5. Decatur, Georgia
When it comes to nerdy paradises, it’s hard to beat the just-outside-Atlanta city of Decatur.
PHOTO: City of Decatur
HOMESCHOOL REQUIREMENTS: File a declaration of intent to homeschool every year by Sept. 1 (or within 30 days of withdrawing your child from school)
COMMUNITY: LEAD (Learners and Educators in Atlanta and Decatur) has a full roster of classes and weekly park days, plus spelling bees, talent shows, and other activities
BOOKS: The staff at Eagle Eye Book Shop has a knack for cherry-picking the perfect new book based on your previous favorites
RESOURCES: Attend monthly homeschool days at the Atlanta History Center and the High Museum of Art, register for hands-on classes at Zoo Atlanta; visit Fernbank Museum of Natural History and Fernbank Science Center; take a class in chicken-keeping at the Wylde Center in Oakhurst, visit the Michael C. Carlos Museum on the Emory University campus; line up for the costume parade at DragonCon; get your literary fix at the Decatur-AJC Book Festival; see a show at the Center for Puppetry Arts
INSIDER TIP: The Bradley Observatory at Agnes Scott College hosts free astronomy open houses every month.
NUMBER OF MUSEUMS: 38, including the Jimmy Carter Library and Museum; Robert C. Williams Paper Museum, and the David J. Sencer Museum at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
NUMBER OF LIBRARIES: 14, with a calendar of activities including arts and crafts, movies, and clubs
MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $179,500
POPULATION: 20,086
When it comes to nerdy paradises, it’s hard to beat the just-outside-Atlanta city of Decatur.
Not only does Atlanta play host to five — count ‘em, five — science fiction and fantasy conventions every year, it also has the greatest concentration of both live-action role-play (LARP) groups and bookstores in the United States. But for homeschoolers, the big appeal of Decatur isn’t necessarily its proximity to Atlanta attractions, like homeschool days at the High Museum of Art, Zoo Atlanta, and the Atlanta History Center. It’s the thriving homeschool community, where you really can run into fellow homeschooling families every time you hit the library, the park, or the Fernbank Museum of Natural History, that makes Decatur such a great place to be a homeschooler. You might spot a costumed group making digital movies in Glenlake Park, run into a family in search of kale at the Dekalb Farmers Market, or happen on a group of teenagers arguing about the nature of reality in Doctor Who at Palookaville after morning classes at LEAD. Future filmmakers can log time on the sets of television shows like The Walking Dead and Vampire Diaries, both of which film in the Atlanta area. Activities like guided bird walks through Fernbank Forest and the Decatur Book Festival aren’t just for homeschoolers, but they certainly have plenty of homeschool appeal — and the roster of free and cheap lectures and performances at Emory University and Agnes Scott College make an irresistible addition to your high school curriculum. Food lovers will appreciate the fact that Decatur’s made more than one list of best restaurants — and the preponderance of community gardens and urban farms makes local eating easy. And thanks to the efforts of a committed group of homeschool activists, in 2012, Georgia went from having some of the United States’ strictest homeschool requirements to having some of its most relaxed.
Decatur is on the pricey side for Atlanta, especially if you’re aiming to live in a neighborhood like Kirkwood or Oakhurst, but the median home price of $179,500 buys a lot of space for the money compared to other big city boroughs. Groceries, gas, and utilities here fall around the national average. While you’ll probably want a car, Decatur has reasonable public transportation and a walkable downtown area.
This list was originally published by home/school/life in 2014. Are there great Decatur, GA secular homeschool resources we missed or new resources created since we made this list? Add them in the comments!
6: Ann Arbor, Michigan
It’s hard to imagine a more perfect college town than this one. The University of Michigan’s 3,200-acre campus gives the city an annual infusion of fresh energy and ideas and may be part of the reason Ann Arbor is chock-full of life learning opportunities, even if you don’t count all the art shows, film screenings, lectures, and performances happening on the university campus.
PHOTO: Visit Ann Arbor
HOMESCHOOL REQUIREMENTS: None. If you’re withdrawing your child from school, the state recommends notifying the school, but you don’t have to file any paperwork, meet any attendance requirements, or participate in any standardized testing.
