HOW TO HOMESCHOOL IN MISSOURI: THE GENTLE GUIDE
Hi friends, Merry from Ever June Co. here. I’m so glad you found us! If you’re here reading along, the odds are you are a new homeschooling family in Missouri or elsewhere, or you’re thinking about making the jump.
Since the stirrings of the modern homeschool movement of the 1970s, more and more families across the country have been choosing to educate their children at home for many reasons. According to a report from the National Home Education Research Institute, an estimated 3.1 million American homeschool students were educated at home in the 2020-2021 academic school year. While the survey sampled a subset of the population, the results indicate homeschooling is a viable choice for many families in the US. Accordingly, homeschooling has continued to gain popularity in Missouri, offering families a flexible and personalized educational pathway.
If you are a parent or caregiver considering homeschooling or if you’re already in the homeschool “boat” but need to sort out the “how-to’s,” you’re in the right place! As a second-generation homeschool family and the couple behind Ever June Co., my husband Jamie and I are excited to encourage you on your journey and share some of the wisdom we’ve been given along the way.
Since we started homeschooling our oldest in 2018, we’ve been blessed to meet many families who are considering and researching home education. Over the years and countless coffee date convos, I’ve compiled the answers to many questions new Missouri homeschooling families ask, and the answers to some questions you might not think to ask!
To begin, understanding the legal requirements and practical aspects of starting a homeschool in Missouri is crucial for success. This article aims to guide new homeschooling families through all the essentials, from legal obligations in Missouri to creating an engaging learning environment.
Be encouraged! You can do this!
Understanding Missouri's Homeschooling Laws
Missouri Homeschool Legal Framework
Missouri law stipulates children aged 7 to 17 are required to receive education, which may be provided through homeschooling. Unlike many states, Missouri does not require families to register their homeschool or submit annual notifications. Missouri is an excellent state for homeschoolers! You can read the complete Missouri homeschool statutes here.
Missouri Homeschool Record-Keeping Obligations
Missouri law mandates that homeschooling families maintain records of their educational activities. The statute gives examples of acceptable documentation, including keeping a plan book, a portfolio of samples of each student's work, a record of evaluations, or a combination of other equivalent records. (See the complete Missouri homeschool statutes linked above for further detail.) You should keep all education record documents for at least three years.
Missouri Homeschool Curriculum Requirements
While Missouri does not prescribe a specific curriculum, state law does require that certain subjects be taught to Missouri students, which include reading, math, social studies, language arts, and science. The Missouri homeschool statute does not require a specific type or style of homeschooling. Still, it does require that Missouri students receive 1000 hours of instruction in the academic year, and of the 1000 hours of instruction, 600 of these instructional hours must be in the required subjects listed above. The statute defines a school year as July 1st through June 30th of the following year.
Many Missouri homeschoolers refer to the five subjects of reading, math, social studies, language arts, and science as the “core” subjects; however, it is essential to note that the Missouri homeschool statute does not use the word “core.” Of the 600 instructional hours for reading, math, social studies, language arts, and science, you must teach 400 hours at the primary school or “home” location. Regardless of the homeschool style or type you choose to do, you’ll want to track the hours of instruction for required subjects and elective classes, including how many hours of required subject instruction take place at the primary homeschool location.
You may complete the rest of the required instructional hours elsewhere. (For example, you may count piano lessons or sports toward homeschool hours, but if they do not take place at the primary school location, you would not log those as hours completed at the primary school location.) You can be creative and expand to include additional subjects such as P.E., Art, Music, etc., according to your educational philosophy and your child's interests.
Setting Up Your Missouri Homeschool
How to Start Homeschooling in Missouri
If you have already enrolled your child in a public or private school, you must formally withdraw them to avoid truancy issues. HSLDA offers a downloadable withdrawal form for members here. You may begin homeschooling without notifying the school district if you have not enrolled your child in a public or private school in Missouri. ***If you are moving to Missouri from another state, check your state’s schooling statutes and ensure you fulfill any obligations required there.
Before you begin your family’s home education journey, consider where you will complete lessons in your home. Will you school together around the dining room table, or do you have a dedicated home education room? Will your students have separate desks or sprawl around the living room with lap desks or clipboards for any bookwork?
Wherever you decide to do your lessons, ensure you have all the necessary supplies, such as pencils, notebook paper, scissors, colored pencils and crayons, and any other items your students will need. While students are capable of learning anywhere, a comfortable, clean area with ample writing surfaces and plenty of natural light will be highly conducive to their ability to focus and overall education.
Choosing a Homeschooling Style
Missouri's flexible homeschooling laws allow families to choose from various educational methods, such as Montessori, Classical education, Unschooling, and more, depending on the child's learning style and family’s academic goals. Jessica from homeeducator.com shared a great breakdown of 8 Types of Homeschools here. She describes classical education, Charlotte Mason style education, Montessori for home education, University style education, Unit Studies, school at home, Eclectic Homeschool, and Unschooling.
Every style of home education has pros and cons, but the good news is that as a Missouri homeschool family, you have the freedom to choose what works best for you, your family, and each child.
