Learning

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    Co-ops

    • NCHE - Click here for article, "What is a co-op?"
    • HSLDA - Click here for article, "How to make sure your group is legally homeschooling"
    • Questions to consider - 
      • Which do you prefer to invest more - time or money? Co-ops vary widely in their requirements regarding how much time and/or money is needed. Usually the more time you invest, the less money you will need to invest, and vice versa.
      • Is this need for one student or the whole family? Many co-ops offer programs for a wide range of ages (ie, nursery through high school), but some may cater to a specific level (ie elementary only). Sometimes the nursery and preschool programs are only available to active volunteers. Be sure to ask questions regarding your specific needs.
      • How often do you want to meet? Generally most co-ops meet on a weekly basis, but the number of days will vary from one day to five days a week.
      • What kind of activities do you want? There is no set program for a co-op, it can be purely social or recreational, it can focus on extra curricular or academics, or any combination of those.
      • Do you want to start a co-op? Co-ops are simply homeschool families coming together for any reason - social, recreational, extra curricular or academic. There is no official process for starting a basic co-op (think "play group" or "study group"). If you do not find what you need, maybe explore the idea of starting a group.

    Guidelines 

    Graduation & Higher Education

    Driver's Education (tips and links)

    Tips
    • Based on my experience, I would advise parents that once a student has completed the NC drivers education classes, they still have very much to learn from you! In reality, you are really the one to teach them to drive, the classes barely scratch the surface (and can be confusing), but classes are a required step if you want to drive legally under age 18. 
    • If you wish to avoid the drivers education process, your student can simply wait until they turn 18 to apply for driving, but they will still need to learn from someone at some point to pass the test and drive safely.
    • Your local public school system can usually provide classes at no charge. I have mentioned one private company below, but there are others available in our region (or your local area), if you wish to research them. 
    • The first phase of classes, which includes 30 hours of the academic "classroom" portion, are usually taught in 6 hour sessions, though I was able to find one that offered 3 hour sessions. Many are now virtual, but a few still offer in person if you do a little research. The second phase of class is in car driving, which seems to be done in 2 hour sessions. Depending on where you take classes, you may have a long wait for driving. It is acceptable to use two different agencies - one for the "classroom" portion and another for the "in car" portion. I did that and was able to save both time and money (but sadly one of those companies is now closing permanently).
    • When it's time to visit the DMV for a learners permit, it is advisable to allow plenty of time. It is not unusual for this process to take half a day at least. You can make an appointment and drive out of town, or you can walk in to sit and wait locally. Usually in our area around Charlotte, there are no appointments available because they are all booked (new times are added daily, but I'm not sure when they are posted, maybe stay up until midnight and check). Even outside our region, appointments are usually booked for several months out, so you can either reserve an appointment 2-3 months ahead, or keep checking appointment calendars in the hopes of catching a cancellation sooner (or do both, I don't think it limits your number of appointments, just be sure to cancel anything you don't need for the benefit of others). Also pay careful attention to the paperwork and fees required, and keep in mind that some of it is time sensitive (may expire in 30 days).

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