To homeschool your children pursuant to Section 59-65-47 of the SC Code of Laws, Option 3 homeschoolers must be registered with an accountability association.

"Parents or guardians may choose to home school their children instead of enrolling them in a public, private, or parochial school. South Carolina statutes provide parents or guardians with three different options for home schooling their children. Option One allows the parents to home school their children under the auspices of a school district, if approved by the board of trustees. Under Option Two, parents may home school their children with the support of the South Carolina Association of Independent Home Schools. In Option Three, parents may choose a home school association which has no fewer than fifty members and meets the home school requirements. The parents or guardians select the particular home schooling option that is best for the children." Home Schooling - South Carolina Department of Education 

No.  Accountability Associations help hold the parent-teacher accountable.  No curriculum is provided, nor are tablets, computers, or other educational equipment.  Parent-teachers are responsible for choosing and purchasing their own curriculum and supplies.  If you need ideas, suggestions, or help choosing curriculum, you may visit this page, email UHA, attend a workshop or schedule a 1:1 consultation with UHA Director Lori Wyatt.

SC Code of Laws 59-65-10  “South Carolina Compulsory Attendance Law requires that a parent or guardian shall require his child to attend regularly a public or private school or kindergarten of this State which has been approved by the State Board of Education, a member school of the South Carolina Independent Schools and Association, a member school of the South Carolina Association of Christian Schools, or some similar organization, or a parochial, denominational, or church-related school, or other programs which have been approved by the State Board of Education from the school year in which the child is five years of age before September first until the child attains his seventeenth birthday or graduates from high school.” 

Therefore, your child must attend school or comply with the homeschool laws starting with the academic year when he or she is 5 years old before September 1. Thereafter, your child must continue attending school until he or she graduates from high school or turns 17. 

Each affordable membership we provide includes:

• New Member Packet via USPS: acceptance letter that can be used for the DMV, membership certificate, laminated pocket card for teacher's discounts at bookstores/field trips/etc, and withdrawal letter if necessary.

• Free printable forms from our website to aid with lesson planning, graduation prep and attendance, among others.

• Option to purchase a planner that includes all necessary reporting forms; helping to ensure that all your recordkeeping is in one volume and easy to maintain.

• Monthly newsletter

• Weekday email and phone support

• Code for a discounted membership with Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA)

• Online application and form requests available for your convenience at any time  

• Emailed report cards.

• High school transcripts at no additional fee

• Diploma

• Comprehensive website that is updated weekly with options of curriculum resources, field trips, co-ops and other various homeschool opportunities.

• Social media outlets to follow for inspiration, encouragement, reminders and supplementary lessons.

• Optional supportive monthly workshops for homeschooling parents

• Option to participate in PSAT testing

• Option to participate in Standardized Testing opportunities (homeschoolers are not required but we do offer the option)

• Option for our qualifying high schoolers to join the Delta Mu Chapter of the National Home School Honor Society

• Option to participate in our formal graduation ceremony and senior dinner. 

Our general membership fee is per family.  However, if you have high schoolers, their upcharge ($10/9th-11th grade, $15/12th grader) is per student.

South Carolina Option 3 homeschoolers operate under Section 59-65-47 of the SC Code of Laws.  It dictates " the curriculum includes, but is not limited to, the basic instructional areas of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies, and in grades seven through twelve, composition and literature"

Upcountry Homeschool Association offers continuous open enrollment.  Additionally, it hosts Early Bird weekend annually during the first weekend of March.  This signifies the opening of registration for the next school year.  It allows current members to renew and new members to join at a discounted rate.  After Early Bird, registration will continue.  You will receive reminder emails during the month of June.  If you have not renewed/joined by June 30th, communication will cease until your registration is complete.

As a South Carolina Option 3 homeschooler is the parent-teacher's legal responsibility to maintain a homeschool accountability registration.  Should you realize you forgot to enroll, complete the application as soon as possible.  If there are any questions, you may be contacted by our office during the processing of your application.

We do not.  You will need to manually renew each school year that you are continuing to homeschool.  Your homeschool registration is closed on June 30th of each year.

If you are enrolled in an Option 1-3 homeschool association, you are not eligible to participate in the ESTF program.

OPTIONAL standardized/PSAT/ASVAB testing opportunities, graduation ceremony, senior dinner, workshops, 1:1 consultations, monthly newsletters, free printable forms, custom homeschool planners, high school transcripts, diplomas, etc

Dual enrollment (also called concurrent enrollment) is a way for students to earn college credit while still in high school and prove that they are college-ready — equally important, dual enrollment can save students and families significant tuition dollars.   If your student is interested in participating in Dual Enrollment, please contact the college of your choice. 

Each institution will have their own applications, costs, standards, and procedures.  Upcountry Homeschool Association - Dual Enrollment

Yes, with some preparation.  S149 was passed in 2012 allowing homeschooled students access to public school sports within South Carolina.  The student must submit an application/letter of intent prior to the sports registration deadlines, have been homeschool for one full year prior to participating, meet or exceed academic guidelines and live within the district they are seeking to participate.

Yes!  One of the most recommended is Homeschooling the Special Needs Child, Susan Blackwell, Director, 803-429-3899, sblackwelltesting@gmail.com

www.homeschoolingthespecialneedschild.com  This service provides consultations and/or academic testing for families who homeschool their child(ren) with special needs.  We discuss curricular choices, as well as methods to navigate how to accommodate the student through the school day. We also talk about learning styles, as well as future plans for academics and adult life beyond graduation. 

ABSOLUTELY!

When completing the UHA application be diligent to indicate that your student is withdrawaing from a school and list the school's name and address.  When your application is processed a withdrawal letter will be prepared.  You will receive an electronic copy of that withdrawal letter with your welcome email and the hardcopy will be mailed to the address on the application.  You can print and present the electronic copy to your school at the earliest convenience or wait for the signed/sealed copy to arrive.

Section 59-65-47 of the SC Code of Laws dictates "By January thirtieth of each year, all associations shall report the number and grade level of children home schooled through the association to the children's respective school districts."

Option 3 associations operate under Section 59-65-47 mandating "the instructional year is at least one hundred eighty days" Absences are just missed homeschooling days, they do not deduct from the number of instructional days.  At least 180 days of instructions must be completed.

All applications are processed in the order in which they are received.  We strive to have applications completed within 2 business days.  You will receive an email confirmation once that is complete.  Your mailed membership packet goes into the mail the same day that you receive the emailed confirmation.

First Baptist North Spartanburg facilitates our graduation the Friday of Mother's Day weekend.  Though no senior is mandated to participate we do encourage all graduates and their families to join us.  This is a celebration for the student and the parent-teacher.  Our graduation package is all inclusive: cap/gown/tassel, senior dinner, programs, unlimited guests in attendance, electronic class photo, diploma with cover, along with other meaningful ways to celebrate our homeschooling families.

If the graduate participates in our graduation ceremony, they will receive it the Friday of Mother's Day weekend.  If they wish for their diploma to be mailed, they will go in the mail on the Monday following Mother's Day weekend.

High school students require more administrative tasks, resulting in additional office supplies and postage.  These include transcripts, DMV letters, scholarship recommendation letters, etc.

Upcountry Homeschool Association prepares transcripts for all of its high school students at no additional charge.  Please submit a Transcript Request Form.  We work to have transcripts drafted and back to you within 3 business days, often sooner.  Additionally, you will receive a list of points of consideration that we can work through to best format their transcript to display their academic accomplishments.