More Information about CHIP and homeschooling...

The CHIP support group is the oldest homeschool group in Pasco county, although our meetings have gotten rather informal lately! We usually have one or two field trips a month, trying to balance "free" trips with an occasional one that costs a nominal fee. Besides our "special" field trips, we have a park day the first Friday of each month (Sept. thru May) at the Holiday Recreation Center, on Strauber Memorial Hwy in Holiday, FL. and we also have a Christian Homeschool skating party jointly with another homeschooling group on about the third Friday of each month. The skating is held at the rink on Congress Street in Port Richey, FL; the cost is $3.00 per student and includes skates, a slice of pizza, and a soda. Park Day and Skating are always scheduled for once a month...


Basically there are two ways to homeschool in Florida...


The first way is to register with your local school board (Pasco County) as homeschoolers. You are required to keep a lesson plan book and samples of your students' work, for two years after completed. You are also required to have your child tested, his/her portfolio evaluated, or the child interviewed by any state-licensed teacher each year, and to have the test results/portfolio review/interview results letter submitted both to you in writing and to the school board by June 1. As long as your child shows progress, your homeschool is "approved" for another year. This is usually not the method we recommend for a Christian family.

The other way is to register under an accredited "umbrella" school--there are several in this area--and then you will be accountable only to the school, not to the state. Some local families use Glen Haven, which is out of Springhill. You must do required subjects and keep your "hours," and "life lessons" do not count as hours. Many of us are registered with Victory Christian School out of Trenton, FL., which is accredited in several states. You can get an info packet by e-mailing them: Victory Christian School. The directors are Carl and Diane Cornwell, very dear Christian couple. Mrs. Cornwell has a doctorate in Education.