What deschooling means, where the term came from, why many families take a break after leaving school, how long it usually lasts, how to stay within your state's homeschool law while you do it, what a deschooling week can look like and signs your child is ready for more structure.
A guide to homeschool testing: which states require annual assessments or standardized tests, alternatives like portfolio reviews and teacher evaluations, common test options such as the Iowa Assessments, Stanford 10, CAT and TerraNova, how to give a test at home, how to read percentiles, stanines and grade equivalents, and testing for students with disabilities.
A practical guide to homeschooling kindergarten: how compulsory school age works and when state homeschool laws begin to apply, whether you need to file for a 5-year-old, what kindergartners typically learn in reading, math and other areas, how many hours a day is enough, low-cost materials, play-based learning and how to tell when a child is ready for more.
How dual enrollment works for homeschooled high school students: eligibility and placement tests, how to apply as a homeschooler, state programs that cover tuition, how dual enrollment credits appear on a homeschool transcript, transfer rules, online options, alternatives like AP and CLEP, and how to tell if a student is ready.
A parent's guide to teaching children to call 911: explaining what an emergency is, memorizing the home address, using locked phones and Emergency SOS features, text-to-911, what dispatchers will ask, why old phones should not be toys, accidental calls, 988 and Poison Control, and age-by-age practice ideas.
How homeschooled students apply to college: what admissions offices ask for, the Common App homeschool counselor role, transcripts and course descriptions, SAT, ACT, AP and CLEP options, federal student aid eligibility on the FAFSA, NCAA Eligibility Center rules and a grade-by-grade timeline.
How to keep kids safe around windows: why screens do not stop falls, window stops and guards that limit openings to 4 inches, building code rules on fall protection and emergency escape, cordless window coverings, furniture placement, apartment rules like New York City's window guard law, and what to teach children by age.
A room-by-room babyproofing checklist based on guidance from the CPSC, AAP and CDC: anchoring furniture, choosing the right safety gates, cordless window coverings, outlet safety, locking up medicines and laundry pods, bathroom and kitchen setup, and when to start.
Scald and burn prevention for kids at home: setting the water heater to 120 degrees as CPSC recommends, bath water checks, hot drinks and microwaved foods, kitchen and stove habits, gas fireplace glass, irons and hair tools, outlets and cords, chemical burns, and first aid steps for a burn plus when to call the doctor.
North Dakota has no ESA after the 2025 HB 1540 veto. What is coming in 2027, plus home education rules: statement of intent, 175 days, testing in grades 4, 6, 8 and 10. Updated Nov 1, 2026.
Why Kentucky has no private school choice program: the 2022 Supreme Court ruling on Education Opportunity Accounts and the failed 2024 Amendment 2. Plus homeschool notice rules. Updated Nov 1, 2026.
Nebraska voters repealed the LB 1402 private school scholarships in Nov. 2024 (Referendum 435). What is left for families, plus exempt school filing by July 15. Updated Nov 1, 2026.