COMMUNITY: Homeschoolers of Ann Arbor is a 4-H group with weekly meetings, co-op classes, long-term project opportunities, and social activities.
BOOKS: Forget best-sellers. At Literati Bookstore, new books share primo display space with titles from small presses, older books that are hard to find elsewhere, and literary classics. Bonus: The downstairs typewriter collection is like kid-nip.
RESOURCES: Download homeschool lesson plans for exhibitions at the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology, sing in the choir or march with the band in the National Homeschool Music Ensemble; take homeschool art classes at the Ann Arbor Art Center or Make Art Studio; do a kayak nature study on the Huron River; see a show at the Wild Swan Children’s Theater
INSIDER TIP: Borrow a bike to get beyond where the city buses will take you from ArborBike, Ann Arbor’s bike share program
NUMBER OF MUSEUMS: 11, including the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History, the Sindecuse Museum of Dentistry, and the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum
NUMBER OF LIBRARIES: 5, with activities including author events, a monthly webcomics lab, and arts and crafts workshops
MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $212,000
POPULATION: 117,025
Where can you be surprised by tiny fairy doors on the city streets, pay a visit to ancient Pompeii, and get a pretty freaking amazing pastrami sandwich? Why, in Ann Arbor, course, a university town where quaint charm, educational resources, and good eating intersect.
It’s hard to imagine a more perfect college town than this one. The University of Michigan’s 3,200-acre campus gives the city an annual infusion of fresh energy and ideas and may be part of the reason Ann Arbor is chock-full of life learning opportunities, even if you don’t count all the art shows, film screenings, lectures, and performances happening on the university campus.
You might meet up with your homeschool group for bread-making classes at Zingerman’s Bakehouse, take a field trip the full-size replica of Pompeii’s Villa of Mysteries mural at the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology, or see a friend perform in a production of “Frog and Toad” at the Wild Swan children’s theater. Teens line up for cheap movie matinees at Rave or find their new favorite band at the funky Ark music hall, which attracts both up-and-coming and big-name acts. Exploring the Huron River, which runs through the city, is as easy as stopping by Gallup Canoe Livery to rent a couple of kayaks and gear, or you can get your exercise on foot, hiking the trails in Bluffs Nature Area, just steps from downtown. Stop by the famous Zingerman’s Deli for a sandwich you’ll need two hands to eat or stop at the food cart park downtown for a walk-and-talk lunch. Michigan’s homeschool laws are voluntary, so you can opt to inform your child’s school or the school district of your decision to homeschool, but you certainly don’t have to.
Ann Arbor is a little more expensive than the U.S. average when it comes to housing—the median home price in 2013 was $212,000. But other costs, including groceries and transportation, are a little less than the national average, and utilities are right around the national average. One benefit to living in Ann Arbor is its low unemployment rate, which makes finding work here a little easier than it can be in other parts of the United States. Getting around in the city is easy thanks to a pedestrian-friendly downtown and handy bus system, but you’ll want a (winterized) car if you plan to venture out past the city limits.
This list was originally published by home/school/life in 2014. Are there great Ann Arbor, MI secular homeschool resources we missed or new resources created since we made this list? Add them in the comments!
7: Boise, Idaho
If you love the idea of the Pacific Northwest but not the high housing costs, Boise will feel like a revelation. This sleepy, green town has all the outdoor charm and eco-friendly vibrations you’d find in Portland or Seattle at prices real-life homeschool families can actually afford.
Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce
HOMESCHOOL REQUIREMENTS: None. If you’re withdrawing your child from school, the state recommends notifying the school, but you don’t have to file any paperwork, meet any attendance requirements, or participate in any standardized testing.
COMMUNITY: Secular Homeschoolers of Idaho - Treasure Valley is a handy resource for keeping up with the Boise homeschooling scene.
BOOKS: Ask the folks behind the counter at the Rediscovered Bookshop what they’re reading, and there’s a pretty good chance you’ll find your new favorite book.
