Homeschool Services
Our founding resource, we currently offer a complete consultancy service for families wishing to homeschool their children with certified, experienced teachers and who want assistance with all paperwork, curriculum development and practical decision-making.
Additionally, we offer tutoring services ala carte for home-schooled and traditionally-schooled families. See our Tutoring Services link.
Our homeschool consultancy service provides clients with the personalized guidance needed to plan and implement a homeschool education program tailored to their unique lifestyle. We begin with a phone call or email from parents giving us a general idea of their needs, followed by a personal meeting to discuss this in detail. Once we have established a complete picture, we present the finest teachers from which a family selects their best fit. We then work with the teachers to develop a homeschool curriculum that covers state standards and builds on each child's needs and interests, and we process all necessary paperwork with the Board of Education from the first day through the last. Should your child eventually apply back into the traditional school setting, we assist with applications, interview preparation and school selection. We document student achievement throughout the year and from year to year to present to potential schools, one of many reasons QED students are sought after by the best schools. In short, QED manages everything needed to provide your family with the finest education by design.
"A QED homeschool education was exactly what we needed to help our boys get a great start in their academic lives. The personalized attention gave them a tremendous boost and Melissa and Teri were always there when we needed them"
-Emily Scott - J.Crew, Plum TV, Director Sears Holdings
QED Homeschool FAQ's
Why use a consultancy like Quality Education by Design. Can't I just find a teacher and do it myself?
Our clients turn to us for our experience, knowledge and insight in education. We present families with exceptional teacher candidates, work together to tailor a child-centered curriculum, manage all the paperwork necessary for any state in the U.S., and assure your child’s teachers are meeting our high academic standards. In addition, we maintain a strong teacher support network to provide curriculum resources, advice and fellowship for our educators throughout the year.
Can homeschooled students obtain working permits?
Yes they can, and we assist our clients with this process for students who are performers.
Is homeschooling legal?
Yes. Every parent has the right to provide an appropriate education for their child, and personalized schooling at home is a highly desirable alternative to a group setting.
Is there a homeschool curriculum?
Our trademark is the individual attention we provide to each of our clients. We work with the interests and abilities of our students to help them realize their highest potential, beginning with the New York State core curriculum standards and building dynamically from there. We have found our method produces a high level of student achievement and satisfaction. This individualized, academic and child-centered approach is based on establishing goals, checking for achievement, and setting new goals. Education that makes sense!
What would this look like in practice? It depends on the child. We start with finding a teacher who fits the child - not just assigning an available QED teacher. That's crucial. And it often means a specialized teacher search. For a student who is a busy actor, it could mean coordinating work schedules, school, music or dance lessons, and socialization. For a student who dislikes academics, it might be helping a student create a theoretical video game: they would need to know physics (What force is exerted by wood on the bullet, for example); geography and history (what countries and paths did drug routes take at different times in history), forensics and science: conducting saliva swab tests on family and friends, art (background and details of the game itself) and even game making and programming.
Learning is exciting. Share the excitement with us.
What about socializing and making friends?
We believe some of the most important skills learned in primary and secondary schools are interacting with others and behaving appropriately in whole-group situations. For this reason, it is vital for homeschoolers to have opportunities to socialize regularly with and learn from peers. When families decide to pursue homeschooling, we assure that non-academic and social activities are a part of the child's curriculum. Fortunately, New York City is full of opportunities for every age homeschooler to interact with peers. If your child has a particular interest or aptitude, we'll search to find the types of group activities they enjoy.
Will we be able to return to (or apply to) traditional schools in the future?
Absolutely. Many of our families choose to take a homeschool break from private school for a year or two but want to keep the door open to return at a later date. We've established a comprehensive system to give our students every advantage when applying (or reapplying) to schools. The extensive documentation we provide, (including report cards, teacher evaluations and portfolios of students' work), along with our reputation for excellence, offers a distinct advantage to our students. After successfully completing their education with QED, our students have been accepted at the following schools:
- Princeton University
- Ethical Culture Fieldston School
- Trinity
- The Dwight School
- Brearley
- Friends Seminary
- Columbia Grammar and Prep
- Professional Childrens School (PCS)
- Riverdale
- Greenwich Country Day School
- Packer Prep
- Elizabeth Irwin High School
What about field trips and traveling?
Here you are limited only by your imagination and your budget. Many amazing trips can be planned around curricular studies; from as close by as our local Manhattan museums and historic neighborhoods to as far away as Egypt or the Galapagos Islands. Occasionally teachers are available to travel with families or may even take children to these locations on their own. All trips are supported by appropriate activities and materials to enrich the experience.
Where will school take place?
Typically a family will have a quiet area/room of their home dedicated to serving as the classroom.
How many hours a day and days in a week should a child have school?
The number of required school hours is mandated by the Department of Education. Within this framework there is room for flexibility in planning.
What are the costs?
Each homeschooling program is customized, and costs vary. Expenses are comparable to (but may exceed) attending a New York City independent school. In general, older students--middle or high school-- or those receiving more services (extra-curriculars, standardized test preparation, multiple teachers) will have a more expensive overall program than younger students. The self-directed upper-grade student who is able to work independently can bring costs down considerably.
We will be happy to discuss detailed answers to the above questions and many more (such as those below) when we meet at our initial consultation. You may contact us at the email address at the bottom of the page.
What if my child has special needs?
Will my child have PE?
How do school reports get filed?
What is required of the parents?
Substitute teachers?
Can we include more than one child?
Do you have homework?
How will my child be assessed, and by whom?
What about standardized tests (like the ERB or ISEE)?design.