Starting Homeschool Mid Year: Tips For Transferring to Homeschooling

Starting homeschool mid year or wondering how to transfer to homeschool, switching to homeschool mid year from public school,  short term homeschooling, or emergency homeschooling? We’ll cover how to start homeschooling, including the transfer to homeschooling, simplifying the mid-year homeschool transition, and ease your mid year switch to homeschooling. If you’re worried about sending your child back for the second half of the school year, this homeschool 101 guide will help!

Can you start homeschool in the middle of the year?

Let’s take a closer look at when can you start homeschooling — from homeschooling preschool to elementary grades and even high school grades. We’ll cover can you start homeschooling in the middle of a semester and can you enroll in homeschool anytime?

Can you start homeschooling mid year?

YES! You can transfer to homeschooling at any grade or age, including starting homeschooling in middle school or high school! (YES! Even transferring from homeschool to high school in the middle of the semester!) Because home school is legal in all 50 states, you have to flexibility to choose to start schooling at home at any time during the school year and at the semester break or mid-year, like winter break, is a good time for many families.

Switching to homeschooling senior year / homeschooling junior year is even an option for starting homeschool in the middle of the year — or any grade level — yes, even high school students!

Be sure to scroll down for all the important considerations for switching to homeschool (and homeschool mid-year tips) and learn how to successfully transfer your children to homeschooling, even during the second half of the year! More help on transition to homeschooling and most frequently asked questions for homeschool below, so KEEP SCROLLING!

 

Reasons to Home School Mid-Year

Reasons to homeschool your child starting in the middle of the year or second semester:

• Bullying
• Medical issues / illness
• Family emergencies
• Need for short-term homeschooling
• Academic concerns, weaknesses, or issues
• Child’s anxiety
• School has become unsafe or a negative school environment
• Better focus on learning disabilities, special education needs, or unique needs of your child
• Moving or relocating
• Travel schooling
• Problems with the school district leaders / local school district or teachers
• Any other reason that your family deems appropriate to start homeschool mid-year!

No matter your reason for switching to homeschool in middle of the school year, in the United States you still have the right to switch any time! You don’t have to wait until the beginning of the school year despite what some schools may tell you. Don’t be afraid to pull your child out of school middle of a school year if it means what’s best for your child’s needs! The best time to start home school is the time it works best for your family!

 

Is it too late to switch to homeschool?

It’s never too late to homeschool. It doesn’t matter if it’s switching mid-year to homeschooling, at the end of the year, or homeschooling senior year. If home school is the best decision for your family, it’s not too late to withdraw from traditional school (like public school or private school) and start the homeschool path!

I’m going to let you in on a little homeschool confession secret: There is no official homeschool start date! If you’re wondering can I start homeschooling in the middle of the year, the answer is YES!

 

Can you be homeschooled for just one semester?

Yes, you can homeschool for only one semester and then have you child attend traditional school after. Since home school is legal in every state in America, you can homeschool at any time of year, for however long is necessary for your child and family.

 

Can I start homeschooling late?

Is it too late to start homeschooling? No! You can start homeschooling later than the school year starts or switch to home school whenever it works for your family. Be sure to check your homeschool state laws before starting to homeschool.

When does homeschooling start for you will depend on your state requirements and laws.

CHECK: HOMESCHOOL REQUIREMENTS BY STATE

 

Can you start preschool mid year?

Yes, you can start preschool homeschool mid year, the same as you can start homeschooling any grade mid-year. In the United States, it is legal to start homeschool when it best serves your family’s needs. 

 

How can I homeschool in the middle of the year?

If, you’re thinking of switching to homeschool mid year or wondering can you start homeschooling in the middle of the year, it may seem overwhelming.

Pulling your child out of school mid-year and deciding to homeschool mid year can seem scary!

The hardest party about homeschooling mid-year or switching to home school anytime is finding your confidence as a homeschooling parent. That’s completely normal!

Don’t worry! We’ll answer all your questions to can I start homeschooling mid year and how to switch to homeschool middle of year.

Let’s take a look at what you need to do to start homeschooling during this time and everything you need for homeschooling partway through the school year and pulling your child out of school mid-year when traditional school fails your child.

Read on for to answer more about can you homeschool mid year (and keep scrolling to learn to homeschool mid year).

Let’s answer all your questions on can I begin homeschooling mid-year…

 

Homeschooling Halfway Through The Year: Can you start homeschooling at any time?

Can I start homeschool in the middle of the year?

The answer to can I switch to homeschool halfway through the year is yes! In the United States, it is legal to homeschool in all 50 states, starting at any time of the year. As a parent or legal guardian, you can pull your child out of public school or private school to home school anytime, including homeschooling mid year or homeschooling at the end of year.

 

So, when can I start homeschooling?

Can I switch to online school in the middle of the year?

You can switch to an independent online school program in the middle of the year, at the end of the year, or anytime you want to transfer to homeschooling. However, if you are looking at online school associated with your current public school, you will need to check with your school as every school has different rules and requirements.

