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Online Resources

Support Websites
Whether you are just starting out homeschooling, or are a veteran, these sites provide some terrific online resources. They also provide information on local support groups from across the country. Illinois Support Groups
Support group information updated 7/24/05. Check each group website/contact information for any changes to fees or membership requirements.
  • APACHE - Association of Peoria Area Christian Home Educators - APACHE is a not-for-profit corporation governed by a board of directors. We are not a membership organization, but instead offer a monthly newsletter to subscribers. We have a group of dedicated volunteers who plan, organize, and oversee various activities that fulfill our mission statement and accomplish our vision. Activities include: a monthly newsletter, annual convention and curriculum fair, library, choir, a track and field day, history fair, science fair, talent night, and smaller local support groups and parents' meetings. Newsletter subscription is $20 for email version and $25 for print.
  • CHESS of Illinois; 129 Webb St, Calumet City, IL 60409-4821
    Phone: (708) 802-1996
  • Christian Home Educators Coalition (CHEC) - CHEC was organized in 1986 as a volunteer organization to monitor legislation in the Illinois General Assembly which would be detrimental to homeschooling liberties in Illinois. Every spring, CHEC organizes a homeschool legislative day in Springfield. CHEC offers a bimonthly newsletter, CHEC Connection, for an annual fee of $25. Visit website for more details.
  • Homeschool Resource Center - The Homeschool Resource Center exists to provide information, advice, encouragement, fellowship, and resources to Christian homeschooling families. The Center also conducts monthly meetings that include discussions on various subjects pertaining to the heart of homeschooling and home discipleship.  We offer homeschooling families in the area two co-ops, e-mail information loop, large resource library, discounts to ICHE and HSLDA, beginning homeschool packets, etc. The group meets at 6645 W. Steger Road, Monee, IL 60449; call 708-235-1901 or email [email protected].
  • Illinois Christian Home Educators(ICHE) - Offers many activities for homeschoolers, including conventions. ICHE offers The Alliant, a magazine for home educators. ICHE also offers an email list.
  • Illinois H.O.U.S.E. - H.O.U.S.E. is a network of homeschool support groups whose purpose is to support families in exercising their right to homeschool regardless of age, color, creed, ethnic background, family composition, financial condition, gender, learning disabilities, race, religion or lack thereof, sexual preference, or special educational needs. Various Illinois support groups are part of HOUSE. Each HOUSE support group submits a $2 fee, per family, to the main HOUSE organization.Individual H.O.U.S.E. support groups charge their own fees for membership.
  • Northside Unschoolers of Chicago - The Northside Unschoolers Group (NUG) is an open support group for homeschooling families in and around Chicago.
  • Will County Unschoolers - Meets every Wednesday, alternating between Jolie and Aurora/Naperville areas. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/will_unschoolers/ - Visit group site for further information. Membership requires approval by existing members; you will be required to send a letter of introduction and attend a meeting before being accepted into the group.

