Feb 12 2023 - Jun 30 2023
NOTE: The MPE Board of Directors does not necessarily endorse any of the organizations or people offering these opportunities.
State & National Homeschool Organizations
- Christian Home Educators Confederation of Kansas (CHECK) – An association of Christian homeschool support groups from across Kansas. CHECK’s web site provides help for new home educators, a link to register home (or private non-accredited) schools with the Kansas Department of Education, links to local support groups in Kansas, legal/legislative information, and more.
- Christian Home Educators Fellowship (CHEF) – A network of Missouri homeschool support groups and other homeschool contacts, organized and operated by volunteer representatives of the participating support groups.
- Families for Home Education (FHE) – A lobbying group for all home educators in the state of Missouri. This site contains information of special interest to those in Missouri–legal requirements, special events, etc. The Resource List contains a detailed listing of helpful books and magazines.
- National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) – “NHERI’s forte is in the realm of research, statistics, technical reports, data, facts, demographics, the academic world, consulting, academic achievement tests, and expert witness while serving people ranging from researchers and policy makers to professional educators, teachers, homeschoolers (home schoolers), and parents in general to the media, marketing consultants, and the general public.”
- Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) – A nonprofit advocacy organization established to defend and advance the constitutional right of parents to direct the education of their children and to protect family freedoms. Through annual memberships, HSLDA is tens of thousands of families united in service together, providing a strong voice when and where needed.
- HSLDA Military Families – An association formed by Christian parents who homeschool using Christian values and beliefs. Its mission is to establish an active support network on each post, camp, and base to allow families an easy transition from one location to the next by establishing a core set of opportunities that supplement and enhance educational and extracurricular areas. It desires to unite home education with the local community through educational, charitable, and volunteer opportunities.
- Home School Foundation – The Foundation’s mission is to preserve parental freedoms, promote homeschooling, provide assistance to needy homeschooling families, and support like-minded organizations. The Foundation currently helps families through seven funds: the Widows Curriculum Scholarship Fund, the Special Needs Children’s Fund, the Friends of Home Schooling Fund, the Generation Joshua Fund, the Compassion Fund, the PHC Scholarship Fund, and the Members Helping Members Fund.
- National Christian Forensics and Communications Association (NCFCA) – This association believes that formal speech and debate can provide a means for homeschooled students to learn and exercise analytical and oratorical skills, addressing life issues from a Biblical world view in a manner that glorifies God. To provide these opportunities to homeschooled students, NCFCA facilitates qualifying tournaments throughout the country and the annual national tournament.
- ParentalRights.org – This organization aims to protect children by empowering parents. To that end, details about the Parental Rights Amendment and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child can be found here.
Resources for Struggling Learners
- Applied Learning Processes (KC Metropolitan Area). A one-on-one clinic for the treatment of dyslexia and other learning disabilities. Diagnostic evaluation and individualized treatment available for ages 5 and up. Visit our Facebook page for current students’ treatment.
- The Children’s Therapeutic Learning Center
- Children’s Therapy Services – Private speech therapy clinic offering family-based speech therapy at its Overland Park clinic.
- College Resources
- Homeschooling with Dyslexia
- Lenexa Sertoma Club – Supports people with speech and hearing difficulties.
- PossAbilities Children’s Therapy Group – Pediatric Occupational Therapy.
- HSLDA Homeschooling The Struggling Learner.
- NATional cHallenged Homeschoolers Associated Network (NATHHAN) – This site provides information for families educating special needs children at home.
- Sensory University – provides a full spectrum of educational items and pediatric fitness products, as well as a library of over 100 titles dedicated to improving the lives of children with many different forms of developmental delay.
- Special Needs Resources for Homeschoolers
- St. Nicholas Children’s Therapies LLC – providing services to children and adolescents. Deborah’s niche is learning disabilities, dyslexia, social skills, the eyes working together for learning, sensory processing, and basically developing the client’s sensory system for increasing abilities for taking in and processing new information.
- US Autism and Asperger Association
Free Teaching Resources
- Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) – free online resource for quality data on religion
- Discovery and Fun – The emphasis of this site is archaeology and creation. The site also features Bible-based stories, puzzles, and games. It is designed for elementary-age children, and it is free.
- Dole Institute Online Resources for Students and Teachers – Relevant to governmental, political, domestic, and world affairs of the latter 20th century. It contains a wealth of primary source materials including papers, photographs, and objects.
- Free Homeschooling Resources – Getting Started, Worksheets & Planners, Lesson Plans & Crafts/Games (thanks to Mary Dumelle).
- Sight Words – free resources to teach your child to read
- Free Weekly Maths Problems for High School Students
- A collection of online Maths calculators
- Physics for Kids: Simple Machines in Automobiles
- Free Financial Literacy Programs for Middle and High School.
- Hillsdale College’s Free Constitution 101 Online Course.
- National Inquirer – a middle school science education journal.
- Human Anatomy by PhysicalTherapists.com
- Systems of the Body – Study Guide
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Massive Online Open Course (MOOC) – “Available to anyone with online access, these complimentary, non-credit courses deliver specialized instruction from subject-matter experts on a variety of topics, ranging from aircraft maintenance to passenger safety.”
- U.S. History Scene – Free multimedia education website for learning history.
- Kansas High School Juniors & Seniors: Free Tuition on Select Classes at JCCC.
- Kansas Historical Society.
- Missouri Department of Natural Resources – Missouri’s Natural, Cultural, and Energy Resource Education.
- Creation Science Hall of Fame “Creation Classifieds” section for homeschooled educators to sell your used books and other curriculum materials.
- 7 Secrets to Finding the Best Homeschool Curriculum by Carletta Sanders. Free e-book.
- Supercharged Science – Free Science Activity Video series and Guidebook.
- Talking Books Service for Children – Free library service from the State Library of Kansas and Wolfner Talking Book and Braille Library in Missouri that provides users who have difficulty reading books due to visual or physical impairment or reading disability with digital books and players.
- Writing for Boys: Free blog dedicated to reading and writing for homeschooled boys by a published author currently teaching college writing.
Paid Teaching Resources
- Need a tutor to give your child a little encouragement? Math or language. mjnharry@gmail.com or 913.764.3047 Mary Jane Ward–certified teacher and veteran homeschool mom.
- Rhyming to Reading Prereading Program for 4 years & over who have not entered 1st grade.
- Fast Transcripts – create professional high school transcripts with error-free GPA calculation.
- Patrick Henry College (PHC) Prep Academy.
- Patrick Henry College Writing Mentorship Program – Would you like a writing mentor for your high school student?
- Learn AutoCAD Drafting Online.
- Online Christian Film Academy for Homeschoolers
- Online Engineering Academy for High School Students
- Online High Schools Guide – Top 10 Best Rated, by Consumer Affairs. Some classes are tuition free.
- Online Spanish Tutoring for high school.
- Study Art with Visual Manna.
- Dare to Dabble – KC Teaching Art Studio
- REW Music Homeschool Band, Orchestra & Guitar – Enrich your academic achievement and reap the benefits of music education by joining the leading and most comprehensive homeschool instrumental music program offered to Kansas City and surrounding areas.
- Home Music Teachers Inc. – Music lessons for homeschooled children, with performance opportunities and group activities.
- Music Appreciation for Homeschoolers.
- Guitar Lessons via Skype.
- Young Engineers of Today – Live classes online.
- We The People Fight Tyranny Game – Fun way to learn about American history, the Constitution and our spiritual heritage.
- LEARN Science & Math Club.
- Close Up Washington D.C. – “Renowned programs in Washington, D.C., where students and teachers experience democracy in action.”
- Northwestern University’s Center for Talented Development Gifted Learning Online Classes.
Educational Resources Beyond Kansas City
- Anatoly Karpov International School of Chess (Lindsborg, KS).
- Educational opportunities at the Mark Twain Museum (Hannibal, MO).
- Kansas Aviation Museum (Wichita, KS).
- Kansas Children’s Discovery Center (Topeka, KS).
- Kansas Historical Society (Topeka, KS).
- National Registration Center for Study Abroad (NRCSA).