# General education requirements for American children Every state and precinct has unique requirements, which [you should be informed of](legal-safety.md). - Each state has its own legal framework that allows homeschooling. - If you move to another state, don't presume the prior state's rules apply. - Research *precisely* by grade what you must teach your children. - Keep records of the work your children perform, as well as any tests you've given them and how well they've done. - Preferably, document the experience right after it happened, since you may not remember 4--6 months ago. - Stay connected with a homeschool community, who will keep you informed about any changes to reporting requirements and standards. - With the freedoms you'll likely give your children, keep an eye out for "Reasonable Childhood Independence" laws and where your state stands. - In places that don't have those laws, a terrified person calling the police could send you into a legal battle because you sent your 7-year-old a quarter-mile down the road to get some groceries. Some states require tests and others don't regulate it at all. - If you're doing a good-enough job, the children will be fine: the requirements are minimums for when a child sits neglected in a boring room for 5--6 hours a day. - The larger risk is in *proving* they've fulfilled the criteria, not necessarily *doing* it, especially with more open-ended curricula. - Most lesson-planning and advanced prep isn't necessary until around junior high and high school. It's worth noting that these are all *approximate*. Your [culture](people-culture.md) will emphasize some and de-emphasize others, and the requirements are assigned by your region's culture. ## Pre-K Since you're trying to raise your children instead of [acculturate](people-culture.md) them to a [learning-restrictive](education.md) classroom environment, keep working on [qualities that make moral, hard-working children](parenting-children.md). You can teach small children as young as 3 years old to read: 1. Teach the most common phoneme (how it sounds) for each letter. 2. Teach them to blend those phonemes into simple words by saying the word fast. 3. Teach them to parse harder words: secondary phonemes, digigraphs (multiple letters making 1 sound), and silent "e" indicating a long vowel sound. 4. Intentionally practice 30--60 minutes a day through a text, *without* pre-reading skills and drilling specific words. However, Pre-K children who learn to read will probably not retain most of their learning, so only teach it as far as they would like to explore it. ## Kindergarten Most kindergarten schooling is simply creating the "standards" that will later become more in-depth studying. In many ways, kindergarten is more important for *you* as a parent to start the [habit](habits.md) of educating than for them to actually "learn" anything. Applied - Understands time concepts like yesterday, today, and tomorrow. - Can pay attention for 15--20 minutes. - Can follow 3-step directions (e.g., go to box, grab an item, sit quietly on rug). - Share materials like crayons and blocks. - Knows how to play with others. - Knows their address and phone number. Literacy - Knows the letters of the alphabet and the sounds they make. - Can write their first and last names. - Identify simple words like "the" and "and" by sight. - Can make educated guesses at writing unfamiliar words (inventive spelling). - Can communicate an opinion by drawing, writing, or speaking. [Math](math.md) - Can add and subtract numbers up to 10. - Can count by ones and tens to 100. - Recognizes and writes numbers up to 20. - Compare relative groups of objects as "more", "less" or "same" as others. - Identify simple shapes like squares, triangles, rectangles, and circles. [Science](science.md) - Can identify certain materials (e.g, metal, wood) and their characteristics. - Understands what [plants](horticulture.md) and [animals](agriculture.md) need to grow. - Understands seasonal and [weather](science-earth-weather.md) changes. - Understands parts of the human body. - Has conducted little experiments like growing plants from seeds or caring for a pet. Humanities - Learns about family, school, and members of the community. [Arts](mind-creativity.md) - Can cut along a line with scissors. - Can hold a crayon or pencil for writing. - Can use speech, drawing, and writing to share ideas. - Can identify the eight basic colors: red, yellow, blue, green, orange, black, white, and pink. - Has explored music and movement. ## 1st Grade This year is typically the first "formal" education, so they need some form of testing introduced to ensure they understand the core ideas they're hearing. Applied - Can work independently for short periods of time. - Can distinguish left from right. - Can tell the time within the nearest hour and half-hour with both analog and digital clocks. Literacy - Can read and write complete sentences with correct capitalization and punctuation. - Can write the uppercase and lowercase alphabet, as well as familiar with punctuation. - Can decode or "sound out" unfamiliar words. - Can write and read common words like "where" and "every". - Can read age-appropriate books out loud. - Can understand a [story's](stories-why.md) beginning, middle, and end. - Able to have a conversation about what a situation is like from another person's perspective. Math - Can add and subtract numbers up to 20. - Can describe basic shapes. Science - Understands simple ideas about [the scientific method](science.md). - Understands the basics of earth sciences (i.e., weather, seasonal changes). - Understands the