Christian Homeschooling Umbrella Schools

Homeschooling parents who desire accountability and help with record keeping may want to enroll their children in a Christian homeschool cover school. Also known as umbrella schools, cover schools often provide transcripts and other services. Here are some worthwhile Christian umbrella schools.

Benefits of Homeschool Umbrella Schools

Cover or umbrella schools offer homeschoolers many benefits. As the name implies, these schools "cover" or protect homeschoolers. They often act as a layer between the homeschool family and the state. Rather than being accountable to the state, the family may be accountable to the umbrella school.

In some cases, the umbrella school also has students who actually attend the school full time and offer services to homeschoolers on the side. Those schools may allow homeschooled students who are enrolled in their program to participate in sports, music classes and science labs. Some homeschool umbrella schools are virtual and can be attended by students living in different states, or in some cases even in different countries.

Many homeschooling families that enroll their children in cover schools do so so that their children will have transcripts and receive a high school diploma. The requirements of each cover school vary; some are more or less structured than others. It's important to find a cover school that fits with your homeschooling philosophy and style and religious beliefs. Many, but not all, homeschool umbrella schools are decidedly Christian.

How to Find a Good Cover School for Your Homeschool

The best way to find a Christian umbrella school is through other homeschooling parents. Get involved with a local homeschool group and attend homeschooling conventions in your state. Homeschool conventions often have representatives from umbrella schools present who can answer questions. Homeschool groups often have a list of umbrella schools in their state. Other homeschooling parents can let you know of their experiences with specific cover schools and whether or not they were satisfied with them.

Of the many homeschool umbrella schools out there, here are a few of the best ones that can be "attended" regardless of where you live.

A Beka has long been a favorite of Christian homeschoolers. A Beka provides textbooks and DVD instruction. The DVDs are especially nice for parents who may not have the confidence to do the actual teaching or for those who are busy at home with other things such as a home business. The A Beka program tends to be rather intense and therefore is not the best option for slower learners. The DVD option requires that students learn well somewhat independently, without a lot of parent interaction.

Alpha Omega Academy offers various options for distance learning. The LifePac and Horizons option, which is available for kindergarten through 12th grade, is a print-based curriculum that is graded by the homeschooling parent, and the grades are sent in to the school. The Switched on Schoolhouse program is a computer-based program. Through it, the grades are automatically calculated and sent on to the school. Alpha Omega is fully accredited and provides both diploma and independent study programs.

Christian Liberty Academy is different from the two programs listed above in that it uses curriculum from many different sources. It is one of the more affordable full-service Christian cover school options available to homeschoolers. It is accredited through the National Association of Private Schools. A benefit of Christian Liberty Academy is that each student's prior learning is assessed and curriculum choices are based on the individual student.

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