We have tried several different types of homeschooling over the years, and our current style is highly tailored to our family’s needs and children’s interests. If I were forced to choose one title to describe our current home education situation, it would probably be something like “a Charlotte Mason-leaning, eclectic, unit study homeschool.” It might be a mouthful, but it works for us and we’re grateful! Each semester, we prayerfully reevaluate our family and students’ needs, determine if things just aren’t working for us, and adjust course as needed.
Remember, one of the best parts of homeschooling is if something isn’t working for your child or family, you can tweak things and try something different!
Missouri Homeschool Curriculum Planning and Resources
Curriculum Options
Families can choose from various curriculums that suit different educational philosophies and budgets. Options include complete packaged curriculums and piecemeal resources from the internet and local libraries.
We’ve used various curricula and resources over the years, including Abeka, Five in a Row, Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool, Bob Jones, Learning Without Tears, Dimensions, and more. We rely heavily on available resources through our local libraries, and we take advantage of inter-library loans to acquire “living books” to spark passion and interest in new subjects for our children. We also incorporate in-person interaction and instruction from passionate, professional people willing to share their incredible knowledge and skills with us and our children as much as possible.
Incorporating Extracurriculars
Homeschooling also offers the unique opportunity to integrate extracurricular activities such as sports, arts, and practical skills into the curriculum, often through local homeschool groups or community classes.
For our family, we are incorporating music lessons and exploration, engineering, art classes and mediums, and other specific interests into our curriculum. One of our sons is highly interested in car mechanics and eventually may pursue a career in that field, so we look forward to diving into this unit study from Campfire Curriculum over the summer. Our daughter is fascinated by using plants as medicine and foraging for food, so we’re also planning to begin With the Skills of Natural Medicine and Survive Off the Land (both from Campfire Curriculum) soon.
One of my favorite things about homeschooling is our freedom to really explore our children’s interests with them, uncovering the gifts and abilities God gave them and discovering their purposes and passions.
Networking and Support for Homeschool Families
Importance of Community
Finding a local or online homeschool community can provide invaluable support and resources. These groups often share insights and experiences, arrange group activities, and provide social opportunities for homeschooled students.
We participate in a structured homeschool co-op with classes one day a week and a more unstructured group of homeschoolers that meets for field trips, holiday parties, and frequent playdates and explorations. We have found so much community and encouragement by staying connected to families in each of these groups!
When you join a community of other families who are on home education journeys, you will find a support system of people who will encourage and cheer you on when you have struggles and challenges and cheer you on through every win.
Navigating Challenges in Homeschooling
Common Homeschool Challenges
New homeschool families often face challenges such as effectively managing time, balancing educational responsibilities with personal life, and dealing with educational gaps. If you find yourself running into one of these issues, don’t be discouraged! Every homeschool family has to find out what works best for them, and it can take some time to adjust to their new normal. You are not alone.
Homeschool Solutions
Establishing a routine, using educational resources to fill in knowledge gaps, and joining homeschool cooperatives can help mitigate these challenges. If you aren’t sure where to start, begin with creating a routine for your homeschool. It doesn’t have to be complicated, but put something in writing and try to stick to it. Pinterest is a great resource; tons of amazing homeschooling parents have written about their homeschool schedules.
In our experience, simplicity has always been the best policy for our family. Our homeschool routine is pretty straightforward and looks something like this:
8:30 AM - Breakfast & Bible
9:00 AM - Math, Language Arts, Reading, Social Studies/Science
11:30 PM - Break for Lunch
12:30 PM - Read Aloud, Music Practice, Art/Sign Language/Other Interest-Led Learning
Depending on the day, there may be some variance in timing or order, but overall, this is what works well for us and we stick to it, more or less. We take a break midway through the morning to take a walk or move around, but it isn’t scheduled; we just take a break when we need a break.
Record Keeping and Assessments
Importance of Keeping Homeschool Records
Detailed records help track educational progress and are essential if the state requests documentation. They also play a crucial role in preparing for college admissions. By adhering to the Missouri homeschool statutes, properly documenting your instructional hours and keeping your other required documentation, you can rest assured that you possess everything needed to verify your children’s home education should the occasion ever arise.
Assessment Options
While Missouri does not require standardized testing for homeschoolers, families may opt to use them to assess educational progress. Other methods used to assess students’ progress include portfolio reviews, written progress documentation, or end-of-unit tests to evaluate learning outcomes.
Over the course of our homeschooling journey so far, we have used a combination of assessments, including portfolio reviews, written progress documentation and end-of-unit tests for our students. As our students continue to advance, we plan to continue to use a combination of these methods to ascertain our students’ progress.
Preparing for the Future
Higher Education
Preparing for college involves creating a high school transcript and understanding the admission processes for homeschoolers, which may vary from those for traditionally schooled students. Many homeschool parents feel intimidated by the thought of creating a high school transcript for their students, but there are many resources available to help guide you through the process with confidence. The Homeschool Mom has a great article explaining the purpose of a highschool transcript and describing how to create one for your homeschooled high school student. Marcy over at Ben and Me also has a great post about what colleges like to see on high school transcripts.
Starting a homeschool in Missouri is a promising path that offers numerous benefits, including curriculum flexibility and the ability to tailor education to fit your child's specific needs. With proper preparation and understanding of legal requirements, your homeschooling journey is not only possible; it can be both successful and rewarding!
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