Faye, a homeschool mom and columnist for the DC Examiner.com, has a great list to help start a homeschool co-op (edited slightly for brevity):
Although it is wonderful to be able to plan lessons, activities and programs that best meet your child’s needs, sometimes banding together with other homeschoolers can be a huge blessing! Planning a homeschool co-op is a large undertaking, but with some good people and a strong foundation, it can benefit you and your family in many ways. Whether you want to have a group for regular field trips, or you are looking for a way to provide some structured school time in a group setting, a homeschool co-op could be just the ticket.
If you are interested in starting your own homeschool co-op, I would like to offer some suggestions.
1. Start with your homeschool support group and friends. Who would be willing to help you get things started? 2-5 people is a good number for a planning group (more than that and it might seem impossible to find a time when everyone can meet!).
2. Spend some time brainstorming about what the “ideal co-op” would be. Would you meet once a week, or every morning? Will the group be for just a certain age group (ie: only elementary-age)? Do you want to offer set classes, with textbooks, tests, homework, etc? Or perhaps something more relaxed, like clubs and projects?
3. Once the group has ironed out a general idea of what the first year could look like, you will need to find a place to meet. This may prove to be one of the most daunting tasks! Try the local library or community center, a church or firehouse, or maybe even an empty business.
4. After you have secured a space, it is time to invite homeschooling families to join you! It can be tempting to hang up flyers and spread the word via homeschool yahoo groups and blogs. However, a word of caution. I have heard many, many stories about co-ops, and the one thing that resonates over and over again is the importance of having a group of like-minded people. Now, that doesn’t mean that you all have to believe in the same things–far from it! At our co-op, we enjoy having new points of view for the kids to consider. However, if it is important that the co-op be Christian-based, that might not be a good match for someone who is agnostic.
5. For your co-op to grow and thrive, people have to be willing to work together, to pitch in, and to get along. It is an “army of volunteers”, and if the adults/kids don’t get along, the co-op will suffer and perhaps never get off the ground.
6. Once you have a location and a few families have indicated interest–YEAH–you are in business!! Meet with your planning group and decide what classes/clubs/projects you want to offer. Some ideas to choose from:
- Art/drawing
- Science
- History
- Foreign language
- Physical education
7. Finalize which classes you will offer, decide on a start date, then work out registration details and fees. If there is a fee to use your facility, all families will need to divide that expense. Many facilities will also want you to carry a separate insurance policy (for one local co-op, it is @$35.00/family/year.)
8. Do an Internet search to find forms you may need/want to have (registration, emergency info, family info, student info, etc.) The planning group can share these tasks so no one person feels burdened.
9. Plan a park day for families to meet, get everyone registered, order your materials, and you’re on your way!
10. You might also consider getting a website set-up exclusively for your co-op. Homeschool-Life.com offers a low/no-cost website service for homeschoolers, and it allows you to have group registration, to use message boards, to provide event reminders, etc.
11. Be sure that everyone who chooses to participate is willing to help with some aspect of the group, whether it is teaching a class, cleaning up, watching the little ones, or helping as needed. “Many hands make work light” is certainly a true statement when it comes to a homeschool co-op!
12. Resist the urge to “do everything” in your first year. It will be tempting to do this, believe me! Try to offer just a few things to the group (no more than four). See how that works out, ask for feedback, and your group can grow from there.
It is a tremendous amount of work to get a co-op up and running, but the rewards cannot be overstated. As the group grows and expands, your kids will have incredible opportunities for learning, friendships, and fun! If you have experiences with, or suggestions for a homeschool co-op, please share them in the “comments” section below. I am sure there are many good ideas right here in our own community!
Faye might be right that it is work to start a homeschool co-op, but there is help. My book Homeschool Co-ops: How to Start Them, Run Them and Not Burn Out will walk you through the start up and running your group.
Also my website www.HomeschoolCPA.com has many helpful articles on starting a group, getting a checking account and buying insurance.
You can do it! Just get some help from those who have gone before you!
Carol Topp, CPA
