Planning a Homeschool Co-op

Faye, a homeschool mom and columnist for the DC Examiner.com, has a great list to help start a homeschool co-op (edited slightly for brevity):

Although it is wonderful to be able to plan lessons, activities and programs that best meet your child’s needs, sometimes banding together with other homeschoolers can be a huge blessing!  Planning a homeschool co-op is a large undertaking, but with some good people and a strong foundation, it can benefit you and your family in many ways. Whether you want to have a group for regular field trips, or you are looking for a way to provide some structured school time in a group setting, a homeschool co-op could be just the ticket.

If you are interested in starting your own homeschool co-op, I would like to offer some suggestions.

1.  Start with your homeschool support group and friends.  Who would be willing to help you get things started?  2-5 people is a good number for a planning group (more than that and it might seem impossible to find a time when everyone can meet!).

2.  Spend some time brainstorming about what the “ideal co-op” would be.  Would you meet once a week, or every morning?  Will the group be for just a certain age group (ie: only elementary-age)?   Do you want to offer set classes, with textbooks, tests, homework, etc?  Or perhaps something more relaxed, like clubs and projects?

3.  Once the group has ironed out a general idea of what the first year could look like, you will need to find a place to meet.  This may prove to be one of the most daunting tasks!  Try the local library or community center, a church or firehouse, or maybe even an empty business.

4.  After you have secured a space, it is time to invite homeschooling families to join you!  It can be tempting to hang up flyers and spread the word via homeschool yahoo groups and blogs.  However, a word of caution.  I have heard many, many stories about co-ops, and the one thing that resonates over and over again is the importance of having a group of like-minded people.  Now, that doesn’t mean that you all have to believe in the same things–far from it!  At our co-op, we enjoy having new points of view for the kids to consider.  However, if it is important that the co-op be Christian-based, that might not be a good match for someone who is agnostic.

5.  For your co-op to grow and thrive, people have to be willing to work together, to pitch in, and to get along.  It is an ”army of volunteers”, and if the adults/kids don’t get along, the co-op will suffer and perhaps never get off the ground.

6.  Once you have a location and a few families have indicated interest–YEAH–you are in business!!  Meet with your planning group and decide what classes/clubs/projects you want to offer.  Some ideas to choose from:

• Art/drawing
• Science
• History
• Foreign language
• Physical education

7.  Finalize which classes you will offer, decide on a start date, then work out registration details and fees.  If there is a fee to use your facility, all families will need to divide that expense. Many facilities will also want you to carry a separate insurance policy (for one local co-op, it is @$35.00/family/year.)

8.  Do an Internet search to find forms you may need/want to have (registration, emergency info, family info, student info, etc.)  The planning group can share these tasks so no one person feels burdened.

9.  Plan a park day for families to meet, get everyone registered, order your materials, and you’re on your way!

10.  You might also consider getting a website set-up exclusively for your co-op.  Homeschool-Life.com offers a low/no-cost website service for homeschoolers, and it allows you to have group registration, to use message boards, to provide event reminders, etc.

11.  Be sure that everyone who chooses to participate is willing to help with some aspect of the group, whether it is teaching a class, cleaning up, watching the little ones, or helping as needed.  “Many hands make work light” is certainly a true statement when it comes to a homeschool co-op!

12.  Resist the urge to “do everything” in your first year.  It will be tempting to do this, believe me!  Try to offer just a few things to the group (no more than four).  See how that works out, ask for feedback, and your group can grow from there.

It is a tremendous amount of work to get a co-op up and running, but the rewards cannot be overstated.  As the group grows and expands, your kids will have incredible opportunities for learning, friendships, and fun!  If you have experiences with, or suggestions for a homeschool co-op, please share them in the “comments” section below.  I am sure there are many good ideas right here in our own community!

Faye might be right that it is work to start a homeschool co-op, but there is help.  My book Homeschool Co-ops: How to Start Them, Run Them and Not Burn Out will walk you through the start up and  running your group.

Also my website www.HomeschoolCPA.com has many helpful articles on starting a group, getting a checking account and buying insurance.

You can do it! Just get some help from those who have gone before you!

Carol Topp, CPA

Returning co-op supplies to parents

Carol,
I wanted to ask you how your homeschool co-op handles classes where there are nonconsumable items purchased.  We had a class where kits were purchased for a LEGO class.  Students shared kits so we charged a lesser fee.  Now people think they should get half of the kits (kinda silly because there is only one motor) or that future classes in future years should have to pay and they receive a credit each time.  We have never done that with any classes in the past.  It has always just become property of the co-op.  It sounds like it would be a bookkeeping nightmare otherwise.

Thanks for your input.

