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Umbrella schools offer homeschoolers some of the benefits of a traditional private school. Even though the children study in their individual homes, they all fit under the organizational umbrella of the school. The school handles records, transcripts, diplomas, and transfers out of public schools. Some umbrella schools help families choose their curriculum. Local umbrella schools sometimes offer group activities for homeschoolers. You might hear a lot about umbrella schools in national homeschooling publications, because in some states, it is easier to satisfy legal requirements if you use an umbrella school. Because of the friendly legal climate in our state, most Texas homeschooling families do not use umbrella schools; however, some families enjoy the security and support they receive from these schools.
Clonlara (grades K-12) 1289 Jewett, Ann Arbor, MI 48103, (313) 769-4515. Offers online correspondence classes by computer, and/or assists parents and students in developing their own curriculum. Particularly helpful for parents who prefer non-traditional methods of learning, but who want traditional-looking records. www.clonlara.org
Austin Home Base provides a middle ground between homeschooling and private school for kindergarten to 6th grade. In 3 days per week, AHB teaches the core academics with a hands-on, thematic philosophy. Each class is mixed-age and has a maximum of 12 kids with 2 teachers. For more information, check out the website: www.austinhomebase.org
Great Hills Christian School, 10500 Jollyville Rd., Austin, TX 78759, (512) 343-6167. Grades K-5: offers an all-day program on Wednesdays. Grades 6-12: offers sports or individual classes.
Haven Alternative Learning Center, 2165 W. Anderson Ln., Austin, TX 78751, (512) 451-7249. Umbrella School for middle school and high school students. Haven uses the Austin Independent School District's curriculum. The students work at home under the guidance of the Center.
Moore Foundation, PO Box 1, Camas, WA 98607, (360) 835-2736. This organization is affiliated with Dr. Raymond and Dorothy Moore, pioneers in the homeschooling movement and authors of several homeschooling books. www.moorefoundation.com
Correspondence schools provide accredited courses that a student completes at home. Tests and other assignments go the school for grading. Most of these schools will provide either individual courses or a full diploma program. Contact the schools for details about their courses and fees. Please note that the costs for these programs vary greatly.
A Beka
(conservative Christian education)
1-800-874-BEKA
The American School
2200 E. 170th St.
Lansing, IL 60438-9909
708-418-2800 or 800-228-5600
Bob Jones
(conservative Christian education)
1-800-845-5731
www.bjup.com
Calvert School
410-243-6030
Dept. HE5
105 Tuscany Rd.
Baltimore, MD 21210
www.calvertschool.org
Citizens' High School
P.O. Box 1929
Orange Park, FL 32067-1929
www.citizenschool.com
Clonlara (grades K-12)
(offers online classes by computer)
313-769-4515
1289 Jewett
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
www.clonlara.org
Home Study International (Pre-K-12)
PO Box 4437
Silver Spring, MD 20914-4437
Phone: 301-680-6570
www.hsi.edu
ICS Newport/Pacific High School
(grades 9-12)
1-800-233-4191
Independence High School Alger Learning Center
121 Alder Drive
Sedro Woolley, WA 98284
1-800-595-2630
www.independent-learning.com
Keystone National High School
1-800-255-4937
Schoolhouse Station
420 W 5th St, Bloomsburg, PA 17815
www.keystonehighschool.com
Oak Meadow
(Waldorf educational philosophy)
Phone: (802) 387-2021
P.O. Box 740
Putney, VT 05346
www.oakmeadow.com
Seton School (Catholic education)
PO Box 396
Front Royal, VA 2263
www.setonhome.org/new.htm
Sycamore Tree
(Christian-based educational materials)
(949) 650-4466 or 1-800-779-6750
2179 Meyer Pl
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
www.sycamoretree.com
Texas Tech University High School, Middle School, and Elementary School
1-800-692-6877
www.dce.ttu.edu
University of Texas at Austin, Independent Learning
471-7716 (outside of Austin, call 1-800-252-3461)
www.utexas.edu/cee/dec/uths
Before you start educating your children, you'll need to spend some time educating yourself about homeschooling. No, you don't have to read all of these books before getting started, but try to read at least three or four of them. Different authors promote entirely different approaches, so it is very helpful to see the range of possibilities that exist before deciding which way is best for your family.
These are a few of the books, magazines, and publications recommended by AAH members. Many books about homeschooling can be found in the Austin Public Library system. Some are listed under "domestic education" in the subject catalog (rather than "homeschooling"). If the Austin Public Library does not own a particular book, you can often borrow it (a free service, usually) through interlibrary loan.
Teenage Liberation Handbook, by Grace Llewellyn
And What About College?, by Cafi Cohen
Better Than School, by Nancy Wallace
Child's Work: Taking Children's Choices Seriously, by Nancy Wallace
For the Children's Sake, by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
Homeschooling for Excellence, by David and Micki Colfax. These are the folks who have been on national television because their homeschooled sons were admitted to Harvard.
Homeschooling Book of Answers, by Linda Dobson
I Learn Better by Teaching Myself, by Agnes Leistico
Teach Your Own, by John Holt (or any of Holt's books on education)
The Well Trained Mind by Wise and Wise Bauer
Good Apple, newspaper for kids. Free sample: call 1-800-435-7234, one year (5 issues) is $14.95.
Weekly Reader, newspapers for kids of different grade levels. Call 1-800-999-7100.
