by Renée Gotcher

The foundational idea of a homeschool co-op is to “cooperate” with one or more families to share any part of the home education process. Co-ops can be as simple as two families meeting regularly to cover one subject or as complex as a large, organized, fee-based program covering a myriad of subjects. Whatever the form, homeschool co-ops can add enrichment to your homeschooling journey by expanding your horizons academically, creatively, and socially.

When I was homeschooled in the late 1980s, there was only one organized homeschooling co-op in our area—and it was still an hour away. Why did my mother make that two-hour round trip, with eight children in tow, to attend our homeschool co-op back then? For community, of course! 

Today, homeschool co-ops are prevalent, diverse, and popular. In my first year of homeschooling our three daughters, the local homeschool support group we joined hosted a weekly academic co-op. Because my two eldest were transitioning from a private school, I was very thankful to have this option to help them adjust to homeschooling. Through our weekly co-op, the girls shared classes on art, music, writing, and geography with other elementary-age children in our group. Plus, we all made good friends — I think I enjoyed that part the most!

However, our homeschool group grew a lot that year, and it wasn’t feasible to continue the weekly co-op without formalizing the program and securing more volunteer help from parents. So we spent our second year without a formal co-op and added a couple of enrichment classes (worship dance and a PE program) to our weekly schedule. In our third year, I decided to start a girls’ book club co-op that we opened up to a number of families, and I partnered with two other families to study botany together, with a lab component. Building community through these varied co-op experiences had a lasting impact on the rest of our homeschooling journey.

You may not live in a large metropolitan area with dozens of homeschool co-op options available. Hopefully, you have found (or can find) at least one homeschooling family close enough to partner up with and start your own. Or maybe the co-ops in your area aren’t a good fit for your family for one reason or another. You can start a simple co-op to address that need. Remember, a homeschool co-op does not have to be a complicated proposition! 

The key ingredients to structuring a new homeschool co-op are a common mission, agreement on the logistics and expectations (for students and participating parents), and some divine intervention. I believe that when God is calling families to come together for His purposes, He truly makes provision for all the details. When it comes to the details, here are three simple steps to take when you are planning to start a homeschool co-op of your own.

Starting a Homeschool Co-Op: First, Pray!

Good ideas are always just that — good. A “God idea,” however, is always a great idea because He will equip you for the calling, and He is glorified in the process! Pray for wisdom from the Lord and guidance for your next step. I believe He will lead you in the right direction if creating a homeschool co-op is the right thing for your family.

A few experienced homeschool moms in my local support group held a class on how to start an informal co-op. I prayed about whether or not I should take the initiative to lead one, and I began to feel a nudge from the Lord to bring together moms with “tween” daughters (we had two at the time).

The tween stage can be a struggle for girls, both socially and emotionally. The more I prayed about it, the more confirmation I received from the Lord. A tween girls’ book club co-op would give my daughters a healthy social opportunity and introduce them to books that highlight godly character. 

Once you are clear about the main purpose of the homeschool co-op you want to start, you’re ready for the next step: refine your mission, do a little research, and recruit participants.

Starting a Homeschool Co-Op: Refine, Research, Recruit!

Last month, I shared why it’s important to clarify your homeschooling mission with the end in mind. Having a clear mission for your homeschool co-op will also serve as a guide to answer all the questions that come next.  If a mission statement sounds complicated, it doesn’t have to be! Your mission statement can be one sentence long or one short paragraph. It’s not meant to answer all the potential questions about your co-op but to lay a foundation for building something that will accomplish your goals.

Three questions to answer as you craft your homeschool co-op mission statement:

• What is the central purpose of the co-op? Is it educational? Social? Spiritual? A combination of these?
• What are the core values you want to focus on?  Do you want students to reach academic achievements? Experience hands-on learning? Expand their creativity? Reach out to your community? 
• What are your long-term goals? Would you like to see your co-op develop over time, or is it meeting an immediate need that may change after your first semester or year?

Here’s an example of a mission statement for the girls’ book club co-op I started:

The mission of our girls’ book club co-op is to build an enriching community of tween girls and their mothers through the shared learning experience of reading quality literature that fosters character and worldview discussion, related hands-on activities, and creative social interaction.

Your mission statement will not only define your purpose, but it will also guide your decisions moving forward as you research resources, consider logistics (such as group size and frequency of meeting), and outline your meeting/class agenda. At this stage, you’ll want to consider what potential books, tools, supplies, and activities will support your mission and narrow it down to a few options. Be open to feedback from your co-op participants to fine-tune these details.

