Start Here

You've made the leap — now what? The first priority isn't finding a curriculum. It's de-schooling: giving your kids (and yourself) time to decompress from institutional education before starting formal roadschooling. Most families underestimate this step.

• ✓ Read about the de-schooling period before starting any curriculum
• ✓ Pull school records: transcripts, IEP/504 if applicable, standardized test scores
• ✓ Know your domicile state's homeschool laws — file notice if required
• ✓ Don't buy curriculum for 30–90 days — observe what your child gravitates toward first

You've got the curriculum sorted — now the challenge is adapting your routine to RV life. School on travel days, managing space, staying consistent through time zone changes, and turning every stop into learning.

• ✓ Build a portable school setup that works in any campsite
• ✓ Plan routes around what you're currently studying
• ✓ Connect with roadschool community in the areas you'll be traveling
• ✓ Verify your domicile state laws still apply — they do, no matter where you travel

Summers on the road, school year at home — or long trips supplementing traditional school. The key is portable resources that don't disrupt what's working at home and maximize learning during travel.

• ✓ Choose supplements that work offline for remote travel
• ✓ Use Junior Ranger programs at every NPS site you visit
• ✓ Build a travel learning kit: field guides, nature journal, national park passport
• ✓ Document learning experiences for portfolio if your home school requires it

The good news: there are no legal requirements for under-5 in most states. The better news: young children are learning constantly — every stop is a classroom. Formal curriculum is almost never the right move before age 6.

• ✓ Focus on read-alouds, outdoor time, and conversation — not workbooks
• ✓ Junior Ranger programs work for ages 4+ at most parks
• ✓ Document milestones for your own records, not for compliance
• ✓ When you're ready for more structure, start with phonics and math manipulatives

High school roadschooling is absolutely viable — including college admission. The key is documentation: transcripts, credit hours, course descriptions, and standardized test scores. Start the paper trail now, not senior year.

• ✓ Understand Carnegie Units: 120 hours of instruction = 1 credit
• ✓ Start your transcript document now — log courses and hours as you go
• ✓ Research CLEP exams — they can earn college credit for $90/exam
• ✓ Plan for SAT/ACT registration by junior year at latest

ADHD, dyslexia, giftedness, or other learning differences often respond dramatically better to roadschooling than traditional school. You're about to have one-on-one instruction tailored exactly to how your child learns. But there are things to do before you leave.

• ✓ Get copies of all evaluations, IEP, and 504 documents before leaving public school
• ✓ Research curricula designed for your child's specific learning profile
• ✓ Set up telehealth relationships for therapy and medication management
• ✓ Connect with NATHHAN (special-needs homeschool community)