Creating a Student Education Plan (SEP) as a homeschooling parent can feel daunting, but remember, you’re providing a tailored educational experience that meets your learner’s unique needs and interests—and that is no small feat!
The SEP is a tangible way to help you set goals, plan deadlines, have regular evaluations, and adjust the course as needed throughout the year. (Bonus: it also serves as a record of your kiddo’s progress at the end of the school year!)
You can learn more about what an SEP is in Part 1 of this series and learn why you should create one (as well as a helpful list of SEP resources) in Part 2.
But for now, let’s get practical.
How do you create a student education plan?
A great way to begin is to take a moment and rest in the fact that homeschooling naturally provides a personalized educational experience for each child, much like a public school IEP (Individual Education Plan). That, in itself, brings lots of freedom to the idea of making an individualized learning plan for your student. With homeschooling, you have the flexibility to adapt your plan as needed, whether that means ping deeper into a topic your learner loves or adjusting your approach if something isn’t working.
It’s also a great idea to check out your state’s homeschool law regarding teaching children with special learning needs.
Some information tends to be standard to include in an SEP. If you’re an HSLDA member, you can find a blank template at the bottom of this article listing this information in depth. But in general, written educational plans should contain:
- Your student’s biographical information
- Summary of your child’s present levels of performance
- Educational goals and objectives
- Time frame for accomplishing goals
- Accommodations/Supports needed to meet educational needs
- Related services
Developing a SEP for homeschooling involves several key steps to ensure that you create a comprehensive and effective plan tailored to your child’s needs. So, let’s get started: