Homeschooling
Over the past 10 years, Partners With Parents has worked with families that have chosen long-term and short-term homeschooling for a variety of reasons:
- Relocation
- Professional Commitments in Acting, Music & Athletics
- Non-traditional schedules
- Medical Conditions
- Unique Learning Needs
- Social/Emotional Issues
- Suspension/Expulsion
We work with each student and family to implement an appropriate curriculum, ensuring that all of the requirements for each unique set of circumstances are fulfilled. We have created comprehensive educational experiences for elementary, middle and high school-aged homeschool students, preparing them for success in academics and beyond. Since our inception, we have built a reputation in New York City as a values-driven company that helps produce terrific outcomes for our students. PWP homeschool students have successfully reentered traditional competitive private and public schools as well as gained admission to top tier colleges and universities. Although the majority of our experience is in NYC, we are able to offer our full range of programs to students in Long Island, Westchester, New Jersey, and Connecticut as well as consultations by phone around the country.
For additional information and samples of curricula and NYS requirements please contact Sharon McCann-Doyle at sharon@partnerswithparents.com or 212-928-5014.
Read more:
Standardized Test Prep/ College Admissions
Extracurriculars/Socialization
The Process
Our initial consultation gives families an overview of what Partners With Parents can offer as well as provides useful general information for those considering educating their children at home. Once a family decides to pursue homeschooling with PWP, additional meetings are arranged to plan an appropriate curriculum and schedule. Decisions about subjects, hours, workload, and number of tutors assigned are all made during these discussions. In general, we find that elementary-aged students benefit from one or two tutors working with them consistently, while older students benefit from multiple subject-based tutors.
PWP tutors are all highly experienced educators with a keen understanding of the individuality of each student. Our tutors are sensitive to the great variety of reasons families choose homeschooling and they are perceptive about the academic, emotional and scheduling needs of their students.
Once homeschooling is underway, ongoing communication between all parties—the teachers, our homeschooling consultant, the parents, and the student—ensure that everyone is aware of the student’s progress and that there is a unified vision for his or her academic endeavors. Some parents choose to remain very involved with the day to day education, sometimes directly participating in the instruction of their child. Others keep abreast of developments by email, written correspondence, phone, or in-person.
Meeting Requirements
Once parents have made the decision to homeschool, they must navigate their way through the bureaucracy associated with non-traditional schooling. Filing forms with the school district, creating curricula, submitting quarterly reports, and meeting other state requirements can be daunting. In truth, there is a clearly established process that our educators have been through many times. While we specialize in New York State, we are also well equipped to guide students in New Jersey and Connecticut through the process. We have also helped foreign students fulfill their grade level requirements so that they may return to their native countries without falling behind. For more details about repatriation and specific requirements for your child, please feel free to contact our office.
Curricula
Each student has an individually designed curriculum that follows rigorous academic standards appropriate for grade level. Parents, tutors and students can choose to design their own curricula from scratch or purchase one of the many pre-designed curricula from reputable educational institutions. Either way, our homeschool consultant helps to guide parents through this process. Whatever curriculum choice is made, our tutors foster an engaging, creative learning environment that takes advantage of all that NYC has to offer.
In the case of short-term homeschooling, where a student is out of school for a month or two, we often work with the school that the student has left and/or will be attending to ensure that we are bridging the gap in their curriculum, paving the way for a successful transition back to school.
Measuring Progress/Assessment
Ongoing communication keeps parents updated on the numbers of hours completed, what has been accomplished, and any concerns that have arisen. Quarterly narrative reports serve as the homeschooled student’s report card and are used to inform New York State (and parents) about the material that has been covered. At the end of the school year, each homeschooled student receives a detailed narrative evaluation as well.
Students of certain ages or grade-equivalents are required by law to take a standardized test to assess progress. While there are a number of options that New York State recognizes, the two tests that we prefer to use for that purpose are the IOWA Achievement Test Series or the California Achievement Test (CAT). To find out if your child will be required to take one of these tests, please contact us.
Standardized Test Prep/ College Admissions
As a full service tutoring and educational consulting company we are able to provide the homeschooled student with the highest quality standardized test preparation for entrance to college (SAT & ACT) as well as entrance to middle and high school (ISEE, SSAT & SHSAT).
When it comes time for college, it is critical for homeschooled students to rigorously document their work and experiences since they do not have a traditional transcript that can be used for comparison to their peers. While most top tier schools recognize and appreciate the assets a homeschooled student brings to their student body, navigating the process without a “college counselor” can be difficult. Our experience transitioning students from homeschooling to the college of their choice makes us well equipped to help students prepare, apply for, and eventually succeed in college. Our college counselors guide families through the entire admissions process, from selecting the right schools to creating a personal statement that brings out the student’s best to preparing for interviews.
Extracurriculars/Socialization
One of the first concerns that parents have when choosing homeschooling is whether their children will get the “socialization” they need. Some of the most important skills learned in primary and secondary schools are how to interact with others and how to behave appropriately in different situations. Homeschoolers must intentionally seek out opportunities to socialize and learn with peers. When families decide to pursue homeschooling with PWP we make sure to build in non-academic and social activities. If your child has a particular interest or aptitude, we will find the appropriate outlet. New York City has a plethora of opportunities for every age homeschooler to interact with peers. Group lessons of every genre can be found; academic, music, drama, art and sports are just a few of the classes that are available throughout the city for homeschooled students.
Cost
Since each homeschooling program is customized, the expense can vary widely. In general, the cost is comparable to attending a New York City independent school. Our most comprehensive programs that address special needs, incorporate extra-curriculars, provide standardized test preparation, and handle the bureaucratic details of state requirements, run on the more expensive side. Parents who are using other homeschooling resources as well and self-directed students who are able to work effectively independently can bring down the costs considerably. Call us at (212) 928-5014 or e-mail us to discuss your situation and get a price quote.