12. How to find (or start) the best homeschool programs

Quick summary: There are so many wonderful online and in-person classes for families to explore. Homeschool co-ops can provide friends, childcare, accountability, and support. Start by looking for suggestions in your local homeschool groups and explore yelp and google maps for the best afterschool classes and summer camps near you. 

1. Types of homeschooling programs

2. Homeschool and after-school classes

3. Hybrid schools: Homeschool co-ops, learning pods and microschools

4. Seven ways to evaluate local homeschooling programs

5. How to find and evaluate online homeschool programs

6. How to create an online class

How to find, evaluate or start local & online homeschool programs 

Homeschool programs can be a great way for students to make friends, learn collaboratively, and engage with exceptional teachers. In this section, we’ll discuss different types of local and online homeschool programs, as well as how to find and evaluate whether they’ll be a fit for your children. 

At Modulo, we’ve refined our process through three years of helping find finding quality programs in any subject area everywhere in the world - and starting new ones when they didn’t exist. Our team has an additional ten years of experience starting microschools before “learning pods” was a household buzzword.  

If there isn’t a homeschool program near you (or offered online in a subject of interest), it might be easier to start one than you think. 

We draw heavily on online homeschool groups to find and evaluate programs. If you need help finding a local homeschool group, be sure to consult our section on socializing. 

Types of homeschool programs

• Homeschool & Afterschool Classes

There are a variety of afterschool programs and homeschool classes. Many afterschool centers offer homeschool-specific programs (or might be willing to start one if you ask). There’s no reason homeschoolers can’t enroll in afterschool classes too.

• Homeschool Co-ops 

Otherwise known as Co-Learning Centers, Learning Pods, Microschools, or Hybrid Schools

Homeschool co-ops can be a great way to get support with childcare and help students make friends. They generally meet anywhere from 3 hours to 3 days a week. Increasing numbers of families are choosing hybrid schools as a way to balance work with homeschooling. These models can range from having almost no structure (unschooling) to looking a lot like school with academic periods and homework. Here are some common types of hybrid schools.

• Parent-organized/teacher-led

Sometimes homeschool co-ops are organized by a group of parents who hire a lead teacher to facilitate (see Cottonwood Cooperative)

• Parent-organized/Parent-led

Other times they’re organized by parents who take turns teaching. They are generally free (These groups are typically private. However, free Forest schools are a widespread example of free, parent-organized co-ops.

• Teacher-organized/teacher-led 

More and more, they’re led and organized by a teacher who offers students the opportunity to attend 1, 2, 3, or 4 days a week (For an example of this model, see Brooklyn Apple Academy).  

• Co-Learning spaces

Some centers are focused on providing a “co-learning space” similar in structure to co-working spaces, where kids bring their own homeschool work and get some guidance from a staff member (For an example of this model, see The Village Electric). 

• Homeschooling centers

Other homeschooling centers offer a huge variety of classes provided by local teachers (See Village Home in Beaverton, Oregon) 

• Online classes and schools

The most significant advantage of online classes is giving kids access to the best teachers in the world from the comfort of their living room. There is a whole industry of online classes emerging to support modular learners. In addition to the big marketplaces for online classes, there are some exceptional small providers who offer online programs.  In our guide to homeschool curriculum, we go more in-depth into our favorite classes and schools. 

2. Homeschool & after-school classes

The best way to find extracurriculars is through local reviews and parenting groups. While there are numerous marketplaces for classes, we find the reviews are not as well filtered. Museums often offer educational programs, as well as afterschool and summer camps. 

• Yelp and Google Maps

To find a local class, search on google maps and yelp. Don’t just look at stars. Read the reviews. Read the filtered reviews as well. Carefully read the reviews to see if the teaching philosophy is aligned with your own philosophy. Be on the lookout for like-minded parents with kids similar to your own who have left reviews. It’s also a good idea to see if the names of individual teachers are mentioned. Since a teacher makes a big difference in class quality, try to find a class with the teacher that people tend to like the most.  

• Facebook Groups

Local homeschooling and parenting groups are great places to find homeschool classes and extracurriculars as well. Search for a keyword or ask for recommendations. Often families will be happy to give public or private feedback. It’s generally a good idea to specifically request private feedback to get an honest assessment. Keep a lookout for comments from parents who are educators and experienced homeschoolers. You can also search for specific programs you’ve found on yelp or google maps and ask for feedback about those. 

3. Homeschool co-ops, learning pods, and microschools

The best way to find homeschool co-ops is via parenting and homeschooling groups. They often don’t promote very much. A google search for homeschool co-ops will reveal many defunct homeschool co-ops. Since homeschool co-ops don’t promote themselves very much, they’re often not even listed on google maps or yelp. 

With some rare exceptions, homeschool co-ops are often short-lived, springing up to support a specific group of students for a small amount of time. Joining a local homeschooling or unschooling group, either searching for the keyword “co-op” or asking for recommendations, will help families find the ideal homeschool co-op in no time. 

It might be that there’s not an existing co-op in your area, but if anything, that means your area needs one. Here’s our guide on How to start a learning pod. It’s easier than you think.

4. Seven ways to evaluate local homeschool programs

 While there are some phenomenal homeschool programs, especially in major cities, it’s always a good idea to do due diligence. Here’s the process we go through at Modulo which helps us find programs that kids and families love 99% of the time. 

