What is an Umbrella School?

Today, an umbrella school is simply a private school that keeps homeschool records for you. Since most parents would prefer to pocket any extra cash instead of paying fees for a school to keep track of A’s and B’s for each child, the use of umbrella schools has become outdated. To homeschool in Texas, you only need authentic instruction, visual curriculum and fundamental subjects–anything else is just extra. However, this hasn’t always been the case.

How Umbrella Schools Began

In the past, umbrella schools, also known as cover schools, were far more essential to the everyday homeschooler. Having the “cover” of a private school could be the difference between freedom, fines, or jail, as the Pangelian family learned. In 1985, the Pangelians went to court for homeschooling their children in Alabama, and since they did not reveal their children’s location, they were jailed for 132 days. In order to avoid this, homeschool parents would “enroll” their children at a private school so that it would appear to the state as if they attended daily; but in reality, the children would be educated at home. Another type of umbrella school involved homeschoolers banding together to create their own private school in order to protect themselves from state over-reach. We won our own battle in the 1994 case of Leeper v. Arlington ISD, in which the Texas Supreme Court ruled in favor of legalizing homeschooling, and established that every homeschool was considered a private school. Now, Texas homeschoolers have the freedom to learn without looking over their shoulders for truancy officers.

How Umbrella Schools Work

Once you find a private school that will act as an umbrella school, you pay an application fee and then an annual fee. Protocols vary from school to school; in the case of some private schools, a parent must provide their child’s information weekly–such as study hours and grades. Then, the school will record attendance, transcripts, and grade reports. Even though homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, some states have stricter guidelines than Texas. If your family is constantly on the move, like military families, it can be helpful to have these records retained for you. For an extra fee, some umbrella schools offer to pick out curriculum for you, or give you access to their online programs. Other umbrella schools may offer extracurricular activities such as field trips; but normally, their service consists of record-keeping. At the end of all your hard work, they print the diploma.

Online Umbrella Schools

For those that prefer a more all-inclusive approach, there are some online umbrella schools available. Your child can log into their portal from home and work through their honors program. Some of the online umbrella schools offer STEM programs as well. You can also find online classes that are adapted for special needs students. These schools will keep track of your students’ progress and can even offer academic counsel if your child is struggling.

Accredited Umbrella Schools

If you choose to homeschool your child using an online accredited school program, then your child can have an accredited diploma. Otherwise, accreditations are not available to homeschoolers since it involves more oversight of curriculum and teachers by the government. According to the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission, “The state of Texas does not regulate, monitor, approve, register, or accredit programs available to parents who choose to homeschool their children.”

Alternatives to an Umbrella School for Homeschoolers

Since the freedom we enjoy in Texas negates the necessity of an umbrella school, a better alternative is to join a nearby homeschool group for a small fee. Then, your family will have access to activities automatically. Many homeschool groups include field trips, socials, park days, craft days, and even a Mom’s Night Out. As the parent, you can pick which activities suit your kids’ interests and ages. Some enable your children to participate in organized sports, where your child can experience what it is like to be a part of a team. There are even some groups that are designed specifically for first-time homeschoolers and they offer helpful meetings and workshops. If you can’t attend them in person, there is a zoom meeting option as well. Check out this locator to find a homeschool group near you.

Co-Ops

A homeschool cooperative is another great option for parents that wish to share the load of full-time teaching. In a co-op setting, children experience a classroom with like-minded students. Depending on the type of co-op it is, the teachers can range from professional teachers to parents who have some expertise in the subject. If the parents are leading it, they can each lean on their individual strengths. For instance, if one parent has better art credentials than science, they can handle the paints and another parent can deal with the science experiments. Usually, children attend classes once or twice a week and complete homework at their own pace.

Created for THSC from writing contributions from Anna Plascencia