RESOURCES: Take kayak lessons at Boise River Park; learn to ski at Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Park; learn about native plants at the Boise Botanical Garden; take homeschool classes at Zoo Boise; get schooled in environmental education at the Boise Watershed; work as an intern at the World Center for Birds of Prey
INSIDER TIP: Take a float trip down the Snake River to look for peregrine falcons.
NUMBER OF MUSEUMS: 14, including the Idaho Museum of Mining and Geology, the Idaho Black History Museum, and the Boise Art Museum
NUMBER OF LIBRARIES: 4, with activities including 3-D printing, board gaming groups, Lego clubs, and more
MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $120,000
POPULATION: 214,237
If you love the idea of the Pacific Northwest but not the high housing costs, Boise will feel like a revelation. This sleepy, green town has all the outdoor charm and eco-friendly vibrations you’d find in Portland or Seattle at prices real-life homeschool families can actually afford.
Idaho also has an advantage over its trendy neighbors when it comes to homeschool life: Unlike Oregon and Washington, both of which require homeschoolers to check off specific criteria every year, Boise doesn’t require homeschoolers to submit any paperwork, even if they want to take advantage of the state’s dual-enrollment options. Perhaps that’s in keeping with the town’s unofficial mantra, which seems to be to soak up the outdoors as much as humanly possible. Boise has more than 4,300 acres of green space inside the city limits, and you’ll run into plenty of fellow explorers on the biking and walking trails that wind through the city’s 25-mile-long Greenbelt along the Boise River. In summer, join other paddlers on the water at Boise River Park; in winter, Bogus River Mountain Recreation Park, home to more than 2,600 acres of skiing and snowboarding fun, is just 16 miles outside of town. Homeschoolers can learn more about the area’s ecology at the free Boise WaterShed Education Center, sign up for classes at Zoo Boise, or study Idaho’s past at the Idaho Historical Museum. See a movie revival at the old-fashioned Egyptian Theater, or watch local kids perform in shows with the Treasure Valley Children’s Theatre. Pay a visit to the World Center for Birds of Prey, a nearly 600-acre preserve for endangered birds of prey, or dive into hands-on science studies at the Discovery Center. Whether you’re seeking adventure indoors or outside, you’ll find more than enough life learning opportunities in the City of Trees.
Living in Boise is impressively affordable — housing, gas, utilities, and other everyday expenses are cheaper here than they are in more than half the rest of the United States. Even in sought-after neighborhoods like Northend, where residents can walk to farmers markets or follow the bike paths right in downtown, home prices are low enough for single-income families. If you’re content to stay inside the city limits, you could get by with good bikes, but to take advantage of the surrounding outdoor recreation options, you’ll want a car.
This list was originally published by home/school/life in 2014. Are there great Boise, ID secular homeschool resources we missed or new resources created since we made this list? Add them in the comments!
8: Des Moines, Iowa
You could say that life in Des Moines is all about options — and thanks to new legislation passed last year, homeschoolers have lots of options here, too, including a red-tape-free option that requires no paperwork or hoop-jumping for homeschool families.
PHOTO: Courtesy of the Greater Des Moines Convention & Visitors Bureau
HOMESCHOOL REQUIREMENTS: None, for homeschoolers who don’t want to take advantage of dual enrollment or public school funds. Annual paperwork, testing, and/or evaluations are required for homeschooler who want to participate in the public school system.
COMMUNITY: Iowa Home Educators share resources, plan meet-ups, and discuss local homeschool options.
BOOKS: Browsers will be happy at The Book Store, where you’ll find a heady mix of old and new books, including lots of classics.
INSIDER TIP: The 515 Alive summer music festival is a great place to premiere your garage band or just catch some local music acts.
