Do homeschoolers really need a building?

Sometimes when sharing the idea of a homeschool center, especially with those unfamiliar with the homeschool community, the question arises: "Why do you need a homeschool resource center? Can't you just use local churches or the library or something?"
It's a great question! Do we need a building dedicated to homeschoolers? The following may help illuminate the answer:

• Why don't you just use the library? 

Answer: We often use the library! Many homeschoolers know that if they are new to an area, the library is a great first place to get in touch with the local homeschool community. Not only are homeschoolers there often to check out books and use the library's other resources; homeschool groups often reserve meeting rooms. (And since the library is a public building, anyone can learn about and attend meetings held there.)

As you can imagine, there are limitations on what kind of activities can happen in the library...nothing too messy or loud, a limited number and size of rooms available, and only on a first-come-first-served basis. Overall, not a sustainable, long-term solution. 

• Why don't you use local churches? 

Answer: We would love to! A church building seems like an ideal solution... most have classrooms, a large meeting space, adequate parking, and they're not widely used during weekdays. We have tried contacting most all of the churches in the area. Unfortunately many of them are unable/ unwilling to allow homeschool groups - stating liability reasons (even with the individual groups having their own liability insurance). Other churches are too small to accommodate the size of groups. And still others have not returned contact or are not interested in working with homeschool groups. Local churches have been a great fit in other areas, with some churches even writing about how a homeschool outreach program should be part of every church ministry. 

There are, however, benefits of having a facility separate from a church - the biggest being that the facility use is not subject to a church's usage needs (ie. the church is needed for a funeral) or policy changes. A building designed for homeschoolers' needs could also have rooms dedicated to specific purposes like art, music, cooking, etc.

• How many of you are there, anyway? 

Answer: So glad you asked! It usually surprises people to learn just how big the homeschool community is.

A story to illustrate: I once arranged a field trip to a local radio station for our homeschool field trip group. When I asked the contact at the radio station how many people they could handle, he said they were used to Cub Scout groups of a dozen or so. I was almost embarrassed to tell him I already had 80 people signed up! We split into multiple time slots so as not to overwhelm them, but I think he was still amazed when each time slot packed the radio station full of tour groups. A field trip or holiday party can easily become 120+.

It's hard to tell exactly how many families in the area are involved in homeschooling. In the State of Utah, if your child is not enrolled in school, you must fill out an affidavit and turn it into the School District. HOWEVER, there are many homeschoolers who are enrolled online, such as with Utah Online school or other online charter schools, and subsequently do not need to fill out an affidavit. Those numbers are harder to get since there are so many different online options. 

Here are some numbers that are available through the Washington County School District:

1010 homeschool students NOT enrolled in school

1810 students enrolled with Utah Online School

? homeschool students enrolled with other online programs or enrolled part time in a local school

• Aren't there other community buildings you could use?

Answer: Due to the number of different groups and the variety of sizes & needs of each group, it has been very difficult to find suitable meeting places. We have tried to be creative using parks, homes, pavilions, etc. Some groups have conducted extensive searches and have found solutions that work, but are not ideal.

Here are a few examples of homeschool groups currently needing meeting spaces: 

• A local commonwealth of 30-40 families meets once a week for 5-6 hours using 10 classrooms of various sizes. 
• A locally-based online charter school with in person classes using 3-4 classrooms of 25-30 students for at least 3 hours once a week.
• A homeschool holiday celebration group that meets about once a month to hold parties that routinely draw over 100 people. 

A space dedicated to homeschool groups would alleviate many of these issues and bless many lives. Homeschooling families are able to meet many of their children's educational needs, but a place to gather greatly enriches the homescool experience.

• Do you think a building dedicated to homeschoolers would benefit families? Are there better solutions to these issues?