I live in Florida but am interested in knowing of any homechooling families or organizations (especially Christian ones) in or around Burkesville Kentucky (Dale Hollow Lake/south central Kentucky or North central Tennessee). I am considering moving to this area but need more info about homeschooling/homeschoolers in the area first. Thanks. --Chris

-- Joan (egavasnok@email.com), May 29, 2001

Answers

We considered moving to Tennessee, but two years ago the homeschooling laws were draconian, especially compared to Indiana. Don't know if it's changed, you'd better check on it. We wound up moving to Kentucky instead, up by the Green River Lake.

There are homeschoolers in the Burkesville area (a bit south of me) but I don't really know any of them. I do know that it's becoming more and more popular with parents, and more and more unpopular with the school districts that are losing out on the money.

Every county is different, and the counties are so small that you could live on the border of one county and take care of all your business in the neighboring counties, and very few in your own county would even know about your homeschooling. We try to maintain a low profile.

If you do a general search, (or check with HSLDA) you can find the local support groups. There are several in my area, official ones and unofficial ones. Much of the homeschooling around here is determined by religious outlook, and most of the conservative/fundamentalist type people I know are homeschoolers.

I suggest that if possible, rent a place for a few months while you look around, and don't get your heart set on any particular county before you've looked around a bit. It will also let you visit a few churches and meet people, and you'll find out far more that way than by a few emails and things. The nice thing about Burkesville is that there are usually a few properties available that have gas wells on the property so you can forget about heating expenses.

Woody woodmeister@hotpop.com

-- Woody Forester (woodmeister@hotpop.com), May 29, 2001.

www.familychristianacademy.com This is a web site of a homeschool organization that is based in Madison Tenn.Members are in different states including Florida.They even provide testing ,info are grading,sell books and more.

-- SM Steve (a12goat@cs.com), May 30, 2001.

About Woodys comment,I don't know what part of Tennessee he checked on but in eastern Tennessee,the school board is very helpful toward directing people to accredited homeschools.The laws are pretty much the same as south Florida.But the school board employees are much more friendy and helpful.

-- SM Steve (a12goat@cs.com), May 31, 2001.

I live in Southcentral Kentucky and if I were raising children today I think I would homeschool them. I am not aware of anything about any special laws here. I do know many friends who homeschool with no complaints. I know of a Christian homeschool group who meet weekly with their children for support and interaction for the children. There are a good many children around here who are educated at home for various reasons and I can't imagine you having any problems here.

-- Ria in Ky (MinMin45@aol.com), June 01, 2001.