• Don’t just look at the stars, really read the reviews

It’s not enough that a homeschool program has five stars. What’s important is that it’s a good fit for your child. Look for comments from families that seem similar to you with children with common learning patterns, strengths, and challenges. Pay attention to teacher names that are mentioned in a positive way and try to get a class with that teacher:

• Ask for private feedback in parent groups

If you’ve found a homeschool program you like, ask for feedback from local parenting groups. Some people might not be comfortable giving negative feedback publicly, so encourage people to message you privately and check your “other messages” on Facebook to ensure you receive all the responses. You can also search the group for the program's name and see what people have to say. 

• Measure responsiveness

Contact the homeschool program and see how quickly they reply. If you don’t get a response within 1-2 business days, it may be a bad sign. You want to find a well-organized program that communicates well with parents about their children’s learning. 

• Visit the space

Look at photos or visit the space. In the Reggio Emilio philosophy, we call the environment the child’s “third teacher.” It's essential children have a learning space that’s clean, beautiful, and well-lit where they can move about freely without safety concerns.

• Look for a well-designed website

Families will want to find a program that’s entered the 21st century. With platforms like Webflow, it’s easier than ever to build a beautiful website with a seamless user experience. If the website looks confusing or ancient, it might be a sign that the program is not bringing a lot of intentionality into the way they do things - or that they’re stuck in the past. While it’s not always the case, we can usually learn a lot about a program from a sharp, beautiful, easy-to-use landing page.

• Consider the background of teachers

Most websites have a team page. Take the time to look at the page and review the teachers' bios. Do they seem to have childcare or teaching experience? Do they have interesting, eclectic backgrounds? Even if there’s not a team page, the website may have information about how they vet and select teachers. 

• Ask about cognitive diversity

Whenever we’re evaluating a program, we ask if they cater to children with special needs. If your child has a specific, diagnosed condition, it’s a good idea to ask specifically about that issue. If the program leader seems to bristle or gives a generic answer, that’s not a good sign that they’re able to cater to different types of learners - or have that much of a nuanced background in childhood education, for that matter. 

You’ll want to find program directors who are transparent about their experience or lack of experience with your child’s diagnosis. For example, if they share that they don’t have formal training in that diagnosis but are eager to learn and accommodate your child’s needs, that’s a good sign. They may also express that they’ve worked with children with your child’s diagnosis and give specific details about how that worked out for the other child. 

Programs that are inflexible in their approach, don’t seem to understand your child’s diagnosis, or care to learn about it will not be a good fit for any family. 

If a program director honestly shares that they can’t accommodate your child, then take them at face value. Perhaps they’ll be kind enough to recommend other programs that are a better fit.

Other factors to consider in choosing homeschool programs

 Extracurricular programs are not formally vetted in the way schools are, so families need to be aware of the following factors when selecting a program

• Secular vs. Religious

 Many homeschool programs are developed for religious homeschoolers. While this may not be a dealbreaker for you, it’s a good idea to ask what kind of content will be taught. 

• Vaccination requirements

 Homeschooling attracts a wide variety of families. Many choose to homeschool because they’re opposed to vaccinations. If being around other vaccinated children is important to your family, this might be a question you want to ask when evaluating a program. 

• Safety protocols

There are no official safety standards for homeschool or afterschool programs. In many segments of the unschooling community, more risky kinds of play are encouraged in children because it’s thought to build self-efficacy. Parents should decide what level of risk they’re comfortable with and ask programs about safety protocols they have in place and if there’s been any history of accidents in the program.

5. How to find and evaluate online classes

Families interested in finding a high-quality online program or live class can find recommendations in our complete guide to homeschooling programs or check out our 100 favorite online programs for kids.

• Where to find programs

In addition to checking out our favorite online programs, families can ask for recommendations in global homeschooling groups like the Modular Learning Community or SEA homeschoolers. 

• Evaluating programs

When evaluating an online program, families can read reviews on Facebook and Google, ask for feedback in local or global online parenting and homeschooling groups and check curriculum review sites like Common Sense Media. Online marketplaces such as Outschool have reviews of the teacher and the programs. It’s always important to read the actual reviews and look for common points and potential problems, not just look at the stars.

• What to look out for

A good online program will require teachers to have :

• High-speed internet 

• Knowledge about how to use video conferencing software. 

• Frequent movement breaks during classes, in line with best practices for screen time. 

• Reasonable class duration: It’s generally recommended that elementary-age children spend no more than 40 minutes at a time without a break, and one hour for older students. Be very wary of programs where class time runs for 1, 2, 3 or more hours per day. Additional good programs will feature extensive information about how they train and vet teachers in best practices for online teaching. 

6. How to create an online class

It’s easier than you might think to start an online class for your child and friends. 

• Ask friends in your online homeschool group if they’d be interested in joining a class you’re creating for friends.

• Find an easy-to-follow curriculum using our guide to homeschool curriculum.  

• Be the teacher or find a teacher by reviewing our section on finding homeschool teachers

• Or create a class on Modulo. We’ll match you with an expert teacher, provide them with a child life specialist to support them along the way. And you can invite your friends to join and share kids.

• Make sure all the kids have headphones or can take class in a quiet space where there is no noise to distract other participants.

Homeschool programs are an invaluable way to enrich your child’s learning and social life. And they can also keep kids engaged while you’re working.

Now that you’ve chosen curriculum, found some friends, and enrolled in a couple of homeschool programs, it’s time to figure out how to measure your child’s learning outcomes in our section on accountability and support. 

Our goal is to help you find a system that’s easy and gives you space to change and improve your homeschool program as you go.