How to homeschool your child in louisiana

Homeschooling In Louisiana Information | Time4Learning

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Louisiana families have two options for legally homeschooling in the state:

1. Register for approval as a home study program with the LA Board of Secondary and Elementary Education
2. Register as a non-public school which is not seeking state approval

These two methods have vastly different expectations and regulations, so it’s important to do thorough research on each of them before deciding which one to choose. In addition, you’ll need to know how to homeschool in Louisiana and what is the best Louisiana homeschool curriculum. It’s time to begin feeling confident about your decision to home educate in the Bayou State!

• How to Start Homeschooling in Louisiana
• Louisiana Homeschooling Laws
• Louisiana Homeschool Associations
• Louisiana Homeschool Groups and Co-ops
• Homeschool Field Trips in Louisiana
• Louisiana Standardized Testing and Test Prep
• Why Time4Learning is the Leading Homeschool Curriculum in Louisiana
• How to Build the Best Homeschool Curriculum for PreK-12 in Louisiana

This information should by no means be interpreted as legal advice. It is your responsibility to interpret and understand the laws that you will be homeschooling under.

How to Start Homeschooling in Louisiana

Once you have made your choice about the method you want to homeschool with, your next steps to homeschooling in Louisiana are:

1. Register your homeschool choice by mail or online
2. Research the requirements and recordkeeping needed for your chosen option
3. Choose your curriculum
4. Start having fun learning together!

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Louisiana Homeschooling Laws

Compulsory attendance for students in Louisiana is from age 7 to age 18 (or until graduation). Families who choose homeschooling as a way of fulfilling attendance have two distinct options:

• an approved home-study program
• by registering as a non-public school

Each home education option in LA has particular regulations associated with it, which you can explore on our Louisiana Homeschooling Laws page.

Louisiana Homeschool Associations

State homeschool associations usually have a few primary goals:

• Keeping homeschoolers in the state educated about changes (and potential changes) to homeschool law
• Supporting the rights of all families to home educate as they see fit
• Providing resources that will enhance each family’s ability to homeschool

Discover how Louisiana’s state organization meets these goals and the specifics of their mission on the Louisiana Homeschool Associations page.

Louisiana Homeschool Groups and Co-ops

Louisiana homeschoolers have an array of ways to connect. To learn about established groups for homeschoolers, including cooperatives (co-ops) for collaborative educational experiences, visit the Louisiana Homeschool Groups and Co-ops page.

Louisiana Homeschool Field Trips

Were you under the impression that homeschoolers had to learn at home? Find out how many opportunities your students have for hands-on, experiential education all around the state of Louisiana by visiting our Homeschool Field Trips in Louisiana post. Please make sure to contact each site before you plan your visit, as COVID-19 may have impacted their hours of operations.

Louisiana State Test Prep

Families who are homeschooling have the option to use standardized tests to meet their yearly verification requirements. These tests provide parents with a benchmark of year-to-year progress on concepts and understanding. Time4Learning standards-based curriculum helps parents cover the bases that prepare students for standardized testing, and some grades even provide practice assessments to help reduce testing anxiety. Learn more in our Louisiana test prep page.

Why Time4Learning is the Leading Homeschool Curriculum in Louisiana

After deciding which option to homeschool under in Louisiana, the next significant choice you’ll need to make will be the mix of curriculum and resources you’ll use to best meet your student’s individual needs. Time4Learning has been an increasingly popular pick among homeschoolers in the state. Here are just some of the reasons Louisiana homeschoolers trust Time4Learning as part of a well-rounded educational program:

• Time4Learning includes an automated reporting system which tracks test and lesson scores, time spent on each activity (for attendance), completed lesson summaries and more.
• The program is self-paced, which means each student has access to individualized learning paths that ensure skill mastery.
• Concepts are presented using humor, animated lessons, instructional videos, printable worksheets and fun assessments.

How to Build the Best Homeschool Curriculum for PreK-12

Parents have many more home school programs in Louisiana to choose from than typical textbooks, workbooks, and other traditional schooling methods. Online courses, interactive videos, personal computers, laptops, and tablet devices provide exciting and engaging materials for children to experience.

But all of these new methods often confuse parents, especially those who are new homeschoolers. Eventually, parents come to realize that mixing different tools and activities usually keeps their children stimulated and eager to learn. For more information review How to Build the Best Homeschool Curriculum for PreK-12.

