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Alabama Home Schooling Grants

by Candice Bailey

Overview

Despite the fact that more than two million students in the United States attend homeschool, there are very few financial resources available for parents and tutors. Families of homeschool students in Alabama face even greater challenges because of confusing legal policies. Alabama homeschool educators need to get a little creative in order to find grants, scholarships and discounts without sacrificing teaching quality.
Alabama Homeschooling Laws

The state of Alabama does not have laws that recognize homeschooling as a separate option from more "traditional" school systems. Because of this, the legal situation is tricky and vague. Families who want their children to be homeschooled, but still meet the state requirements for compulsory education, have two choices: to create and/enroll in a "church school" or to use private tutors (who may or may not be family members) with teaching certification. The attendance, curriculum and testing requirements are far more lax than for students enrolled in public or private schools.

Umbrella Schools

Many homeschoolers choose to join "umbrella" or "cover" schools. Cover schools are similar to private schools, except they are created by groups of homeschoolers who have agreed to work together. These schools take on the responsibility of answering to the state of Alabama and account for their students' education by providing attendance records and periodic progress reports.
Finding Grant Money

Because private and church schools in Alabama are not allowed to receive federal or state funding, homeschool individuals are ineligible from receiving any kind of government finance. Additionally, Alabama is not one of the ten states allowed to work with virtual charter schools that supply stipends to home tutors. Families wishing to educate their children from home, or as part of a church school, must look elsewhere for money. A homeschool group should consider their educational ideals, and look to any religious or other non-profit groups that might be interested in supporting such ideals. Members of the group should then write a letter to each organization explaining their financial needs and how the money would be used.
Cutting Costs

Attending homeschool is still cheaper than a private school. The costs for joining a cover school are minimal; the average school charges between $100-200 per year in tuition and assures that homeschool groups are legally sound. Because parents or private tutors must be certified teachers, they are eligible for discounts on teaching supplies. Some publishing companies even provide free desk copies to instructors. Find cheap or free field-trip opportunities; many museums have free admission day once a week. Also, getting involved with a church school allows many parents and tutors the opportunity to share and exchange resources, textbooks, supplies, etc.
College Scholarships for Homeschool Students

Although scholarships and grants are hard to come by students still in compulsory education, a few opportunities do exist for homeschool students applying for college. Amridge College (formerly Southern Christian University) in Montgomery, Alabama offers 25 percent off tuition for students who attended homeschool, and will increase the amount to 35 percent if the student maintains at least a 3.0 GPA after the first semester. Bridgeway Academy, a Pennsylvania-based association which provides resources for homeschools, gives $500 scholarships to students whose parents are either missionaries or active military.