3-2-1-CONTACT - Monthly science magazine for kids. P.O. Box 53051, Boulder, CO 80322
National Geographic World - Monthly science and geography magazine for kids. 1-800-638-4077
Zoobook, monthly magazine about animals. 1-800-477-5034
Bob Jones University Press-1-800-845-5731, www.bju.edu/press/home.html
Christian Liberty Academy, 502 W Euclid Ave, Arlington Heights, IL 60004
Clonlara School, 1289 Jewett, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, www.clonlara.org
Seton School, PO Box 396, Front Royal, VA 22630, www.setonhome.org/new.htm
Kay Elam, 2980 Appling Cr., Chamblee, GA 30341
Mary Jones, 9835 Goodman, Olive Branch, MS 38654
Family Learning Organization, PO Box 7247, Spokane, WA 99207-0247
(509) 467-2552, credit card orders: 1-800-405-TEST www.familylearning.org
Obtain copies of back versions of the TAAS tests and answer keys, which are used in Texas public schools at www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/release.htm
We could not possibly list all the homeschooling resources on the Internet. Here are some of the sites that link to many quality homeschool sites.
Austin Area Homeschoolers information is available on this site maintained by one of our members: www.main.org/aah/
National Home Education Network. www.nhen.org
Growing Without Schooling, John Holt's Book Store. Information about homeschooling and unschooling. www.holtgws.com
Home Education Magazine site. For their free Online Newsletter, visit their web site at: http://www.homeedmag.com/.
HomeTaught at www.hometaught.com. This site is for parents, educators, and scholars; anyone interested in educational philosophy will find something of value in the articles.
Jon's Homeschool Resource Page links to many online homeschooling sites: www.midnightbeach.com/hs/
A to Z Home's Cool Homeschooling Web Site. Extensive information about different homeschooling styles, resources, record-keeping, and answers to frequent questions: www.gomilpitas.com/homeschooling/
Richard Shalvoy's site. Information and links to curriculum vendors, schools, retailers, used curricula. http://members.home.net/ct-homeschool/guide.htm
T.A.F.F.I.E. (Texas Advocates for Freedom in Education) - The TAFFIE mailing list is for anyone interested in topics related to homeschooling in
Texas and offers a wide range of perspectives and beliefs. Taffie is
the oldest Texas homeschool list. While most topics are specific to Texas,
there are also general homeschooling topics. Taffie has both an
announcement list for events and a general discussion list. Website
includes news, statewide events, legal information, listings of local
support groups, co-ops, music and sports programs, recommended book
lists by topic, and resource links. For further information including instructions for joining the lists, visit
www.jsoft.com/archive/taffie/
Texas Home Educators: www.texashomeeducators.com The Place to Start Your Search for Home Schooling! Starting with Legal information and articles for newbies, the site includes Support Group Listing, Calendar of Events, Home School Mall, Bookstore, along with over 1000 lesson plan links. With the inclusion of bulletin boards, chats and lists, you can have all your questions answered here.
UT Learning Resources Center, in the Education Building on the University of Texas campus. You can check out computer software (educational) for two hours and use it upstairs. Call 471-3254 for more information.
Perry-Casteneda Library. The Perry-Castaneda Library at the University of Texas has textbooks and thousands of other books, including a Youth section. Nonstudents can obtain a courtesy card to check out books; anyone can use the books on the premises. Call 495-4305 to apply for a nonstudent courtesy card; the fee is about $40 per year or contact the Austin Public Library for information on using UT's libraries through the TEXSHARE card program.
Telescope viewing is available at the University of Texas on some evenings.
Several Austin stores offer discounts to educators, including homeschoolers. Some of these stores have more than one location, so check the phone book for the stores nearest you. If a store does not advertise an educator's discount, ask.
If a bookstore offers an educator's discount, you may need to show some proof that you are a teacher. Sometimes they ask for a teacher's I.D., while other times they don't. Your child's Austin Police Department Homeschooler I.D. will do, but you can manage without one. Some of the stores will issue you an educator's I.D. After one of the bookstore chains gives you such a card, the other chains will probably accept that as proof of your status as a homeschooler. Apparently some store managers think that people who are not actually homeschoolers are taking unfair advantage of this discount, so they want to make sure that it is used as intended.
Most discounts are only for classroom materials. Public school teachers get a discount for items they will use in their classroom, but not for every book they purchase, so that is the model used for homeschoolers also. At these stores, it works best if you answer all their questions before they even ask. Separate your purchases into 2 piles: classroom materials and other purchases. You can say, "These are curriculum (or classroom) materials for use in our homeschool. Here is my I.D. card." The key words are "curriculum/classroom materials." Remember, though, that all of your children's reading material can be considered curriculum material. Their science fiction novels and computer magazines are just as much curriculum as their Shakespearean plays! Do be sure to separate out materials that are NOT for your child's education. The clerks always appreciate this honesty (and once in a while, they go ahead and give you the discount on all your books anyway). Barnes & Noble, Borders, Half-Price books, and Hollywood Video have educator discount programs.
Family Bookstore. 444-6913, South 1st and Stassney. A Christian bookstore that carries homeschooling books and curriculum.
Goodwill Bookstores. Used books, including some textbooks.
Check in the phone book under "School Supplies." Stores listed there cater to school teachers, and they have many materials you might want to use.
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