Update -home-schooling - anyone done it through high school?

We did cyber school using K12 throughout high school for my DS but for DD switched to traditional homeschool in 11&12. We are across the state line in PA though and I know our laws are a lot different when it comes to homeschool. If I remember right from talking to WV homeschoolers, cyberschool isn't an option, right? Is your son still involved in PopShop? I hope I am thinking of the same family. If not,sorry. I know when we started PopShop, Chris still offered a daytime class that was completely homeschoolers. When we left, there were still a ton of homeschooling families involved in the program. Can you connect with some of them for advice and support? With them being in the same state as you, they would probably be great resources for you. Good luck, Angie. You can do it!

I pulled my girls out of public school after 7th grade. Should have done it sooner. Anyway, they were "homeschooled" 8th through 12th. Two are now seniors in college and both of them are double science majors always on the honor roll. It can be done. We did not do the K12 because it was public school just online. We didn't want the normal public school curriculum. I taught them through 8th grade. Then 9th-12th they attended an online school that was more of what we were looking for. One of our favorite online schools is Landry Academy. Great school. They have tons of courses. We attended some of their local intensive classes. My girls loved it. Deadline for early registration discounts is tomorrow.

landryacademy.com/live-classes/course-catalog/

Anyway, it can be done, and your son can be a huge success in college. My girls do not feel like they missed out on anything being homeschooled in high school. In fact, they feel they did more and learned so much. They were also definitely ready for college and have just thrived.

I have 3 daughters who all homeschool. I don't know anything about their curriculum so this may not be much help to you, but maybe just let you know it is doable. 3 are finished and 1 needs to finish his foreign language then he will be finished.

#1. is working on his masters in biology/chemistry and works in the lab at the university. He organizes our family reunions based on what Mountain he wants to climb and right now is with his sister and 2 cousins caving in Alabama. He says he wants to find a job in a lab in a national park when he graduates.
 
#2. has had a full time job since he was 17 in IT. He is a junior in college but is not enrolled this semester because he needs to complete 2 certifications for his job.

#3. Is a monitor tech at a hospital and is applying to nursing school. She has been a lifeguard at the YMCA since she was 16 and teaches private swimming lessons.

#4. (the one who needs to finish his Spanish) just finished putting a new motor in his 1978 red porsche, drove it from Texas to NC  and got a job at Starbucks where he plans to take advantage of their scholarship program. But someone also just offered him a full time job designing 3D something or another that I don't really understand. He said he would think about it. This is the only one who still lives at home. 
The porsche is really pretty...I have to show it to you.
If you think I am a little proud, you might be right.

I homeschooled both DDs through high school. There are a lot more resources for homeschooling high school now than there was just a few years ago. Even if you use K12 curriculum or use the school district's curriculum. We used a video curriculum for many of DDs' classes, esp math and science. There may be homeschool groups in your area that get together also, but often there aren't many high schoolers in the groups. There are also programs where high schoolers can get high school and college credit at the same time and graduate high school with enough college credits to be a sophomore, or have earned an associate degree.

DD#1 excelled at school and always tested way high on required achievement tests. She took two semesters of college-level history of civilization online from a community college during her senior year of high school. Those classes transferred to her college, so she didn't have to take it during her freshman year of college. Being homeschooled allowed her to spend quite a bit of time on her interests (art), and she did quite well in college (graphic design) and grad school (sequential art). She worked very hard and finished her MFA earlier than most do, with honors. 

DD#2 had vision problems that made school difficult for her, plus she had test anxiety. I always worried when it was time for her to take the achievement tests because of her anxiety. She scored high in some areas, but always low in certain areas, as a result of her vision problems.  Homeschooling allowed her to learn at her own pace without the added stress of feeling like she was behind everyone else. She didn't do any college-level courses before graduating, and took two and a half years to get her associate degree. She did okay on the ACT, worked very hard in college, and is now happily married. Her DH was homeschooled (as were his siblings), he did well in college, and he's starting law school (his older sister just finished law school in December). And they plan to home school their children, whenever they start having kids.

