Thinking about Homeschooling but Don’t Know Where to Start? Here’s What to Do First

Thinking about homeschooling your child but have absolutely no idea where to begin?  Maybe your child has been struggling in school, and you’re frustrated watching them fall further behind. Maybe they’re bored in class because the work isn’t challenging enough. Or maybe you’ve simply reached a point where you feel like traditional schooling isn’t meeting your child’s needs anymore.  Whatever brought you here, making the decision to homeschool can feel overwhelming.  You start researching homeschool curriculum, and suddenly you’re looking at hundreds of different programs, teaching methods, schedules, and recommendations.  Some parents swear by one curriculum, while others tell you to avoid it completely. Before you know it, you’ve spent hours researching and still have no idea what to buy.  And with some homeschool curriculum packages costing hundreds or even thousands of dollars, choosing the wrong one can be an expensive mistake.

With Let’s Go Learn, parents and guardians can discover exactly where their child stands academically before investing in homeschool materials, helping them make more confident decisions about their child’s education.

One of the biggest challenges for parents transitioning from traditional school to homeschooling is figuring out where their child should start.  It’s natural to assume that if your child just finished third grade, you should purchase a fourth-grade curriculum.  But grade level doesn’t always tell the full story.  The student might be reading two grade levels ahead while struggling with foundational math skills. Another child might excel in math but need additional support with reading comprehension.  And sometimes, children have learning gaps that go unnoticed in the classroom.  That’s why understanding each child’s academic strengths and weaknesses is so important before choosing homeschool materials.

Let’s Go Learn’s diagnostic assessments help parents see beyond grade levels to understand what the child has mastered, what they may have missed, and where they’re ready to grow.

Instead of purchasing curriculum based on assumptions, you can make decisions using information about your student’s actual learning needs.

Many parents consider homeschooling because they feel their child isn’t getting the support they need in traditional school.  Maybe your child brings home passing grades but struggles to complete homework independently.  Maybe they’ve started saying, “I’m bad at math” or “I hate reading.”  Or perhaps the child finishes assignments in minutes and complains that school is boring.  These situations can leave parents and guardians wondering whether their child is behind, ahead, or simply learning differently.  Let’s Go Learn offers two diagnostic assessments that can help answer these questions.

DORA: Discover Your Child’s Reading Strengths and Learning Gaps

Let’s Go Learn’s Diagnostic Online Reading Assessment (DORA) evaluates specific reading skills to help parents understand their child’s reading development.

Rather than providing only a general reading score, DORA assesses multiple areas of reading, including foundational skills, vocabulary, and comprehension.

For example, your fourth grader might have excellent listening comprehension but struggle to decode unfamiliar words independently.

Without understanding that difference, you could purchase reading materials that don’t address the skills the child actually needs to strengthen.

DORA helps parents and guardians identify reading strengths and learning gaps, giving them information to guide instructional decisions.

ADAM: Find Out Where Your Child Stands in Math

Math can be one of the most intimidating subjects for new homeschool parents, especially if it’s a subject you struggled with yourself.

You might be wondering whether you’ll be able to teach fractions, long division, or eventually algebra.

But before worrying about teaching advanced concepts, it’s important to understand which math skills your child already knows.

Let’s Go Learn’s Adaptive Diagnostic Assessment of Mathematics (ADAM) evaluates mathematical understanding across different skill areas.

For example, your sixth grader might be struggling with fractions because they never fully mastered division.

Or your third grader might already be ready for more challenging mathematical concepts.

ADAM helps identify these differences so parents can make informed decisions about which skills to prioritize.

Instead of guessing what a child needs, you can start with a clearer picture of their actual abilities.

If you’ve spent any time researching homeschooling, you’ve probably noticed that the costs can add up quickly.

Between textbooks, workbooks, online subscriptions, teaching materials, and complete curriculum packages, it’s easy to spend far more than you originally planned.

And when you’re just starting out, it’s tempting to purchase everything at once because you want to make sure you’re doing enough for your student.

But here’s something worth considering:

What if the curriculum you’re about to purchase isn’t actually the right level for the child?

Imagine spending $500 on a fifth-grade math program only to discover your student still needs help with third-grade multiplication and division.

Now you’re searching for additional resources, spending more money, and trying to help your child learn new material without the foundational skills they need.

Or imagine purchasing an entire reading program only to realize the child has already mastered most of the material.

That’s why assessing your child’s academic abilities before making major curriculum purchases can be so valuable.

Let’s Go Learn helps parents and guardians identify strengths and learning gaps so they can make more intentional decisions about where to invest their time and money.

Rather than buying materials simply because they’re labeled for a child’s grade, you can look for instruction that more closely matches the student’s needs.

For some parents, the decision to homeschool comes after watching their child struggle academically for months or even years.

Maybe you’ve attended countless parent-teacher conferences.

Maybe the child receives extra help at school, but you still don’t understand why they’re falling behind.

Or maybe homework has become a nightly battle, leaving both you and your child feeling frustrated.

