Mousetrap cars are frequently built by homeschoolers

There are many places to find homeschool curriculum. It can be as simple as purchasing one of the Core Knowledge series books for your child’s grade level at the local Walmart store. Others completely do it themselves and still more homeschoolers use online schools or distant learning programs. This is what you need to know about homeschool curriculum in Arkansas.

The Arkansas Department of Education Homeschool Office does not provide curriculum to homeschooled students. It is up to the parents to decide what they will teach and how they will provide that education. This means that books, curriculum, tuition and school supplies are the families’ responsibly and not the responsibility of the Department of Education. That is why a waiver is signed and mailed in at the beginning of every school year.

If an online curriculum appeals to you, shop around. Look for schools that suit the needs of your homeschooled children and one that fits in with your family values. There are many secular and religious online programs. Here is a partial list of what is available.

Jewish Homeschooling:
Akhlah: The Jewish Children’s Learning Network
Lot’s of great learning activities for children
Chinuch.org
There is something for everyone here: worksheets, lessons, and online videos.
KTAV
A large selection of Jewish books and teaching tools. Covers topics for children and adults.
Chabad
They have a great selection of learning tools for Jewish kids. Some of the favorites are the Itchy Kadoozy show and Kabbalatoons.

Christian Homeschooling:
Abeka Academy
An online academy as well as a curriculum provider.
Accelerated Christian Education Independent Home School Option
They offer several learning options for homeschoolers, including Lighthouse Christian Academy.
Alpha Omega Homeschools
This includes curriculum from several different online schools such as Switched on Schoolhouse, LIFEPAC, Horizons and the Weaver Curriculum
Bob Jones University Press: The Academy of Home Education
Accredited Christian school.
Seton Home Study School
One of the best for Catholic education
Brigham Young University
Mormon based education. Middle school through college. Some courses are free.

Secular Homeschooling:
Calvert Homeschool
Online education for grades K through 8. We have used this for grade three and it is a very complete program.
Clonlara
More of an umbrella school than a high school.
Free World U
A collection of flashcard based courses. This is free.
K12
In Arkansas, K12 offers the Arkansas Virtual Academy for grades K through 8 and Lincoln ACE for grades K through 12. Both have closed enrollment for the 2009-2010 school year. K12 still offers their private school option for anyone wishing to enroll.
Keystone
There are middle school and high school options available. this is an accredited school.

This is just a sampling of what is available to homeschoolers in Arkansas. Keep in mind that there are other ways to homeschool without a formal curriculum. Unschooling is an effective way to homeschool many children. No matter what you choose, be sure to test every year and stay within the guidelines set by the state of Arkansas.

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