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6.6% of students receive education at home, according to Skillacademia. 80.3% of parents choose homeschooling due to concern about safety, drugs, or negative peer pressure, according to a report of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in 2019.
Online homeschooling programs are programs created for students to learn effectively at home and earn a diploma without following the traditional educational path. Let’s explore the features of accredited online homeschooling and the best homeschool programs.
The Curriculum in Accredited Online Homeschool Programs
Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, and the homeschooling curriculum in accredited online schools is fulfilling every requirement. The homeschooling curriculum in an accredited online school usually includes core subjects such math, science, language arts, and history.
The best homeschooling curriculum is based on each child’s needs. Children have different learning styles, affecting their growth and engagement in learning.
Visual learners study better when information is incorporated into pictures, diagrams, and videos. Auditory learners study well when performing activities to keep them listening and holding verbal conversations. Kinesthetic learners prefer learning via hands-on approaches and movements.
Homeschooling programs provide a variety of curricula based on learning styles. Accreditation of homeschooling programs is important to set balance between engagement and academic progress. Curriculum accreditation guarantees the quality of education and makes credits transferable.
The Benefits of Online Homeschool Programs
Online homeschooling has advantages and challenges. Here’s a quick overview of the five pros and cons to help you decide if it’s right for your family.
Flexible Schedules
Homeschooling doesn’t have a rigid time schedule like traditional school. This allows parents to adjust the teaching timetable for vacations, extracurricular activities, and necessary breaks. Parents go into depth where the child feels adverse difficulty and go slow where more time is required.
Customized Curriculum
Curriculum is the plan of subjects and materials students go through in online school. Curriculum includes assignments, lessons, and topics in math, science, languages, and other important subjects. Parents review the curriculum to make sure it fits their child’s needs.
Accreditation and Recognition
Accreditation is when a school is checked by an outside group to make sure it meets quality standards. Accreditation shows the school provides good education. Accreditation matters for online homeschooling, because it ensures the credits students earn are accepted by other schools and colleges. Always check if the online school is accredited by a trusted organization. Use these sources to check the school’s accreditation:
- U.S. Department of Education
- Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
- School’s official website
How to Choose the Right Homeschool Curriculum?
We covered factors parents think about when choosing online schooling for their child. Here are five steps to help parents pick the right online homeschooling program:
- Check if the online school is accredited. Use sites like the U.S. Department of Education to confirm the school accreditation
- Use platforms like GreatSchools or Niche to find reviews, ratings, and details about different online homeschooling programs
- Visit each school’s website and look at their curriculum pages. Compare subjects, flexibility, and any special programs they offer. Focus on the subjects most important to your child’s education
- Join homeschooling forums like Homeschool.com to get a real feedback from other parents on different programs
- Pick your top three schools after collecting the info. Talk to the school’s representatives, and choose the one which fits you and your child best
5 Top Accredited Online Homeschool Programs K-12
Here are 5 online schools students and parents consider when looking for quality homeschool programs.
Legacy Online School
Legacy Online School offers an accredited curriculum for elementary, middle, and high school. Legacy Online School’s curriculum covers core subjects. These subjects include Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies. Students choose electives like Spanish and Art. This curriculum includes live teaching in small groups for personalized attention.
Legacy Online School’s curriculum won “The Best Homeschool Curriculum, Products & Resources!” award. This win shows the school’s strong focus on quality, innovation, and helping students succeed.
Legacy Online School’s homeschooling curriculum adapts to the individual learning style and pace, allowing students to progress according to their own learning style and goals. Continuous assessment and teacher feedback assist in adjusting students’ learning at home for success.
Time4Learning
Time4Learning allows students to create an individualized curriculum based on their needs and strengths. Time4Learning provides a self-paced curriculum, allowing students to progress in a safe and comfortable environment. Parents have access to tracking their child’s improvement. Time4Learning provides modules on social skills and extracurricular activities, helping students to stay engaged.
Connections Academy
Connections Academy offers a structured and flexible program for students to learn from home at their own pace. Connections Academy provides accredited teachers to develop comprehensive lessons for student’s progress. Connections Academy gives interactive tools to engage students and encourage their participation.
Calvert Education
Calvert Education offers a flexible accredited homeschool program for parents to participate in their child’s education. Students receive lesson plans and all resources personalized for their needs. Calvert Education focuses on developing student’s life skills along with academics. Calvert Education’s program uses a combination of interactive lessons, videos, and assessments to accommodate different learning styles and needs. Calvert Education have educational counselors to help students progress academically.
Bridgeway Academy
Bridgeway Academy provides comprehensive education for K-12 students. Bridgeway Academy has an accredited and flexible online homeschool program designed to let each student progress. Bridgeway Academy’s teachers collaborate with the parents in creating personalized approaches for the education of their kids. Bridgeway Academy provides life skills training, allowing students to get practical skills. Students have the opportunity to learn according to their individual needs. Parents collaborate with staff to modify lessons and ensure learning objectives are aligned with the students’ abilities.
Conclusion
We reviewed how accredited programs support students in online homeschooling. We selected the top 5 schools offering accredited online programs for K-12. Contact us if you have any questions about online homeschooling programs or if you would like to join our school.