Once you’re ready to share your idea with others, it’s up to you how you want to approach recruitment. Will your co-op plans be best implemented with just a few families? Or is your topic and purpose broad enough that you’re not worried about how many families want to join? Your preliminary research should help you make that decision. If smaller is better, don’t make a big announcement — ask one family at a time until your core group is set. If size isn’t an issue, look for places that homeschooling parents can find out about your co-op and announce it.

Starting a Homeschool Co-Op: Formalize Your Plans

Whether you’ve decided you want full control over the content and structure of your homeschool co-op or you are planning to involve participating families in finalizing its structure, I think it’s very important for everyone involved to be on the same page. In my experience, working together to hash out the details of the homeschool co-op brought us together and strengthened our commitment.

Three things you want to agree upon as a group (or have everyone sign off on if you’ve already decided) are the content, logistics, and communication method for your homeschool co-op. 

Firming up the content of your co-op is pretty straightforward: 

• What will you be doing when you get together? 
• Will any books, supplies, or other tools be required to participate?
• Will there be any “homework” to be completed in between meetings? 

Even though your preliminary mission statement has already identified the purpose and mission for your co-op, you want to get as specific as possible about what you will be doing during your time together, what purchases (if any) are required, and what is expected outside of “class” time.

Logistics will vary depending on what your co-op hopes to accomplish in the time period you have decided on. However, that doesn’t mean logistics should fluctuate too far from an established plan. Homeschoolers are known for desiring flexibility and freedom, but some commitment and structure are vital for a co-op to succeed in its mission — even if it’s for a short period of time.

Here are some starting points for discussing logistics:

• How frequently will you meet? How long will your classes/meetings be?
• Is there a limit to your group size, and who in the family is participating (such as younger/older siblings or parents)?
• Who is responsible for what? This is important: Division of labor keeps the co-op manageable for all who are participating!

Finally, good communication is key! Although we live in a phone-dependent world, you don’t want to assume that a group text chain should be your primary method of communication. (I’m sure you’ve experienced how unpleasant that can become when not used properly!)

Here are some communication decisions you will want to agree upon:

• Consistent group communication: Email? A digital group tool or app? Text and phone?
• A code of conduct: Don’t assume everyone knows what’s expected of them!
• Leadership: You will likely lead at the beginning, but don’t assume everyone recognizes your leadership. Even in a cooperative setting, knowing “who’s in charge” when all is said and done will help things run smoothly — trust me. 

It’s not always easy to be on the same page about some of the logistical decisions, especially when siblings of varying ages are involved, as they most often are with homeschooling families. Some families will also have other weekly activities that you’ll have to work around. Dealing with these potential challenges before you get started will help your co-op experience stay consistent, build community, and accomplish your mission. 

It’s About Finding Your People

At this point, you might be wondering if starting a homeschool co-op is really as simple as I said it would be. Research? Logistics? Leadership? Is building a community with other homeschoolers really worth all this effort? Don’t let this list of things to consider deter you from taking that first step if an existing co-op isn’t currently available to you.

One of the quickest ways to burn out as a homeschooling parent is to stay isolated. Some of us are more social than others, but having at least a basic support system for homeschooling is essential. Regular in-person interaction with homeschooling families you relate to is very rejuvenating and inspiring. 

Most of all, you will know for certain that you are NOT alone in this calling to homeschool your children. God created us for community, and just like with our faith, community in your homeschooling will help you stay the course. 

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near (Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV).

Your Homeschooling Friend,

Renée Gotcher

P.S. Are you looking for community with other homeschooling families in your area? Start here! If there isn’t a group near you, would you be willing to take the first step to start a simple homeschool co-op of your own? What challenges have you faced when building community?

About the Author: Renée Gotcher

Renée Gotcher is a freelance writer, editor, and recently “retired” homeschooling mother of three daughters (her youngest started attending Bob Jones University last fall). Renée and her husband of 30 years, Kenny, are next-generation homeschoolers who were homeschooled for part of their schooling and started homeschooling when they moved to Castle Rock in 2010. Soon after, she launched a homeschooling blog, NextGenHomeschool.com, and actively supported the local homeschool community through part-time teaching, administrative roles, and volunteer leadership positions at homeschool support programs. As a freelancer, she contributed to “Life Changing Stories: A Devotional Collection Revealing God’s Faithfulness and Transforming Power” and currently writes monthly devotionals for the Daybreak Devotions series on Crossmap.com and her personal blog, The Pace of Grace.