To educate your student at home, you will need a plan of action: a curriculum. There is a wide variety of approaches to educating at home – from personal instruction in each subject by a parent, to hiring tutors, or purchasing online curriculums or enrolling in virtual schools.
Many parents purchase workbooks with age appropriate material and have their students complete worksheets. Many similar resources can be found online.
Ultimately, as their Home Study educator, you are responsible for making the decisions about what specific topics your student will be studying and what methods you will use to teach them.
We recommend gathering from as many resources as you can find – start by searching the internet for home school curriculums for the age of your student. Join home school communities on social media, and indicate on your enrollment form that you want to join our mail list which can share important events and information within the Vermont Home Study community.
Compile your goals, curriculum and resources, and create a plan for your student that works for your family. You should have an idea of what times you will study what topics, and how you will structure your student's time in study, and what materials they will use to learn. Don't be afraid to adapt your plan as your student learns, changes, and grows. Having a structured plan that is still flexible is great approach to learning.
When you submit your Notice of Intent, you attest that you will provide your student with instruction in each required area of the “Minimum Course of Study”. For students 13 and older, that includes reading/writing, math, history/government/citizenship, natural science, and literature. For students under 13 it also includes fine arts, physical education, and comprehensive health.
Families must provide instruction for the equivalent of 175 days (a school year) and then assess the student for progress each year.
While it is not necessary for families to submit the MCOS to the Agency of Education (AOE), families should consider developing one annually and keeping a copy of it in their student’s records.