2023 Grand Rapids Homeschool Groups, Programs, Curriculum + Extracurriculars

homeschool curriculum

Grand Rapids has Exceptional Support for Homeschool Families

Homeschool parents have it all on their shoulders. Figuring out what are the best math, science, language arts, and history homeschool curriculum for your children is hard enough.

Add in getting them extracurricular classes like art or music, making sure they get in great field trips, and keeping them physically active through sports, we’ve got to wear a lot of hats.

If you are looking for homeschool groups, homeschool co-ops or other support, you may be surprised by the numerous options.

Discovery Wilderness School

Featured Partner

As a resource for homeschool and virtual students, we strive to inspire wonder, curiosity and connection with the natural world through playful exploration and meaningful community.

Come visit us at Little Pine Island Camp in Comstock Park for a variety of classes for all ages.

Homeschool 101 – Q&A Video

If you’re considering homeschooling for the first time, watch this video. It covers the legal aspect of homeschooling in Michigan as well as:

  • How to choose a curriculum
  • Social options for homeschool families
  • Where to find homeschool support
  • Types of successful homeschool families

What the Grand Rapids Homeschool Community is Like

Homeschooling can be so rewarding. You just need to find what works for your family.

For the past 20 years, I’ve been educating my six children at home. There was adjustment period and we had hard days, but I knew I could do it because of my supportive community.

West Michigan is probably one of the best areas to homeschool in our country.

Partly because of the excellent homeschool education laws in Michigan, we have an extraordinarily large number of homeschooling families. Some of us have been teaching our own kids for more than 20 years!

Today new homeschoolers have options upon options.  Read on to find some jumping off points for you to find great ideas to add to your homeschool curriculum.

Grand Rapids homeschool options include Discovery Wilderness School in Comstock Park.
Grand Rapids homeschool options include Discovery Wilderness School in Comstock Park.

The legal requirements for Michigan homeschool are few.

The Michigan homeschool statute requires parents or legal guardians to cover: 

  • reading
  • spelling
  • math
  • science
  • history
  • civics
  • literature
  • writing
  • grammar

Parents aren’t required to notify local government or school systems of their intent to homeschool, but it would be courteous to let your former school know in writing, if your children were previously attending there.

You do not need the approval or permission from your school district to homeschool, nor do you need a teaching certificate or a certain level of education yourself. State or local testing are not required.

In Michigan, parents have the right to homeschool. Period.

How to Find Homeschool Curriculum

My littlest guy is starting fifth grade, so I’m still deeply in the trenches. I’m learning every year about what’s happening with homeschoolers.

I guarantee I will not list everything here, so if you have a homeschool curriculum resource that you love, but I’ve missed, please reply below in the comments.

Finding Homeschool Curriculum is Easier Than You Think

If you are overwhelmed thinking about this, you are like just about every other homeschool parent.

There are so many resources for advice and purchasing. But if you’ve never done this before, you have the added stress of feeling clueless. How do you even know what you need? 

You should definitely call HSB, Inc. for advice and good deals. Their new and used bookstores could make this a one-stop shopping experience, and I am not kidding about their helpful and supportive staff. 

Not only for homeschoolers, HSB is a go-to resource for all families who are looking for educational materials for their children. 

The local Facebook groups listed below can help you with advice and also purchasing since many of the members sell their used materials.

Also, I was so happy to find this article. It lists all my favorites resources that I have used over the years.

Bought the Wrong Curriculum? No Problem

I remember I used to get so worried about buying the “wrong” curriculum.

What happens if you get something you don’t like? Nothing. You put it up for sale and try something else. 

One thing you really should do, if you are able, is ask your homeschool friends and acquaintances.

I was lucky to have homeschooling friends a couple of years ahead of me when I was first starting out. It was very helpful to see the books and hear about how they work.

(If you find a good chemistry curriculum for a science-smart kid and a science-dumb mama, please let me know as I’m looking.)

Join Facebook Groups for Recommendations and Support

There are several local Facebook groups where families get advice, announce activities, and buy and sell homeschool curriculum and other related items. While each group serves a different purpose or has a different emphasis, they are a great place for information.

There are also many Facebook groups that are not West Michigan specific. In these groups you can get a broader array of opinions, trends, and information.

Enroll in Hybrid Homeschool Programs

Some schools in the area offer hybrid programs, in which a student divides time between attending the school and learning at home.

