Investigate correspondence curricula

If you choose to use a correspondence curriculum, research the library and the Internet and browse through What's Free or Cheap in NYC to enrich this curriculum and make it come to life. Subject-specific curricula are listed at Books and Resources by subject

Not all correspondence schools offer accredited diplomas. If this is important to you, check with each individual school to find out if they are accredited in your state.

Here is a brief list of correspondence schools with some comments. More can be found by searching on the Internet. Please email me your comments and additional suggestions for this list.

Pre-K - 12: Oak Meadow
K - 12: Kolbe Academy
K - 12: Laurel Springs
K - 12: Clonlara School
K - 12: Texas Tech University
K - 12: Calvert School
2 - 12: University of Arizona
4 - 12: North Dakota Division of Independent Study
9 - 12: The American School
9 - 12: Keystone National High School
9 - 12: Nebraska's High School

Pre-K - 12: Oak Meadow
Many parents have chosen Oak Meadow because it is a more creative curriculum, and craft kits are offered with lessons and teacher manuals. They also claim to accommodate a wide variety of learning styles. Some say that this curriculum is Waldorf-influenced.

K - 12: Kolbe Academy
An orthodox Catholic classical homeschool curriculum that parents are free to adapt to their own situation.
One parent's comment: "I like this curriculum because it offers the best of both worlds: a structured program with flexibility. I can use my own books and I grade the exams. They keep records for me and offer a weekly syllabus with recommended books. Since they have a day school in Napa, California, they offer a California high school diploma."

K - 12: Laurel Springs
One parent's review: "They were ideal when we were starting out and had no idea what to do. The teachers were fabulous and available for questions outside our normal scheduled conferences, changing things as we better identified the kids' needs. After a while, we no longer needed them. The main reason we left them (aside from the fact that it was no longer a necessary expense) was their curriculum was too similar to regular school. They have choices of study methods: project-based, text-based, Internet-based, etc. They follow California state requirements, similar to NY, which ultimately boiled down to the traditional text book/classroom format. For things like science they used standard fare like Scott Foresman, which was the traditional mile wide/inch deep format my kids disliked."

K - 12: Clonlara School
Clonlara is popular among homeschoolers because it can be used as an umbrella school (incorporating your own curriculum into their goals), and will do the paperwork for you as well.

K - 12: Texas Tech University: Outreach and Extended Studies

K - 12: Calvert School
Some consider this program for K-8 more rigorous than others.

2 -12: University of Arizona: Continuing Education and Academic Outreach

4 - 12: North Dakota Division of Independent Study

9 - 12: The American School
Earn a high school diploma through distance learning. This school is reviewed by Cafi Cohen at her website: Homeschool Teens & College. Some consider American less expensive and less demanding than other programs.

9 - 12: Keystone National High School

9 - 12: Nebraska's High School
The University of Nebraska at Lincoln, for grades 9 - 12, is considered one of the best, and is popular among students living overseas since they are experienced at sending lab supplies to foreign countries.

This is Step 7 of the Ten Steps to Successful Homeschooling
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