News & Events

Back by popular demand: Sample Progress Report

Posted: June 27, 2019

You asked, we listened. Here's a sample progress report that has been accepted in Massachusetts. Read more.

Evaluating Evaluation: Progress Reports

Posted: June 13, 2019

In Massachusetts, homeschooling parents, as the teachers of their children, are responsible for evaluating their progress. CARE AND PROTECTION OF CHARLES & others, 399 Mass. 324 (1987) clearly outlines three forms of evaluation: “Other means of evaluating the progress of the children may be substituted for the formal testing process, such as periodic progress reports or dated work samples, subject to the approval of the parents.” (Charles at 340) Parents may choose one of them to fulfill their responsibility. Read more.

Student "M7" Charlie Cards for Homeschoolers

Posted: June 6, 2019

Summer Monthly Paper Passes M7, good for July and/or August only, can be ordered using this form. The deadline for requesting summer passes is July 1, 2019. Read more.

Announcing AHEM Networking Forum

Posted: May 23, 2019

AHEM listened and heard the challenges independent family-based homeschooling families face these days. Elists have fizzled, Facebook is an unreliable source for finding out about events, many groups seem splintered or private. Where do you fit in? Is it worth going to the park if you’re not sure anyone else will show up? How can you meet other homeschoolers who live nearby? You are not alone. Read more.

Outreach!

Posted: May 2, 2019

Remember when you were considering homeschooling but you weren’t sure where to find information about it? AHEM’s Considering Homeschooling brochure cuts to the chase with information on deciding to homeschool and getting started homeschooling in Massachusetts. Read more.

POPCORN AND PAGE TURNERS: RUNNING A TEEN BOOK GROUP

Posted: April 11, 2019

When my son, Fred, was 13, we decided to start a book group to read adult literature. I had never led a book group before—just had read a lot as a fiction lover—but was excited to give it a try. Read more.

Are Homeschoolers Entitled to Participate in Public School Classes and Activities?

Posted April 11, 2019

At some point in their homeschooling experience, for varied and personal reasons, families may seek out classes, extracurricular activities, or athletic programs offered by their local school district. One might assume that a homeschooling family paying property taxes in their town would be entitled to gain full access to public school offerings, but it’s not quite that simple. Read more.

Bespoke Homeschooling Without Breaking the Bank

Posted February 21, 2019

You’ve made the leap, cut the cord, taken the plunge—however you put it—you’ve pulled your kid out of school, or made the decision not to send them at all. Often this decision means the family budget also takes a hit, as one or both parents adjust their schedules and/or work hours to spend more time with the children. It could even mean one parent leaving the workforce for a time. Read more.

Legislative Update

Posted February 7, 2019

The Massachusetts Legislature began its 191st session on January 2, 2019. The various bills that AHEM tracked in the 190th session, regarding changes to the compulsory attendance age and other educational issues, have either died or been set aside for further study in the new session. Read more.

Unschooling as a Feminist Act

Posted January 3, 2019

When I was a young mother, I wore a t-shirt with the words: “The hand that rocks the cradle rocks the boat.” The phrase put a spin on a 19th century poem entitled “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Rules the World” by American poet William Ross Wallace. I understood at the time that becoming a mother was increasing my desire to create change in the world, although I didn’t know where that would lead me. I had already realized that, as the feminist movement espoused, the personal is political. I had already challenged a few assumptions about how life was supposed to work—including rejecting both the style in which I’d been parenting and the institution of school as an effective vehicle for education. Read more.