Grants For Homeschooling

Grants For Homeschooling – Why do you need grants for homeschool programs? Isn’t homeschooling is free? You may have heard about people saying that homeschooling is free of charge. That’s actually a misleading myth. There are still some expenses you have to prepare, but in overall the cost is lower than private school education. Some of the expenses that are related to homeschooling are curriculum plans, textbooks, internet connection, and other educational materials.

Some good and affordable examples of curriculum and programs for homeschooling are the computer curriculum from the Switched on Schoolhouse. For $400 per grade level, you will be given a computer program that can save you a lot of time. In the program, you can create lesson plans, keep track of and print the records, etc. Your child only has to complete the assignment everyday and you can check out the result after you got home from work.

There’s also the Traditional Textbooks program from the Christian Liberty. There are 2 opportunities accessible. First is the $600 cost program that can be accessed using distance learning or online. They do all the work for you, including sending the materials, reporting the result and even granting a diploma after graduation. Meanwhile, the second option is less affordable with $220 price tag. In this program, you have to maintain and manage the record yourself.

Government Grants For Homeschooling

The US government still acknowledges this type of school. Therefore, there are several programs from the government that can be used as a financial aid for homeschooling. Remember, before you make a decision to do this you may need to check on your State’s law first.

Home School Legal Defense Association

Children with specific need have many barriers and they often cannot go to the conventional private schools. The Special Needs Children’s Fund program, administered by the Home School Foundation is available as a help to pay for educational materials and testing. However, the family has to be the member of Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) first.

The HSLDA also offers a program called the Kids Curriculum Fund. This program is designed to help the families who are homeschooling their children to pay for the basic curriculum. This is a good option if you have little knowledge about the curriculum that the children need. Both programs are accessible for selected families based on the financial need. It’s also important to note that the funding is limited, so you may need to apply for the grant immediately.

State Homeschooling Grants

Another place to look help is from your state government. Typically, the state Department of Education administers the grant, but some state may assign other agency to administer them. You may have to cover the cost yourself first, and then you can apply for the reimbursement. That said, the system in each state may differ so it would be a great idea to contact the government first. For example, homeschooling families in North Carolina can apply for up to $3000 grant per semester.

Single Parents Homeschooling Grant

If you’re a widow or a widower, you can be eligible for the HSLDA Widows Fund. This fund can also be used to cover the expense of homeschooling curriculum. Children of single parent can apply for homeschooling grant, thanks to the Children of Single Parents Fund. It is important to remember that the program is NOT a renewable program so every awardee can only receive the financial assistance once.

References:

• Homeschool Tracker Basic Edition
• Homeschooling State Laws
• Secular Homeschool Curriculum
• Image: mbaschoolauthority.com