Ohio Homeschooling

Homeschooling in Ohio

Hello Ohio homeschoolers! My name is Jennifer and I homeschool in Ohio! I've got six kids, ranging in age from 16 years to 11-months-old. We pulled our kids out of Ohio public schools to homeschool them a few years ago and have never looked back.

If you have questions or comments about homeschooling in Ohio, check out our homeschooling tools and resources or visit our online Ohio support group.

To find out more about the legal requirements for homeschooling in Ohio, articles, and state-specific resources, you can also visit one of these sites:

• Ohio OAT: Ohio Achievement Test
• The Homeschool Mom's Ohio support page
• Home Education in Ohio by Ann Zeise
• Homeschool World Ohio support groups

Legal disclaimer: This section is one family's story and how they meet the mandatory school attendance laws in Ohio. 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.

Homeschooling Your Kids in Ohio

Homeschooling your kids in Ohio means you have to notify your local school district of your decision to homeschool, and send a list of the curricula you plan to use to cover each required subject area. This list is only tentative; you can deviate from it without further notifying anyone about your change of plans.

At the end of each school year, you'll need to send the school district either your child's scores in a national standardized achievement test of your choice OR a signed statement from a certified teacher who has reviewed a portfolio of your child's work and deemed it to be adequate annual progress for that individual child. Remember, the standardized test option compares your student's progress to that of other students in the same grade. The portfolio option compares your student's progress only to that same child's abilities. Either method is acceptable.

An Eclectic Homeschooling Approach

My family follows an eclectic homeschooling approach, meaning we do a little of this and a little of that. Each child has a slightly different learning style, and one of the beautiful things about homeschooling is your ability to tailor your child's experiences to what works for them. We use Time4Learning several days a week and I like to have one child on T4L while I'm working with another child on some different topic. I also really strive to incorporate elements of different educational methods into our day. We do a lot of unit studies, but Montessori, Waldorf, and even unschooling concepts find their way into the homeschooling here at my house too. Our days are pieced together with these various building blocks and lots of public library resources thrown into the mix as well.

My daughters belong to a Girl Scout troop of exclusively homeschooled kids, and we've done the same with Boy Scouts in the past. I belong to several online groups for homeschooling families in our local area to connect, plan field trips, and share ideas. There are several of these on Yahoo groups and Meetup. We also belong to a homeschool co-op group that meets weekly for field trips and other activities.

My children's favorite part of the day is their time on Time4Learning. This is the easiest and most consistently productive program we've used!

My kids can work independently or with my involvement. Time4Learning has enriched their education and simplified my life!

The Time4Learning Homeschool Curriculum

Time4Learning's experience shows that there is no single, best homeschool material. Rather than feeling torn between homeschool resources, parents should select a diverse blend of materials and activities.

For families with more than one child, choosing a homeschool program can be more problematic. What works for one child may not work for another. What works for one subject may not work on the next. What works one year, may fall flat the very next year.

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.
• Parents like that it tracks progress and helps children advance by clearly presenting and reinforcing each lesson.
• 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!

Sign up for Time4Learning as part of your overall homeschool program.

If you have any more questions or comments about homeschooling in Ohio, head over to the Ohio Parents Forum.

Some Helpful Tools and Resources

Welcome to Homeschooling Guide - Are you new to homeschooling? This guide was written by seasoned homeschoolers to answer some of the difficult questions new families often struggle with.

Curriculum Lesson Plans - An overview of the number of lessons that are included for each grade and subject. All students have access to at least 2 (and in most cases 3) grade levels of curriculum for each subject, so they can move ahead or review at their own pace.

Homeschool Portfolio Information - Answers common questions about homeschool portfolios and evaluations. It includes tips on organization methods, what to include and how Time4Learning can be used as part of your homeschool portfolio.

The Lesson Activity Finder - One of the many helpful tools that Time4Learning offers its members. The activity finder is a shortcut that makes it easy for parents to preview lessons or find extra practice for their child. You can visit our hints and help section for more information about the activity finder.

Lesson Planning Worksheet - Wondering how many lessons to have your child do each day? Estimate the number of activities per day using this easy to use, printable worksheet.

Online Parent's Forum - Reach out to homeschoolers in your area, join discussions, ask questions and trade ideas on our online community of homeschooling parents. Having the support of seasoned homeschoolers can really help make your homeschooling journey a success.

Sign up for Time4Learning and gain access to a variety of educational materials, which will engage and challenge your child to succeed. Make Time4Learning a part of your children's homeschool resources.

I want to Learn More about Time4Learning's homeschool curriculum or how to use the program for afterschool enrichment.