What Does Common Core Mean For Homeschoolers?

The Common Core State Standards have brought a wave of protests from concerned parents throughout the country, including here in Missouri. States readily adopted these standards without properly investigating what the standards, and everything that comes with them, would mean for their students. Now many states are balking at implementation. Amid the growing debate, one group often overlooked in the conversation is homeschoolers. Many in the homeschool community are still trying to figure out what the new standards mean for them.

Having the ability to customize their child’s curriculum is one of the main reasons parents choose to homeschool. Some worry that the new standards may infringe on their ability to do so.

The creators of the SAT and ACT are already working on aligning their tests to Common Core. Public schools are changing their curriculum to align with the new standards and tests. There is concern that homeschoolers will struggle on the redesigned state and national standardized tests unless they also align their curriculum. This defeats the purpose of homeschooling – to have greater flexibility and autonomy.

The more state standardized tests and college entrance exams align to the Common Core, the more textbook companies will align their curriculum to the Common Core. Over time, this could leave homeschooling parents with fewer and fewer alternatives from which to choose. It is difficult to know what the exact impact will be; what is certain is that the issue is not going away anytime soon. Parents, whether homeschooling or not, should continue to question Common Core and to educate themselves about the standards and their potential effects.