Homeschool cooperatives can be the very best day of your homeschool week if you plug into one that is a good fit for your family!
As Executive Director for 12 years of a non-profit Christian homeschool group, I had the privilege of serving the community with some wonderful families, and my kids made lifelong friends. It can indeed be the best thing ever and support Christian values and growth!
But what is a co-op day like, and what should you know? Lend an ear and get informed!
The most important document a co-op has to help you is the Handbook. It gives policy guidance for potential and attending members.
The Handbook gives you the WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY, AND HOW of the co-op.
WHO:
Co-op members must typically meet qualifications for membership by the group.
Most faith-based groups require agreement with their statement of faith; either a personal relationship with Christ or accepting this will be an integral part of the co-op experience and not teaching or espousing anything contrary to it.
There will likely be an age requirement; for example, the oldest child must be at least eight years old.
Most have nursery classes for younger siblings but remember co-ops aren’t nursery schools, so this is a blessing when a co-op offers pre-school classes or care.
Check into guidance for foster families or if you have guardianship of children that are not biologically yours.
Is the co-op drop-off, or is parental attendance required? Can older students attend without a parent?
Check to make sure that the organization has an appropriate background check policy for anyone on campus.
Our group used a national criminal background check since we had military families from all over the states; therefore, the state-only background check did not provide our group the highest level of assurance.
Joining a co-op means joining a community (of volunteers) who serve each other for a common goal.
What is the purpose of the group you want to join? What are your plans for joining a co-op?
Under “WHO,” let’s touch on the leaders and decision-makers of the group.
A board of directors runs a non-profit. Are the directors community members or parents in the co-op? How are they elected?
Is the group loosely organized by moms who attend, or is it a church ministry?
These questions may seem unimportant, but the people in charge of the group have a significant impact on daily operations and what you participate in weekly.
WHAT:
Co-ops can offer academic or enrichment classes (or both), field trips, Mom’s Night Out, a youth group, and other experiences hosted by the group.
Classes (the mainstay of the co-op experience) are usually taught by parents who have a skill or talent, and some groups bring in outside teachers when needed to fill a need.
High school attendees (or their parents) often want much more rigorous academics. Does the co-op offer this? What needs are you looking to fill?
Participating in a community created by a group of like-minded parents can be truly fulfilling.
Is the community close-knit or distant? Do the rules over-shadow any fun to be had, or are the rules wholly ignored?
Taking a tour on a co-op day and seeing the group in action can be very enlightening.
As Christians, we must pursue things that glorify God.
I urge you to scrutinize the statement of faith closely and the co-op’s stance on current cultural issues; what is written, what is not written, and what is implied.
Ask questions. Lots and lots of questions.
Progressive Christianity is sneaking in everywhere. Build your house on the solid rock of Jesus Christ and his precepts, despite what the culture says. When the winds of hardship blow, your home will stand.
WHERE:
Co-ops are hosted by a venue, such as a church. If no classes are offered, the meeting location will vary depending on the event.
Consider your travel time and distance to the meeting location. If it takes two hours to get home during rush hour traffic, this could be a huge negative.
Meeting at a church typically requires a facility fee that members pay. This fee covers everything from electricity and paper products to the church’s inability to schedule events in the rooms the co-op uses.
Wherever your group meets, adopt a posture of leaving the space better than you found it. Loads of children make this challenging, but it is good stewardship of what the Lord provides.
WHEN:
Most co-ops that offer classes meet once a week for a semester or full year. How many weeks is the semester? Check the start date, end date, vacations, and how snow days or other inclement weather are handled.
How many periods are offered and the age of your children is vital to consider.
If you have pre-school-age children, consider attending a partial day, which allows you to get home for naps and won’t overstimulate the littles and wreck havoc on the rest of the day.
Pay close attention to the attendance and absence policies.
How many days are you allowed to miss? Can you meet this requirement?
Adult volunteers who are absent must have substitutes. This strains the organization that relies on adult volunteers to teach, assist teachers, monitor halls, help at lunch, and fulfill leadership roles.
WHY:
Joining a co-op means being a part of a community that supports homeschooling in its many facets.
It can also mean having access to resources that are not available in a typical homeschool.
It means learning new things, new experiences, new friends, new challenges, a safe setting where normal childhood mistakes cause growth, and a village to support the good days, bad days, and all the days in between.
It is a terrific social setting for kids to learn to be a good audience, classroom member, and friend.
Getting out of the home so children can be accountable to a teacher who isn’t “mom” is also a great experience.
My favorite thing about the co-op that I ran and loved was the couples who met and married after being students together in our group!
Knowing family trees in God’s kingdom were planted is so rewarding and meaningful!
HOW:
Fees are a prevalent part of establishing a membership with a co-op.
Insurance, facility, classes, background checks, and organizational costs all must be covered by attending members.
Small groups may not have all the costs of larger groups which require more resources to operate.
Make certain that your family meets the criteria for joining.
In our state, homeschoolers can attend public school for classes they may want like band, art, or sports. Our co-op allowed this but not more than 15 hours per week.
Each group has unique policies, found in the Handbook. Make sure you read, understand, and abide by them honestly.
Joining a co-op also means volunteering to help run the organization. (This is very common.)
A willing and cheerful heart is essential because leadership staff can’t possibly do it all independently. If they could, it wouldn’t be called a “co-op,” which stands for cooperative.
Mutual assistance toward a common goal is the only way co-ops survive. If you can’t support this, a co-op isn’t the right fit for you.
Review the policies around discipline and behavior, so you know what is expected of your children. Are they capable of meeting these requirements?
The other members are just homeschooling parents like you without special training in behavior and education.
This means that sometimes children that require special accommodations can’t be served as they deserve, and a setting with professionals is a better choice than a co-op operated by parents.
You now have the WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY, AND HOW of joining a homeschool co-op!
Want to know more? Email me or leave a comment below!
I’d love to help and/or write additional follow-up posts as this just scratches the surface.
thelampformyfeet@gmail.com