Homeschool Teacher Training Academy

08/16/2026

Does your homeschool have an official start date?

Some families follow a more traditional school calendar, some start whenever they're ready, and some of us homeschool pretty much year-round. 😅

Just a reminder for my NC families — you don't have to follow the public school's start date. North Carolina requires a homeschool to operate on a regular schedule for at least nine calendar months of the year.

If you are in a different state, what does your state's law require.

So what does YOUR family do?

📅 Official first day every year?
🌻 Year-round homeschooling?
😂 Or are you more of a “we never really stopped” family?

08/14/2026

🩸 🩻 🫀 🦴 🔬 🔎 🕵️

PreK–12th Grade
Forensic Science • Anatomy • Biology Resources

Funny how a teacher's brain works sometimes. 😂

After a little struggle finding cooperative veins during a blood challenge test, they pulled out this special light that actually helps them see the veins under the skin.

And what did my brain immediately think?

SCIENCE CURRICULUM! 😂

Watching it made me think about all the fascinating ways we can teach kids about the human body, anatomy, biology & even forensic science—especially when we can connect what they're learning to something they can actually see or experience in real life.

I'm going to share a few of my favorite science resources in the comments—from PreK all the way through high school. These are publishers & resources I've personally used with my own children or recommended to other homeschool families over the years.

[If you used any of the ones I shared in the comments, reply w/ the age of student & what you liked & didn't like.]

👂
Now I want to hear from you!

What science curriculum or resources have your kids absolutely LOVED?

I'm especially interested in your favorites for human anatomy, biology & forensic science, but feel free to share any great science resource you've discovered.

Drop your recommendations in the comments so we can create a great resource list for other homeschool families, too!👇

08/13/2026

How many of you use the Book IT@ reading incentive program?

The BOOK IT! program is a long-standing reading incentive initiative created by Pizza Hut in 1984 that motivates students in elementary school to read by rewarding them with free Personal Pan Pizzas for meeting their reading goals.

Did you participate ?🍕

Homeschoolers may enroll in the BOOK IT! homeschool program.

08/13/2026

What are alternatives to textbook learning you have used or plan to incorporate into your homeschool?

&/or share your favorite History Curriculum?

Check your email for those on HTTA email
list for FREE history curriculum idea (movie based & student guide) & elementary, middle & high school reading journal.

08/10/2026

Warning About AI Content:

​What are the pros & cons of using AI content in your homeschool?

​I’m sharing a graphic here today that I recently created for my private Facebook group, N.C. Homeschooling.
​I wanted to be transparent: you may notice a tag noting this is AI-generated.

​When I first asked AI to create this particular graphic, it actually got some of the legal information WRONG. This is why I must always be the final editor. I create the content myself first, then use AI to check my spelling & grammar. Because I have dyslexia, this is an incredibly helpful tool for me. While having dyslexia can be a disadvantage in some areas, it is a significant advantage in my work with students. It gives me a unique perspective—I’m not only professionally qualified with the knowledge of how to support students with dyslexia, but I also have the personal empathy & understanding of how their brains work.
​If you see AI-generated content on this page, please know that I have gone to extreme lengths to ensure that both the graphics & the accompanying text are as accurate as possible. As an educator with 11 years of public school experience & 25 years in the homeschooling community—including my work as a Woodcock-Johnson test administrator—I bring that unique depth of experience to everything I create.

​While this specific graphic is tailored to North Carolina requirements, I wanted to share it here as a sample of the work I provide to my testing families.

Also, in my Homeschool Teacher Academy I provide a course that walks families through the laws in their state.

My goal is always to provide information that is clear, quick to read, & 100% reliable.
​I’d love to hear your thoughts: How are you navigating AI in your own home schools? Do you find it helpful, or do you have concerns about the information it provides?
​Thank you for trusting me as a resource!

08/09/2026

Which option is your family using or exploring this year? I’d love to hear what is working for you!

Microschool, learning pod, co-op, hybrid school, public school at home—what do these terms actually mean?

Although these options may look similar, they are not the same educationally or legally. Here is a simple glossary:

The Non-Traditional Schooling Glossary -->

Homeschool: The parent directs the education, chooses the curriculum, and remains legally responsible.

Public School at Home: A tuition-free public school completed at home. The school controls the curriculum, attendance requirements, and testing.

Microschool: A small school—often with 5–15 students—led by a teacher or director who manages instruction and daily operations.

Learning Pod: A small group of families sharing instruction, supervision, or the cost of hiring a tutor.

Homeschool Co-op: Homeschool families meeting regularly for shared classes, activities, and social opportunities. Parents generally remain responsible for their children’s education.

Hybrid School: A combination of scheduled classroom instruction and assigned learning at home.

Private Online School: A tuition-based private school providing online instruction, records, and sometimes a diploma.

Online Curriculum Provider: A company providing lessons or courses for families to use at home. Purchasing an online curriculum does not necessarily mean your child is enrolled in a school.

Dual Enrollment: A high school student takes college courses while also completing high school. Courses may be offered through community colleges, universities, public school partnerships, private schools, or homeschool arrangements.

Concurrent Enrollment: A form of dual enrollment in which a college-approved course is often taught through a high school or school partnership. Some states use “concurrent enrollment” and “dual enrollment” interchangeably.

Early College or Middle College: A structured program combining high school and college coursework. Students may earn substantial college credit—and sometimes an associate degree—while completing high school.

The Simplest Distinctions

A microschool is a small school.

A homeschool is directed by a family.

A pod is a shared learning group.

A co-op is a homeschool community.

A hybrid combines classroom and home learning.

Public school at home is still public school.

Dual enrollment combines high school with college courses.

An online curriculum is not necessarily an online school.

Why State Laws Matter

These are common educational terms—not universal legal classifications.

Each state determines how homeschools, microschools, pods, co-ops, tutors, private schools, and hybrid programs are regulated. Even the same term may have a different legal meaning from one state to another.

Before choosing a program, find out:

Who is legally responsible for the student?

Who chooses the curriculum?

Who maintains attendance and educational records?

Is the student legally homeschooled, privately schooled, or publicly schooled?

What filing, testing, or recordkeeping requirements apply?

Will dual-enrollment courses provide high school credit, college credit, or both?

A Special Note for North Carolina Families

Career & College Promise: North Carolina’s tuition-free dual-enrollment program allows eligible high school students—including homeschool students—to take approved community-college courses. Available pathways may lead toward college transfer, career credentials, certificates, diplomas, or degrees.

Career & College Promise is one specific North Carolina dual-enrollment program. It is not the general name for every type of dual enrollment.

North Carolina families should also understand the state requirements affecting homeschools, co-ops, tutors, group instruction, virtual public schools, and other educational arrangements.

If you have not completed it yet, take the Legal Course inside The Homeschool Teacher Training Academy. It will help you understand your own state’s homeschool requirements and make informed decisions with confidence.

Families can also combine options. You may homeschool while participating in a co-op, pod, community class, online course, or dual-enrollment program.

Happy Homeschooling,

Angie Cutlip, M.Ed.
The Homeschool Teacher Training Academy

08/09/2026

08/06/2026

Love this back to homeschool school idea from one of my favorite publishers

08/03/2026

How many hours do you homeschool each day per "grade"?

08/02/2026

Opinion: Should homeschoolers be allowed to participate in public school sports & extracurricular activities?