Becky P in KY

Becky,

You’re right, the logo kits sound like a bookkeeping nightmare.  I like to keep things simple, but as fair as possible.

We had a similar situation in my homeschool co-op with Spanish books.  The teacher bought a curriculum to use and was planning on spreading out the cost of the teacher manuals and CDs over two years of students. It took some guess work to figure out how many students she would have this year as well as future years.  In the end we decided  that this year’s students would end up paying for a portion of the teachers books and CDs.  The rest of the cost was absorbed by the co-op as a whole. The co-op then owned the teacher books and CDs. Future Spanish classes were charged a small supply fee so that the co-op could recoup the cost of the teachers books and CDs.

In summary I think the co-op should own non consumables, not the individual parents. Sounds like that’s how you have done it in the past. Parents pay a supply fee, but are not entitled to the equipment afterward nor a credit from future students.
Carol Topp, CPA

Pictures from Virginia Homeschool Convention

I was excited to be invited as a speaker to the Home Educators Association of Virginia (HEAV) 2009 convention. I spoke on leading a homeschool group, having a family budget, micro business for teenagers, 501c3 tax exempt status and being a WAHM (Work at Home Mom).  I also talked to dozens of homeschool leaders, parents and teenagers that stopped by my booth.

My booth to meet and greet homeschool leaders from Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia and surrounding states.

My booth helper, friend, co-op member and fellow WAHM (Work at Home Mom), Katy Daum (tall one on the left) and me in front of our booth.

At the Leaders lunch with Exhibit Hall Coordinator, Tammy Bear (left), an extraordinary, organized, lovely lady!

I met my virtual friend, Janice Campbell (right) of Everyday Education, in person. She had a lovely booth.

The Exhibit Hall at HEAV. I was also pleased that Paul Suarez from The Old Schoolhouse (the next aisle over) stopped by my booth.

What a great weekend.  I enjoyed meeting so many homeschool parents, teenagers and leaders.

Carol Topp, CPA

New Ebook: Paying Workers in a Homeschool Organization

My friends, Kristen & Denise, at Homeschool Group Leader are giving away a copy of my newest ebook:

Paying Workers in a Homeschool Organization.

(I don’t even have this up on my website yet, so you are really getting first grabs!)

I get asked a lot about paying teachers, administrators and volunteers by homeschool leaders. I think this 17 page ebook will answer a lot of questions.

To get your free copy, leave a comment on Homeschool group Leaders Facebook page here:  Homeschool Group Leader Facebook page

All you have to do to get your free copy is two simple things by the end of June:
1. JOIN our Facebook group and POST a comment or an answer or ask your own question on it: I Am a Homeschool Group Leader
2. Then, BECOME a fan of our Facebook page, Homeschool Group Leader

Become a fan and you’ll be e-mailed the book within 48 hours.

This offer is only good until the end of June.

Kristen & Denise have big hearts and desire to help homeschool group leaders. They have big plans for offering support, so become a fan and learn what they are offering and connect with other homeschool leaders.

Carol Topp, CPA

Getting an EIN (Employer Identification Number)

Hi Carol,

I am new to an existing homeschool co-op in VA. This co-op is more than 12-15 years old. We do not accept donations or need to; so far we have been handling the money through someone’s personal bank account. We receive fees from students and then pay teachers and reimburse them for materials, generally we break even each year (or can if we need to). There are regular Board meetings; I do not know if they have bylaws or take minutes but I do know they have a mission statement. The bottom line is that we want to be able to have a business checking account.

Can we get an EIN in order to open a checking account in our co-op name without incorporating and without having a state or federal annual filing requirement? I seem to remember that once you get an EIN (that I think is required for a business bank account), you are on the radar screen with the IRS and will need to file some sort of return.

Thanks so much

Nancy V in VA

Nancy,

Usually the first contact a homeschool organization has with the IRS is getting an Employer Identification Number (EIN). Most banks now request an EIN when a group opens a checking account. Your group is doing things right by getting a checking account for their co-op instead of using a personal account.

On my website, www.HomeschoolCPA.com you can read my article Getting an EIN from the IRS.

Yes, you can get an EIN for banking purposes, but not have any other dealings with the IRS. You do not have to be a nonprofit corporation to obtain an EIN. If your organization does incorporate later, they will need to apply for a new EIN.

You will deal with the IRS if you become a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization or pay workers. Since you mentioned that you are paying teachers, then you have required reporting to the IRS and to your state. You will have to pay payroll taxes (Social Security and Medicare) and file a W-2 if they are employees or file a 1099MISC if they are independent contractors. You should read this entry: “Paying co-op teachers is a sticky issue.”

