Due to the unique dynamics of our family, we decided before our children were even in school that we would homeschool. Of course, there are many different reasons for a family to choose a certain educational path. My educational philosophy is that: that every parent needs to make the decision that works best for their family at that specific time.
For us, that was homeschooling. I loved the idea. I even wrote a blog post about a year ago detailing the initial steps to get started on a homeschooling journey.
But part of my heart sunk when I thought about homeschooling. I knew that I could overcome the differences that I have with my daughter. I knew that I could write lesson plans and implement them. I knew that my house would be fairly messy and that I would be the one pulling my children into a structured routine in our home. I really, truly did want to homeschool. After looking at all our options, I knew without a doubt that it would currently be the best option for my children. But a part of it just seemed too… heavy. Too much for one parent (or two!) to bear.
And that’s when I found a new-to-me model of schooling called a homeschool hybrid, or a university model school. The goal of this type of school is to come alongside homeschool parents and provide them with the benefits of a brick and mortar school, while still also giving parents a large chunk of responsibility and choices for their child’s education.
So how exactly does this work?
University model schools are popping up all around the country, and each one works in its own unique way. The basic gist is that students choose which classes they will attend at school and complete the rest of their education at home.
We enrolled our daughter in Kindergarten and with only four weeks under our belts, I still feel like I’m adjusting and figuring it out! But as I’ve talked with friends and family about this model of education, I have gotten a lot of questions! I have compiled some of those FAQs here.
What does your schedule look like?
Our particular university model school has two days of core classes (English, math, science, history and bible) and two days of elective classes (geography, sewing, financial planning, PE, Spanish, gym, dance, worship band, lab, grammar & comp… the list goes on!). Each family chooses which days and times they would like to attend school! Want to homeschool but are very intimidated by science? You can send your child to school just for that science class and continue on with homeschooling the rest of the time.
Some hybrid schools have school on M, W, F with homeschool days on Tu, Th.
For us personally, our daughter goes to an all-day Kindergarten class two days a week and has a half-day where she takes Spanish class and dance class. The rest of the time is at home where I am doing work assigned by the teacher or compiled by me.
Do you submit as a homeschool family or as a private school family?
Either! In the state of Ohio, if a family chooses to homeschool, they must submit a letter of intent to the government and it must be approved. Students enrolled in a certain number of classes can qualify as private school students OR a parent can still choose to submit intent to homeschool.
Is this just a fancy co-op?
It really isn’t! A homeschool co-op is technically a group of parents who come together and share responsibility in order to provide for each other’s needs and educational gaps. This is an actual school that hires real teachers and requires payment for the services that it is providing.
What is the cost?
It depends! Since each student can attend the school for different classes, the cost is completely dependant on how many classes are being taken! Costs can range from $200-$5,000.
Do you enjoy it?
YES. We LOVE this model of schooling and are so excited that we were able to find a school like this in our area! It has provided my daughter the time she needs to be out of the home and learning on her own but has also provided me the ability to still have time with my kids, giving them an education that I perceive as valuable.
Have you ever heard of hybrid homeschooling? Would you ever consider it?
