Homeschool benefits and savings in Howard County
Howard County homeschool parents and guardians can get a free A+ Educator Card from Howard County Library System that borrows up to 120 items for 42 days with no overdue fines. Bring proof of Howard County residence and proof that you homeschool in Howard County to any branch.
Who qualifies
Lives in Howard County
Homeschool parents and guardians show proof of Howard County residence. Classroom teachers do not need to live in the county, but homeschool parents do.
Shows proof of homeschooling
Bring the Assurance of Consent form you filed with the Howard County Board of Education, or proof of enrollment in a nonpublic umbrella registered with the Maryland State Department of Education.
Applies at a branch
The A+ Educator Card is issued in person at any Howard County Library System branch.
What the card gives you
Howard County Library System lists these borrowing privileges for the A+ Educator Card.
- Items out at once
- 120
- Loan period
- 42 days
- Automatic renewals
- 2, if no one has requested the item
- Overdue fines
- None
- Card cost
- Free
Use the educator card for school materials and your personal card for your family's own reading, listening, and viewing.
How to get the card
- Before you go
Gather your papers
Bring proof of Howard County residence and your Assurance of Consent form or umbrella enrollment proof.
- At any branch
Apply in person
Ask for an A+ Educator Card; it is issued in addition to your personal library card.
- Each checkout
Borrow for 42 days
Items are due in 42 days and renew automatically twice when no one else is waiting.
What it includes
Included
- Books and most library materials
- Materials for preparing lessons
- Materials to help students with assignments
Not included
- Artwork and DIY items
- Children's launchpads
- Fiction DVDs
- Interlibrary loan materials
- STEM activity kits
Who to contact about the card
Branch staff issue A+ Educator Cards and answer questions about eligibility and borrowing.
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Maryland
You must submit the prescribed consent form to the local superintendent at least 15 days before starting. District-supervised families verify continuation before each school year and report status changes. A qualifying nonpublic supervisor reports continuing enrollment and status changes to the district.
Maryland sets these rules:
- Subjects: Provide regular, thorough instruction of sufficient duration in English, math, science, social studies, art, music, health, and PE. A qualifying nonpublic-supervised program must provide regular, thorough instruction in the usual public-school studies.
- Testing: State standardized testing is voluntary. District-supervised programs have portfolio reviews at semester ends, with no more than three reviews per school year.
- Records: For district supervision, keep instructional materials and work samples demonstrating required instruction; college report cards or transcripts may substitute for those courses. Qualifying nonpublic supervision follows COMAR’s separate requirements.
- Teachers: No state teaching credential required for the parent providing home instruction.
Read the Maryland homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Maryland
Questions parents ask
- Can a homeschool parent get an A+ Educator Card?
- Yes. Howard County homeschool parents and guardians are eligible once they show county residence and proof of homeschooling in Howard County.
- Does the A+ Educator Card replace my personal card?
- No. The library encourages you to keep using your personal card and to put school-related materials on the educator card.
- Can I borrow STEM kits on the educator card?
- No. STEM activity kits, children's launchpads, and fiction DVDs are excluded from the A+ Educator Card.
- We use an umbrella program. Is that enough proof?
- Yes. Proof of enrollment in a nonpublic entity registered with the Maryland State Department of Education to supervise home instruction is accepted.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
Books and library resources give your child something to explore. We turn their interests into coursework, so library discoveries can lead to deeper study at home.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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