Some in the national media are calling for increased homeschool regulations. We think that’s a bad idea, and more and more legislatures agree with us. Homeschooling’s amazing growth in recent years has attracted the attention of the national media. They want to know how the movement works, and they want something to be done about it. We can explain homeschooling’s success in a single word: freedom. Homeschooling not only provides parents the flexibility to help their children thrive, its very existence depends on freedom. This is why Home School Legal Defense Association takes issue with rece ..read more

“But, I can’t homeschool!” I whined to an experienced homeschool mom at church. She smiled sweetly and assured me that the kindergarten level of school only involved learning to read, to write, and to complete basic arithmetic skills. I believed Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me,” but I had my concerns about venturing into teaching my child at home.  After prayer, resource considerations, and serious discussion with my husband, we began our homeschool adventure in 1997 which would stretch over the next twelve years.  From the opening notes of “Sin ..read more

As we celebrated our risen Savior yesterday with our church family, I recalled the Spring of 2020. The shutdown was in full swing, everyone was staying home to “slow the spread,” and churches were either closed altogether, or, like our church, learning to live-stream in real time by trial and error with a core group of people. A lot of fear and uncertainty still abounded even as we approached Resurrection Sunday. Our family gathered outside at sunrise that Easter morning with my parents to sing hymns. Thankfully, due to technology, we could still see and hear our pastor preach the Word of God ..read more

Starting to homeschool can be a daunting feeling, but starting a homeschool co-op WHILE you begin your homeschooling journey can paralyze you on the spot – which is what happened to me. The funny part is, I became paralyzed only AFTER I sent the email to my pastor with the idea. I was laid off in March of 2023. After months of searching for my next job, I had a phone conversation with a camp manager at a local all-girls Christian camp. She was honest with me and said she didn’t want me in this lifestyle while being a mom of two toddlers, but the passion in my voice and my background as an edu ..read more

There are so many reasons why we homeschool. Good education, quality time with our children, individualized instruction, flexibility, and even God-centered learning are just some of the reasons that may come to mind. We think about the subjects we teach, such as math, biology, history, grammar, spelling, geography: the list goes on and on. But one subject that seems to slip through the cracks and one reason for homeschooling that often goes unmentioned is the reality and necessity of character formation. Character formation is one of those parts of life that is much more caught than taught, a ..read more

Let’s take a closer look at how it works. It’s not often that a new technology captivates the attention of the world in the way that artificial intelligence (AI) has this past year. ChatGPT in particular has drawn both passionate praise and ire from all corners of society, often drawn from a place of deep conviction. But what are these platforms? How do they work? Are they safe? Should we use them? These are some of the pressing questions to consider as we encounter a changing technological landscape. One question weighs particularly heavy on many homeschool parents, especially given the grow ..read more

Most of us are familiar with Firemen/Fire Station field trips, especially since it helps us meet that annual Pennsylvania requirement for fire safety. But there are lots of other public service jobs that make great field trips. Your local EMS, Police and even 911 Center are all amazing resources. They can help your younger student understand how your community works and get them more comfortable with those who are there to help us when we are in need. (And, although we don’t often think of these places for our high school students, they are still a wonderful resource, especially when the publ ..read more

When do you like to plan out your upcoming school year? I like to have everything squared away by mid-summer. Typically, that means researching and ordering curricula during late winter and early spring. Few things make me feel more accomplished than putting last year’s books in my storage tote and next year’s books on the shelves knowing I don’t even have to think about school again until August. Because of the planning routine that I’ve gotten into, I often rely on ordering curricula online. In many instances I’m just ordering the next level of a book we know we like and will use. Sometimes ..read more

On center stage this month are students in our PA homeschool community! (Click on each image to enlarge) Sketches by Eilish Strausbaugh, Age 14, and “Bunny” by Julianna, age 17. Want to be on Center Stage? Did you miss the call for submissions, but would love for your child’s creativity to be showcased? Make sure you read your emails from CHAP so you don’t miss the next open submission date. The post Center Stage appeared first on CHAP ..read more

Pennsylvania House Ten bills were referred to the House Education Committee. One bill, HB 1904, sponsored by Rep. Joseph D’Orsie, (R) York County, would affect the homeschool community.  He attended our convention last year. HB 1904 is entitled “Student Freedom Account Act” The first provision of the bill appears to be Section 1327.4, which is the current law. The establishment of an ESA (Education Savings Account) in which tax payer funds would be placed into a student account which could include homeschooling students. CHAP does not support or oppose legislation on ESAs and encourage ..read more