Louisiana Unit Study Supplement

Help your homeschooler learn interesting history and geography facts about Louisiana in the Time4Learning unit study supplement.

Learn Interesting Facts About Louisiana!

Online Curriculum for Homeschool, Afterschool and Summer Use

In addition to being an award-winning choice for homeschool families, Time4Learning also offers an online after school program to help build your child’s skills. View our lesson demos to discover why thousands of Louisiana families are already using it!

Give your student the chance to get back on track or explore exciting electives and get ahead for the next school year with Time4Learning’s online summer school. Our educational materials will engage and challenge your child to succeed.

Louisiana Homeschool Laws

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How to Homeschool in Louisiana

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HSLDA was there for us 32 years ago when we began our homeschool journey and it was considered illegal in our state. They are still here, advocating for our grandchildren and the rights of their parents. I highly recommend membership!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I homeschool an adopted or foster child?

Yes, parents may homeschool their adopted children.

However, if you are a foster parent, the option of homeschooling may be determined by your caseworker.

Does HSLDA help its members obtain access to special education and related services benefits through the public schools?

Special education refers to instruction or assistance in traditional academic areas such as math, language arts, etc. Related services, on the other hand, are aids to a child—like speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. These services indirectly improve a child’s ability to learn, but are separate from traditional academic curricula. HSLDA believes that parents whose children receive related services at a public school are still home educators.

Because HSLDA’s board of directors desires to focus our resources on guarding the freedom of homeschoolers from public school oversight, we cannot help homeschooled students obtain access to special education in public schools. However, HSLDA may assist member families seeking related services that have been denied because of homeschooling. We view this as a basic fairness issue, since according to the U.S. Department of Education, homeschooled students are entitled to related services in states where homeschools are considered to be private schools, but in other states, they are not. You can learn about your state’s provisions here.

How much does homeschooling cost?

Well, it depends! Homeschooling is so personalized to each child and each family—you may be surprised at how much homeschool budgets can vary. If you have the time and flexibility to take advantage of opportunities to borrow curriculum, use the library, shop for used books, find reusable, multi-level, or free curriculum, and exchange services for extras like music, art, etc., you might pare your costs down to $50–100 per student. Adding in some paid extras like co-ops, online courses, enrichment classes, or sports could bring your budget up to $300–500. And if you opt for tutors, video courses, or all-inclusive curriculum packages, your cost may easily be $500 on up. (Still, that’s a lot less than private school!)

You can check out more creative ways to stretch your dollars here.

What do the homeschool map colors mean?

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  No notice, low regulation: States that require no notification from parents to their local school district or any other governmental agency.

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  States with low regulation: States that require parents to send a notification to their local school district.

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  States with moderate regulation: States that require parents to send a notification, test scores, and/or professional evaluation of student progress to their local school district.

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  States with high regulation: States that require parents to send notification or achievement test scores and/or professional evaluation, plus other requirements (i.e., curriculum approval by the state, teacher qualification of parents, or home visits by officials).

Studying in America: an admission guide for a child and parents

What is the difference between the American education system and the Russian one, how to prepare a child for a new format of education and what documents to collect, says the team leader of the Educate Online online sales direction Alexandra Kravets

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According to research, 90% of modern parents are millennials and “digital natives” (as the participants of the SXSW EDU conference announced back in 2019). At the same time, young Russians are more open to the world and cosmopolitan than older generations. In regular surveys by the Levada Center (included by the Ministry of Justice in the list of NPOs-foreign agents. - RBC Trends ) it is stated that about a third of young people would like to live abroad and give their children the opportunity to receive foreign education (in large cities this figure is even higher - about 45% compared to less than 10% of the older generation).

This interest in foreign schools is due to several factors. First of all, parents want to know that their child will be able to learn a foreign language and assimilate in any society. They believe that foreign education has great flexibility, develops soft skills and communication skills, and provides opportunities to express themselves. Foreign schools are often guided by trends, quickly change and supplement their educational programs in accordance with them, allowing the student to increase the “reserve of life models”.

Another important factor in the decision is the need for parents to maintain a close and friendly relationship with their child's teacher. In their view, the teacher is a specialist on whom the life attitudes and knowledge of the child directly depend. Schools abroad, including in the United States, pay great attention to communication between teachers and students, allow parents and children to have an open dialogue, and maintain interest in education.

