Public school @ home:
This is a public school operating online under the jurisdiction of the TEA. The state sets the curriculum, attendance requirements, grades and passing levels, teacher qualification, and standardized testing. It is as if your kid were going to a local public school, but online.
Ideal if you want:
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Your kid to stay in public school and just not go to the building
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To re-enroll next year
Pros:
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It's a complete program
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It requires minimal parent effort
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It transfers directly to any other Texas public school.
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Cons:
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Time consuming
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Lots of screen time
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No flexibility
Box/Online Complete Curriculum:
This is a private school or professionally written curriculum covering most standard subjects, possibly more. These can be accredited or not, makes no difference to the TEA. You pick the curriculum or school you are interested in online and sign up, then your kid completes the curriculum, much like they would in a public school. Some do their own grading and have attendance standards while others leave it up to the family. While some sets look very much like what is taught in public schools, others have a strong focus on specific topics, like religion, outdoors, holistic learning, or STEM.
Ideal if you want:
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A very school like set up
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A pre-laid out plan​
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Grading guidance
Pros:
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It's a complete program
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It requires minimal parent effort
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You get to pick a curriculum you like
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Cons:
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Time consuming
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Expensive
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Casual homeschool:
Probably the most common, this is when a parent or family customizes their educational plan. For instance, they might decide to read library books for reading, do Life of Fred math, use Kids Write! for writing, use YouTube for history, and join a co-op where they will make friends and learn about citizenship and science. Sometimes these families use workbooks and school books and other times the focus is on real world learning and living books. It is a very flexible category.
Ideal if you want:
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A very tailored experience
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Flexibility in scheduling
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Learning to be integrated into your life instead of separate
Pros:
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Very flexible
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Very tailored curriculum
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Lots of family time
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Cons:
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It can be scary, because you're not outsourcing responsibility
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More work for parents
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Unschooling:
Unschooling means exactly what it sounds like. Kids learn through their everyday life and interactions. As kids get older, they frequently take the reigns of their own education, pursuing topics as diverse as machining to ballet.
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Ideal if you want:
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Personalized education
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Minimal conflict​
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Minimal parental work
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Learning to be a part of life and not separated
Pros:
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Personalized
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It requires minimal parent effort
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Lots of family time and real world learning
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Cons:
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Scary
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Family opposition
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Unschooling as Homeschooling (available at Midland County Library)
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