One of the most difficult parts is not knowing exactly where things started going wrong.

A child struggling with sixth-grade math might actually be missing a foundational skill from third or fourth grade.

A child having difficulty with reading comprehension might need additional support with decoding or vocabulary.

When these learning gaps go unidentified, new lessons can become increasingly challenging.

Let’s Go Learn helps uncover the specific skills a child may have missed, even if those gaps developed years earlier.

This information allows you to focus on the areas where your student needs support rather than automatically making them repeat an entire grade level.

And just as importantly, you can identify subjects where the child is already excelling.

Homeschooling gives families the flexibility to meet children where they are, and understanding their academic abilities helps you take advantage of that flexibility.

One of the biggest reasons parents hesitate to homeschool is the fear that they aren’t qualified.

You might be thinking:

• What if I don’t remember how to do middle-school math?
• How will I know if my child is learning enough?
• What if I miss something important?
• How do I know which lessons to teach first?
• What if I make the wrong decisions about my student’s education?

These are completely understandable concerns, especially when you’re responsible for planning your child’s education for the first time.

But you don’t need to know every answer on day one.

The first step is understanding what your child already knows and where they need additional support.

Let’s Go Learn’s diagnostic assessments provide detailed information about each child’s academic skills, helping you approach homeschooling with greater confidence.

And when your child needs extra practice, Let’s Go Learn’s personalized Edge instruction can help target specific reading and math skills identified through assessment.

This means you don’t have to rely entirely on guesswork when deciding which concepts deserve additional attention.

If you’re thinking about transitioning your child from traditional school to homeschooling, start with a few manageable steps.

Step 1: Research Your State’s Homeschooling Requirements

Every state has different homeschooling laws, so it’s important to understand what is required where you live.

Depending on your state, you may need to submit a notice of intent, maintain certain records, or follow specific instructional requirements.

Start by reviewing your state’s official homeschooling guidelines before withdrawing your child from school.

Step 2: Assess Your Child Before Buying Curriculum

Before investing in expensive homeschool programs, find out where your child stands academically.

Let’s Go Learn’s DORA and ADAM assessments help identify reading and math strengths, missing foundational skills, and areas where a child may be ready for additional challenges.

This can be especially helpful for families transitioning from public or private school who aren’t sure how much material their student has mastered.

Step 3: Use the Results to Make Smarter Curriculum Decisions

Once you have a better understanding of your child’s academic abilities, you can begin researching curriculum with greater confidence.

For example, if the child is ahead in reading but needs additional math support, you can choose materials that reflect those differences.

You don’t have to assume every subject should be taught at the same grade level.

Step 4: Support Learning and Track Progress

Each child’s educational needs will change as they learn and grow.

Let’s Go Learn offers progress-monitoring tools and personalized instruction to help families recognize growth and identify areas that may still need attention.

By checking progress over time, you can adjust your approach based on your child’s developing skills.

How do I start homeschooling if I have no experience?

Begin by researching your state’s homeschooling requirements and understanding your child’s current academic needs. You don’t need to purchase every curriculum or teaching resource immediately. Let’s Go Learn’s diagnostic assessments can help you understand your child’s reading and math abilities before you make a major educational purchase.

How do I know what grade level my child should be learning?

A child’s school grade doesn’t necessarily reflect their skill level in every subject. Let’s Go Learn’s DORA and ADAM assessments help identify strengths and learning gaps so you can make more informed decisions about appropriate instruction.

Should I assess my child before starting homeschooling?

Assessing your child can be a valuable first step, especially if you’re unsure whether they’re behind, ahead, or working at different levels in reading and math. Diagnostic assessments provide more detailed information than simply relying on report cards or previous grade placement.

What if my child is behind in school?

If your child is struggling academically, identifying underlying learning gaps can help you determine where to focus. Let’s Go Learn’s diagnostic assessments are designed to pinpoint specific reading and math skills that may need additional attention.

How can I avoid wasting money on homeschool curriculum?

Before purchasing expensive materials, identify your child’s learning needs and compare those needs with the content and level of the curriculum you’re considering. Using Let’s Go Learn’s diagnostic assessments can help you make more informed choices rather than buying programs based on grade level alone.

Deciding to homeschool is a big step, and it’s normal to feel like you have a million questions.

What should you teach? Which curriculum should you buy? Is your child behind? Are they ready for more advanced lessons?

You don’t have to figure everything out at once.

Before spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on homeschool curriculum, start by understanding what your child actually knows.

With Let’s Go Learn’s diagnostic reading and math assessments, you can identify academic strengths, uncover learning gaps, and make more confident decisions about your child’s education.

Whether your child has been struggling in traditional school, needs more challenging material, or simply learns differently, having a clearer understanding of their abilities can make the transition to homeschooling less overwhelming.

Your child’s education doesn’t have to follow a one-size-fits-all approach, and your homeschool journey doesn’t have to begin with an expensive purchase.

Start with answers. Start with Let’s Go Learn.

Explore Let’s Go Learn’s Homeschool Reading and Math Assessments