According to the U.S. Census Bureau, homeschool rates are increasing across different demographics. In families of color, homeschool rates have doubled and in Black families, they have nearly quintupled. The COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged families to consider different approaches to education that have safety in their best interest. BIPOC students with learning disabilities are among the most vulnerable demographics. Fortunately, there are both private and public resources available on homeschooling BIPOC students with special needs.
Organizations
Many education systems are often Euro-centric and encourage faith-based curricula, however there are alternative organizations that offer inclusive subjects for BIPOC students. For example, the nonprofit National Black Home Educators (NBHE) serves Black families that choose to homeschool their children. NBHE provides secular curricula, resources, and teaches outside the ‘traditional’ school of thought. NBHE recommends visiting the Home School Legal Defense Association’s (HSLDA) website when choosing a curriculum that best suits your child’s special education needs. There is also the Raising Free People, which is a community-driven educational podcast that starts conversations about homeschooling. It centers around BIPOC and sheds light on education as a personal and academic source of empowerment, which can also benefit students with special needs enrolled in homeschooling.
Curriculum and Supplementary Tools
Many students excel with homeschooling because they can work at their own pace, especially students with special needs. Children with Autism or Dyslexia perform the best with visual aids and audiobooks. Students with ADHD might need shorter class times. Children with Down Syndrome work best with lessons that intertwine with their interests.
Black history and the dramatic influences of Eastern cultures on American history go unrecognized in public education systems. Many BIPOC families who chose to homeschool opt for curricula such as Black Classical University and Kamali Academy. Both programs are Afro-centric and flexible to the pace of any student.
For more inclusive tools for homeschooling students with special needs, parents can subscribe to monthly packages that are catered to specific interests:
- Legacy Kits: Hands-on learning, crafts
- Just Like Me Box: Literature
- Because of Them, We Can: African American history
- Oyster Kits: At-home STEM projects
Resources for Technology
The pandemic highlighted the increasing gap in access to digital technology for families. Even if the student has not enrolled in an online program, educational diversity is crucial to prepare for life after school. Unfortunately, for many low-income families, electronic devices can be too expensive.
Nonprofit organizations such as the OnIt Foundation and Computers with Causes offer laptops at heavily discounted rates or free. Verizon and Comcast also offer discounted or free internet for families that qualify for free or reduced-cost meals. Also, public libraries lend out devices to people at no cost or have computer labs accessible to everyone.
Get Support
Everyone, even educators who decide to homeschool their child, need to chat with others. It helps you find solutions, build a network of thought partners, and just be heard on the hard days by folks who have already been there. There are many state-specific support groups and there are also national organizations you can join. At MindWorks Collaborative, you can sign up to connect with one of our HomeSchool Family Navigators for coaching or use our talent app to find home-based and remote clinicians. You can also join our special education homeschooling Facebook group here!
MindWorks Collaborative would love to invite you to learn more about interrupting the Model Minority Myth. Join future conversations on this topic by signing up for our community of justice-driven special educators here and sign up to get alerts for our next roundtable.
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