Start here!
When you’re just beginning to homeschool, sometimes it helps to have a bit of a roadmap to start off with. There are some important things you need to know and do below.
1. Know the Laws
First of all, read our information page on Homeschool Laws to find out about your legal rights and responsibilities.
BCHEA provides links and objective information on distance education/electronically delivered programs as a public service to those parents considering a government-funded program. While the students in these programs are not defined as “homeschoolers” by the Ministry of Education, these types of programs are one of the home-based options for enrolled students in BC. To understand the legal differences, read our Educational Options in British Columbia article. See below for some questions to consider while making this decision. Above all, make an informed choice based on objective information.
2. Read from Good Resources
First of all, read our information page on Homeschool Laws to find out about your legal rights and responsibilities.
BCHEA provides links and objective information on BC Online Learning schools as a public service to those parents considering a government-funded program. While the students in these programs are not defined as “homeschoolers” by the Ministry of Education and Child Care, these types of programs are one of the home-based options for enrolled students in BC. To understand the legal differences, read our Educational Options in British Columbia article. See below for some questions to consider while making this decision. Above all, make an informed choice based on objective information.
3. Join a Local Community Group
We cannot stress enough the importance of attending local community group meet-ups. You’ll meet a wide variety of people who are already homeschooling their children and have both experience and enthusiasm to pass on to you. Your local support group is the best place to go to ask those questions that inevitably surface and you can gain valuable insight into curricula, methodology, scheduling, record keeping, planning, or whatever other issues you might deal with. We have an informative article, Finding or Starting a Support Group, as well as links to help you find a contact name and information for a group in your area.
If you do not have a support group in your area, and you know of another family or two who are also homeschooling, you might consider starting a support group. It can start (and has!) with meeting for coffee once a week or once a month to talk over homeschooling joys and concerns. If you want to do this, read our Finding or Starting a Support Group page. Remember to let BCHEA know if you start a new group so that we can refer others.
Join these important BC-wide support groups on Facebook:
4. Register Your Child
If your child is between the ages of 6 and 16, you will need to register your child as homeschooled to comply with BC laws. You also need to register any children younger than 6 if you are removing from them from school mid-year. For more information, see Educational Options in BC.
Other Things You Can Do
Join BCHEA
BCHEA works very hard on your behalf to provide solid information, act as government liaison for registered homeschoolers, distribute a newsletter, and uphold Sections 12 and 13 of our School Act – all on a volunteer basis. We appreciate your membership! Our yearly membership fees are by donation. Join now!
Relax!
We know that this is a big step for you – we’ve all been there at one point, too! But British Columbia has many, many parents who got over the start-up jitters and are successfully educating their children at home. You’ll certainly experience a learning curve, especially in the first year, but with a support group around you and BCHEA to provide objective information to you, we know you CAN do it!