Currently, in the State of Tennessee, there is much talk about Educational Freedom and educational choice. Much of that conversation revolves around money. So, what does it cost to provide a child with a high-quality education that will prepare them for the future? Can you homeschool for free?
Yes, you can. With a little creativity and knowledge, you can homeschool your children for free.
You didn’t read that wrong. Giving your child a top-notch education at home can be done on a tight budget. It is not even as hard as you might think.
How do you homeschool for free?
The choice to homeschool gives families flexibility over their time, resources, and calendar. As a homeschool parent, you have the freedom to choose what curricula you want to use and what works best for your child. You can choose the subject matter you want to focus on in any given school year. This freedom enables you to utilize resources as they are available or come available.
One year my son wanted to learn to play guitar. As a family, we didn’t have the financial resources at the time to purchase all that it would take for him to purchase a guitar and pay for lessons. We committed to praying for this opportunity to be made available. About a year later, our prayers were answered. He received a guitar and lessons for free!
Not being tied to a particular schedule we were able to wait for these resources and the right timing. It also helped him to develop his own prayer life.
Is Free Free?
While a free home education will not be right for every family, it is a possibility. I do not disregard the time that parents have to invest in homeschooling which could mean a decrease in income. These are considerations each family must make. As a homeschool mom of 15 years, our family has made many sacrifices to walk this journey. They have been sacrifices that we consider well worth the cost. Yet, we understand that the goals and ideals of every family are different.
Yet, when you think of free public school, you have to ask yourself, “Is free free?”
Our free public education isn’t as free as we might think. According to http://www.publicschoolreview.com, in 2023, families paid an average of $577 on supplies for each elementary school student. Middle school student expenses were an average of $763, and families with high school students paid an average of $1,223 per student for supplies. These costs did not include field trips, locker rentals (in some areas), uniforms, and other expenses.
At every age and stage, these numbers are far more than we have ever paid for curricula, supplies, and other resources.
Does Free Mean Hard to Implement?
In today’s day and age, a free education is easier to access than you might think. There are many free online resources including curricula, virtual field trips, video science labs, and more.
Even if you don’t have an internet connection you can access all of these resources from the local public library.
Many of these free programs offer you, as the parent, the scope and sequence, so you can follow through a year’s worth of learning easily and accessibly without much preparation. You can pick the topic and sometimes the program will track your child’s progress through the free account. A few of the providers even have “emergency” plans for families that are trying to homeschool amid a crisis or natural disaster.
Free Homeschooling Resources
When choosing any resource for your child, parents should choose with understanding. As a parent before using any resource make sure that the resource fits with your educational goals and purpose. Just because it is free doesn’t make it the right resource for your family. Thoroughly, explore the curricula option before implementing it into your homeschool plan.
Ambleside Online
This Charlotte Mason-style curriculum is a long-standing Christian-based homeschool resource. The program provides a list of books that can generally be found in your public library. The curriculum covers; history, science, literature, geography, copy work, and dictation. Parents would need to provide other resources for math and foreign languages.
Bedtime Math
The goal of Bedtime Math is to help kids learn to use math naturally in their everyday lives. No more questions about when are they ever going to use this! The site was created by an astrophysicist mom and generally takes about 5 minutes to complete. The skills can be adjusted to four different skill levels. You can use the app or receive skill challenges in your email. The app is also available in Spanish.
Code.org
A structured computer science curriculum for all levels from pre-readers to AP-level, code.org offers lessons in coding. Other topics such as online privacy and digital citizenship are also touched on.
Kids engage in fun video lessons, games, and activities at their own pace. They can learn to build and design an app and games. Most of the lessons can be completed independently for older students.
Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool
Easy Peasy is an online resource created by homeschooling parents for homeschooling parents. It contains a full homeschool curriculum from a Christian worldview for grades k-12.
It is planned by grade level, day by day, so children can navigate through the material easily. Parents can print worksheets from the site at no cost
Khan Academy
Khan Academy has been used by many homeschooling families, and it has been used in many public school settings. It is time-tested. KA is a non-profit site started by Salman Khan to provide free quality educational resources for all students
Students can use the site independently or parents can set up an account with a student account to track your child’s prog.ss..
Newsela
This educational website promotes literacy using news stories. Each article is adjusted to different reading and maturity levels, so students of all ages can participate. Parents should be aware of what their children are reading for each assignment to ensure it aligns with your family values.
Smithsonian Learning Lab
Explore the Smithsonian’s 19 museums, galleries, and research centers virtually. The Smithsonian Learning Lab offers images, texts, videos, audio recordings, and other free learning activities detailing over 1 million artifacts. The site is easy to use and share with your children.
Starfall
Pre-K to 3rd-grade students can access an extensive free, interactive library, and math activities. There are free Parent-Teacher printable lesson plans and worksheets. Starfall is available in an app for smartphones or tablet users.
Virtual Field Trips and World Tours
Many historic places and museums offer families the ability to take part in tours virtually. From the comfort of your own home, you can explore the White House, the Sistine Chapel, or the International Space Station. As you study people and places it is beneficial to seek out virtual opportunities on websites and blog posts about the subject. They are just a click or two away.
YouTube
YouTube offers educational videos for nearly any topic imaginable. While parents should oversee the use of the site, it does offer some great learning opportunities. From music lessons to writing courses, YouTube may be the option for you.
Other Free Resources
The Public Library
Nat Theo Podcast with Erin Lynum
Enchanted Learning
Free Homeschool Deals
As you can see, homeschooling can be free. This list just scratches the surface. Depending on your educational goals you could find so much more.
If you are new to homeschooling, read our Homeschool 101 page for more tips and resources to help you on your journey. You can find that HERE.
If you have one to add, please mention it in the comments.
