Hybrid Homeschooling

by Lorinda K. F. Newton

Spring comes in like a lion and out like a lamb. This year the blusterous lion blew in the coronavirus.  Ground zero in the United States, Kirkland, Washington, is less than two miles from my former home of 23 years.  On Friday, March 13, 2020, Washington State Governor Jay Inslee closed all the schools in the state until April 27.

Families with school-age children panicked. How would they continue their children’s education for the next six weeks on their own? The schools had no contingency plan. The state said that no district could provide online instruction unless all students had equal access. Wealthy school districts handed out laptops. Comcast provided free connections. For those in poor or rural districts, such as South Whidbey Island where I live, free laptops and Comcast service don’t exist.

On one of South Whidbey’s community Facebook pages, many moms expressed their panic, and one even called for homeschoolers to help. These parents had never planned to homeschool. Now the responsibility of educating their children had been thrust upon them. 

Some local homeschoolers, myself included, offered tips, links to resources, and a listening ear to these frantic families. When this pandemic ends, I imagine that several families may reconsider their educational options.

School Choice

According to Edchoice, only 32 percent of parents want their children to attend the public schools. The other 68 percent favor the following: charter schools–13 percent, private schools–42 percent, and homeschool–13 percent. Currently, the K-12 population receives its education this way: 82 percent in public school, 5 percent in charter schools, 10 percent in private schools, and 3 percent in homeschools.

Most families would like to send their children to a private school (42%), but only ten percent can afford it. Several like the idea of homeschooling but lack the confidence or the time to do it.

One option Edchoice failed to include was hybrid homeschooling. This educational option brings together elements of private school and homeschooling,

What Is Hybrid Homeschooling?

Before answering that question, let me list some definitions.

• Homeschooling: parent-led education without government funds. Parents have complete control over the curriculum and the time spent on schooling. The requirements they must meet vary by individual state laws. These families may participate in co-ops, community sports, or music lessons. Some hire tutors or use online courses to augment coursework done at home.
• Public-school-at-home: Alternative learning programs offered by public schools. Students may meet in a classroom once a week, take courses online, or be supervised by a public-school teacher while doing lessons at home. Many people mistakenly call this educational model “homeschooling” because the children spend all or part of their week at home. Because the government funds these programs, no religious curriculum is permitted, nor do parents have much control. Students must use public school curricula and take the required tests. In Washington State, those who participate in such programs are legally public-school students.
• Private-school-at-home: A private school program in which students only attend classes two or three days a week and then complete their work at home under their parents’ supervision. Often the school provides a set of curricula.
• Hybrid homeschooling: parent-directed educational program in partnership with a private school designed to support homeschooling families. The level of parental control varies by program. Typically, such schools offer classes once or a few days a week. Most of these programs have private school accreditation and provide parent coaching, report cards, transcripts. Some offer field trips and extracurricular activities.

Advantages of Hybrid Homeschooling

• The schools handle most of the record-keeping. 
• Often, parents don’t need to teach all the subjects. This is especially beneficial when their children reach high school, and parents don’t have the desire or ability to teach courses at that level.
• Trained teachers assist parents in selecting courses and curricula and developing course goals.
• The schools provide accountability, so students stay on track and meet deadlines.
• The teachers can provide emotional support when children struggle.
• The students gain exposure to different teaching styles by attending classes. An English professor at Bellevue College told me he had one major complaint about homeschoolers. After he would make corrections on their papers, some would say, “But my mom let me do it that way.” It’s good for students to learn from different instructors.
• Students have the opportunity to socialize regularly with other students and participate in group projects and science labs.
• It costs much less than private school tuition.

What Does Hybrid Schooling Look Like?

As a high school sophomore, my daughter Sombai has a busy schedule as a taekwondo competitor. Homeschooling gives her the flexibility to attend out-of-state tournaments, but the hybrid homeschool program keeps her accountable to complete her schoolwork.

Here’s her schedule:*

• Mondays she attends High School English and Watercolor Art at a large homeschool co-op.
• Tuesdays she attends Arrow Academic Center, ANW’s learning center in Woodinville, Washington, to take SCORE (study skills), Biblical Worldview, and Physical Science.
• Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons, she trains and teaches at her taekwondo school.
• She has two independent courses, Algebra and Health. Her father and I selected the curricula.

I oversee and correct her work, administer tests, and occasionally help with assignments. We track the hours she spends on each subject (a Washington State requirement), and I turn these into ANW. 

Because her Teacher Consultant, Denise Sumner, sees her each Tuesday for classes, we only meet for a conference each quarter. If we have any issues or questions, we can email her anytime.

At the quarterly conference, I turn in grades for the classes not taken at the learning center and show samples of Sombai’s work. ANW maintains all the records for report cards, transcripts, and high school credit completion. Each semester, we add examples of Sombai’s best work to her high school portfolio, another graduation requirement.

Having independently homeschooled for ten years, I enjoy the support that hybrid homeschooling provides. Teaching high school, especially to a special-needs child, is hard. I value ANW’s accreditation and appreciate Denise Sumner’s emotional support when homeschooling gets tough.

A Few Disadvantages

For some homeschool families, a hybrid homeschool may feel too restrictive. In Washington, private schools, such as ANW, must follow the state graduation requirements. In contrast, independent homeschoolers have more freedom in fulfilling their graduation requirements.

For those coming out of a classroom setting, the reduced structure and transportation needs might be a challenge.

 Would Hybrid Homeschooling Work for Your Family?

Consider the following.

• How much control do you want over your children’s education?
• Can you afford a hybrid homeschool program? These costs might be covered by vouchers or Education Savings Account programs if your state has such a program.
• Do you have transportation to the school site?
• Classroom families:
  • Would your child thrive better in a less structured, personalized academic environment?
  • Are you or another adult available to supervise your children at home?
  • Are you willing to take the time to have a more active role in your child’s education?
• Homeschoolers
  • Would your children enjoy or prefer learning with other children who aren’t their siblings?
  • Do you need a break as a mom from teaching all the time?
  • Do you need more accountability and support in your homeschooling endeavors?
  • Are you willing to share your educational authority with a hybrid homeschooling program and give up some flexibility in your schedule?

Academy Northwest

Academy Northwest is one of several hybrid homeschool programs in the country. Each of its learning centers offers different levels of service. Some only provide weekly tutoring or parental guidance with a Teacher Consultant. Others, like Arrow Academic Center, offer small classes that meet once or multiple times a week. The Marysville, Washington, learning center runs a five-day K-8 school.

If a parent-directed hybrid homeschooling program sounds like a good fit for your family, contact Academy Northwest today. If you live outside their service area, they also have online Teacher Consultants available.

For those who want the hybrid homeschool classroom experience but don’t live near any of ANW’s learning centers, search online for hybrid homeschooling to find other programs that might fit your educational needs. Or perhaps you can find a teacher who would be willing to open a new ANW learning center in your area.

*Due to the coronavirus, all of her outside classes have moved online, including taekwondo.

Lorinda K. F. Newton began homeschooling her children in 2004, and her family joined Academy Northwest in 2014. Her family lives on beautiful Whidbey Island north of Seattle, Washington. She writes about faith, culture, and governing from a biblical worldview at Lorinda’s Ponderings and Lorinda’s Ponderings on Facebook. ©2020 by Lorinda K. F. Newton. All rights reserved.