Marylanders...what umbrella group do you use?

[Pariah]

I'm doing a search at the same time, but would like to hear personal experiences...we're doing a sort of unschooling/organic/make my own curriculum thing, so we'd need a group that is okay with that...

[lotusdebi]

No longer recommending MPNL

Edited by lotusdebi - 2/21/11 at 4:00pm

[skueppers]

Originally Posted by lotusdebi

Many Paths of Natural Learning: http://www.mpnl.org/

They're completely inclusive, unschooling-friendly, don't ask for more than is legally required, and aren't ridiculously expensive. We've been with them for the past few years, and have been pretty satisfied.

All the unschoolers I know who don't do county reviews use MPNL.

I also know people who use and are happy with The Excelsior Academy, but they're not unschoolers.

This is our first year, and I'm planning to do county reviews. I can always switch to an umbrella if county reviews turn out to be a problem.

[Pariah]

Thanks for the replies! MPNL is the one I was told about a couple years ago but forgot the name of.

[lotusdebi]

Are you officially starting this year or next year?
Are you on the local homeschooling group lists? You can post and ask for feedback from people in your county about how the county reviews go for those who unschool or use a more eclectic approach, and may not have as much in the way of written evidence of homeschooling (such as worksheets). Some counties have more lenient oversight than others.

[Pariah]

We're starting this year. I was on one list, I need to get back on it...

[skueppers]

Originally Posted by Pariah

We're starting this year. I was on one list, I need to get back on it...

I didn't know there were any jurisdictions in Maryland where it was possible to start officially this year with a child whose birth date is in January of 2006.

You may want to double check. If your child isn't old enough to be required to attend Kindergarten in the jurisdiction where you live, then it's not even possible for you to register him as a homeschooler this year.

My daughter's birth date is in November of 2004, and it wouldn't have been possible for her to register as a homeschooler last year because she wasn't 5 on September 1.

[lotusdebi]

You can homeschool unofficially this year. It will give you a chance to ask around about different umbrellas as well as how your county reviews generally go. . Since you're homeschooling, it doesn't matter what grade level work your child is doing, so you can always do "Kingergarten" this year and register next year.

Edited by lotusdebi - 2/21/11 at 4:00pm