RESOURCES: Organize a field trip to Blank Park Zoo; take homeschool skating classes at the Ice Ridge rink; participate in hands-on homeschool classes at Living History Farms; have a sleepover at the Science Center of Iowa; have a trail-walking playdate at Ashworth or Greenwood Park; see a performance at the Iowa Fringe Festival; visit the Great Ape Trust primate sanctuary
NUMBER OF MUSEUMS: 22, including the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, the Carnegie Library Museum, and the State Historical Museum of Iowa
NUMBER OF LIBRARIES: 6, with events including themed dress-up days, gaming clubs, digital video-making classes, and more
MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $168,600
POPULATION: 207,510
Meat lovers won’t need much convincing that Des Moines is a great place to live: Iowa’s capital city hosts both the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival and the World Pork Expo every year. (Don’t worry, vegetarians: The Iowa State Fair, held here, has managed to redefine notions of vegetarian fair food and has some of the best veggie corndogs we’ve ever tasted, among other food-on-a-stick delights.)
You could say that life in Des Moines is all about options — and thanks to new legislation passed last year, homeschoolers have lots of options here, too, including a red-tape-free option that requires no paperwork or hoop-jumping for homeschool families. (If you want to participate in Iowa’s dual-enrollment opportunities or receive public school funds, you can choose from four other homeschool options, which do require you to file paperwork and participate in standardized testing and/or annual evaluations.)
And you may find planning your day a challenge since there are so many options to choose from: Should you spend the afternoon browsing and drinking coffee at the Cup O Kryptonite comic book shop, or experience life as a 19th century field hand at Living History Farms? Would you rather see a performance of the Royal Ballet of Iowa, catch a cheap matinee at the Merle Hay Cinema (where they only show one movie at a time in their single-screen theater), or bike to Saylorville Lake? Maybe it feels like a day to scrounge up a game of chess at the Downtown Library before browsing the books and making a sugar-fix stop at Snookie’s Malt Shop. In the summer, settle in the stands to watch an Iowa Cubs game, followed by fireworks. In the winter, go snow tubing at Sleepy Hollow. Make it a STEM day with a trip to the Science Center of Iowa, or explore art at the Des Moines Art Center. Whatever you choose, there’s a good chance you’ll run into another homeschool family or two on your weekday adventures.
With a cost of living almost 10 percent lower than the national average, Des Moines is one of the most affordable cities on our list. Expect to pay less for everything from housing to gas in this Iowa city. Des Moines’ transportation system, the DART, is handy for getting around downtown, but if you live further out or frequent places outside the DART radius, you will want a car for getting around.
This list was originally published by home/school/life in 2014. Are there great Des Moines, IA secular homeschool resources we missed or new resources created since we made this list? Add them in the comments!
9: Springfield, Missouri
The city’s big enough to have amenities like its top-notch library system, its own opera and ballet companies, and a busy theatrical season, but still small enough to feel like one big community.
Missouri Division of Tourism
HOMESCHOOL REQUIREMENTS: File a Declaration of Intent to Homeschool every year by Sept. 1 (or within 30 days of withdrawing your child from school)
COMMUNITY: The Springfield MO Moms Homeschoolers network connects homeschool families around the Ozarks for social and educational opportunities, curriculum trades, and online conversation.
BOOKS: You can score used and new books (not to mention used textbooks) for bargain-basement prices at ABC Books.
INSIDER TIP: Homeschoolers can tour the Askinosie Chocolate Factory, which makes organic, free-trade chocolate.
RESOURCES: Participate in the Homeschool History Fair of the Ozarks; sign up for weekly homeschool activities at the YMCA; study nature at Dickerson Park Zoo and the Botanical Gardens; make the most of homeschool day at Silver Dollar City; try out for a show at the Springfield Little Theater; take the homeschool track at Ozarks Technical Community College; play old-school arcade games at 1984
NUMBER OF MUSEUMS: 23, including the Titanic Museum Attraction in Branson, the History of Hearing Museum, and the Missouri Institute of Natural Science
NUMBER OF LIBRARIES: 10, plus a book mobile and a drop-off/pick-up location at the Price Cutter supermarket
MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $116,500
POPULATION: 164,122
The first time you pick up your on-hold library books at the supermarket in Springfield, you’ll feel like there should be a fanfare of trumpets. How often is library legwork this easy? But Springfield’s libraries are some of the best in the country, and the librarian team works hard to make them as accessible as possible, with late-night hours, a book mobile, an on-site cafe, and yes, pick-up and drop-off options at the Price Cutter supermarket.
