by Kathy Kuhl     It’s one thing to decide to homeschool and another to choose to homeschool a child who learns differently. But what about homeschooling for high school when the teen has learning challenges?

The good news is there are many great resources to help parents customize education of their exceptional teens. Today I’ll begin sharing my latest list of resources and tips. 

Know where you are

Like a runner attempting her first 5K or first half-marathon, a parent considering homeschooling for high school has plenty to consider. First, make sure you have a clear sense of your child’s present level of performance and that you understand their evolving learning challenges.

I say “evolving” because as our children grow, their needs may change. Their diagnoses may change, too. Therapy such as occupational, speech, or vision therapy, may resolve some issues. Other challenges may emerge. For instance, the sons of two families I interviewed had ADHD but were diagnosed with autism only as teens.

Issues may also reveal themselves as our kids tackle tougher courses. When my 15-year-old son took Chemistry, Algebra, and Spanish 2, we realized taking these along with English, History, and Design & Technology was too much. We also saw that he wouldn’t be finishing college in four years. So we needed to change our high school plan.

A psychologist once told me his own son’s disabilities weren’t diagnosed until college. Because of our children’s intelligence and perseverance (my son is extradordinarily persistent), it can take time for difficulties to become clear.

Time for new evaluations?

Evaluations are considered valid for three years. A diagnosis can make your student eligible for accommodations in college or trade school. So if you plan a gap year between homeschool and further education, schedule evaluations accordingly. Once admitted to a post-secondary program, the accommodations will be provided while the student is enrolled, even beyond the three years that test results are considered valid. 

If an evaluation is beyond your budget, get your student screened. That won’t qualify students for accommodations, but it can help you determine whether an evaluation might be worthwhile. There are free home screenings at:

• SpedHomeschool.com
• Social skills assessment at TheOTtoolbox.com
• and for HSLDA members at HSLDA.org.

But an expert who meets your student will discern much more than you will get from an online screening, so it’s better to be screened by an expert. For example, homeschool veteran Laurie Chuba, LearningIntegrations.com, is a pediatric occupational therapist in Herndon VA, whom I interviewed here.  An OT can screen for many issues, as can a psychologist. (See my 2-part interview with a psychologist beginning here on how a pyschologist can help you homeschool.)

More for parents to learn

With new diagnoses and new levels of education, parents have more to learn. Before you can plan high school and beyond, it’s good to take what you’ve learned from the evaluations and educate yourself for the next steps.

• To understand different learning challenges, and diagnosis and treatment, read The Mislabeled Child by Brock Eide, MD, and Fernette Eide, MD (These doctors homeschooled their kids. My review is here.)
• SPEDHomeschool has many great resources including their Homeschool High School Checklist. 
• See the HSLDA.org pages on homeschooling through high school. 
• The Motivation Breakthrough by Richard Lavoie, on how to motivate students. 
• Help your child live a richer life. Read Cheryl Swope, Simply Classical: A Beautiful Education for Any Child, even if you don’t plan to provide a classical education. My review is here.
• Chris Dendy, Teaching Teens with ADD, ADHD, and Executive Function Deficits.
• Smart but Scattered Teens by Richard Guare, Ph.D, Peg Dawson, EdD, and Colin Guare. Our guest review by Ben Balserak is here. 
• My blog series “Helping Teens Overcome Learning Challenges” includes many resources, 
• Learning A Living: A Guide to Planning Your Career and Finding a Job for People with Learning Disabilities, Attention Deficit Disorder, and Dyslexia, by Dale S. Brown, available used, reviewed here. 

Mentoring program for parents

A homeschool organization in Virginia has pioneered a mentoring program for homeschooling students through high school anywhere in the USA. HEAV’s High School Mentor program is interactive, with live workshops with experts on a range of topics (available for replay later) and live regular meetings with parents who have homeschooled for high school. I’ve presented for them twice and am impressed with their kindness, thoroughness, and professionalism. (I get no benefit from recommending them.)

More to come…

I’ll be posting more about homeschooling for high school. What questions do you have? Please answer in the comments below, or use the “Got questions?” app (blue bubble, lower right) to send a question privately. Thank you.