Homeschooling in Mexico

 Homeschooling in Mexico is not widely accepted and is illegal in some states. Despite that, there is a small growing number of parents that do homeschool and encourage others to do so as well.

As an American living in Puebla, Mexico, I have decided to homeschool our children.  One of the most frequent questions I get asked is what are you going to do when it is time to go to college.  In Mexico it is near impossible for a Mexican national to qualify to enter a college or university without showing their diplomas from each level of schooling.... elementary, junior high, and high school.  If a Mexican national was homeschooled they would need to get the equivelent of each of the required diplomas by taking approximately a year for each diploma in intesive coursework and exams.  Not a very good option for an 18 year old ready to start college.  For that reason, I do not know how a Mexican national planning to go to college in Mexico could feasibly be homeschooled.  Personally, we are using a homeschool video program by Abeka.  Abeka provides us with videos and books for the children and our children watch them and participate in classes as if they were students in an American school in the states.  When they start high school, we will enroll our childen in Abeka Academy.  They will still do the work at home but we will be mailing the tests and other coursework to the Academy to be graded.  They will then be given a high school diploma from Abeka Academy when they graduate.  With that diploma they can apply to any college in the United States that they wish. 

One of the main concerns about homeschooling is providing opportunities for the children to socialize with other children that are not family members.  Puebla has many opportunites for activities outside of the home.  There are a wide variety of soccer teams and Tae Kwan Do schools as well as horseback riding, swimming, and ballet classes.  Over the summer, most all of the schools and gyms will provide a summer program for children lasting from just a week up to the whole summer.  For a parent that would like their children to have the opportunity to meet and play with other children without giving up the entire year, a short five week summer program works out perfectly.  Puebla also has a multitude of public parks where families go to play. 

There is also the question of truancy.  All Mexican children in Mexico are required to attend school through at least elementary school.  Homeschooling would put them technically in violation of that law.  What some have done is to find a school that will put their childs names on the books as if they were attending there and then will go to the school each quarter to be tested.  As the school receives books from the government for each student on their books, the school also provides the parents with the books needed to homeschool their children.  Although I do not recommend this and the legality of it is beyond my knowledge, it may be an option for some.