Getting Started In Homeschooling
Thousands of families in California are successfully homeschooling their children. While each family will find its own situation unique, requiring different schedules, curriculum, and teaching styles, there are a few things which can help any family get off to a good start. If you have already removed your children from school, read Emergency Start Up first.
One
Do your homework. Many parents have already found the answers to the questions you are likely facing. Much research has been done on home education, and it is unnecessary for each family to discover all the intricacies on its own. Read what others have already discovered.
CHEA sells some excellent materials, notably, An Introduction to Home Education, the complete “how-to” manual for getting started homeschooling legally in California. There are also many excellent books available on the philosophy and history of home education, learning styles, choosing curriculum, homeschooling teens, adapting to the homeschool lifestyle, etc. Check out our bookstore, send away for catalogs from other home education publishers, and attend CHEA’s Conventions. Sign up for CHEA’s 12 How to Homeschool lessons, delivered weekly to your e-mail inbox.
Two
Join a local homeschool group which meets in your community. Whether you need encouragement, help with record keeping, or just a chance to find friends for your children, there is likely a group of homeschoolers who can help in your own city right now. CHEA maintains a Support Network of autonomous groups throughout the state. We will be happy to refer you to a group near you.
Three
Keep up on the trends and news affecting home education. Attend conventions and curriculum fairs, subscribe to a homeschool magazine or two, support Roy Hanson’s legislative watchdog work and read his newsletter, and join CHEA. Keeping in touch with the homeschool community will help you know what current laws are and how to comply with them and what new materials are available to home educators.
Four
We recommend that you join the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA). If you are taking your children out of their current school to begin homeschooling, you should join HSLDA before you withdraw your children from their current school. If you are beginning homeschooling with a child entering kindergarten or first grade, who has never attended another elementary school, you should join HSLDA at the beginning of the school year in which your child will turn six years old.
HSLDA membership is only $115 per year, far less than the typical cost for just one hour-long appointment with an attorney. CHEA members receive a $20 discount on their HSLDA membership. Write or call: HSLDA: P.O. Box 3000, Purcellville, VA. 20134 Phone: (540) 338-5600.
Support Group Referrals
- CHEA maintains a Support Network of more than 100 autonomous Christian homeschool groups throughout the state. We are happy to help you find a group near your home.
- Support group information can be found in the Homeschool Directory. If you cannot find an appropriate group in the directory, send an email request to
which includes your full name and address. - If you lead a group that is not yet a part of our Support Network, read our reasons why you should join the Support Network.
(Support group referrals are given for family use only. We do not give referrals for commercial use and do not provide lists for any reason.)