Among the U.S. Catholic schools offering home study programs, Seton Home Study School has the largest total enrollment from kindergarten to high school. Founded in 1980, the school is based in Front Royal, Virginia, with another office in Los Angeles, California. It received endorsement from the bishop of the Arlington diocese and national accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Seton offers a complete curriculum and daily lesson plans for all subjects, and the curriculum can be tailored for students with special needs. According to its website, it's the biggest U.S. publisher of Catholic textbooks and workbooks for the young. It also offers other educational materials like videos, software, audio lectures and tutorials, as well as online resources. For example, its Parent Resources webpage provides access to video and audio files, webcasts, newsletter archives, and a supplementary reading list. Helpful links to Catholic organizations' websites are also posted. Other services include counseling, testing, and online courses and tests. True to its mission, the Seton curricula and resources have a strong emphasis on the religion program.
Some parents teach their kids religion at home, in lieu of the CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) classes offered in their parish. The Catholic Church approves this practice, on the condition that parents collaborate with their parish priest to adequately prepare their children for the sacraments of Confession, First Communion and Confirmation.
Two of the recommended religion textbook series grounded in traditional Catholic dogma are Faith and Life, published by Ignatius Press, and Religion for Young Catholics from Seton Press.
The EWTN Global Catholic TV Network's multimedia resources also help Catholic parents bring up their children in the faith. Its TV channel has TV shows for kids on weekday afternoons and Saturday mornings. An interactive webpage for kids to learn and play, live shows, and an online library and store are available on the EWTNKids webpage.
Various Catholic homeschool websites have organized themselves to form the Homeschooling Catholic Team. They have pooled resources in a single website, homeschoolingcatholic.com, which posts links to Catholic curriculum providers, publishers and retailers. A forum offers online support and resource sharing for Catholic homeschooling families. Schedules and venues of homeschooling conferences and events are also listed on their website.
Catholic homeschooling conferences with curriculum and vendor fairs usually run from March to July. Typical objectives are to ensure that academic standards are maintained and solid Catholic doctrines are observed. Homeschooling experts, priests and religious, Catholic educators and parents present talks, workshops and information sessions. Vendors and publishers get the chance to showcase their products and services. These gatherings are also opportunities for families to get connected with the homeschooling community, as well as exchange experiences and challenges. Those who may be considering the idea are invited to come and get their questions answered by practitioners and service providers.