Homeschool benefits and savings in Liverpool and Onondaga County
Liverpool Public Library runs homeschool programs on Tuesday afternoons for grades K-12, including STEAM clubs, art classes with supplies included, a family book club, and teen labs, plus Homeschooling 101 and a book club for parents. The library lists no fee for them; register your child on the library's online calendar.
Who qualifies
Is a homeschooled student
Programs are grouped by grade: STEAM Club for grades K-5, STEAM for tweens ages 10-13, and separate teen sessions for high school students.
Registers for marked programs
STEAM clubs, art classes, Teen Career Exploration, Homeschooling 101, and the parents' book club require registration. For children's sessions, register only the children.
Has a card for borrowing
Onondaga County residents get a free card that works at every library in the Onondaga County Public Library System. Bring a photo ID with your current address, or two documents that show your photo and address.
Children 5-18 get their own card
Your child can show their own ID or come with a parent or guardian who has acceptable ID; online sign-up is for ages 13 and up. Online sign-up is for ages 13 and up.
Homeschool programs this fall
The dates come from the library's online events calendar; most homeschool sessions run on Tuesdays starting at 1:30 p.m.
- Homeschool STEAM Club
- Grades K-5, Oct. 13
- Homeschool STEAM for Tweens
- Ages 10-13, Oct. 13
- Teen Digital Presentation Lab
- High school, Oct. 13
- Homeschool Family Book Club
- Families, Oct. 20
- Homeschool Teen STEAM
- High school, Oct. 20
- Homeschool Art Class
- K-5 and teens, Oct. 27
The family book club meets on the third Tuesday of each month, and art classes include materials and supplies.
How to join a program
- Before you sign up
Get a library card
Apply at the library with ID, or online if you are 13 or older and pick up the card within two weeks.
- Each month
Check the calendar
Find homeschool sessions on the library's online events calendar, including book club dates and Homeschooling 101 topics.
- Before the session
Register your child
Sign up for programs marked for registration, listing only the children who will attend children's sessions.
- Tuesday afternoons
Attend at the library
Sessions meet at 310 Tulip Street in the Carman Community Room, Studio@LPL, or the Sargent Meeting Room.
What it includes
Included
- STEAM clubs for children, tweens, and teens
- Art classes with materials and supplies
- Family, grade 2-5, and tween book clubs
- Teen Career Exploration speaker series
- Homeschooling 101 and a parents' book club
- Homeschool Hangouts with crafts and games
Who to contact about homeschool programs
Library staff answer questions about homeschool programs, registration, Discovery To Go kits, and library cards.
info@LPL.org 315-457-0310 Homeschoolers page
Homeschool rules and statewide help in New York
Send a letter of intent by July 1 each year, or within 14 days of a midyear start. You must submit the IHIP within four weeks after receiving district forms or by August 15, whichever is later.
New York sets these rules:
- Subjects: Teach the subjects required for each grade band by Part 100.10, including patriotism and citizenship. Provide the equivalent of 180 days: 900 hours annually in grades 1–6 and 990 hours in grades 7–12.
- Testing: Annual assessment: grades 1–3, test or written narrative; grades 4–8, standardized test at least every other year, with a written narrative permitted in alternate years; grades 9–12, standardized test annually. A score above the 33rd percentile or one year of growth meets the progress standard.
- Records: Keep attendance records and make them available to the district on request. Submit an annual IHIP, quarterly reports, and the annual assessment.
- Teachers: New York requires the instructor to be competent; it does not require a teaching certificate.
Read the New York homeschooling guide See statewide programs in New York
Questions parents ask
- Who can attend Liverpool Public Library's homeschool programs?
- Homeschooled students, with sessions split by grade: K-5, tweens ages 10-13, and high school. Families attend the family book club together.
- Can my child get a Liverpool library card of their own?
- Yes, from age 5.
- What are Discovery To Go kits?
- Borrowable kits in seven topics: community, construction, geography, math, reading, science, and social. The library does not post loan periods or limits for them, so ask staff before you borrow.
- Do we need to live in Liverpool?
- Not to get a card. Cards go to anyone with acceptable ID, and they are free for Onondaga County residents.
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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