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Many parents whose children have special needs consider home schooling. There are many advantages, but making this choice requires consideration of many factors. This checklist provides a starting point from which you can evaluate if home schooling is right for you. If you can answer yes to each one, home schooling is likely a viable option for you and your special needs child.

• Do you have the time and patience to devote your energies full-time to your child, with few breaks?
• Have you investigated your state’s regulations regarding home school programs, and can you meet all applicable requirements? Every state has different regulations. Some states have no requirements at all, while others require extensive record-keeping and regular evaluation.
• Can your household function without the income of the adult who will be the primary educator? Home schooling is a full time job and more.
• Have you reached out to the resources and support groups available to home schoolers and parents home schooling special needs children? First-hand advice is an invaluable tool for making this choice.
• Are you able to provide opportunities for your child to socialize and make friends while learning at home?
• Are you physically capable of meeting the needs of a growing child with special needs full time, with or without reasonable assistance from other family members or professionals hired to assist in the home?
• Have you discussed this choice with a respected professional familiar with the needs of your child and family, such as a pediatrician or child psychologist?
• Have you put in writing the reasons you would like to educate your child at home, along with a list of pros and cons for each educational option available to your family?
• Are you prepared to take on the responsibility not only of teaching and parenting, but of researching and obtaining educational materials and continually renewing and expanding your own knowledge base as your child learns?

Learn more about home schooling a child with special needs, check out the article, Special Needs Children and Home Schooling: Making the Choice, and visit the Expert Forum hosted on Disaboom.com by home school expert Jacinta Sousa, founder of FL Homeschoolers.