Can You Really Homeschool through High School?

I’ve heard a number of homeschool parents say that they plan to homeschool until high school and then put them in public school. I can understand why; homeschooling high school can be intimidating. Parents often feel that many high school courses are over their head. In addition, so much is at stake as we build transcripts and prepare for college!

From my experience, however, high school is one of the most important and rewarding times to homeschool. I have graduated three and will have two more in high school this fall. High school is when students can really take off in independent learning and exploration that is tailored to their personal interests. They can go as far as they want! They can take advantage of the flexibility to put more hours into working a job or develop other skills.

There are three reasons I believe that you can homeschool high school. 

1. You don’t have to teach all the courses. If you’ve been homeschooling, you’ve already discovered this. There are excellent online courses and cooperatives from which they can take courses. One of the best opportunities for upperclassmen is to take college courses for dual enrollment.
2. You shouldn’t have to hold your student’s hand through high school. This is a time for developing self-discipline, schedule keeping, goal setting, and independent learning. Developing these skills and character qualities is an important part of preparing for a productive, meaningful life.
3. The last reason I believe you can homeschool through high school is because North Carolinians for Home Education is here to help! We have so much information and so many resources to equip for this task. 

Most importantly, we presented a free homeschooling high school webinar on August 4, 2020. We have two veteran homeschool moms who have been speaking and helping parents homeschool high school for many years. They answered these critical questions: 

• Why homeschool high school?
• Am I able to do this?
• What is the law and how does it apply in high school?
• What courses are normally taken and how do I accomplish them?
• How do I do a transcript?
• What if I plan sending my teen back to school next year?

During the webinar, we also offer other resources, including a list of recommended recordings from our Thrive! Conference. If you want to hear answers to these questions, then go register to watch the recording of the webinar today!

Matthew McDill
NCHE Executive Director