basics of life sciences (i.e., plants and animals). - Understands the basics of the physical sciences (i.e., solids and liquids). - Can distinguish between solids, liquids, and gases. - Can distinguish between various animals' shapes, sizes, and types. Humanities - Understand the value of certain places. - Understand their larger community beyond their home and family. - Understand how cities, towns, states, nations, and continents interact with each other. - Field trips to local museums, libraries, or businesses. Arts - Can explore music and rhythm. ## 2nd Grade Their attention span should be more focused, so start giving them more difficult concepts and give [patterns](symbols.md) that apply them to various domains. Applied - Can concentrate on tasks for 20--30 minutes. - Can count money. - Tells time to the nearest 5-minute increment. Literacy - Fluent at reading simple stories aloud and with expression. - Has a preference toward certain genres of books, and has been encouraged to independently read in that direction. - Can write full stories, with correct capitalization and punctuation. - Can recognize and spell irregularly spelled words like "because" and "upon". - Able to ask "who, what, where, when, why, and how" about what they read. - Can edit their own written work. - Knows and has been drilled on how to spell correctly. Math - Knows how to add and subtract, and how it's useful. - Can mentally add and subtract numbers up to 20 and up to 100 on paper. - Understands simple fractions. - Understands the concept of multiplication. - Can solve word problems that use denominated currency. - Able to start understanding more complex addition and subtraction problems. Science and [Technology](technology.md) - More in-depth study on the earth and its continents. - More in-depth study on how plants reproduce, with simple labs involved (e.g., caring for a garden). - Can perform basic computer skills like creating a document in a computer and save a file. Humanities - Exposed to different [cultures](people-culture.md) than their own across the world. - Has heard at least somewhat about [current events](stories-storytellers.md), as well as some history of those events. Arts - N/A ## 3rd Grade They will start conceptualizing [abstract ideas](values.md) and elaborate concepts, so expose them to as many [responsibilities](meaning.md) they can handle. Typically, there may be a state-based exam they may have to take, either this year or annually from this point until high school graduation. Applied - Can work cooperatively with other children. - Can [organize](organization.md) their thoughts and think [logically](logic.md). - Can tell time to the nearest minute. - Can find a real-world application of math. Literacy - Able to find information in dictionaries, reference books, and web searches. - Can write one-page detailed essays and logical stories with a distinct beginning, middle, and end. - Able to parse words by examining their prefixes, suffixes, and root words. Math - Understands decimals and fractions. - Can multiply and divide numbers up to 100 (i.e., the "times tables" up to 10). - Knows how to measure weight and volume. Science and Technology - Can prove or disprove a hypothesis. - Understand astronomical concepts like the sun, moon, and solar system. - Understands sound and heat. - Can at least somewhat touch type on a keyboard. - Can use computer programs for practical use, such as researching or communication. - Can translate data into basic graphs and charts. Humanities - Can locate places on a local map and on a globe. - Can use a map's directions, borders, longitude and latitude lines, equator, and North and South poles. Arts - N/A ## 4th Grade They're now ready to [manage their time better](success-4_routine.md) and [organize](organization.md), so give them more [skills to succeed](success-1_why.md). Applied - Can participate in [group](groups-small.md) [decisions](people-decisions.md). - Able to [memorize](mind-memory.md) and recall facts. Literacy - Have explored various genres and forms of poetry and stories. - Understands synonyms, antonyms, and homonyms. - Can take notes on what they read. - Has an expanded vocabulary that fully captures everyday language. - Can write a paragraph with an introductory topic sentence, 3 supporting details, and a closing sentence that summarizes the paragraph's idea. - Can write a one-page book report that explores some of a story's themes. - Is capable of researching and organizing [information](information.md). Math - Can multiple a multiple-digit number by a one-digit number, and can multiple two two-digit numbers. - Can divide a multiple-digit number by a one-digit number. - Can add, subtract, and multiply decimals and fractions. - Able to understand math word problems. - Have been exposed to [algebra](math-algebra.md) and [geometry](math-geotrig.md). - Can measure angles, volume, mass, and time. Science and Technology - Hears about concepts like electricity, energy, magnetism, and matter. - Learns about the organisms, their biomes, and their taxonomy. - Understands how land, water, and air interact with each other. - Has learned touch typing and knows various ways to use computers to make life easier. - Can use office software to make spreadsheets, charts, graphs, and presentations. - Can type a page of content or more in one sitting. Humanities - Learns more in-depth about maps and cultures around the world. - Can identify the states on the map and the capitals for each. - Understands key facts about their state, their state's history, and individuals who played an important role in it. Arts - N/A ## 5th