Do I have to live in Kosciusko County in order to join KCHA?

No, you do not!  Just be aware that most of our members live in Kosciusko County, and the majority of events and activities will be held here.

Who is in charge of KCHA? Are they paid?

Check out our Board Members page to get to know our volunteer board members - no one in KCHA receives payment for what they do.

Is KCHA a co-op?

No, KCHA is not a co-op.  We do not have a regular meeting place to hold classes, and there are no mandatory or minimum requirements. There are lots of co-ops in Kosciusko County, though, so check out our Local Co-ops page once you have joined!

Is there a statement of faith?

KCHA is an all-inclusive organization, welcoming all faiths and cultures. KCHA does not prohibit the acknowledgement, practice, or inclusion of these faiths and cultures as part of activities within the organization designed to celebrate and/or educate. Participants may choose to participate in or refrain from events reflective of a particular faith or culture; however, all participants are expected to respect and agree to the KCHA policy allowing religious and cultural activities to take place.

What are the benefits of becoming a member of KCHA?

There are so many benefits to joining KCHA!  Here are some you'll have access to once you log in:

• Join scheduled field trips with other homeschooling families, usually at a significant discount.
• Calendar access curated with all the homeschool specific events in the county and those organized through the association.
• Resource page and contact info for public co-ops that operate in Kosciusko.
• Local organization page making it easy to find businesses with homeschool classes and camps. 
• As our organization grows, the opportunity to do more and connect more. See our Activities page to get an idea of possibilities.
• Get free printable ID cards for yourself (as a teacher) and your children (as students). Some organizations may accept these ID cards in order to get student/teacher discounts.
• Promote your business - there is a KCHA business directory that homeschooling families can use to promote their own businesses. Do you have an Etsy shop?  Is your husband a car mechanic or handyman?  List it in the Business Directory! 

How much does it cost to join KCHA?

Membership with KCHA costs $25 per family per year. The amount is due upon registering, and membership will be valid until the end of KCHA's school year, which lasts June 1 through June 30.

Refunds will not be given for membership if someone decides to discontinue, or if their membership is revoked based on a violation of the Code of Conduct.

What does the KCHA membership pay for?

A large portion of the yearly membership fee is to pay for using this website, which makes activities, events, and field trips much easier to organize, communicate, and accept payment for.

The membership fee also helps cover the fees associated with accepting payments.

Does KCHA have participation requirements?

No, there are no participation requirements for KCHA. However, the amount of activities, events, field trips, etc. we are able to offer is entirely dependent on parental involvement. Contact the board about areas you have interest in.

Who can organize a field trip?

Any active member may organize a field trip. Once submitted, it will get sent for approval by the board who will provide support in using our website to organize and manage details.

I'm thinking about homeschooling my kids, but I don't know where to begin. Can KCHA help me?

Yes, we can! Our site makes it easy to see and find the opportunities available to homeschooled families. These include co-ops, organizations that provide homeschool specific programming, and events available just for home schoolers! You'll also be joining a community of homeschool parents to ask questions of in person and on our forum. Additionally, you can reach out to our Board via email: [email protected].

My child is enrolled with Braintree, Open Ed, or a similar organization. Can we still join KCHA?

Absolutely!  Most of our founding board members have children enrolled in one of those organizations. As far as we are concerned, if your child(ren) are not enrolled at an in-person school full-time, then they are homeschooled and are more than welcome to join KCHA.

Does KCHA have a social media page, like a Facebook group?

As of right now, KCHA does not have any social media pages or groups. Many members prefer to stay off of social media. Additionally, running a page or group would add more work to our board members (who are volunteers and homeschooling moms themselves!).

If that changes, we will be sure to link to our social media accounts from our website.

I am thinking about homeschooling my children. Where do I start?

Great question! There is so much you can do when it comes to homeschooling your kids.

If you children have been enrolled in public school, you will need to withdraw them. You will then need to decide on a curriculum, and find a community of support on your journey.

The Indiana Association of Home Educators is a wonderful treasure trove of information as you decide what will be best for your family.

Once you make the decision to homeschool, join KCHA and you'll have a community of people to learn from. We would love to have you!

How can I get funding to help pay for my homeschooled children's education?

The state of Indiana offers two primary methods for receiving funding for homeschooling your children, but you cannot do both in the same year.

The first method is in the form of a deduction on your state income taxes.  You can learn more about it here under the category "Private School/Homeschool Deduction."

The second method is to use a program like Braintree or OpenEd.  These programs partner with local school districts.  You will enroll your child in that school district as a student. The school district then receives funding from the government, which they take a portion of and then give the rest to Braintree/OpenEd.  You then have access to those funds to pay for your children's curriculum, extracurricular activities, memberships, and more.

Remember, you cannot enroll your children in the program AND claim a homeschool tax deduction.