Our kids needing to stay home for learning has been more of a blessing for us. We are in the US and they are in the Philippines, but we found out that our distance is not a hindrance for us to finally homeschool. Because we are in the US and we do homeschooling online, it also allows us to explore more resources that are available in both countries.
Homeschooling in the Philippines can be costly with a homeschool provider. This is why a lot of families are not able to afford doing so. There are some (and gladly increasing) independent homeschoolers who save a lot by not enrolling with a provider and take the Philippine Education Placement Test (PEPT) instead. PEPT is conducted by Department of Education to determine grade level of students and to qualify them for re-entry into formal school.
For this article, I will show you how we sourced out some great bargains. We consider it a wonderful blessing from the Lord to have found these homeschool partners. (*Read ’til the end for an update for our 2021-2022 schoolyear expenses).
Schoolhouse Teachers is a superb Christian curriculum for the entire family. For one annual cost, we have access to more than 400 courses from Pre-K to Grade 12, and even for parents’ equipping. Courses vary in length and intensity, from a few weeks to a full year or more. Curriculum on Schoolhouse Teachers is presented in either a downloadable or online format. We do not need to buy textbooks separately.
The cost we paid for one year was $139.00 or ₱6,950.00. Aside from the 400+ courses, we have access to so many more perks with our subscription.
My most favorite is the free access to RightNow Media. With over 20,000 Biblically-based videos, it has the largest video library for kids and adults alike. It is kind of a Netflix for Bible studies. Our kids often use it for their Bible class, while I use it as a resource for lifecoaching, teaching, and personal enrichment. It is a must for all Christians. I cannot overemphasize how I love RightNow Media!
World Book Online is by itself a vast resource. It is a comprehensive suite of e-learning resources designed for all ages and abilities. It offers articles, videos, educator tools, eBooks, research guides, and more.
The Old Schoolhouse® Quarterly Magazine is also a blessing. It provides tools and encouragement to help us stay the course on our homeschooling journey.
A subscription to Applecore Gold Plan is also included in the package. This allows us to organize, keep records, and easily grade each course for the purpose of transcripts and report cards.
We also have Smart Mama planner, free tote, and 19 other gorgeous freebies.
So you see, we are really enjoying a great bargain with our Schoolhouse Teachers subscription.
Homelife Academy via Better Together Homeschool
Homelife Academy is a Christian homeschool provider based in USA which allows for independent learning plan. It provides homeschooling families anywhere in the world with educational access and support.
Homelife Academy costs $185.00 for our two kids. We enrolled via Better Together Homeschool, which is their partner provider in the Philippines. We paid P9,993.75 including Paypal and foreign exchange charges. If parents are Christian ministers, they can get huge discount. (*Please note that Better Together has recently updated their rates to cover miscellaneous fees and capital development.)
We are blessed to have found an international provider that can provide us with globally accredited diploma. And since we have wanted freedom to choose our own curriculum, resources, and education plan, this is a double blessing for us.
Homelife Academy could have been sufficient as our provider but the Lord blessed us with more. Our desire to have a DepEd accreditation is granted when we learned about Eylim Christian Academy’s (ECA) free tuition fee offer for the grade levels that our kids are in. We only had to pay ₱1,000 for each student, which includes registration, miscellaneous fees, and downloadable copies of textbooks.
ECA is a private Christian school in Pangasinan, Philippines. Because of the pandemic, online classes have opened doors so they can cater to students from all over the country. With ECA, I am able to rest for two hours a day, assured that our kids are learning from quality teachers. We avail of DepEd curriculum, Learner Reference Number (LRN), and more importantly, DepEd accredited transcript. Our kids enjoy having classmates as well and appreciate their kindhearted teachers.
SUMMARY OF EXPENSES:
We are very grateful for these provisions. In summary, we spent ₱18,943.75 with both international and local providers for our two boys in middle school. Below is a breakdown:
Provider and Curriculum:
| Schoolhouse Teachers Curriculum | $139 for entire family | ₱6.950.00 |
| Homelife Academy/Better Together Homeschool | $195 for two international students | ₱9,993.75 |
| Eylim Christian Academy | ₱1,000 each | ₱2,000.00 |
| TOTAL | ₱18,943.75 |
We needed desktops and other materials and supplies of course. However, whether homeschool or traditional school, these are things that are normally necessary.
We saved on buying desktops rather than laptops. We figured that they are not leaving the house anyway so their computer need not be carried from place to place. As first time homeschoolers, we also want to instill discipline and concentration, so a desktop is best to make them stay in the study room. This discipline works for us parent-teachers. After few weeks, they have developed the habit of focusing on their studies.
For reason that they are kids and still very clumsy, we decided not to invest in expensive brand, rather, we got them reliable second hand.
We already have a bundle subscription for internet and cable. This is not considered a homeschool expense for us but a household necessity. I have added it in the calculation anyway. Thankfully, we have a printer and webcam ready so we did not need to purchase. Below is a breakdown of these other expenses.
Other Materials, Supplies, and Subscriptions:
| 2 Desktops and headset | ₱6,500 each | ₱13,000.00 |
| Supplies – Binders, Copy Papers, Notebooks | ₱4,000.00 | |
| Printer, webcam | (we already have these) | ₱0.00 |
| Internet with Cable subscription | ₱950.00/month | ₱9,500.00 |
| TOTAL | ₱26,500.00 |
We are also blessed with so many other resources. For a list of our favorite homeschool courses, please check out this link. Many of these are completely free to use.
I leave you with 2 Corinthians 9:8 to encourage you that the Lord is able to provide for your homeschooling needs and more. Shalom!
**UPDATE for 2021-2022 Schoolyear
We feel more blessed this schoolyear because we are able to save more. First, due to our current role as Schoolhouse Ambassador with The Old Schoolhouse®, we get Schoolhouse Teachers subscription for free. Second, we directly enroll with HomeLife Academy, taking advantage of their pre-enrollment promo. Third, the distance learning cost from Eylim Christian Academy has not raised. Additionally, we do not need to buy new computers for this year. Lastly, we have found more resources that are free and/or low-costing.
Below is our updated expenses as we resume with our current schoolyear. It includes homeschool providers, curricula, supplies, and a full year’s internet subscription.
| Homelife Academy | $148 for two international students | ₱7,400.00 |
| Eylim Christian Academy | ₱1,000 per student | ₱2,000.00 |
| Schoolhouse Teachers Curriculum | $0 for entire family | Free |
| Crosswired Science Subscription | $19 for the whole year | ₱1,000.00 |
| Other Curricula | Free | |
| Supplies – Binders, Copy Papers, Ink, Notebooks, etc. | ₱2,000.00 | |
| Internet Subscription | ₱950/month X 12 months | ₱11,400.00 |
| TOTAL | ₱23,800.00 |
Again, we pray for a fulfilling lifeschool-homeschool year for your family! 🙂
