Steps to Get Started Homeschooling

1. Decide if HOMESCHOOLING is for you and your family.

    Homeschooling through PACESC, or any other 3rd option homeschool association, IS NOT public school at home.

(Please make sure you read what PACESC is and what we believe on About Us . )

  2. Understand your state law...
PACESC serves SC residents who meet statute Option 3 requirements...

   Each state has its own laws and regulations which range from no notification necessary to very stringent regulations and oversight. You need to be sure you know the homeschool laws for the state of your legal residence. Take a look at the South Carolina Homeschooling Laws on our site, About SC Law . For states other than SC, we suggest taking a look at HSLDA's site page for Homeschool Laws In Your State .

3. Register with a homeschool accountability association.-- It is SC law.

   Choose a group that fits your needs. No accountability group is perfect everyone. Understand that each group is an independent association that must hold their members to the state homeschool statute, but that beyond that they can add additional requirements and policies their members must follow. Some groups serve specific areas of South Carolina, only certain groups (certain religious groups for example), families in their local support groups, or parents who want ranking for their high school student or those that do not (see To Rank or Not To Rank- coming soon ).  Some groups add other specific requirements for their members like standardized testing, paperwork and document returns, in-person record keeping reviews, or deadlines for start and finish dates.

   PACESC welcomes your application to homeschool with our group. Make sure you read PACESC Requirements and Freedom with PACESC. Your application with us is your contract that you wish to homeschool under SC 3rd option homeschool law with PACESC as your umbrella accountability association. You application is your affirmation that you will follow the requirements of the statute and PACESC.

  You can only legally homeschool a child if you are the parent OR legal guardian (this must be in the form of a legally documented guardianship).  You may not homeschool a sibling, niece or nephew, or grandchild just because you are family.  You must have "legal guardianship". The parent must meet the legal requirement to homeschool and be responsible for the homeschool process and oversight. *The parent may enlist tutors, helpers, online programs, and academies. This part will be especially applicable during this time when so many parents are forced to keep their children home due to school closures or issues of fear born out of these current turbulent times.

   Make sure you know what documents you will be provided by the association you select.
   Make sure that you keep the documents that the association sends you to confirm your homeschooling each year. Some associations provide letters be it by email or mail. This documentation may include a member letter and/or card. Other important documents you may need, and will need to keep, are letters for driver insurance discounts, grade reports or transcripts, dual credit letters, and reports for participation in public school sports.

   PACESC provides a member letter and card. We also provide the other forms of documentation noted above when necessary. Keep this documentation as you may need it even years after you have left the association.

   Make sure you understand any deadlines and what documents you will provide to your association.

4. Withdraw your child from current school (only after you know you have been accepted by your chosen accountability association).

   As part of the acceptance process, PACESC will send notification to the school that you are now legally homeschooling your student under PACESC and that the child can be officially withdrawn from their system. Many schools still require you to come into the office and complete their withdrawal form, return all school property, remove any personal student belongings, and settle any accounts. However, with PACESC's notification preceding your visit, this step becomes less of an opportunity for harassment and gives the parent more confidence when dealing with school officials and making this break.

5. Decide the methods, curriculum, and materials you will to use to teach your children. Find your child's curriculum.

   Learn about teaching styles, learning styles, and educational styles. Determine what your goals are and what your child needs.

(more to come on this topic)

   PACESC is very supportive of the parent's right to decide what is best for their child. Parent-teachers enrolled under PACESC are free to choose whatever materials they determine are best for their students’ interests and learning styles. There are many different philosophies and methods to teaching. There are also many, many sources of materials. You may purchase a formal curriculum package, use an eclectic approach which includes texts from different companies, use prepared unit studies, create your own unit studies, use an objectives checklist, use library books, or enroll in a correspondence school with or without full record-keeping services. The possibilities are limitless. The most important thing is that you use what meets your family’s needs.

6. Start your record keeping.

   SC lists records that parents must keep. It does not, however, list the format or method in which you must keep them.

   You must have a lesson planner or journal documenting the 180 days of instruction on the required subjects of math, science, social studies, reading & writing (literature & composition in grades 7-12). This can be a written lesson planner, day planner book, or notebook of printed or written lesson plans (assignments). Unit study outlines of daily/weekly activities accomplished will meet compliance. Computer-based spreadsheets, copies of lesson plans from curriculum resources, and online lesson planner sites are also acceptable. If your child uses an online resource that does not provide the parent a way to save or print lessons accomplished, then it would be advisable to keep your own journal of what lessons are done each day. Older students should be taught to do this, but it ultimately the parents responsibility. Some curriculum outlines for the parent what lesson pages and assignments to do... this is a lesson planner. You can write dates directly on these parent instructions.

   You must produce a progress report twice a year. Some programs you use will have grading systems within them that you can print periodically or record keeping ledgers where you record grades and produce a average. Sometimes you will receive grades from a teacher, co-op, or academy program you use. When have to prepare your own.... Think report card or progress report. You choose what works best for your family's homeschooling style and expectations. The report card format simply assigns grades for each subject. Grades can be expressed in grades such as Exceeds Expectations, Meets Expectations, Working Below Level; (Satisfactory, Unsatisfactory, or Needs Improvement (SUN system); A-B-C (Alphabetic, can be A+, A, A-, etc.); or Numerical Percentage as a reflection of averaged grades (97%, 97...)  A progress report format is more an expression of the student's academic accomplishments, strengths, and weakness. For example I might record on my daughter's report, MATH: M is doing very well in her math curriculum. We are currently on lesson 98 and she has done a fabulous job on memorizing her multiplication tables. The concept of division is giving her a little trouble and we will continue to work on it before moving onto fractions. She does not love math but does come to her lessons with an attitude that it is something that she can learn. My year end progress report on the same student and subject might be: MATH: M finished her math this year with confidence and a sense of accomplishment. She did well once she conquered division and actually enjoyed fractions (a surprise to me!). She actually finished a week earlier than expected. We used daily work to learn and practice concepts then corrected and reworked quizzes and tests for mastery. M has PASSED Mathematics 5 and will advance to the next grade level.

   A portfolio, samples of your child's work, is required. This is a folder, notebook, or file that contains samples of worksheets, tests/quizzes, writing samples, reading lists, and field trip information. It can include pictures of students involved in learning opportunities or their projects. For the unschooler or relaxed-homeschooler it would include pictures and possibly summaries. (In the past I have really found Microsoft Notebook especially helpful when saving pictures, summaries, and even scanned in work.)

7. Enjoy the homeschooling journey. Reevaluate often. Change what isn't working.

   Do not be afraid to change things up when they are not working. Curriculum can be expensive but you wouldn't wear an expensive shoe that does not fit-- imagine the damage it would do to your foot, your back.... Now apply that many times over to your child stuck in a curriculum that is not serving his needs. Think of the damage to your relationship with your child. You want to develop a healthy parent-child relationship and you want her to develop a love for learning. Neither of you can do that if you are stressed, pushing, yelling, and he is crying!

8. Find other homeschooling parents and opportunities.

   Do not be an island... find other homeschoolers in your area to gather with. There are local support groups, co-ops, field trip groups, dance and art studios that hold homeschool classes during school hours, sports teams, 4-H groups, and homeschool Facebook groups. Contact the State and local museums, the Riverbank Zoo, SC Aquarium, and art galleries for their homeschool days and classes. Organize your own and invite others to join. Music lessons are another opportunity and some group classes are available.