Throughout the years of home education, connecting with other homeschool families in person can be a tremendous asset. By meeting with other families in your area, you have the possibility of social connections with like-minded people, developing a network of friends for your children as they grow. From meals for families with a new baby to cooperative classes for a group of similarly aged homeschoolers, the benefits of community are many!

Especially when it comes to the advanced years of homeschooling—of which I do not have firsthand experience—getting to know experienced homeschoolers can give you a roadmap for what is possible. Many homeschool parents are generous with their time and happy to share their experiences. For this article, we will outline some of the most common choices for homeschool math in the high school years, along with some of the pitfalls and benefits of different options.

High School Math: What is Required

Math is one of the subjects that is required for high school graduation and is a prerequisite for many courses of advanced study and career development. Certain subjects are considered high school level: Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus and Calculus. Trigonometry is often combined with Algebra II or Pre-Calculus as one class.

In a traditional school setting, some students are able to take Algebra I in 8^th grade and can then take Geometry at the beginning of high school. Many students go on to complete Calculus in high school. Because homeschool students are able to move at their own pace, students with aptitude in mathematics may complete advanced math in high school. At a minimum, for admission to college or other degree programs, Algebra I and II and Geometry are generally necessary. For students considering a degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics, Calculus and other advanced math classes are advisable.

A Good Starting Place: A Tried-and-True Curriculum

Because much of higher-level math is cumulative, building on previously acquired skills and comprehension, following an established curriculum makes sense for most families. Many families I spoke to chose Saxon Math.

Developed by John Saxon and Stephen Hake in the 1980s, the Saxon Math curriculum follows a spiral approach to learning math versus a mastery model. The spiral model means that concepts are revisited throughout the curriculum instead of learning a particular topic and completing it sequentially. While the original Saxon program focuses on middle school and high school level, Linda Matthews and Nancy Larson authored Saxon Math curricula for the younger years. Many families begin Saxon 1 in kindergarten or first-grade. Some continue through Calculus, so it is the chosen curriculum through high school without any need to change.

Saxon Math is also used for several high school classes as part of well-known Catholic homeschool programs, including Kolbe Academy and Seton Home Study School. Many graduates of these programs are now homeschooling parents themselves. Several I spoke to are currently continuing Saxon with their own children. Some of the parents who graduated from Saxon now work in engineering, computer science, and other math-intensive fields.

What if Saxon is not a good fit for your family? Despite its popularity, some families struggle with what they see as the repetitive nature and extended length of Saxon lessons. This does not mean that you cannot use Saxon just for high school. Depending on the individual child, a different curriculum can lay a good foundation in math in grade school. Other programs for grade school math include Singapore Math, Horizons,  Math Mammoth, and Math-U-See (which, unlike the others, continues through high school). Using these other programs, you can opt to switch to Saxon for the high school years.

Saxon is also not the only high school curriculum available. Harold Jacobs developed a curriculum for Algebra and Geometry, which homeschoolers have used successfully. Paul Foerster, a student of Mr. Jacobs, has textbooks covering Algebra I, Algebra II & Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, Calculus. Foerster’s books have been adapted for home study through Math Without Borders.

Consider a Math Tutor

If you don’t consider yourself a mathematician and struggle to remember anything about Algebra and Geometry, you are not alone. Many parents assured me that homeschooled high school students can follow math lessons and progress through all of the required material without direct parental instruction. That said, if you live in a metropolitan area, there are qualified tutors who are familiar with the specifics of major math curricula.

Whether you use a tutor for a subject throughout the year or for a short time to address certain subject gaps, bringing in outside help can greatly improve the high school math experience. If hiring a tutor directly is not in the budget, see if you can go in with other families with high schoolers in your area. A tutor might be willing to offer a discounted rate per family for tutoring a group of students at the same time.

Online Courses

In addition to in-person tutoring, there are many online tutoring options. Some require booking a tutor and working together synchronously. Most, however, offer programs with pre-recorded video lessons that can help students master the content and provide grading and feedback on assignments.

As mentioned previously, many distance-learning homeschool programs, like Kolbe Academy and Seton Home Study School offer classes based on Saxon. Some of these can be taken á la carte. Having the external accountability of an online program can help some students complete work required for their specific academic goals.

Added Bonus: Math Classes for College Credit

For high school students homeschooled in Texas, they may be able to receive college credit for high school classes. Through Early College Start - Dual Enrollment, some high school students may qualify to receive college credit for classes taken to fulfill high school graduation requirements. Students in Texas must demonstrate proficiency through standardized testing or individual community college admission requirements. Once enrolled, some required high school classes may be sent to colleges for credit.

Other students might consider studying for the Advanced Placement test. This exam, administered by the College Board, offers testing of Precalculus, Calculus, and Statistics. If students score well enough on the exam, they may receive credit for college classes in that subject area.

Some homeschool families I spoke to had children who began a four-year college as a sophomore because of the number of math, history, and English classes they were able to take while in high school or test out of through the Advanced Placement test.

Concluding Thoughts

Homeschooling does not mean learning alone in your own home. Through coops, online courses, tutoring, and tried-and-true curricula, homeschool parents have many different forms of assistance in educating their children. In high school, the study of mathematics becomes more formal, depending on the academic and career goals of individual families. Parents who have successfully graduated homeschooled high schoolers provide invaluable resources for navigating math up to high school and beyond.