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How exciting that you are considering homeschooling! We get lots of questions this time of year from families who are just beginning their homeschooling journey. If that's you, welcome! We are thrilled to come alongside you and help in any way we can.
How Do I Enroll?
Timberdoodle is a curriculum provider, not a school, so our kits do not include enrollment. Many families homeschool independently as their own “private school” while others homeschool under umbrella schools or charter schools. Homeschool regulations vary from state to state. A good place to find out what the procedure is in your state is to check the Homeschool Legal Defense Association website. Information about homeschool laws for each state is available at https://hslda.org/legal.
What Should I Order?
We offer full curriculum kits for all grade levels at https://timberdoodle.com/collections/curriculum-kits, or you are welcome to order individual items if you prefer.
If you aren't sure what grade level your child needs placement tests for various subjects are available at https://timberdoodle.com/blogs/td/where-should-we-start. This will help you determine the appropriate level for your child.
It’s also possible to customize our curriculum if you need to make adjustments for any reason: https://timberdoodle.com/pages/custom-homeschool-curriculum-kits. The kits come with parent/teacher handbooks and access to our customizable online scheduler.
When Should We Start?
As independent homeschoolers you are welcome to start anytime you like. Our curriculum kits include a handbook and access to our online scheduler which allows you to set your own schedule for the year. We do recommend ordering your curriculum at least 3-5 weeks before you plan to start as this is our busiest season, and this will ensure you get your curriculum in time.
What If We Only Plan to Homeschool One Year?
If your concern is that your children might be returning to a traditional classroom setting next year I would encourage you to contact the school to find out what their requirements are for students to be placed in a certain grade. They may have a placement test, or they may want to see a list of material you covered this year, or something like that.
What About Grades or Report Cards?
Since we are a curriculum resource (not a long-distance school), we aren’t able to track your student’s work or issue a certificate of completion. As an independent homeschooler you would serve as administrator for any record-keeping or grading that your state might require. Our handbooks do include space for record-keeping so you are able to track what you have covered throughout the year.
What Else Should I Know?
As you are thinking through your options here are a few blog posts that might be helpful to you:
- Are Timberdoodle Kits Accredited?
- Does Timberdoodle Line Up With My State Requirements?
- How to Pick a Curriculum
- Placement Tests
- Your First Year of Homeschooling
- FAQ about Timberdoodle Curriculum Kits
- What School Supplies Do I Need?
Support
We are here to help you year round. You can contact us by email, live chat, phone, or on Facebook. During our summer busy season email is probably going to be the most convenient way for us to answer your questions.
We also have a lot of support material available for you to access for free online at any time:
- Our blog (the FAQ category might be especially helpful)
- Our YouTube channel
- Our Facebook communities
If you’re on Facebook feel free to join any of our community groups. They are a great place to connect with and share ideas with other families who are using or considering Timberdoodle. Our community groups are listed here.
