Self-paced course
Your First Year Homeschooling in Illinois
By now you have probably read enough to work out that the legal part takes an afternoon. Then you sit down on a Monday with a child, a kitchen table, and no idea what to actually do, and that is where first years come apart. That gap is the only thing this course is about.
Six modules, about four hours, built around Illinois specifically. Not a generic first-year course with a state page bolted on.
What's inside
1. What Illinois actually requires
The law in plain language, what the law does not require, why homeschools count as private schools here, and where HB2827 stands. Ends with a one-page compliance checklist you can print.
2. Getting out cleanly
Withdrawing a currently enrolled child without giving your district more than it's owed. Includes the letter template, what to do when a school pushes back, and when to involve your Regional Office of Education.
3. The first six weeks
Deschooling, why it exists, and how to do it without feeling like you're wasting time. This is the module that saves people the most money, because almost everyone buys curriculum before this window closes.
4. Choosing an approach before choosing curriculum
The six main approaches, honestly compared by what they ask of you rather than by philosophy. Includes the curriculum planner: a worksheet that maps your family's real constraints to the six required subject areas.
5. Days that hold up
Sample schedules by age, why hourly blocks fail, and how to build a loop instead. Includes what to do with a toddler in the house, which is the question I get most and the one no course answers.
6. Records, co-ops, and the long game
A recordkeeping system simple enough to survive a bad month, how to evaluate a co-op before joining, and the specific reasons families quit in year one so you can see them coming.
Who this isn't for
Worth saying plainly, because I'd rather you not buy it than be disappointed.
- You're not in Illinois. Two modules are state-specific and you'd be paying for material you can't use.
- You're past your first year. You've solved most of this already.
- You want a curriculum recommendation.This course deliberately doesn't give you one. It helps you choose, which is a different thing and more useful.
- $27 is tight this month. Everything legal you need is free on this site. Thelaw guide andHomeschool 101 are complete, and they always will be.
Common questions
Is this just the free information on your site, repackaged?
No, and I'd rather you not buy it if that's what you're expecting. The law guide here is complete and free, and it always will be. The class is the part that's hard to write as an article: sequencing, templates you can copy, sample schedules by age, and a planner that walks you through choosing curriculum for your actual family rather than in the abstract.
What if I'm not in Illinois?
Most of it still applies, but two of the six modules are Illinois-specific and you'd be paying for material you can't use. I'd skip it.
What if I'm already homeschooling?
If you're past your first year, you probably don't need this. The curriculum planner and the recordkeeping module might still be worth it, but I'd read a few guides first and see if you're already covered.
Do I get access forever?
Yes, including updates. If Illinois law changes, the law module gets rewritten and you get the new version.
What's the refund policy?
30 days, no questions and no form. Email me and I'll refund it.
Enroll
$27 one-time, lifetime access, 30-day refund with no questions and no form. If it doesn't help, email me and I'll send your money back.
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Take the free starter kit instead
Compliance checklist, withdrawal letter template, and a record-keeping log. It's the first module's worksheets, free.
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