Curriculum Cost Reimbursements

Email of the Day:
I am new to the homeschool process, but have heard that WHO can reimburse some of the curriculum cost. We are in the process of ordering for the next school year and hoping for some details on how to go about doing this. Are all curriculums covered under this amazing benefit, or only certain ones? Look forward to hearing more.

Answer:
I’m sorry: someone gave you bad information. No one (not even WHO) has reimburstment or payments for homechool testing, curriculum, or activities.
Public school programs pay for public school students to test, but homeschoolers are entirely responsible for their children’s educations, including testing. There is some discussion of the Department of Education distributing their funding in the form of vouchers, and including homeschoolers, but I doubt that will pass because the majority of our community is still voraciously against allowing increased oversight to homeschooling.

You may, however, testing at your local public school for free. You’ll need to contact them early in the school year (mid to late September), and find out if they are
1) Testing at the grade level you need,
2) If the test is a standardized achievement test, and
3) If you will get scores returned to you for your files.
Then you can test with the school for free, utilizing the “ancillary services” law. Just show up to all the testing days (usually in the spring), and voila!

Added bonus: because most homeschoolers are pretty decent test-takers, the school gets a wee boost in their averages for having your kidlet in there.

Warmly,
~Jen Garrison Stuber, WHO Board Advocacy Chair