Grade The final year of elementary school converges the accumulation of their education, so they should be given even *more* responsibility for their organization and long-term planning. Generally, the curriculum should serve as a "capstone" to transition them into middle school (6th-8th Grade). Applied - Can read and concentrate for up to 30 minutes at a time. - Able to read most lightweight literature, including social media. - Can work with peers on a group project. - Can participate in a group discussion by listening to others and either adding to or responding to what they said. - Can solve problems around them with math. Literacy - Can explain and summarize text, as well as share their interpretations and provide evidence. - Can analyze the plot of a story (conflict, climax, resolution, key characters, motives). - Has a thorough grasp of vocabulary and can use figurative and symbolic language. - Can create a multi-stage writing project (outline, draft, revising, final edits) - Can write research papers and reports and knows how to use a book's features (index, glossary, appendix) and search engines. - Able to present an [oral presentation](language-speaking.md) on a given topic. Math - Can perform long-division with a multiple-digit denominator. - Knows how to add, subtract, and multiply fractions as well as improper and equivalent fractions. - Understands how to calculate the area and perimeter of various two-dimensional shapes. - Knows the different types of triangles (acute, obtuse, isosceles, right). - Can add and subtract decimals to the hundredth place and fractions down to 1/100. - Understands the concept of prime numbers. - Understands how to measure and calculate geometrical volume and surface area. - Knows how to work with exponents. Science and Technology - Understands the [human body's systems](body-health.md) alongside basic biology and chemistry. - Learns more in-depth earth science (biomes, oceanography, weather). - Learns more astronomy going out beyond the solar system. - Can type two or more pages. Humanities - Learns about their nation's [government](politics-systems.md) and how it runs (e.g., checks and balances, constitution). - Understands their nation's history and important people who influenced it. - Aware of basic practices of [health and nutrition](body-health.md). - Understands world geography, Western culture, and early Western societies. - Can discuss [political topics](politics-conservativeliberal.md) like climate change and [sustainability](leftism-sustainability.md). Arts - N/A ## 6th Grade Developmentally, pre-adolescent children tend to have *many* personal conflicts during the early teenage years, so most middle school educational curricula are simply reinforcing and adding to the existing foundation of elementary school. Applied - Solve problems in real life with calculations involving area, surface area, and volume. - Can discuss what they've read in typical conversation, as well as recall their reference. - Participate in group discussions and able to respectfully disagree. - Has a vocabulary that matches typical conversation with adults. Literacy - Can read a wide variety of literature. - Has a vocabulary that matches casual conversation with adults. - Able to analyze author styles, word choice, perspective, and structure. - Can write stories with clear, language, style, and tone. - Can convey opinions and back them with evidence from researched sources. - Able to write an informational essay with an introduction and conclusion that explains a topic with information from their research. - Understands that writing involves planning, lots of editing, and often feedback and new approaches. - Can correctly paraphrase in writing with quotation marks and attribution and without plagiarizing. Math - Can calculate one-variable algebra equations (i.e., "solve for X"). - Can calculate percentages and ratios. Science and Technology - Understands different forms of energy. - Has more experience with life science. - Can type 3 or more pages in one sitting. Humanities - Explores the geography and history of the Eastern hemisphere. Arts - N/A ## 7th Grade Starting at around age 12, a child will start adapting the psychological motivations of an adult, meaning the curriculum should focus more on critical thinking and in-depth understanding. Applied - Can examine a nonfiction text and determine whether there is sufficient evidence and logic to support the main idea. - Able to identify evidence and make inferences from it. Literacy - Writes in various genres and styles, including essays that argue multiple perspectives. - Can identify themes and central ideas in a fiction book. - Able to read "young adult" novels, short stories, poetry, drama, and nonfiction. - Has a vocabulary that matches moderately in-depth conversation with adults. - Understands and properly distinguishes phrases, dependent clauses, and independent clauses in writing. - Can give clearly communicated oral presentations of their research and writing. Math - Can solve multistep math problems with rate, ratios, proportions, and percentages. - Understands geometrical area, surface, perimeter, and volume, including for a circle. - Able to solve more elaborate single-variable algebraic equations. - Can fluidly convert decimals to fractions and indicate their relative size to one another. Science and Technology - Understands the earth's biomes more in-depth. - Can write informative and explanatory papers on science topics. - Understands the basics of [probability](math-stat.md), including random sampling and how to create a representative sample. Humanities - Understands city, state, and national history from Pre-Colonial times to the American Civil War. - Can write informative and explanatory papers on humanities topics. Arts - Explores visual arts. - Explores music. - Explores dance and theater. ## 8th Grade Applied - Can analyze arguments in nonfiction for whether they're logical, relevant, and supported with sufficient evidence. - Analyze data with charts and graphs and able to explain the patterns in the data. Literacy - Can comfortably discuss plot, theme, and characters in fiction. - Can interpret and analyze a wide variety of literature. - Can identify different writing techniques including analogy, allusion, and irony. - Able to examine the [logic and reasoning](logic.md) of arguments. Math - Can graph linear algebraic equations to show relationships between two variables. - Can use the Pythagorean Theorem. - Able to analyze two-dimension and three-dimensional figures. - Understands irrational numbers and can compare them to rational numbers. - Can find the volume of three-dimensional shapes like cones, spheres, and cylinders. - Can find square roots and exponents. Science and Technology - Understands the physical laws of motion. - Can accurately type ~40 words per minute. - Can work with various computer software. Humanities - Has explored post-American Civil War Reconstruction, the Industrial Revolution, World Wars, and modern eras of United States history. Arts - Expanded exploration of visual arts. - Expanded exploration of music. - Expanded exploration of dance and theater. ## High School Generally, high school homeschoolers will diverge based on the situation. There are *many* specializations in high school, but there's a wide range of educational requirements based on region, and an even *wider* range of the available options for the student. - Most of the time, there are a wide variety of applied courses, including [auto repair](autos.md), [home economics](home-housekeeping.md), [cooking](cooking.md), or [communications](people-3_respect.md). - Literacy can range from simply revisiting 8th Grade up to working with collegiate-level literature (e.g., British Literature). - Math can range from a slightly more advanced algebra, all the way into trigonometry, statistics, and [calculus](math-calc.md). - Science starts focusing on more specific domains like biology, chemistry, and physics. - Humanities typically involves *much* more political discussion, as well as [economic theory](economics.md) and more details on how governments work. - Arts branch out into a vast set of specializations which may include painting, visual arts, woodworking, or performance arts. Depending on the situation, older students can try going to school online (e.g., [Khan World School](https://asuprep.asu.edu/khan-world-school/)). If they're self-determining and their lifestyle can still be balanced outside a classroom, it's worth considering. ## Graduating They have several ways to graduate high school: 1. The culturally standardized route is to sit in high school classrooms, pass the classes, and pass the exit exam. - If you even marginally succeeded, they'll pass the exit exam before even starting the classroom sessions (it often requires an 8th-grade reading/math level). 2. Find a work-at-your-own-pace high school online, then pass the credits more quickly, without the social experience. 3. Get an unconventional certification (e.g., [GED](https://ged.com/)) or a diploma through a homeschool group. - They can convert a GED to a diploma later via college. - The homeschool group diploma won't have as much influence as a GED. - Either way, they can completely resolve any discrepancy with social status if they get an associate's degree from a community college (which is usually worth the time and money). You won't really know the best approach until at least 8th Grade, since it all depends on them. - A particularly intelligent can typically pass the high school exit exam by the time they're in 8th Grade. - They may *really* want to explore high school for the social experience (e.g., prom, athletics). - If they're not particularly focused on anything (which is typical), they should start considering their [career](jobs-1_why.md) and find classes that feed into their preferred specialization. - Generally, [colleges](jobs-college.md) will care about a *diploma* (rather than a GED), but don't care that it was completed early. - If they already know what they want or the home has started growing dysfunctional from their adolescence, send them somewhere else to complete their education (e.g., prep school, military school). Many [colleges](jobs-college.md) don't necessarily look at early graduation as a positive thing. - Instead, if they want college, they should use that extra time to accrue extra college credit via dual enrollment. - While their academic achievement may matter, they should *also* spend time on personal development (e.g., [making friends](people-friends.md), [pursuing hobbies](fun.md)). Their [coming of age](parenting-3_teenagers.md) involves several possible scenarios: 1. They move out to [explore their career](jobs-1_why.md) with what you've given them. 2. They adopt [something related](jobs-specialization.md) to *your* career. 3. If they don't like either of those two options, they'll have to find their path (which guarantees moving out if you [live somewhat remotely](home-homestead.md)). 4. If you can afford it, [send them](parenting-3_teenagers.md) on a journey: - Send them to [college](jobs-college.md). - Give them a few thousand dollars and a one-way ticket to somewhere they want to travel (e.g., Europe).