There’s a plethora of online homeschooling resources available – almost to the point of information overload, especially for a new homeschooler. Here are a few of the best resources to help get your research started!
Homeschooling Basics
Details and helpful links for everything you need to get started homeschooling your children in California.
Schooling at Home is the informational site put together by the California Department of Education (CDE). It cites the various legal options and offers a few resources.
Special Needs
Information about homeschooling your special needs/LD/temperamentally different child.
Courses of Study
Grades 1-6
Grades 7-12
Helpful Websites
A to Z Home’s Cool
This was initially started by Ann Zeise in California. It is the most comprehensive and up-to-date compendium of everything related to homeschooling. There is a warning on the website that reads – “Before entering this homeschool site, be sure small children are safely occupied, you have gone to the bathroom, and have plenty of snacks on hand. This is a large education site with lots to read and do!” Believe it! And enjoy!
Best Homeschooling
Another homeschooling veteran, Lillian Jones started this website of informative and insightful articles by varied array of writers. There are also a number of links to other helpful websites.
Homefires: The Journal of Home Schooling Online Resource website by Diane Flynn Keith, author of Carschooling.
Online Articles
• Help! I Need to Take My Child Out of School!
• Homeschooling Through a Private ISP
• Temperamentally Difficult Children
• Disorder or Difference?
All of the above articles have been written by Lenore Colacion Hayes, M.S., Director of BayShore School.
Support Groups
The heart and soul of homeschooling … connecting with others! Whether you’re looking for a small group of like-minded kids to study science together, or just a playgroup for unstructured socialization (for kids and parents), there is undoubtedly a homeschool group, or two, or three to meet your needs.
CHN Local Contacts
These are homeschoolers who volunteer for one of the state nonprofit organizations; they are available to offer resources, whether it be information about the legal options or directing you to local support groups in your county.
HSC’s List of California Homeschool Groups
The other state nonprofit organization has compiled a downloadable list of support groups by county. While the information hasn’t been updated for a couple of years, there’s quite a few listings with links that should still be helpful in your search. You can also contact HSC for referral to a County Contact, although they do not list these individuals on their website.
