Curriculum Options

Florida law does NOT require any particular curriculum. Parents may use any materials at any level that works for their children if home educating. (If you use an umbrella school, the umbrella school may have requirements, particularly if the school is accredited. Ask the school. The rest of this message assumes that you the parent are not using a school with restrictions on materials.)

Materials used to teach your child do not even have to be textbooks or workbooks but can be websites, apps, ordinary books (sometimes called living books), magazines, or whatever works to help your children learn.

There’s no such thing as accredited curriculum; there are accredited programs that offer curriculum, but there’s no need to use them. Even in high school, feel free to use any materials that work for your children. You can adjust levels without permission from anyone or change materials if one isn’t the fit you thought it would be.

Suggestion: Avoid spending a lot of money on curriculum. Many spend a lot of dollars only to find the curriculum is not a good fit and are reluctant to change materials because of the investment. There are lots of free materials available and used curriculum can be a good option. The internet is full of materials of educational value.

Where do you find curriculum? There are so many available sources these days. Many buy from online sites. Used curriculum can save your budget. There are even free materials available.

How to choose? Proceed slowly and carefully so you don’t waste a lot of money on materials that you won’t use. You don’t have to have curriculum in place as soon as you begin homeschooling. You can start with a library card or an internet connection or a few books or educational videos–much learning can happen with such things.Research homeschooling methods or styles first to learn the options–copying the schools’ way of doing things isn’t the only option and you may find ways that will work better for your family.

Think about what you want, too: Religious or secular? Workbooks/textbooks or lots of hands-on materials? Family-style or each child with his or her own separate levels? Rigid schedules or calmer, gentler schedules that allow for researching your child’s interests? Lots of written work or more discussions and read-alouds? High tech or low tech? and so on. Then use that information to help find materials that will be a good fit.Feel free to tweak any curriculum chosen. You don’t have to use every question or lesson. Lessons can be done orally instead of in writing. Or skip a chapter and come back when the child is ready for it. You, the parent, are in charge of your child’s education when homeschooling.