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In recent years, homeschooling has exploded in popularity for a variety of reasons, such as school shutdowns during COVID and families desiring more choices for their children. Since the start of this decade, families have been gravitating towards options outside of public school. This is due to factors such as concerns about school safety, not getting what they need, falling behind, not being able to advance, or a lack of flexibility to succeed.   

If you are a parent looking to pivot from a traditional public school, we want you to know you have choices. In this post, we will cover an overview of school choice options for private schools and homeschooling.

Important Differences

First, let’s identify the differences between private schools and homeschooling.

Private schools are schools that are not funded by taxpayer dollars and instead rely on tuition, donations, endowments, and fundraising. They are typically brick-and-mortar schools, although some private schools can be virtual, like Strike School! Private schools are typically known for academic rigor and a more personalized approach to learning.

While homeschooling is very much what it sounds like – educating at home – there is also a lot of nuance to it. Homeschooling offers families the most choice regarding schedules, curriculum, and workload. Families have more say in what they teach their children, which is a great advantage for many. It’s important to note, however, that each state has its own laws that need to be followed. You can visit the HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association) website to find out about the laws in your specific state.

If you’re looking for the best of both worlds, you have come to the right place! Strike School is a unique school that offers a rigorous, fully online curriculum suite and personalized learning with Learning Coaches to guide you every step of the way. At Strike School, you can school in whatever way works best for your family. Learn more about the choices we offer here and see why our families love us so much.

How to Get Started

For families who are serious about pursuing the private/homeschool route, it can feel overwhelming to know where to start. Let’s go through some of the avenues you’ll want to explore as you determine the option that’s best for your family.

Finding Private Schools

Brick-and-mortar private schools offer academic rigor and structure, which can be helpful for children who thrive in a more structured environment. There are multiple ways you can go about finding the best private school in your area. Here are some ideas. 

• Use social media to join a local group that will provide private school recommendations.
• Ask for word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family.
• Use websites like Private School Review, GreatSchools, and Niche. These sites have search features that let you set preferences to find exactly what you are looking for.

Starting Your Homeschool

Creating a homeschool does not have to feel daunting. Follow these four simple steps to create a basic homeschool environment for your family.

• Decide on what kind of homeschool you want. You will first want to decide if you would like a physical, virtual, or hybrid environment. Many families choose a hybrid approach, which tends to work very well, using a mix of physical materials and online learning. At Strike School, we offer a robust curriculum with highly qualified Learning Coaches who can easily help you determine the best approach for your family.
• Choose or build a curriculum. Some homeschool parents like the creativity of building a curriculum from scratch, and some just want a pre-made curriculum package. It’s important to do what works best for your unique family! There are so many great resources out there. Check out this post to help you create the perfect homeschool curriculum.
• Create a schedule. After choosing your curriculum, it’s time to create a homeschool schedule. Homeschooling looks very different from traditional school, because schedules tend to be more flexible with less instruction and work time. This allows you to make your days look exactly how you want them to. Need ideas for creating a homeschool schedule? We’ve got you covered with this post.
• Supplement your child’s learning! Now it’s time to add some fun. You’ve done the hard work of creating a homeschool for your family. It’s important to remember the day doesn’t have to be all business and work. You can plan games, leisure activities, and field trips. Our Learning Coaches would love to partner with your family, not only to provide guidance with academics, but also to help supplement your child’s education, whether it’s with enrichment courses or learning games during a virtual classroom session. They have many great ideas that will not only enhance their academics but will also add some fun to their day.

Paying for School (It could be fully covered!)

It is assumed that public schools are “free” because you don’t receive a bill for tuition; however, in reality, public schools spend tens of thousands of dollars per student each year. At Strike School, our tuition is a fraction of that cost. If you are curious why we charge tuition, please read about this.

We understand that some parents are turned off by the idea of sending their children to private school because of out-of-pocket tuition costs. At Strike School, we provide multiple tuition payment options, including monthly payments. However, we are excited to share that we are now partnered with many states through School Choice and ESA (Education Savings Account) programs. If you live in a participating state, your child’s tuition, curriculum, and tech could be fully covered. You can check here to see if we are partnered with your state and if you are eligible.

No matter which option you choose for your family, Strike School is here to support you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out and get started with us today!