 

How To Start Homeschooling Mid Year

Before learning anything else about how to switch to homeschooling or what you need to do to start homeschooling mid year, you must understand your state laws for homeschooling (as each state’s laws are different). Then, you need to check with your current school on the un-enrollment process. Once that has happened, you will want to do a period of deschooling for your child.

(Keep scrolling for the complete guide to switching from public school to homeschool mid year / how to switch to homeschooling mid year.)

 

Concerns About Beginning Homeschooling Mid-Year

Homeschooling mid-year may occur for many reasons: problems at school, academic concerns, bullying, illness or even emergency situations (like school closures), or you need to start homeschooling quickly because of a family issue.

If special circumstances happen, you may be wondering how to transfer into homeschool.

• How do I withdrawal my child from school? (What’s a letter of intent to homeschool?)
• Is it legal to homeschool?
• Is homeschooling better?
• How to start homeschooling.
• How long does it take to start homeschooling?
• Will my child be behind in homeschooling?
• At what age can you start homeschooling? (When do you start homeschooling?)
• How do I bridge the gap between public school and homeschool?
• Can I homeschool my kindergartener? (What age do you start homeschooling?)
• Can you homeschool for one year?
• What’s the deal with homeschool socialization and how will my kid find friends?
• Can you go back to public school after being homeschooled?

Before we get to our how to start homeschool mid year steps (and how to be homeschooled starting TODAY), let’s cover some common homeschooling questions that will help you with this journey and the best way to answer homeschool where to start. Beginning to homeschool can feel stressful! That’s completely normal and justified!

 

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How long does it take to switch from public school to homeschool?

Before you switch from public school to homeschool, you’ll want to check your state homeschool laws and understand the withdrawal process of your local schools. After you do those things, you can easily withdrawal your child from public school or private school and start homeschooling immediately.

 

Can you transfer to an online school in the middle of the year?

You may be wondering if can you start online school anytime? You can transfer to online school in the middle of the year or anytime during the year that works for your family. However, be sure that you understand the difference between online homeschooling and online school / virtual schooling at home as they are very different.

 

How many hours a day do you homeschool?

You may be surprised to learn that the homeschool hour requirements are a lot less than public school or private school hours and you can usually complete your homeschooling in around two hours a day. Because you are homeschooling one kid (or a just few kids) at home, you get through your homeschool work a lot faster than a teacher juggling a room of 25-30 kids at all different levels.

 

Can I homeschool my child and work full time?

If you’re wondering, “How can I homeschool and work at the same time?” or “Can you start homeschooling mid year and still work?” the answer is YES! You may just need a more flexible schedule for home school and/or work.

If you are emergency homeschooling or homeschooling mid year, is it possible to work full time and homeschool? Because homeschooling is flexible, many homeschool parents work part-time or full time while homeschooling.

 

Quitting Homeschool Mid Year: Can I homeschool for half a year?

Now that you know about homeschooling midyear and that the answer to can you switch to homeschool mid year is YES, what about can you stop homeschooling mid year?

If you’re wondering can you homeschool for half a year and then go back to public school or can you enroll in public school mid year, the answer is yes.

Plenty of people are forced into changing schools mid year because of different situations (moving, etc.).

 

Can you transfer from homeschool to public school?

Just like quitting public school mid year and starting homeschooling mid year, you can also quit homeschool mid year and transfer to public school. Check with the public or private school your child will be attending to find out the transfer requirements for that school.

When you transfer homeschool to public school, you will need to follow the guidelines given to you by the school and state laws, including what age do you start homeschooling.

We keep repeating this, but it’s important: every state’s homeschool laws are different — Florida homeschool requirements are different from homeschooling in Virginia which are different from home school in California.

 

How To Transfer From Homeschool To Public School

Steps to transferring from homeschool to public school mid year:

1. Check with the school that you are transferring into: what is the process? What proof of courses completed or testing will your child need?
2. Be sure that your child is caught up on all courses and school work for their traditional school grade level.
3. Get your homeschool files and documentation (courses completed, grades, attendance, testing, etc.) in order in case they are needed by the school. (A homeschool mid year evaluation or mid year homeschool review may help with this.)
4. Complete the required paperwork for the new school.
5. Choose the school start date for your child.
6. A week or two before school starts, get your child on a school schedule: go to bed early and get up at the time your child will be getting up each day for school.
7. Discuss the process with your child so they understand expectations.
8. Start your new school journey!

REMEMBER: If public school (or private school) doesn’t work out, you can always transfer to home school again, even at end of the school year!

 

When talking about can you switch to homeschool in the middle of the year, you may also wonder:

Can you start homeschooling at the end of the year?

Can I homeschool my child temporarily?

How many hours a day do you homeschool?

Where do I start with homeschooling?

What age can you start homeschooling?

Starting Homeschool in High School

How To Start Homeschooling Kindergarten

 

 

Keep scrolling for step-by-step how to start homeschooling mid-year…

How To Start Homeschooling In The Middle Of The Year

How do I transition to homeschool?

