KY State Homeschool Organization
Christian Home Educators of Kentucky (CHEK)
CHEK is a statewide homeschooling organization that was established in 1990 to provide support to Kentucky homeschool families.
The all-volunteer CHEK leadership is professionally trained in negotiating, conflict management, legal issues, and political action through the National Christian Home Education Leadership Conferences and symposiums hosted by the Home School Legal Defense Association and others. CHEK’s annual state wide conference, leadership symposiums, home school graduations, legislative monitoring on both the state and national level, the Congressional Action Program, and the dissemination of valuable information makes CHEK membership one of the most valuable commodities to Kentucky home educating families and supporters.
KY Homeschool Law
There is no homeschool statute in KY. The KY homeschoolers must operate under the private school statute. More information can be found at the Kentucky Department of Education, at Home School Legal Defense Assocation, and the Christian Home Educators of Kentucky offers a sample notification letter.
KY Homeschool Events
Great Homeschool Conventions offers two regional events within driving distance of Kentucky, either Columbus, OH or St. Charles, MO. If you haven’t been to a Great Homeschool Convention, you want to go at least once, especially the OH event! 3 days of amazing speakers, family & children’s programming, and huge vendor halls.
Answers In Genesis Family Homeschool Experience, held in May at the Answers Center at the Ark Encounter in Williamstown, KY, is 3 days of faith-building experiences for the whole family. Tour the full-size Noah’s Ark, meet the animals during live animal programs, ride the carousel, walk through biblical history at the Creation Museum, catch workshops, enjoy hands-on science and Bible programs for the whole family, and shop resources.
Kentucky Homeschool Field Trip Destinations
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park
For over a century people from around the world have traveled to Hodgenville in rural Central Kentucky to honor the humble beginnings of our 16th president. His early life on Kentucky’s frontier shaped his character and prepared him to lead the nation through the Civil War. Explore the Knob Creek Tavern, a log home, and step into the place where Abraham Lincoln formed his earliest childhood memories and visit our country’s first memorial to Lincoln.
You’ll find lots of hands-on science as students explore a variety of topics through a biblical worldview!
For ages 5 to 10 there are half-day Explore Jr. programs for a fun-filled morning of exploratory learning for children and a chaperone and Explore Junior 3-Day summer camps, a unique opportunity for students and an adult guardian to dive deeper into their favorite science topics.
For ages 11 to 18 there are 3-hour half-day programs, 3-and-5-day summer camp experiences, a high school lab program that includes 12 sessions of 24 hands-on labs, and High School Lab Intensives where students spend five days participating in engaging, hands-on experimentation and application.
Known as the ‘Niagara of the South,’ the 125-foot curtain of water falling into a boulder-strewn gorge is dramatic day or night. But it is only during a full moon that you can see the moonbow, a phenomenon not found anywhere else in the Western Hemisphere!
Located in Corbin, there is a LOT to do here: view the epic Cumberland Falls, tour the 1937 Pinnacle Knob Fire Tower with a naturalist, go birding, camping, fishing, gem mine for fossils, hike the Eagle Falls Trail, horseback riding through the forest, rafting, swim, and view the moonbow.
Cumberland Falls is one of the few places in the world that regularly produces a moonbow. The “moonbow,” also called a white rainbow or lunar rainbow, is formed just like a rainbow—light is refracted in tiny water droplets—and appears for two or so days on either end of the full moon. They have a moonbow schedule on their website.
Highlands Museum & Discovery Center
History and heritage come together with energy and excitement on the Country Music Highway at the Highlands Museum & Discovery Center in Ashland. From 6 months to 96 years old, visitors find activities that put the past in perspective and move the present into the future.
Visit a nineteenth-century classroom, immerse yourself in the culture of Eastern Kentucky music and visit the Cyrus and Judd families, create your own music on our Karaoke Korner stage or at the Music Quilt interactive sound sculpture, salute those who served during the wars of the twentieth century and see Hitler’s last telephone.
The Discovery Center also has interactive exploration, including a toddler play place, a flight simulation station for pilots of all ages, an actual towboat, a streetscape of a river community, a tree house exhibit, a front porch, a puzzle garden, and a puppet dog house.
Book your group field trip in advance; parents accompanying their child receive discounted admission.
Located in the picturesque mining community of Benham and near the U.S. Steel coal camp of Lynch, both of which are unique reservoirs of coal mining history, this jewel in the mountains offers the public the opportunity to learn about coal mining through perhaps the most comprehensive collection of mining memorabilia in the nation that uniquely portrays life in a coal camp.
Guided group tours must be scheduled at least ten days in advance.