Such programs allow families to enjoy the perks of both homeschooling and enrolling in a school where extracurricular activities are also offered as part of the program. 

Hamilton Community Schools

4815 136th Ave. Hamilton, MI 49419

Jenison International Academy

800 Connie St, Jenison, MI 49428

NorthPointe Christian Schools

3101 Leonard St. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525

Trinitas Classical School

1934 52nd Street SE, Grand Rapids, 49508

Can Working Parents Still Homeschool?

The short answer is “Yes.” 

Can it be tricky? Also, “Yes.”

I think the biggest hurdle for a homeschool family to overcome is the notion that you must operate a traditional classroom. Homeschool classrooms do not look like traditional classrooms. 

You do not need to be the only teacher. You do not need to teach your children all at once. You do not need to start school at 9 a.m.

Homeschool families get to think outside the box. They get to reimagine the learning experience.

Divvy Up Tasks Between Parents

Every homeschool works around the dynamics of the family, and the same will be true for a family with two working parents. Because you are not restricted to certain hours of the day for instruction time, you can arrange your school day however you like. 

Plus, it takes far less time to teach only a few kids than it does a whole classroom. This is not an 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. gig. It’s perfectly fine to have an unconventional way of doing things when you homeschool.

If there are two working parents at home, divvying up the teaching and tag-teaming instructional time may be the answer.

Use Tutors & Other Instructors for Tough Subjects

Tutors, both online and in-person, are also an option, especially with so many college students and other homeschool parents in the area. 

Eventually, the many local homeschool co-ops will be up and running again, and that will be an excellent resource for you, too.

Do you have a homeschool friend who’s really good at English, whereas you’re more of a Math mom? Consider a teaching swap!

You may have to pare down your life for a bit in order to focus on the really important stuff, and you may often feel like your brain is on fire. 

Once you realize that you can be flexible with how you run your school and that you are not running a public school in your home, you can give yourself and your family the grace to adjust to your unique homeschool life.

Grand Rapids Homeschool Co-Ops

Being a homeschool student means you can build your learning interests into your school day. Take music lessons, practice a sport or learn how to cook.

Here are some places students can enhance their homeschool curriculum around Grand Rapids.

West Michigan has a large number of cooperative programs (co-ops) for homeschoolers. Some require parental involvement (teaching, childcare, or miscellaneous tasks) and some do not.

Most are weekly programs where students have multiple classes, though many offer the a la carte approach where students can take only one class.

These are especially helpful for families that don’t feel equipped to teach the upper-level courses.

I recently signed one of my girls up for a chemistry class at Four Square where this veteran homeschooling mom will be a newbie.

These programs are an excellent source for extracurricular classes – especially the arts, home economics, and foreign languages.

Classical Conversations

Locations in East Grand Rapids, Grandville, Kentwood, Belmont, Jenison, Hudsonville, Byron Center, River Hill, Coopersville, Caledonia, and Allendale.

Epic Homeschool Academy

Peace Church, 6950 Cherry Valley Rd, Middleville, MI 49333

Four Square

Homeschool Co-op meeting in Byron Center, MI

Four Square

GRACE Home School Association

60 Port Sheldon Rd. SW, Grandville, MI 49418

GRACE Home School Association

Koinonia Home School Group

Locations in Belmont and Grand Rapids

Lingual Learners

Meets at Crossroads Bible Church (please do not contact church for info)
800 Scribner Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504

L.I.N.K. Homeschool Co-op

Meets at Alton Bible Church
2780 Lincoln Lake Ave NE, Lowell, MI 49331

Parent Teacher Co-Op

Meets at Banner of Christ Church
1111 68th SW, Byron Center, MI 49315

West Michigan Homeschool Fine Arts

Meets in Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, MI

Grand Rapids Businesses That are Homeschool Friendly

Many local businesses and organizations are aware of the large homeschooling population in the area and offer day classes to be inclusive of homeschoolers. 

Camp Roger Home School Program

8356 Belding Road NE, Rockford, MI 49341

Discovery Wilderness School

6889 Pine Island Dr NE, Comstock Park, MI 49321

For the Kidz: Gymnastics

1391 Gezon Parkway, Wyoming, MI 49509

Grand Rapids Gymnastics

1601 Galbraith Ave, STE 301, Grand Rapids, MI 49546

Academy of Music in Grand Rapids and Jenison

6159 28th St, SE #24, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
7647 Riverview Dr., Jenison, MI 49428

Venture Action Sports

All class locations are within a 20 mile range of Grand Rapids.