The Queen City of the Ozarks’ library system is just one of the only-in-Springfield details that make this city such a great place to live. The city’s big enough to have amenities like its top-notch library system, its own opera and ballet companies, and a busy theatrical season, but still small enough to feel like one big community. On a weekday morning, there’s a good chance you’ll run into other homeschool families, whether you’re playing in fountains at Jordan Valley Park, lining up for the roller coasters at Silver Dollar City, or waiting your turn to ride a bike across the highwire at the Discovery Center. The Bass Pro Shop outdoor supply stores started here in Springfield, and the main outpost goes all out with special programming and activities throughout the year. Cheering for the minor-league Springfield Cardinals at Hammons Field is practically mandatory if you live here, but tickets often sell for less than $10 each so the city’s baseball obsession is one you can afford to keep up with. Springfield is also home to plenty of history: Wilson’s Creek Battlefield is the site of the first major Civil War battle west of the Mississippi, and the American Civil War Library is housed there.
Nestled in the heart of the Ozarks, Springfield is also a gateway to all kinds of outdoor adventure, from float trips down the James or Niangua River, to fishing on Table Rock Lake, to watching for deer on the trails at the Springfield Nature Center. Costs in Springfield are low. On average, you’ll pay about seven percent less here for gas, utilities, and other everyday expenses than you would in other parts of the country. Houses are affordable, even in sought-after, family-oriented neighborhoods like Phelps Grove. Public transportation is just fine, but you’ll definitely want a car to get around efficiently. One thing to be aware of: Springfield has the most variable weather in the United States, so be prepared for days that feel like they run through all four seasons.
This list was originally published by home/school/life in 2014. Are there great Springfield, MO secular homeschool resources we missed or new resources created since we made this list? Add them in the comments!
10: Edmond, Oklahoma
In a part of the country that can feel dominated by religious homeschool groups, Edmond stands out with its active secular homeschool population.
PHOTO: Edmond Convention and Visitors Bureau
HOMESCHOOL REQUIREMENTS: No requirements beyond making sure your student gets at least 175 days of instruction per year. (How you keep those records is up to you.)
COMMUNITY: Edmond Secular Homeschoolers meet up for regular park days, field trips, and moms’ nights out in Edmond and nearby Oklahoma City.
BOOKS: Best of Books in Kickingbird Square has a solid collection of children’s and young adult titles and a friendly staff who don’t mind special-ordering must-have titles.
INSIDER TIP: Join the monthly mini-model LEGO build at Penn Square Mall in Oklahoma City.
RESOURCES: Make science fun at the Science Museum Oklahoma; sign up for homeschool classes at the Oklahoma Zoo; get inspired with homeschool classes at the Fine Arts Institute of Edmond; stay active with the homeschool PE Is Fun program; fish year-round on the heated dock at Arcadia Lake; bring your skateboard to Mathis Skate Park; visit the hives at Honey Hill Farm
NUMBER OF MUSEUMS: 21, including the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, the ASA National Softball Hall of Fame and Museum, and the American Banjo Museum
NUMBER OF LIBRARIES: 20, with activities including book swaps, art contests, chess clubs, and reading groups
MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $189,700
POPULATION: 81,594
Homeschool is legal in all fifty states, but Oklahoma is the only state where the right to homeschool is written right into the state constitution. That’s part of what makes the city of Edmond, just outside of Oklahoma City, such a great place to homeschool.
Things here move a little slower, and that’s part of the charm of this Midwestern city, where community centers around family-oriented neighborhoods and a small, Main Street-style downtown. You may feel like you’ve fallen into a 1950s sitcom as you watch the kids circle on the outdoor ice skating rink or browse the farmers market at the Festival Market Place and Plaza, watch a summerstock musical at the University of Central Oklahoma, or listen to an outdoor concert in Hafer Park. Expect Norman Rockwell seasons here: bright, painted-leaf autumns; cold, snowy winters; blooming green springs; and hot, humid summers. For nature lovers, Arcadia Lake (opened in 1987) hosts eagle watches, guided hikes, and fishing derbies throughout the year. Edmond is also home to one of Oklahoma’s only skate parks. One of the stops along historic Route 66, Edmond has clung to its small-town independence even as it’s grown to a bustling suburb of Oklahoma’s capital city. You’re less than half an hour from homeschool field trip fun at the Science Museum Oklahoma, the National Cowboy and Western Museum, and the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Gardens. And in a part of the country that can feel dominated by religious homeschool groups, Edmond stands out with its active secular homeschool population.
