Over at the Facebook page I am A Homeschool Group Leader, Sharon asked the following:
(our homeschool co-op) has a policy that the teacher is to turn over the curriculum that wasn’t consumed to the board, but that has not been happening. What do you do? If you collect the curriculum, where do you store it?
Shanna offered this advice: I would let the teachers know that if the group reimbursed them, then it belongs to the co-op. We do collect the curriculum. For years, it set on a book shelf in my office (school room), but I needed the space for my stuff. This year we purchased a cabinet at Lowes & it is now in my garage. I label & number all the books. I keep an inventory in Excel & when a teacher has a book, I write their name next to it in the Inventory.
Peggy added: If it belongs to the co-op, I would find a way to store it. If you plan to reimburse, perhaps only do partial and say the remaining will come when they turn it in. (This could be cost-prohibitive, however for many.) Otherwise, I would send them an invoice with the amount they owe, or that they can turn in the books.
Patricia had more ideas: We let the teachers know at the beginning of the class that when the class ends they are to turn in any materials that the group paid for. When I receive it from them, I put it in totes labeled “Lending Library.” I post a list on our website of the curriculum that is available for use, and families “check it out” like you would at a public library. They use it for the semester or the year, and return it. This allows the entire group to benefit from the purchases that we have made as a group. I do write our group name boldly on the curriculum, and I put all consumable materials in a binder, and label “Do Not Write In This Book” on the worktext.
Thanks for the great advice and tips!
Carol Topp, CPA