Best of success to you!

Carol Topp, CPA

Off to Home Educators Assoc of Virginia (HEAV) Convention

For the next few days I will be at the Home Educators Assoc of Virginia (HEAV) Convention in Richmond, VA.

They have a pretty busy schedule for me. I’ll be giving workshops on:

• Budget Is a Dirty Word: Money Management for Those Who Hate to Manage Money
• Wanna Be a WAHM? The Pitfalls and Possibilities of Being a Work at Home Mom
• Small Business for Teenagers
• Is Your Homeschool Group Ready for the Next Step? Becoming a 501c3 Tax-Exempt Organization
• How to Start and Manage a Homeschool Organization: Boards, Budgets, and Bylaws

(see full descriptions of the workshops here and get the handouts here)

I’ll also be attending the homeschool leaders lunch and I am serving on a Q&A panel for leaders. I hope to meet some of you.

If you’ll be at HEAV, come by my booth #237 or to a workshop and say hello!

Carol Topp, CPA

Carnival of Homeschooling

The latest Carnival of Homeschooling is up at Principled Discovery.  She has chosen a field guide  to homeschoolers as her theme “to attempt to describe this fascinating specimen of educational freedom and gain a greater understanding of its habits, habitat and daily life.”  Very clever and lots of good posts on homeschooling.

My post on insurance for homeschool groups is there.

Carol Topp, CPA

Checking accounts and EINs for homeschool groups

Carol,

We have always had a checking account under a parent’s name. We were adding a name to our account this year when (the bank) informed us we can no longer do this and we need to have our own Tax ID number. Will we need to file returns with the IRS if we get a tax ID number?

I strongly discourage using a parent’s name on an organization’s checking account. The organization should have a checking account in its own name and use an Employer Identification Number (EIN), not an individual’s social security number.

Getting an EIN from the IRS does not necessarily mean your organization will have to report income to the IRS. If you are a small nonprofit organization with annual gross revenues under $5,000, there are usually no reporting requirements to the IRS at all.

Nonprofits have to start filing tax forms when they

• bring in more than $5,000 a year
• become a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization
• do public solicitations (i.e. door-to-door selling or fund raising)
• pay workers either as employees or independent contractors

If you hire and pay workers, your organization will use the EIN to file either 1099MISC or W-2 forms for each worker.

Read more about hiring and paying workers in my ebook, Money Management for Homeschool Organizations here

Carol Topp, CPA

Milestone: Graduation Day for my first born!

Today, my first born , Emily, will graduate from high school.  this is quite a milestone in her life and mine.  12 years of homeschooling! It’s been a privilege and an honor.  I’ve learned so much by homeschooling her, and of course she has learned a lot, too!

I won’t say it’s been pure joy, bit it comes close. 3rd grade was pretty rough with lots of phone calls to the “principal” (my husband at work) about her stubbornness.  Put two type A, opinionated people together and you’ll have some conflict.  But in the end we are so much closer for working it out instead of giving up. High school has been great. It is fun and exciting to see her grow and develop.

Congratulations Emily! Your dad and I are very proud of you.

Carol Topp, CPA

Three kinds of insurance for homeschool groups

Carol,

We were told by our host church that we’ll need our own insurance policy.  Can you look into that for us?

Beth S, Ohio

(I am a volunteer parent in this homeschool organization)

This homeschool group had been told by the pastor of the church where they would start some homeschool classes twice a week that they their own insurance policy.

So they need their own insurance.  But what kind? In talking to a helpful insurance agent, I learned there are at least three types of insurance a homeschool group could possibly need:

General Liability (sometimes called fire insurance).  It covers the property an organization owns or rents.  This is what the church is wanting from our group in question.  They want an insurance policy if our group damages their property.  Someone suggested that we ask the church to add our group as a rider.  It might be cheaper.  Or, it was suggested, we should get “event” coverage. It might be cheaper since we don’t meet every day in the church.

Accidental Medical coverage.  This is for coverage if a child hurts him or herself while at our homeschool function.  Since we don’t have gym classes or physical activities I think my group will skip this type of insurance.  We’ll probably get the parents to acknowledge that they will cover their children’s medical expenses.

Director and Officer insurance: This is to protect the leaders from being personally sued for liability.  The agent said these policies start at $1,000/year.  Yikes!  He said it is because it includes provisions for employee s*xual harassment, etc.. Because of the expense to the organization, some non-profits board members carry their own liability insurance.  Personal liability insurance, sometimes called an umbrella policy, can be purchased separately.  Our group doesn’t have employees (or a very large budget) and so I think that we’ll forgo the D&O insurance, also.

Carol Topp, CPA