Email Lists

  • Yahoo Groups: offers a wide variety of email lists for homeschoolers. Visit groups.yahoo.com for more information. Type in homeschooling in the search box.
  • Illinois Specific Email Lists:
    • ILHS Announce - This list is for all Illinois homeschoolers, or those who are interested in homeschooling in Illinois. Participants are requested to introduce themselves. This is to be an inclusive list, so while you may certainly identify your religious interests and how it affects the home education, we will not encourage comparative religion discussions.
      This list is intended for announcements of area activities, field trips, speakers, group meetings, and legal information. Legislation information, whether local, State, or Federal, is requested although this list is not a source of legal advice. However, discussion of alerts from various sources is always encouraged.
    • ILL-Homeschool- Open, secular list for home-educating Illinois parents, who discuss information and interpretations of homeschool legal and legislative issues, and how to contact district officials when problems arise. We will use our file space to collect links to pertinent legal information.This list is NOT commercial, and initial introductory messages will be approved by a moderator in an attempt to reduce the likelihood of spam.Although there is likely to be vehement discussion, moderators will not allow name-calling, insults, threats, and other uncivil forms of behavior.
    • Moms Home Room Email List- Pull up a keyboard mouse, grab some coffee and chocolate and come chat with some moms....share your homeschooling adventures, get some homeschooling advice, in a safe, friendly place. This list is for informational purposes and sharing of ideas among area homeschooling moms. This list has members from all over the Chicago area and from many different religious backgrounds. Members also have different homeschooling philosophies. The common ground is homeschooling.
    • Off The Beaten Path - an inclusive support network of unschooling families based in Lake County, Illinois. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OffTheBeatenPath/ (site link added to this page 7/22/05)
    • Northern Illinois Homeschool News - offers a free email newsletter to recieve information on homeschooling in northern Illinois. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NorthernIllinoisHomeschoolNews/ (site link added to this page 7/22/05)
    • Splendor of Truth Catholic Home Schooling - This group will be an email resource for members of the Splendor of Truth Catholic Home School group comprised of members from northeastern Illinois (Winthrop Harbor, Zion, Waukegan, Gurnee, Wadsworth, Russell, etc) and southeastern Wisconsin (Kenosha, Racine, Pleasant Prairie, Sturtevant, Mount Pleasant, etc.). http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SplendorOfTruthCatholicHomeSchoolers/ (site link added to this page 7/22/05)
    • Homeschool Illinois - Email list for Illinois homeschooling families. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/homeschoolillinois/ (site link added to this page 7/22/05)
    • Homeschool-illinois - This list is for the discussion of topics related to homeschooling in Illinois. Posting of events, organizations and homeschool websites is welcome. But please do not post any affiliated links or advertisements. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/homeschool-Illinois/ (site link added to this page 7/22/05)
New Homeschool Support Other Links Helpful to Homeschoolers
  • College Zone - www.collegezone.com - College Zone provides a wealth of information for the college bound student and his parents.The Illinois Student Assistance Commission, the State of Illinois' centralized agency responsible for administering and promoting student financial aid programs, has unveiled an addition to its Web site, collegezone.com. In addition to providing trusted, comprehensive information for students and families on how to plan, find, apply and pay for a college education, students now can also research career options and complete skills assessment tests that will help match their skills to possible careers. Download an information packet about College Zone here!
  • www.kidsforsavingearth.org The National Kids for Saving Earth Club website offers many resources for teachers, parents, and children. Visit for a free teacher resource packet.
  • Illinois 4-H Clubs Provide youth groups for children from ages 6-18. Project books provide a great resource for homeschoolers. Details about 4-H Club programs may be found here. There is also information on projects, too.
  • Boy Scouts of America Many homeschoolers take advantage of the varied programs offered through BSA. There are programs available for boys ages 6-20 and for girls ages 14-20. For information specific to homeschoolers in scouting, visit Scouting for the Homeschooled.
  • Girl Scouts of the USA provides programs for girls from ages 5 to 17 (kg. to 12th grade). Information on finding a troop in your area is available through this website.

Other Resources


Internet Access
Please check all terms of use before using any service!
  • Public Library Internet Access

  • Access4Less (unlimited service; $5.95 per month) www.access4less.net

  • Netzero (10 hrs./month for free; $9.95 unlimited) www.netzero.net

  • Juno (cannot be "heavy user" for free; $9.95 for unlimited) www.juno.com
    Juno Email is also available via the web, which means you can check your email on any computer, any where

  • America Online $23.90 for unlimited - www.aol.com
    AOL is good for new users of the Internet

How to get FREE email - Please check all terms of use before using any service!

Many sites offer free email to users. Some are accessible only on a web page (called Web Based Email), others are available both on a web page and via a program you install on your computer. All of the above services are available as web based email addresses. This means that you can access them on any internet connected computer, including those at the library. Yahoo and Juno both offer the ability to download your email to your computer (which means you can read it while you are offline, or not connected to the internet) for a fee.

How to find what you need

Search Engines

When you do a search, type in your key words within quotes. For example, if you want to search for information on homeschooling in Illinois, type in "homeschooling in Illinois" in the search box.

Other sites to help you find what you need:

Public Libraries Online Search - Check for your local library online!

Please read about internet safety for your children.


     
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Updated June 15, 2010

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