You’re probably wondering, “How do I withdraw my child from school?” or “How do I take my child out of school to homeschool?” or even “How do i sign up for homeschooling?”

To take your child out of school to homeschool, there are some important first steps you need to take.

It’s a big step, so be prepared with these important steps for a successful homeschooling journey!

Use this as a mini private school / public school to homeschool mid-year guide. It doesn’t matter if you’re homeschooling middle schoolers or want to switch to homeschooling sophomore year, these steps and how to go about home schooling are still the same! 

Here’s how to homeschool mid year:

1. Check your state homeschool laws, state regulations, and understand requirements specifically for your area. Know the specific homeschooling laws for your state / area! Each homeschooling requirements by state / state homeschool law varies and each state has different requirements. Completely understand your state’s requirements for homeschool before starting this process! IMPORTANT: More than likely, your local public school or private schools will NOT know homeschooling laws and will give you misinformation. Fully understanding your state’s home school laws will protect you!
2. Understand the parental qualifications for homeschooling in your area. (And that you don’t need to be a certified teacher to home school!).
3. Notify the school (in writing and over the phone) with your child’s name and grade and intent to withdraw. Understand what written request is required. File any transfer paperwork like an intent to homeschool letter (only if required). (Your school may call them a letter of intent / notice of intent / or transfer letter.)
4. Be sure to keep detailed notes of all your interactions with the school (who you spoke with, the date and time, the topic, etc.).
5. Request a copy of your child’s school records, attendance records, copies of recent / previous lessons, test results, and/or report cards / transcripts.
6. Withdrawal your child from school. (Check state laws and local school requirements for withdrawing from school well before the process.) Make sure you properly withdraw your child from school so they aren’t marked as truant. (Yes, even elementary students!)
7. If you have issues with withdrawing a child from school, get help from the homeschool legal defense association (HSLDA). They help homeschool families having issues with local schools and legal issues.
8. Deschool. Don’t worry about figuring out how does homeschooling work right away! Deschooling helps you determine how your child best learns, which is extremely beneficial in switching to homeschool, and makes adjusting to homeschool better for everyone. It is an important starting point for this new journey! During deschooling you’ll have fun with field trips, local library trips, extracurricular activities, letting your children go at their own pace, and meeting your family’s needs. It’s the perfect time to let your child pursue their interests — whether it’s video games or art! (I know this is a different approach and counterintuitive to everything you hear about children’s education and a child being behind. You’ll have to trust me on this one if you’re new to home school!)
9. Ditch the homeschool curriculum search / online homeschool programs / homeschool method search for now.  You don’t need to switch from a stressful school environment right into finding a new curriculum and learning language arts, social studies, and math. Give it a beat. You’ll have plenty of time to find out who Charlotte Mason is in the future (if you want). Focus on your child’s needs right now! There’s plenty of time for learning!
10. Don’t fall for those homeschooling time by age charts you see floating around. Your homeschooling will take as much or as little time as you need for your individual student! Don’t worry about following those homeschool time by age “guidelines” from some sites.
11. If you’re switching to homeschool for a high school student and are worried about them being behind, lightly cover only the core subjects (or supplement with core online learning courses) and allow your high schooler time to adjust and decompress from a public school system.
12. Create an open line of communication with your kids and understand what they want to learn. Home is a great place to develop a child’s love of learning!
13. When you’re ready, it’s a good idea to start with a unit study for your first homeschool year (or at least at the beginning).
14. Don’t be too regimented. Take a deep breath and try to match your child’s natural clock for your homeschooling will be more successful. If they want to sleep in and work later, adjust to that! It will feel weird at first, but more natural after a couple of weeks.
15. Learn how to go with the flow and allow learning to happen naturally! You get to guide your child’s education, so don’t take that for granted!
16. Find a homeschool support community (like our Facebook page)—online resources, statewide homeschooling association groups, or in-person homeschooling groups! There are many Facebook groups, homeschool co-ops, and homeschool groups available today. If you can’t find a local homeschool support group in your area, definitely join online groups. Search online for homeschool support groups [your city or state]. There are so many online resources available to homeschoolers now!
17. BONUS TIP: Once you find a homeschool group (especially online), DO NOT ask for curriculum advice right away. All the curriculum options are often too overwhelming for new homeschoolers! You have plenty of time to research and pick your own curriculum later. Just enjoy getting the entire family onto a new learning experience!

We hope this helped answer your questions to can I homeschool mid year or can you switch to homeschooling in the middle of the year!

You can successfully start homeschooling middle of year and enjoy this homeschool journey! 

REMEMBER: If you live in the United States, you always have the option of homeschooling … starting school any time you want!

Have how to start a homeschool questions? We’re happy to help! Leave them in the comments!

 

After Homeschooling 101: Switching to Homeschool Mid-Year, READ THIS NEXT:

What are the homeschooling pros and cons?

 

Starting homeschool mid year doesn’t need to be difficult!