According to a 2006 report from the U.S Census Bureau, American public schools spend on average $8,287 per student. Homeschooling parents, on the other hand, can provide an excellent education for as little as $50 a year. Sound impossible? Read on.
So, How Much Does Homeschooling Cost?
For many homeschooling families, making the decision to homeschool means living on one income in a two-income society. Questions about cost are typically the first questions new and potential homeschooling parents ask. The easy answer is that homeschooling can cost as much or as little as one is willing to spend.
Budgeting Homeschool Expenses
Some families manage to homeschool for free, some for $50-$100 per year and others for hundreds or even thousands of dollars per year. The cost of homeschooling depends entirely on the resources available to a family and the needs of the child(ren). When developing a homeschooling budget:
- Make a "wish list"
- Spend time thoroughly researching free resources available, such as the local public library or local homeschool resource centers.
- Before purchasing anything check with local homeschoolers and ask to borrow or review materials in order to get a better feel for whether they will be the right fit.
- Decide on an affordable spending limit
- Refine the original wish list by narrowing down choices that suit the spending limit and children's needs.
Building a Frugal Homeschool Curriculum
There are many homeschool resource books available which give parents a typical scope and sequence such as Home Learning Year by Year by Rebecca Rupp [Three Rivers Press, 2004]. Books such as this provide parents with activities, lessons and suggested reading listed by grade and subjects.
The library is an essential resource for any homeschooling family. Most libraries are part of a larger network which provide patrons with the ability to request materials from area libraries and have them delivered to a local branch. This inter-library loan system is an invaluable resource which allows homeschoolers access to a wider variety of books, movies and software for free.
Do not discount used book stores, curriculum swaps and discounted curriculum suppliers since these resources tend to have terrific materials at deeply discounted prices. Rainbow Resource is an online and catalog based homeschool supplier that carries a large selection of deeply discounted curriculum, resources and materials. Amazon.com, ebay and VegSource all sell used curriculum at affordable prices. Don't forget to scour local garage sales, used book stores and library sales for great deals without the cost of shipping.
Free Online Resources for Homeschoolers
Typing "homeschooling" into Google.com's search engine produces over five million results which can then be narrowed down any number of ways. Starting a unit study on ancient Rome? There are over 100,000 free resources available on the internet. Typing in "free lessons" produces nearly one million results. The internet is riddled with tons of useful and free lessons, printable maps and worksheets, lesson planning pages and curriculum. Sites such as the Charlotte Mason based Ambleside Online provide a full year's curriculum for free, while others such as Enchanted Learning ask for a $20 per year donation.
Homeschooling on a Budget
Homeschooling costs differ from family to family and can range from free to thousands of dollars. Since the majority of homeschooling families are living on one income, frugality and homeschooling go hand in hand more often than not. With a little bit of leg work and research, homeschooling can be budget-friendly without compromising the quality of education being provided.
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