How Do Charter Schools Work?
(And Why Do Homeschoolers Love Them?)
First off, for simplicity's sake, when we say "charter school" here, we're lumping together home-based charter schools, home study divisions of public schools, and the like.
The Big Picture
Imagine a charter school as a public school's cool cousin.
It gets state funding just like a public school, but instead of spending it all themselves, many charter schools share some of the money with you to help buy your curriculum (usually by ordering through them).
You get funding.
They get students.
Everybody wins... mostly.
Why Charter Schools Want You
Charter schools love working with homeschoolers because you help them keep their funding flowing.
And homeschoolers?
They love getting curriculum without spending a fortune. (Win-win!)
BUT… since your child is officially enrolled with them, the school has to check in and make sure everything looks good on paper.
Each charter school is a little different, but here's a sneak peek at what one near us used to require.
A Typical Charter School Might Ask You To:
- Write a simple learning plan at the start of the year.
- Email or call your supervising teacher weekly.
- Submit a quick monthly progress report ("Here's what we did this month!").
- Log school hours weekly (maybe 10–25 hours, depending on age).
- Return non-consumable materials after a year.
Oh, and they usually can't pay for anything religious (Bibles, creation science, etc.) because—public funding.
Will It Feel Like Too Much?
Some families love the accountability—it keeps them moving and on track.
Other families hate the paperwork and find it stressful.
And then there are some who say, "Hey, we already pay taxes into the system, why not use the funding?" (Valid point.)
Timberdoodle's Charter School Kits
Because charter schools can't buy religious materials, we created non-religious/Charter-School Editions of our Timberdoodle Curriculum Kits!
- Classic Kits = Our original kits (what we use with our own kids!)
- Charter Kits = Same awesome learning materials, minus the specifically Christian content
When we had to swap something out, we replaced it with top-tier, neutral resources.
And yes, charter schools (and you) can order individual items instead of complete kits.
How to Find a Great Charter School
Search for a Home-Based Charter School in your state. (Heads up: not every state does this.)
If you find a charter you love but they don't already work with Timberdoodle, send them this link to submit a vendor request. We'd love to work with them!
