Illinois Homeschool Info by Time4Learning

Are you a new home school parent looking for information on Illinois home school laws, Illinois support groups, or homeschool curriculum? If so, you've come to the right place. As you consider or begin homeschooling in Illinois, you should become familiar with the following:

1. Illinois home school legal requirements  -- information about starting up your homeschool, curriculum and testing guidelines, and other state-specific homeschooling laws. 

2. Homeschool resources and support groups -- Information about Illinois home school conferences, associations, and support groups for finding other homeschoolers   who share similar interests or face similar challenges (such as gifted or special needs children)
3. Homeschool curriculum -- finding an educational approach and accompanying materials to suit your family.

 

Illinois Home School Laws

Summary: The state of Illinois requires compulsory school attendance of children between the ages 7 and 17 (or when they graduate).  Illinois recommends that homeschools operate for 176 school days, although this is not mandatory.  It also recommends the following subjects of study: language arts, biological and physical science, math, history and social sciences (which shall include a course in the U.S. and Illinois Constitution), fine arts, health and physical development. Illinois does not have any mandated teacher requirements or standardized test requirements.

 

To be considered a homeschool in the state of Illinois, you must meet the same requirements as private or parochial schools. The first is teaching the branches of education that correspond with what students in similar grades are taught in the public school system.  The other is that all teaching shall be administered in the English language.  According to the HSLDA, "home schools that meet these two requirements are considered legal private schools." 

 

For more information on specific homeschooling requirements in Illinois, visit one of these sites:

• Illinois Homeschooling Laws by NHEN (National Home Education Network)
• Home-Ed Magazine’s IL resource page -with information, articles, and state-specific resources
• Home Education in Illinois by Ann Zeise.

 

Illinois Home School Resources

Both new and veteran homeschoolers can benefit from the wealth of Illinois homeschool resources available.   Illinois currently has at least three statewide homeschool associations, including the Illinois H.O.U.S.E., the Christian Home Educator's Coalition of Illinois, and the Illinois Coalition of Nonpublic Schools.  There is also at least one annual homeschool convention in Illinois.

 

We've listed a few of the starting points for finding out more about homeschooling resources in Illinois:

• Illinois Home School-ing Help Page – publication from the Dept of Education in IL about homeschooling
• Homeschooling in Illinois - another all-encompassing resource for Illinois homeschoolers 
• Homeschool-Illinois  – A Yahoo Group connecting homeschoolers across the state
• Illinois Homeschool Support Groups – List of Illinois homeschool support groups by county, thanks to Home-School.com

To add your resource, please send an email to info@Time4Learning.com

Choosing homeschool curriculum

Illinois homeschool law includes the freedom for families to pick and choose their own curriculum based on what works best for their child.  However, families new to homeschooling quickly discover a dizzying array of choices when it comes to selecting homeschool curriculum. There is no more popular discussion among homeschoolers on the web than the pros and cons of various homeschool curriculum.. After sifting through the homeschool curriculum reviews, most parents end up mixing and matching homeschool curricula, trying to create the best match for their child.

For families with more than one child, choosing a homeschool curricula can even be more problematic. What works for one child, doesn't work for another. What works for one subject may not work on the next. What works one year, may fall flat the very next year.

Time4Learning's experience shows that there is no single, best homeschool material. Rather than feeling torn between homeschool resources, parents should select a diverse blend of materials and activities.

 

The benefits of using Time4Learning's curriculum

Time4Learning is used by homeschool parents both as a primary curriculum and as a supplemental program to other materials such as Saxon, Alpha Omega, Five in a Row and A Beka. Some of the features that make Time4Learning so successful include:

Time4Learning appeals to a wide range of learning styles. Our online learning materials are especially well-suited to children who are visual or kinesthetic learners. These children can take advantage of Time4Learning's interactive, multimedia materials.

Children like using the computer to learn. It's a convenient, interactive homeschool resource that provides a welcome change each day to paper-and-pencil workbooks and textbook-based lessons.

Parents like that it tracks progress and helps children advance by clearly presenting and reinforcing the each lesson. Quizzes and tests are graded by the computer, saving valuable time and effort for parents who would be happier concentrating on other areas.

Time4Learning's self-paced, modularized lesson plans allow you to move forward and back through the materials whenever you want. You can skip lessons that teach concepts your child has already mastered and repeat those he or she has not. The choice is yours. With Time4Learning, you are always in control.

Time4Learning is proven effective with homeschoolers, has a low monthly price, is easy-to-use, and provides a money-back guarantee so you can make sure that it works for your children, risk free! Sign up for Time4Learning as part of your overall homeschool program.

I want to learn more about Time4Learning's Homeschooling Online program.