Homeschooling has become an increasingly popular in recent years. However, parents may find it challenging to create a comprehensive curriculum and ensure that their children are receiving a quality education. That’s why many homeschooling families seek out an accredited homeschool program.
These programs offer a structured curriculum and are approved by an external educational organization to ensure they are high-quality and effective. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what it means to use an accredited online homeschool program like Miacademy. We’ll also explore the benefits an accredited homeschool program can offer to students and families.
What Is Accreditation?
Accreditation means that the curriculum a program offers has been reviewed by an outside agency, and has reached or exceeded their standards of quality. It does NOT mean that a curriculum is now bound by state or federal regulations like public schools are. Essentially, it is a stamp of approval – one that is continuously revisited and renewed, in order to keep accreditation status.
Accreditation of educational programs and schools began over one hundred years ago as a means for quality assurance. The process is voluntary, and is used to establish credibility. Lack of accreditation does not mean a program is low quality – it simply means that the program has not decided to undergo the accreditation process.
Typically, accredited homeschool curricula have established the following:
- The program has been reviewed by a qualified, independent faculty with no relation to the program.
- The curriculum will be continually re-evaluated in order to maintain accreditation status.
- The content is student-focused.
- The program strives for educational excellence and effectiveness.
- The curriculum was created and maintained by certified educators.
Do I Need to Use an Accredited Homeschool Curriculum?
The short answer is no, but you may want to regardless. An accredited curriculum could be the right choice for your family. This depends on your state’s homeschooling laws, your child’s long-term path and your preferences.
Homeschooling laws differ by state, and for families living in states with stricter requirements, accreditation may make the homeschooling process easier. While it is not a necessity for homeschooling success, accreditation ensures that your child is receiving a quality education.
You may be interested in an accredited homeschool curriculum if:
- You’re planning on (or at least want to keep the door open to) re-entering traditional school. Some schools may have strict guidelines in order for credits to count. Be sure to research your local public and private schools to see what they require by grade.
- Your child has post-high school plans that involve college or trade school. If you know where your child may head after high school, an accredited curriculum can be helpful for their transcripts.
- You would like the peace of mind that knowing your child’s curriculum has been vetted and reviewed can bring.
Does Following an Accredited Curriculum Mean You Lose Flexibility?
Following an accredited curriculum doesn’t have to equal a loss of freedom – at least, not with Miacademy and MiaPrep! Our elementary, middle school, and high school curricula have earned their accreditation status through our continuous efforts to deliver all students a high quality education. We have made it our mission to not only provide the highest quality education, but also to enable you to stay flexible.
To achieve this, our Learning Path automatically adjusts for sick days, vacations, and any missed assignments. You also have the ability to completely customize your child’s curriculum. You can set different grade levels for different subjects, and even assign work from multiple grades for the same subject!
Is Miacademy an Accredited Homeschool Curriculum?
Yes! Our K-8 and high school programs are accredited through the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges as a Supplementary Education Program (SEP). What this means is that our courses meet the WASC’s standards of educational excellence. All membership options (trial, monthly, annual, and lifetime) will grant you access to our accredited online homeschool curriculum, as well as our optional community features!
With the number of homeschool programs on the market, it can be hard for parents to narrow down their options. Accreditation is one of several factors to consider when making the decision. Knowing that the program has been reviewed and earned that stamp of approval can make your selection that much easier. If you have any questions about our accreditation status, our customer service team is always happy to help!