "schoolish," and can be found sitting and doing lots of paperwork. Other days, we can be found outside, digging in the dirt & checking out the bugs, or in the kitchen, figuring out those confusing teaspoon versus tablespoon measurements. Some days are computer days, and other days are chalk in the driveway days. The neighbors sometimes get to view our multicolored version of the universe, the galaxy, solar system, etc., all done in an effort to explain why we are electing a new mayor this year, or they might see us leaving, as we go on yet another field trip with our homeschool buddies.
I expect that, as the years go by, and the work becomes more demanding, we will be spending more time on "paperwork," and our days will probably become more "schoolish," but for now, we appreciate how Time4Learning helps us keep track of all the things we need to learn, but doesn't keep us tied to a desk in order to do so.
Using Time4Learning for Homeschool
Some of the features that make Time4Learning so successful include:
- Time4Learning appeals to a wide range of learning styles. Our online learning materials are especially well-suited to children who are visual or kinesthetic learners. These children can take advantage of Time4Learning's interactive, multi-media materials.
- Children like using the computer to learn. It's a convenient, interactive homeschool resource that provides a welcome change each day to paper-and-pencil workbooks and textbook-based lessons
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Parents like that it tracks progress and helps children advance by clearly presenting and reinforcing each lesson.
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Time4Learning's self-paced, modularized lesson plans allow you to move forward and back through the materials whenever you want. You can skip lessons that teach concepts your child has already mastered and repeat those he or she has not. The choice is yours. With Time4Learning, you are always in control.
Time4Learning is proven effective with homeschoolers, has a low monthly price, is easy-to-use, and provides a money-back guarantee so you can make sure that it works for your children, <a href="http://www.time4learning.com/program/faq.html#guarantee">satisfaction guaranteed</a>! Sign up for Time4Learning as part of your overall homeschool program.
If you have questions about homeschooling in New Hampshire, or want to learn more about our experiences in the state, you can contact me in the New Hampshire Parent Forum. at: shanedonna
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