Hello Texas homeschool families! My name is Stephanie Lambert and I am the Executive Director of the Texas Homeschool Coalition which is your state homeschool organization. I want to start today by commending you for taking ownership of your own kids education. So whether you've already decided to homeschool or whether you're looking into it, kudos to you for taking ownership of it. So at THSC we believe that God gave kids to parents, like you, to raise and to educate them. We also believe that homeschooling is the best model for educating kids. Did you know that studies are showing that homeschool kids are on average scoring 15 to 30 percentile points above their public school peers! On top of that the same studies are showing that homeschool kids are more likely to be involved in their communities, more likely to vote, more likely, this is my personal favorite, to hold to the values and beliefs of their parents. So I want you to know while you're considering homeschooling or you've decided to do it, homeschooling is a really excellent option, not only academically but it's also a great option for families. Homeschooling strengthens families. And when families are strong, communities are strong, and when our communities are strong, our country will be strong and that strengthens the Kingdom of God. So I want you to be encouraged in this path that you're considering today. So I mentioned before that I am the Executive Director of the Texas Home School Coalition, but not only that, I am a homeschool alumni. My parents started homeschooling in the 80s and 90s before it was even legal. While they were figuring out how to homeschool they were also starting a local homeschool organization with a few other people around them who were doing the same thing. And then they were also serving in the ministry of the Texas Home School Coalition. They were helping to establish that homeschooling was free and how it would be free. My parents were not perfect. We aren't a perfect family, none of us my siblings are me, are child prodigies. But you know something I've been thinking about and noticing is that my two brothers and my sister and me. we all are learners today. We lead in our spheres of influence, we serve in our communities, we love each other, we love God. And what I've realized is that that has been gifted to us by my parents who discipled us. They used homeschooling as a tool for discipleship and they lived those things out in front of us. They served, they ministered, they lived a life of sacrifice. They loved us and God and so today we are beneficiaries of that and we are walking that out. So while you're thinking about homeschooling or you've decided to do it I want you to know that I, as a homeschool alumni, am very thankful that my parents, years ago, decided to homeschool my siblings and me. And I want to walk you through the steps for homeschooling and make sure you have the tools that you need to be able to begin this journey. So let's talk about the law. Step #1: Know the Law. In some states you have to apply with the school, you have to have your curriculum approved things like this. Well the good news for you today is you've chosen Texas as your state in which to homeschool and homeschooling in Texas is very free thanks to the work of my parents and the pioneers who have gone before us to ensure that. So here are the legal requirements for homeschooling in Texas: Parents must have a curriculum that covers the five basic subjects math reading spelling grammar and a course in good citizenship. Five basic subjects. So you must have that curriculum, and you must be pursuing it in not a sham, in a way that's not a sham um in a bona fide manner. Those are the legal requirements for homeschooling in Texas. All right I'll go into a little bit more detail about how you get there, but the second thing we encourage you to do is become a member of THSC. Now i want you to know this is not a legal requirement. In some states it is in some states you actually have to be a member of a group like THSC to be able to homeschool. But THSC has been fighting for years for parents in Texas to have the freedom to choose what they believe is best for their family. So that said we believe that homes that choosing to be a member of THSC really should be your option. The reason that thousands and thousands of parents do decide to be members of THSC is because it is the best way to have support and protection in your homeschool journey. So THSC members enjoy things like planning tools, including report card um templates, transcript templates. They have access to expert coaches that help them get started on their home school journey, they can help them work through challenges that they're facing like special needs issues all the way through to helping them prepare their high schooler for college. Our expert coaches are such an asset to our members. Our THSC members enjoy events they enjoy staying informed. They really make an impact on homeschooling in Texas. So again we encourage you to start by becoming a member of the Texas Home School Coalition. All right so you know the law, you've chosen to become a member, the third thing that you're going to need to do is: choose a curriculum. All right back in the day when my parents were homeschooling there weren't a lot of options, so they were having to go to private schools and ask them to let them as a family buy the private school curriculum. Not so today. There are tons and tons of options; it can be a little bit overwhelming. So i'm going to give you a resource. I want to encourage you to go to thsc.org and click on Homeschooling in Texas and read up there about how to choose a curriculum. You'll also find links there that link you to free curriculums online. If you need a you know a free option or even talk to you about thinking through your teaching style and your child's learning style. So go there read up a little bit on how to choose a curriculum. Once you've become a member of THSC you can also just schedule an appointment with our expert coaches and get them to help you walk through that process. All right so you know the law, um you've chosen to become a member of THSC, you have chosen a curriculum, and the next step you're going to need to take is: withdraw from public school. One caveat here is if you haven't had your kid in public school at all, if you've just moved to the state, or if they're just becoming school age don't contact the school. You can skip this step. All you need to do is begin homeschooling. If your child has been in public school though you do need to withdraw from the public school. Another resource for you, go to thsc.org and just click on Withdraw from Public School. We've got a tool there that will give you we'll walk you through that process in three easy steps. All right you know the law, you've become a member of THSC, you've chosen your curriculum, you've withdrawn from public school, and the last thing you need to do is: Start Homeschooling! So remember that homeschooling means freedom. It's not going to look like the public school. It's not going to look like other people's experience. We encourage you to be flexible like don't compare yourself to other people. Set your own goals, um think about what works and what doesn't work. If you've tried something that doesn't work, discard it. My parents did so much of that and they kind of put together something that worked really well for our family little by little. Finally remember you're not alone. Be a member of THSC. Join with other members. Be a part of your homeschool organization. Be involved in the community to get the support and encouragement that you need. THSC and our members believe that parents should be empowered to raise and educate the next generation of leaders. So we we commend you for taking seriously God's call to teach your own kids. You've made the right choice, you're considering the right options, you can do this! You homeschooled them from the time they were born until they were even preschool age. You can do it today. We want to encourage you take the next step: become a member of THSC. Join the THSC family and be empowered on this exciting homeschool journey. I want to leave you with this. Robert Bella with the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton University said we should never underestimate the significance of the small group of people who have a vision of a just and gentle world the quality of a whole culture may be changed when two percent of its people have a new vision. You are that two percent. Homeschool with confidence. Together let's change the world you