Discover the only place that brings together over 20,000 artifacts, 170+ bourbons, exclusive Churchill Downs® tours, immersive exhibits, and a thrilling 360° film that will make your heart race and emotions soar as you immerse yourself in the excitement of the Derby. Unique tours and experiences for groups of 15 or more; field trip includes 2.5 hours of programming.
Frankfort offers week-long day camps for kids 6-12 to play and investigate history while they explore KHS exhibits, meet special guest speakers, create art inspired by history, and engage in hands-on games and activities.
Field trips include the Old State Capitol and all exhibits at the Kentucky History Center.
For the love of baseball, connect with a genuine global icon on its hometown turf. The Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory “Where Wood Meets Wonder” celebrates the extraordinary role Louisville Slugger baseball bats have played in the sport’s past, present, and future.
From the forest to the field, you’ll follow the timber that’s turned into hard-hitting history.
And, who doesn’t love a free mini-bat at the end of a tour? You can also order a customized full-sized bat.
My Old Kentucky Home State Park
Tour the 200-year-old plantation mansion while entertained with stories of deadly duels, horse racing, fortune, fame, and demise, alongside original fine antiques, & significant architectural spaces. Guides break out in song to perform, “My Old Kentucky Home,” on every tour. No reservations are needed unless you are taking a group.
Schedule a group tour for 10 or more to explore My Old Kentucky Home in Bardstown with special pricing. Choose either the Mansion Tour or Farm to Table option.
A portion of the original 1,300-acre plantation surrounding the historic mansion is wooded forests and rolling hills with a uniquely beautiful, relaxing campground for RV or tent camping. Have a golfer? It is home to one of the top golf courses in the Kentucky’s State Park system.
There is an amphitheater that shows unique musical performances on summer nights from June to August. They also have a fun selection of annual events like an Old Kentucky Home Barbeque in May, Mysteries in the Mansion, Shadows Family Night in October, a Masquerade Ball, and an Old Kentucky Christmas Carol in December.
The mission of the National Corvette Museum is to provide a dynamic educational environment that celebrates the Corvette’s rich history and the technological advancements in automotive engineering. Explore the fascinating world of America’s Sports Car—where history, technology, and speed come together to inspire and educate.
The National Corvette Museum is ready to help you create an exciting and memorable visit. From fascinating Corvette history to engaging activities, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Please note, group reservations and special pricing require a minimum of 15 paid participants.
Located near the Red River Gorge Geological Area, the natural sandstone arch bridge spans 78 feet and is 65 feet high. The park features rooms, cottages, restaurant, bar, and miles of hiking trails.
Reserve a private cottage or lodge room to view fall foliage, hike the scenic trail to Natural Bridge, ride the skylift, kayak, birdwatch in May and Jone when the woodland warblers return, canoe, fish, swim, play mini golf, or explore the Red River Gorge area, Historic Nature Center, Henson’s Arch, and Natural Bridge Cave. There’s a lot here!
The Great American Dollhouse Museum
Located in the heart of Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region, 45 minutes south of Lexington, The Great American Dollhouse Museum is a regular destination for travelers from Louisville, Cincinnati, and surrounding states. Groups of 10 or more receive discounted admission (in a single transaction).
On your trip, be sure to check out the walk-in cave with dragons and trolls along with the historical displays. The museum will also make custom worksheets for homeschool groups, with emphasis on a requested theme or period of history, art, and theatre.
Is homeschooling for you?
The community of homeschool families is diverse. One study reports that 41% of homeschool students are Hispanic, Black, Asian, or other non-White/non-Hispanic groups (2). Homeschoolers come from all faiths – Christians, Jews, Muslims, agnostics, atheists. Teaching parents have a range of formal education, from high school diplomas to graduate degrees, and cover the array of household incomes.
How do you homeschool?
While laws regulating home education vary from state to state, homeschooling IS legal in all 50 states. Many states offer more than one option. One of the first steps in your family’s homeschool journey is to become familiar with the laws in your state. Then the fun begins!
Click on your state below for resources on homeschool regulations, state homeschool organizations, homeschool conventions in your area (here’s why these are amazing for new and experienced homeschool parents), as well as other homeschool perks in your state.
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Disclaimer: Please note that the information on this page is provided for your convenience as a research tool and resource as to where to find the information you need to homeschool in your state. The team at 3 Moms Blog are not attorneys. This content has not been reviewed by an attorney. It is not legal advice.
Brian D. Ray. (2017) A systematic review of the empirical research on selected aspects of homeschooling as a school choice, Journal of School Choice, 11:4, 604-621, accessed April 7, 2023 at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15582159.2017.1395638
US Department of Education. (2019) Homeschooling in the United States: Results from the 2012 and 2016 Parent and Family Involvement Survey (PFINHES: 2012 and 2016). Accessed 4/7/2023 at https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2020/2020001.pdf