History of Homeschooling Part 1

by | Jul 7, 2025 | New Blog

Today’s blog is the first of two highlighting a special History of Homeschooling portion of The Old Schoolhouse web site.  As you might know, American School has been a leader in distance education since 1897.  Just as our homeschool courses have evolved over the years, homeschool education itself has evolved as well.  We encourage to you visit the link in today’s blog to learn some facts and figures about homeschooling over the years and then check back tomorrow for the second half of our blog series.

I found all the material and methods extremely satisfying.  It made the classes simple enough to learn while still being able to enjoy the process!  I spent my first two years of high school in a public school, but American School made it an enjoyable experience while still giving me the education I need.  My parents have never been so proud to see so many good grades coming from a homeschool program.

Alex from Illinois

I especially liked and appreciated all of the instructors’ positive comments, feedback and helpful hints on my son’s exams.  You cannot put a price tag on a high school diploma, although I felt the fees were quite reasonable.  I’m really thankful that there is a back-up plan for students who are lacking credits to graduate.

Judy from Michigan

My overall interaction with American School has been positive.  I find the study guides essential tools to being able to get the full benefit of the textbooks.  They often explain things in a more understandable detail.  The service of American School has been prompt with addressing my needs, such as requesting more courses, getting progress reports in a timely manner, etc.  I do appreciate the feedback from the instructors on my exams.  My experience with American School has been more than satisfactory.

Khadijah from Florida

The courses from American School have been awesome!  They are challenging but also really enjoyable.  The textbooks were all very clear and detailed.  The study guides were wonderful.  They really helped me understand the lesson concepts.  I have improved by miles!  I definitely will keep using American School until I finish high school.

Carmen from South Carolina

I really enjoy studying through American School.  It helped me prepare for college classes.  You learn to become independent and motivate yourself to finish.

Carissa from California

I found American School’s curriculum very satisfactory.  I enjoyed the material and its methods.  Grammar and math, my toughest subjects, were much easier to understand than any of my previous books.  The comments my instructors left on my graded work were helpful and encouraging.  Overall I was happy with my courses.

Charli from Texas

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We call these our Four C’s

Curriculum

American School’s innovative paper-based and online curriculum offers something for everyone in grades 6-12. Students can choose from more than 100 self-paced courses in traditional subjects such as English, math, social studies and science and take electives in such subject areas as business, career and technical education, fine arts, and world languages.

Cost

As a not-for-profit institution, American School puts students’ educations first. Our tuition is affordable—much lower than many other distance education and online high schools—and all textbooks and study materials are included at no additional cost.  Monthly payment plans are available for students in full years of American School’s middle school or high school program.

Caring Student Service

When students are accepted at American School, they not only receive interesting curriculum at a reasonable cost from a pioneer in distance education; they also receive outstanding, caring student service.  Students may enroll anytime and work at their own pace.  Help is available from American School staff during regular business hours.

Credibility

Founded in 1897, American School later became the first correspondence school to become regionally accredited. Today we are accredited by three reputable accrediting bodies and recognized by the Illinois State Board of Education as a non-public high school.  American School’s diploma is accepted by colleges and universities, and thousands of high schools use our courses for credit recovery.

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