My nephew and niece were homeschooled through high school also.  Nephew finished school in February or so of his senior year, just after turning 17. He spent the rest of the school year CLEPping out of about a year's worth of freshman college classes and took a class or two during the summer before his first official year of college. He started as a sophomore nursing major, finished his BSN in three years, got a super great job, and is planning on grad school soon- he wants to be a nurse anesthetist.

Niece had some struggles in school like my DD#2 did. She finished homeschooling on time and is now starting her senior year of college. She's had a demanding work, school, and rehearsal schedule but really enjoys it and does well.

So yes, it can be done. It can be done well. A lot depends on using a great curriculum (which doesn't have to be too expensive). 

ETA- FYI- someone mentioned a diploma. Because the state won't issue a diploma to homeschoolers, I looked at our state's requirements for a Colorado high school diploma- 4 English classes, 2 years of language, etc, etc. We actually did more than the required hours/courses. They more than earned a diploma, and there are websites that can issue/print diplomas for homeschoolers, so that's what we did. DD#2 had to show a copy of her high school diploma when applying for a job after college. I don't know why, but they wanted to see her high school diploma (even though she had a college diploma with an associate degree in the same field as the job she was applying for), so I had to scan and email it to her.

I am not a homeschooler, but I would be hesitant to allow a 13 year old to decide he has ti stick with something for the next 5 years. There is a big difference in maturity in 13 than at 18, and his needs will change. Im not saying don't let him make the choice now - but I think leaving some room for a change later on might be a better plan.

We did not homeschool our kids, but someone very close to use did - all 4 of their kids, from start to finish, and they are all college grads (one from a top-notch university's honors program), 3 have master's degrees, and all 4 are delightful, intelligent, well rounded adults with great careers and families of their own. 

If it's done right, homeschooling is a very, very good option. 

Here is another opinion to consider. I was public schooled and going to school every day was painful for me. I hated school, I hated my teachers, I hated learning. Yeah, school was not a good thing for me. I wish and I sincerely mean this, wish we had options when I was a student. I took correspondence educational courses through the province because I was motivated for extra credit so I know I could have been homeschooled. I was not well and going to school nearly killed me. My parents now see how I struggled but it was really difficult.

I am not saying your son is anything like me at all. I am just saying from your words he is struggling and needs a way to succeed both in school and in life.

Interesting thread. I only know one family *neighbor who homeschooled their only daughter.

she said at age 2 she didn't want to go to school because she didn't want to be around kids.

this girl is now studying abroad and seems content in her life.

Being a preschool teacher myself, I didn't understand why parents would listen to a 2 year old, but she did get some opportunities to interact with other homeshoolers during her school life.

She also took up dance and that was an opportunity to socially interact.

So it wasn't for us or anyone else we knew, but it worked out ok for this kid.

OP- glad your DH is so quickly on board with the change! Don't worry about Algebra 2- there are so many curricula and helps out there. My niece struggled with Algebra and my sister finally found Teaching Textbooks and Life of Fred, I think that were helpful for her.

So, do you have to have any sort of education to home school, or does that not matter? I'm being serious here, not snarky at all. For example, I was not great in Chemistry, so I would not feel comfortable teaching it..or physics, etc. How does that work? Also, how does the transition to the next level of school work. If a kid can't be in a larger classroom setting and doesn't do well with structure, how do they do in college? Or at work after that. Again, I'm truly curious as I've always wondered.

Teaching Textbooks has been a great fit for our family! I highly recommend it. DS15 did great with Algebra I and is now working on Geometry. He'll do Algebra 2 next year, and we plan to stick with TT.

**Angie**, your son sounds like he has a good head on his shoulders. I wish your family the best as you re-adjust to homeschooling!

Thanks for the information you guys. I know very little about it all and have always been curious.