Maine Homeschool Info by Time4Learning

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

1. Maine 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 Maine 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.

Maine Home School Laws

Summary: The state of Maine requires compulsory school attendance of children between the ages 7 and 16. There are two options for homeschooling in the state of Maine. Option 1 is to operate under the homeschool statute. Parents choosing this option should file a notice-of-intent to homeschool with the local superintendent and the Commissioner of Education when they open their homeschool. Then at the end of the year, they should also submit a year-end assessment for each student to the same people. In option 1, parents are required to offer instruction in English and language arts, math, science, social studies, physical and health education, library skills, fine arts, Maine studies (in one grade between grades 6 and 12), and computer proficiency (in one grade between grades 7 and 12). Option 2 is to operate as a Non-Approved Private School. This option is for parents of two or more unrelated children who want to organize their school together. One of the parents must take on the roll of chief administrator of the school, and is required to submit requested information about each student to the Commissioner of Education annually. Other requirements for Option 2 include operating for 175 days per year, providing instruction appropriate to the grade level in: English (reading, writing, spelling, grammar), math, science, American history, Maine history and geography, and government (including the privilege and responsibility of citizenship), furnishing parents with at least four academic progress reports per year, and inform parents of any assessments and results.

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

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

Maine Home School Resources

Both new and veteran homeschoolers can benefit from the wealth of Maine homeschool resources available. There are two statewide homeschool organizations, Homeschoolers of Maine, and the Maine Home Education Association specifically designed to support homeschoolers in ME. These organizations also offer an annual homeschool conference. Many counties in Maine have at least one local support group for homeschoolers, as well. We've listed a few of the starting points for finding out more about homeschooling resources in Maine:

Maine Homeschooling List – A statewide Yahoo email list for those homeschooling, or thinking about homeschooling in Maine
About Homeschooling in Maine -- a one-stop source for homeschooling in ME
The Maine State Department Homeschool Page- - state website of information and best practices for homeschoolers in NJ
The Homeschool Mom’s ME Page– various Maine homeschool resources and lists

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

Choosing homeschool curriculum

Maine 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.