Home schooling is increasingly common all over the world for many reasons. Some parents do not feel the local school offers a good program. Some want a faith-based program. Others want to shelter their kids from negative peer pressure. Some parents just think they can do the best job of educating their kids and stimulating their interests. Many people, educators included, believe that in many cases home schooling can offer a learning advantage to the child. And home schooling allows the parent to monitor the child's progress in an incomparable way. However, money is a limiting factor. To do a good job at home schooling requires teaching supplies of all kinds. Today's educational environment, whether a home or conventional school, requires first-rate textbooks, supplies, library access, computers and online access. This pushes home schooling out of the range of some parents.
Scholarship programs can help parents defray the costs of home schooling. Most of these scholarship programs require verification that the child qualifies to be home schooled and that the appropriate governmental approval was granted for home schooling. Generally, scholarship foundations prefer homeschoolers who are active in the community. The applications usually require a detailed student portfolio that includes all standardized tests taken, test results, art projects and essays. Also, a detailed home-school plan must be submitted that not only lists the subject matter to be covered, but also the reason behind the curriculum choice. Often letters of recommendation for the home-school facilitator are required to prove that the parent is capable of teaching. These are best obtained from relevant clergy and professionals such as the child's pediatrician. Letters from educators are also highly regarded. Upon application approval, monitoring documents such as evaluation reports and lesson plans are often requested by the funding foundation.
Examples of organizations that offer home-school scholarships are the Home School Foundation and the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA). These foundations provide grants averaging $2,000. Also, check whether your local government has a plan in effect to fund home schooling as an alternative to local school use.
Remember to thoroughly review what is offered before applying for a home-schooling grant. Read the application guidelines to determine which scholarships best suit your purposes. Choosing a scholarship program that is right for you helps ensure both funding approval and success for your intended curriculum. Ensure that the funding offered is adequate for your needs, and that there are no provisions that will impinge upon your intended teaching curriculum.
Be sure to check out Homeschool.com, which lists current scholarships offered by major businesses and home-schooling organizations, so you don't miss any scholarship offerings.