Assistance for Disabled Michigan Homeschool Kids

Become a nonpublic school to access disability services through the state.

Many families who desire special services provided by the school system become a nonpublic school. If you have a child with a disability, services are available to you if you want.

The SM-4325 Rev. 8/17. You will need to file this form with the Michigan Department of Education and work with your district regarding the services you require.

You, of course, are able to seek out private solutions for your special needs, and that is where the homeschool community will come in handy. Check out some of the contact links in the next section.

Home School Legal Defense Association is a popular resource for families. I highly recommend you check them out. This page is Michigan-specific and is particularly helpful.

HSB, Inc. is an Entire Building Dedicated to Homeschool

HSB, Inc., 5625 Burlingame Ave SW, Wyoming, MI 49509

I sort of saved the best for last.

Your next stop will be to check out HSB, Inc. This is a great place to learn about homeschooling, and it is sort of our “hub” for networking and community. 

The HSB staff is well-known for being helpful educational advisors. You can give them a call for curriculum and other resource questions, and you should also sign up for the weekly HSB Connections email newsletter.

Not only does this building serve the community with classrooms to rent, two book stores (used and new books), a gymnasium, it most importantly provides a connection that we all can plug into. It’s a homeschool building like no other!

Many groups meet here and use the facilities. Just a few of them are:

Homeschool Performing Arts

You can also rent out space at HSB for your group or event, and to do so, it doesn’t need to be homeschool related.

Located in Wyoming, HSB is staffed by experienced homeschool adults who are happy to help families in multiple ways with their educational needs.

There are monthly meetings to help new homeschoolers and a weekly newsletter that is full of useful resources – I highly recommend it.

Grand Rapids homeschool families have an entire building of resources available to them.
HSB, Inc.

You Are Uniquely Qualified to Teach Your Kids

I have really just scratched the surface of some of the aspects of homeschooling.

You may be very uncertain about all this, don’t doubt for a minute that you can’t somehow make this work, whether you plan to do it temporarily or long-term.

You know and love your child best, and you are able to figure out how to get them what they need. 

And there’s a whole bunch of homeschoolers out here who’ve got your back.

I would love to hear about your favorite homeschool resources in the comments section below. I love hearing about how this community continues to grow and offers more options every year. We are not alone!

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15 thoughts on “2023 Grand Rapids Homeschool Groups, Programs, Curriculum + Extracurriculars”

  1. Several martial arts gyms offer day time homeschool programs. Check out Deep Blue Brazilian Jiu Jitsu’s homeschool program for 8-13 year olds.

  2. Michelle…hoping you can point me in the right direction. I am a retired teacher, yet I am still teaching private guitar lessons. I have performed and taught for decades. My friends are home schoolers who have their kids getting music education with a piano teacher who comes to their home. I believe they said they are part of the Hamilton home schooling program. Anyway, I am interested in bringing music/guitar to students who would like music education via learning instruction on the guitar from an experienced teacher. Is there a way to get in the home school “system” whereby parents can choose guitar and music for their children? Your advice/insights are most appreciated. Thank you.

    1. Thank you, Elsie. I ended up signing her up at one of the co-ops (Four Square) for a chemistry class. Fingers crossed.

  3. Excellent information! Thank you for taking the time to make this page. For someone who is clueless to the ins and outs of homeschooling, this is very helpful! I was curious if you or anyone else knew of non-religious based partnerships in the Grand Rapids area. Thank You!

  4. Thank you, great information! fyi, a couple of updates. West Michigan Homeschool Fine Arts moved to a different location and the links to Rivertown Volleyball and Westside Christian School Outdoor Program don’t work.

  5. Wonderful article! I’ve been homeschooling for a couple years and am currently part of a partnership and a few Facebook groups, however, your article brought me some much needed additional resources! Thank you for putting this information together for the Homeschool community.

  6. 80% of the resources are Christian, which is disappointing for this secular family who would love more options for community and learning based in fact and science.

    1. So grateful to have this support system available for homeschooling families. We would love to connect with other homeschool families in the Forest Hills area and join our community, Freedom Christian Learning Community. freedomchristianlc.org

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