Frequently Asked Questions

HomeLink’s purpose is to assist families with homeschooling and to provide support, encouragement, accountability, and training that will enhance the parent’s role as parent-teacher. HomeLink’s mission is to provide suitable locations, resources, and Advisors that parents can depend on. HomeLink provides classes, projects, and direction for advancing the work of home education.

HomeLink is a program designed to support homeschooling by providing in-person classes once a week, curriculum selections, accountability, and quarterly grades. It is a private, non-profit program which is not registered with the state Office of Public Instruction, therefore allowing us more flexibility.  HomeLink is regarded as a learning center.  High school credit options are options available through NARHS.

HomeLink is operated by a non-profit corporation and not a school. We are not registered as a school, we do not create and keep academic records of students who use our services, and we do not issue credits for work done in our program.  If you do need credit, there are options available through NARHS.

Parents who use our services pay for them on a “pay-as-you-go” basis.

Yes, HomeLink Yakima is part of Customized Education Designs, a non-profit 501-3c corporation. Receipts will be provided for any donations make to HomeLink.

HomeLink links academics to the students at home. It operates as a “college model,” allowing students to come to a class for one period per week, then accomplishing their study for that class at home, then returning the following week to review their work and move to the next lesson in the class — the same model followed by most college classes. Each class period is scheduled for 1 hour, or in some cases, 1.5 hours.

HomeLink has an open admission policy, but HomeLink administration reserves the right to exclude students who we believe would not benefit from HomeLink. This rarely happens, but it sometimes becomes apparent that HomeLink is not working for some. Admission to HomeLink is at the sole discretion of the administration.  Parental engagement in their student’s education is the key to success.  Families must comply with homeschooling law.

HomeLink offers classes grades 1-12.

Generally, HomeLink targets core subjects such as Math, English, Science, and Social Studies, but there are also exciting electives presented! The elective menu includes hands on and activity based enrichment classes that extend learning in writing, math, sciences, foreign languages and the arts.

The only real limit is the student’s schedule and availability. 

All of our “teachers” are really Advisors. Some are certified teachers, some are experts in their fields, and some are simply passionate about the courses they lead. All are chosen for their ability to communicate the subject matter in an understandable way. The parent, ultimately, is still the teacher, of course — while the HomeLink Advisor leads the student in his lessons, projects, and assignments, the parent oversees and leads the student on the other days of the week.

Generally, the HomeLink Advisor is responsible for choosing the actual classroom materials to be used. Parents may still select their own curriculum for what is done outside the classroom, but the classes are generally focused on specific materials chosen by HomeLink and the Advisor.

HomeLink Advisors have arranged a full academic year’s worth of assignments for each course. Weekly assignment sheets are available to only students registered in HomeLink, and they are available only on a week-to-week basis. (While these weekly assignment sheets make wonderful course outlines for all homeschoolers, only those who are actually registered with HomeLink have access to them.)
Additionally, weekly assignments are available on this website for registered families. Parents are still in charge of these assignments and have the freedom to either enrich or shorten these assignments as the situation warrants. In some cases, the parent and the Advisor can decide on appropriate accommodations for each student’s learning needs.

In some classes, assignments are corrected by the parent before a student returns to the next week’s class, and, from time to time, students will be asked to exchange their work in class for peer review, collaboration, or simple corrections from an answer sheet. These methods allow the class time and Advisor time to be used most effectively. In other classes, the student submits the work to his or her Advisor and the Advisor corrects each student’s work outside of class time.

Yes, quarterly grades are issued for each of the classes offered in middle school and high school.

By taking a HomeLink course a student can earn a high school credit under certain circumstances. In order to take advantage of this, the student must sign up with North Atlantic Regional High School, our credential management program. This program is not mandatory but strongly recommended for those seeking college admission since NARHS is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

In addition to actual classes on location, HomeLink services include curriculum design, placement testing, achievement testing, college and career planning, parent classes in organizational skills and much more! From time to time we can assist HomeLink students in arranging apprenticeships, job-shadowing opportunities, work-study programs, and community service assignments.  Also, we have a special program we call Independent Study.

Independent Study allows a student to receive one-on-one support from an Advisor. The student meets with an advisor for one hour each week. They arrange a consistent appointment time to receive lessons, check homework, record grades, and determine assignments for the following week. Weekly grades are kept and a quarterly grade report is issued. Course work can range from Advanced Placement to standard core subjects. Whatever the subject of independent study, it will be designed specifically for the student’s learning style, pace, and academic ability. Independent study can be arranged for one course or to cover the assignments of multiple courses. If more than one hour is needed each week, accommodations can be made for the student’s needs.

Elementary classes meet on Wednesdays.  Middle school block classes are offered on Wednesdays with additional elective courses offered on Tuesdays.  High school classes are on Tuesdays with follow-up Spanish & Math classes on Thursdays.  Theater Arts and other electives are often on Thursdays.  See the Class Schedule page for current days and times. 

For the most part, yes.  We try to have the same weeks off as the Yakima School District.  Each class period is scheduled for 1 to 1 ½ hours.  Each quarter lasts 8 weeks and begins shortly after the Yakima School District begins classes.

Students who miss a class are encouraged to work on the lessons they missed by following the Advisor’s assignment sheet posted on the web site. Assignment sheets are also available from the HomeLink office and we can forward these electronically if that is more convenient.

HomeLink is an academic program that uses a broad spectrum of materials — selected materials contain high moral values and some Christian content. HomeLink selects materials that strengthen Christian values and behavior, but this does not limit HomeLink services to just Christians. All students are invited.

Yes, HomeLink classes can be a great supplement to courses you are already teaching at home.  Many families choose courses that they may not feel comfortable teaching like Math or Science.  Others choose Theater Arts or Art to round out the student’s education and take advantage of the social interaction.

Independent Study classes are designed to work at the student’s own unique speed. If the student participates in a class, then they are expected to keep pace with the class.

There is flexibility. Students may work at one level in Math and Science, but they may choose to work at a different level in History and Language Arts. For example, the same student might work in Math and Science at the 8th grade level and work at the 9th grade level in History and English. These arrangements are made in consultation between the parent, the student, and the HomeLink director.

It is best for LD students to use the Independent Study option and electives. The elective classes can be an enriching experience for group learning, for productive socialization, and for LD students to catch the excitement of a new learning experience (and vice-versa).

Generally, no. HomeLink does not do the homeschooling in place of the parent and HomeLink does not take the place of traditional school.

Call the HomeLink office at 509-248-6388 anytime from 9am to 3pm, Monday through Friday.

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