However, parents planning to transfer their children to American schools often do not understand all the differences in approaches to education in Russia and abroad. Meanwhile, this difference is quite significant. Timely preparation for admission directly affects how highly the student's potential, his base and extracurricular activities are assessed. We understand together how not to lose sight of all the important nuances.

Differences in education systems

It is important to remember that education in US schools has a number of differences.

• Teachers in American schools do not announce grades in front of the whole class - this is the private information of each student. This approach avoids unnecessary pressure on the student associated with “public shaming” for poor grades. Only the student himself knows his results and he is responsible for them.
• Schools do not have a common curriculum for all. In the lower grades, children study basic disciplines, in the middle grades they choose subjects that are of interest to them, and in the older grades they focus on what will be necessary for entering higher educational institutions. This helps with career guidance and planning for a future career.
• In the US, there is a different grading system: passing scores are denoted by the letters A, B, C and D. Students' knowledge is evaluated multifaceted and according to several criteria at once. A student who has been accustomed to point gradation since childhood quickly adapts to the same system at a university.
• It is possible to make mistakes in American schools, and this often does not affect the grade. The manifestation of initiative and interest is always encouraged, because this is an indicator that the student himself is drawn to knowledge.
• In the US, children study for 12 years, not 11, as in Russia. Parents should take this into account when planning education.

How to prepare for the new format

Choose a school

At this stage, the following tips should be followed.

1. When choosing a school, focus on your child's interests and goals. Do not chase after a big name: sometimes, it is better to stay at an institution with a suitable list of disciplines and academic courses.
2. Remember that there is no single high school ranking in the US. If you still started to study the ratings of educational institutions, read about the methodology for their construction. They often take into account the complexity of the curriculum, sports activities, and even the moral values ​​that children instill in the learning process.
3. Pay attention to the location and size of the school. If you live in a metropolis and your child is used to a developed infrastructure, choosing a school in a small American town or village is not the best idea. In addition to the academic part, the school must meet the social needs of the child.
4. Consider schools with multiple majors. By choosing a strong school based on STEM alone, you are depriving your child of the opportunity to study arts, narrowing down further opportunities to enter the university. Adolescents in the learning process can reconsider their preferences and change the vector of development. In this case, you will not need to urgently look for a suitable school, because within the framework of one educational institution, the child will have the opportunity to choose what interests him.

Please note the application deadline

American schools are open all year round. Education in them goes beyond the classical semester to which students in Russia are accustomed. It is better to start preparing two months before the official start of the reception in order to have time to calmly collect all the papers. If school starts in September, then the deadline for submission is May-June.

Prepare everything you need for admission

The list of documents for distance enrollment may vary depending on the selected educational institution. All information can be found on its official website. Be sure to subscribe to the social networks of the school and ask the administration all the questions you are interested in.

From the documents you will definitely need:

1. Student's foreign passport (scan of the photo page).
2. Grades for the last two or three years of schooling on official school paper in the format required by the country of entry. Most of the subjects of the Russian program are credited in the American education system. Of the main disciplines, mathematics, social science, biology, physics, etc. coincide.

If we are talking about the classic full-time format, the student may be asked to undergo an additional interview, prepare a motivation letter and collect a portfolio of scientific projects. For schools teaching online, there are simplified conditions: a portfolio with work often does not play a special role.

Improve your English

It is important to understand that the student will be in a new language environment. His success will directly depend on the level of English with which he began his studies. The motivation of the student himself plays a huge role here.

A child with an A2 language proficiency who studies diligently with a teacher can reach the B2 level in six months, allowing him to enter high school. If a child wants to navigate the subject as freely as possible and communicate easily with teachers and classmates, his level of knowledge should be C1+ or C2. This will take at least two years of intensive training with a professional teacher.

Independent work also plays an important role in learning. You can explore the available free programs. For example, in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Vladivostok and a number of other cities there are scientific conferences for students and high school students on the Model UN. In the format of a role-playing game, students reproduce the work of the organization's bodies, while improving language and public speaking skills.

Self-study block

Much of the education in American schools is designed for the student's personal work. The Russian education system largely controls the student through traditional classrooms, exams, and homework. American teaching is more flexible, and "live" lessons often come as a supplement to other types of work. Students actively use interactive platforms with video lectures, tests, assignments and additional learning materials. At the same time, the child independently follows the program, and consolidates knowledge in the lessons and discusses difficult points with the teacher.