For Oklahomans, Edmond’s median home price is on the high side, but folks from other parts of the country will likely be pleased by the less-than-$200,000 average home cost. In fact, the price of everything from groceries to utilities is less than the national average here, making Edmond a great place to live on one income or two part-time incomes. You will need a car to navigate the area — Edmond’s downtown proper is pretty pedestrian-friendly, but there’s no real option for public transportation here.
This list was originally published by home/school/life in 2014. Are there great Edmond, OK secular homeschool resources we missed or new resources created since we made this list? Add them in the comments!
Best Cities for Secular Homeschoolers (2014)
What struck us the most as we put together this very opinionated and obsessively researched list is how lucky we are to live in a world where so many great homeschool cities exist. From a metropolis where homeschooling is practically a get-in-free card to a university town where homeschoolers where homeschoolers can get rock-star library services, , these cities are all an adventure waiting to happen.
What kinds of cities do homeschoolers love?
It’s a little presumptuous to pretend that we speak for every homeschooler everywhere with this list. Your off-the-list city may be the perfect place for your family to homeschool—and we’re certainly not going to argue with that! But we do think some cities are just more homeschool-friendly than others, and whether you’re looking for a spot for your next urban vacation or seriously considering a big move, knowing what cities offer some of the best resources for homeschoolers can be a benefit. So we sat down with a mountain of spreadsheets and data on everything from the cost of groceries and number of homeschool co-ops to the average library wait time and number of local chess clubs to find cities that make homeschool life a pleasure.
We started out with the assumption that homeschoolers want to live where it’s easy to homeschool, so we weeded out states where the laws require homeschoolers to jump through hoops. You won’t find any cities where students have to submit portfolios or get curriculum approval on our list. (It’s not that these laws are bad, but if you don’t have to deal with a bunch of busywork, why would you?)
Next, we looked at the number of homeschool groups, classes, and activities in those states, zeroing in on the cities that offered lots of opportunities to homeschoolers. We got in touch with homeschool groups in each of the cities that made our top 50 list and asked real homeschooling families “Hey, what’s great and not-so-great about your city for homeschoolers?”
We also considered the extracurricular options each city offered. We know how important robust library systems are for homeschoolers, so we considered the American Library Association rankings for each city. (We also checked the number of copies and hold times for three books that often show up on homeschool reading lists — The Well-Trained Mind, Amazons and Swallows, and D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths — and gave bonus points to cities where libraries had regular free community programs.) Independent bookstores, performing arts venues, independent movie theaters, and other cultural attractions also factored into our rankings. We also weighed green spaces — public parks, protected forests, trail networks, bike trails, waterways, and other spaces that encourage outdoor activitiy.
Practically, we know that homeschoolers are often stretching one income, so we looked for cities where the cost of living was affordable or where a high cost in one area was offset by other factors, like low unemployment, cheap public transportation, or lots of free resources. We looked for cities where families could comfortably manage with one car. And, of course, because community matters, we looked for cities with a high percentage of residents younger than 18.
Some of the cities seemed obvious — with its chilled-out homeschool laws and easygoing vibe, how could Austin, Texas, not end up on our list? Others surprised us. (Springfield, Missouri? Really?) Some cities we really didn’t want to cross off the list. (Dear Portland, Oregon, please stop requiring homeschoolers to take standardized tests because you are practically perfect in every other way. Sincerely, the Editors.) But what struck us the most as we put together this very opinionated and obsessively researched list is how lucky we are to live in a world where so many great homeschool cities exist. From a metropolis where homeschooling is practically a get-in-free card to a university town where homeschoolers where homeschoolers can get rock-star library services, , these cities are all an adventure waiting to happen.
When it comes to nerdy paradises, it’s hard to beat the just-outside-Atlanta city of Decatur.