The more knowledge and skills a student acquires during their studies, the higher their chances of entering a good university will be. Many American schools have partnership agreements for direct entry (no entrance exams, subject to obtaining an average GPA score, where grades A, B, C, D, F equate to scores of 4.0, 3.0, 2.0, 1.0, 0.0). Partnership agreements operate with the International University Alliance, which includes such universities as: Adelphi University (Garden City, New York), American University (Washington), Auburn University (Alabama), Cleveland State University, Florida International University (Florida ), University of Louisiana, University of Mercer (Georgia), University of Central Florida, University of Dayton (Ohio), University of Kansas, University of Illinois at Chicago, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Mississippi, University of South Carolina, University of the Pacific, University of Utah.

If you want to continue your studies in Russia

If your child does not plan to enter a foreign university, you can return to the Russian education system without loss.

• An American school diploma is recognized by most Russian universities. For admission, it must be notarized and translated into Russian.
• You can pass the exam in the general order. Most of the subjects in the American school duplicate the Russian course. The student only needs to find examples of the exam on the Internet and see the structure of the tasks.
• If desired, a student can always transfer to a Russian school, providing the commission with the results of assessments and a list of disciplines passed. Parallel education is becoming a frequent practice, when a child studies at a Russian educational institution and takes an American school course remotely.

how children learn at home schools in America

Rainbow beginning

Elina is our late child, and my husband and I really wanted to give her a quality education. At the age of three, we sent her to a Montessori school - a great place for a preschooler. By the age of six, Ellina knew so much that we were amazed at the level of her development. At that time, we did not yet know what kind of test we would have when our daughter turned ten.

A year in an ordinary Russian school

For family reasons, we had to spend the last year in Russia. Elina turned 10 in September. She was mistakenly enrolled in the sixth grade instead of the fifth or even the fourth due to the incorrect recalculation of the school classes of the American system into the Russian one.

We can talk for a long time about our torments of that year. Russian for Elina is a second language, learning it was very difficult. I constantly wrote cards for her with explanations of Russian words. Plus, my daughter was faced with complex, never seen before, subjects of the Physics and Mathematics Lyceum, which we got into.

My classmates were one and a half to two years older. Once Ellina came to me and said that the guys in the class called her some words, asked if she knew what it was, and laughed.

Fortunately, it passed quickly. Ellina joined the team, became friends with some of the guys. But I was madly worried about her, especially when I had to fly home to the USA for a short time and leave her with new classmates.

But we survived!

At the end of the school year, the math teacher sent Ellina to the Foxford Olympiad. My daughter then completed assignments in several subjects and even got good results, but the main miracle of this whole event was that we learned about the existence of Foxford Home School.

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Homeschool Miracle in the USA

In America, we live in the Norfolk area. A significant part of the male population here serves in the army (there are many military bases in the region), and women take care of children. Due to the fact that many women do not work, homeschooling in America is very developed. For example, Ellina is a musician, and her entire violin orchestra consists of homeschoolers. The same is true for dancing.

Yes, and throughout America, this form of education is very common, its legalization began back in 1975 year. However, education lies almost entirely on the shoulders of the parents. They gather in groups, hire teachers. Many of these groups have long since become official "home schools", but still, parents have to draw up the program and curriculum themselves, look for teachers in those subjects that are not in the home school group, and often have to teach themselves. This, of course, imposes a huge responsibility and burden on parents who decide to take such a step.

When it comes to learning online, there are even fewer opportunities. Yes, you can take separate courses, but these will be videos, not live lessons, and only in certain subjects. Yes, you can study with teachers via Skype, but that's another story.

If there was a school like Foxford in America, all homeschoolers would go to it.

After the Olympiad, in which Ellina participated, we took a subscription to some Foxford summer courses. We looked at how it all works, we really liked it. We did not even dream of such happiness, such strong teachers, such a well-thought-out deep program in absolutely all subjects, and even without leaving home!

Russian school without leaving home

Elina has been a student at Foxford Home School since September. We love that homeschooling covers the entire curriculum. We, as parents, have only a little left: to arrange a workplace, to see if the child plans and allocates his time correctly, whether he learns the material well.

Also, in my opinion, it is necessary to add control of those details that are still missing in the virtual format. This is the correctness of the design of tasks, the preparation of notes, retelling, memorization and recitation of poems, and so on. But this is such a small thing compared to what American moms and dads heroically do every day.

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