Background: Over our 7 years of Minnesota home-educating, our family has tried it all. The majority of it has been legal homeschooling (being on file with the state as a homeschooler and 100% driving the educational boat of our family). We have also tried hydrid schooling (3 days of Montessori/2 days home), shared time (a couple classes a week at the public school- the rest at home), and a bit of online school (through Venture Upward’s VIBE program). Children’s needs, parent’s needs, financial strain, health issues, personal interests – like most families, our needs have changed over time, and we’ve adjusted.
This year, we are planning to re-enroll 1 of my 3 kiddos in MN’s Venture Upward program, through one of their partner schools (VIBE, Worthington school district 518). I work for them as a contacted “Guide” to help people understand the program and figure out if it’s a good fit for their family. I’ve been working for them on and off for a few years, and know the program well- both as a guide, and as a parent whose tried it out for each of my kids at different times. This year, I plan to legally homeschool 2 kiddos, and use Venture Upward for my 3rd. Just wanted to share all that so you know where I am coming from!
Venture Upward. So, you’ve heard buzz about Venture Upward over the last few years, but what the heck is it really?! And, is it homeschooling? In this article we will discuss what it is and isn’t, who might like it and who might not, and how you can decide if it’s right for your family in this season.
Is Venture Upward the same as homeschooling?
Venture Upward’s MN programs are NOT legally homeschooling in MN (though legal homeschoolers in other states can and do use it, and there are a la carte options legal MN homeschoolers can use). Venture Upward’s MN programs ARE an option in the educational marketplace for families who want to home-educate and remove their children from their brick and mortar public school. Venture Upward is the curriculum provider who partners with 2 Minnesota online public schools (VIBE of Worthington and Princeton) to offer an alternative educational environment. Enrolled students are, legally speaking, public school students (which is why this program can be delivered free-of charge to families). Students have responsibilities they must complete (weekly participation and progression through state standards), and by so doing, have access to funds and resources that will support their education.
Is Venture Upward the same as other online school options?
Venture Upward’s MN programs are different then other online school options in some key ways.
At no monetary cost to participants, families receive:
- Use of the Venture Upward online curriculum (if desired – families can also use their own curriculum or resources to meet the standards)
- Participation in a co-op style weekly drop off (Venture School) OR monthly subscription boxes delivered to each child to enhance their home-education
- Educational supplies of their choosing up to $500 per semester per student (must be approved)
- Access to various supports from their online public school (VIBE or Princeton)
- A supportive community of enrolled families, both in person at Venture School and online (MN VIBE Venture Upward Families Facebook Group)
- Field Trips
We’ll explain more below. Reading about what some MN families love (and don’t love) about the program can give additional insights.
What do some families love about the program?
- A complete module-style curriculum option, so they know their child is covering the state standards for their grade weekly. This allows parents to have their kiddos at home, but remain relatively hands-off with the day-to-day planning and management of curriculum.
- A do-it-yourself “portfolio” option where families can use their own curriculum, resource, or approach to progress through state standards.
- Synchronous class options. Classes are offered weekly, LIVE, with a group of other MN students
- The flexibility to use a combination of approaches to progress through the standards. Modules for some classes, end of lesson assessments, synchronous classes, or their curricula of choice.
- Students can complete their work where ever/ when ever (road trip anyone?) and whatever time of day works for them. So it has a very homeschool-y feel.
- The curriculum is thoughtfully produced and apolitical (in my opinion), simply focused on the bones of the standards that MDE requires its schools to teach.
- Material support. Each child has access to up to $1,000 in educational supplies (in two semester payments) to support their home-educating. This can be used for things like technology, a musical instrument, art supplies, math games, science kits, subscription boxes, books of all sorts (except religious), etc.
- Community. Venture School is included for participants and is similar to a co-op, where families meet weekly for educational classes and occasional field trips. (If a family doesn’t choose to participate in Venture School then they are given subscription boxes monthly as an alternative support option). Online groups and large-scale Venture-wide community trips happen twice a year.
- State Certified Teachers. Each family is connected with a teacher. Teachers are there to support families in their participation. Some teachers offer light tutoring. The teachers also issue grades that are available for parents to view through the online platform.
- Excellent “Customer Service” feel. Venture responds professionally and timely to inquiries and feedback from participating families.
- Option to opt out of state testing. Some students may need to opt out of testing for various reasons. Venture encourages participants to plan for and attend the state testing days they provide, but it is understood that it doesn’t always work out for various reasons.
- Graduation/diploma options (VIBE program only)
- Venture Upward makes home-educating possible for families who otherwise wouldn’t feel comfortable taking the full plunge into home-educating, but want to bring their kiddos home for various reasons. Maybe parent work full/part-time, have limited resources, or would just appreciate the direction of an established program.
What do some families not love about the program
- Families used to legally homeschooling may not appreciate having to “answer” to the school district. The requirements are clearly laid out, and the expectation is that participating families will progress weekly, through “attendance and participation” (logging on/submitting each week – exceptions are given for travel).
- Funds for supplemental materials cannot be used to purchase religious curriculum, and some requested items may not be approved/purchased.
- Students receive grades (for some this may be a positive). Submissions are graded and a report card is issued at the end of the year.
- MAP Meetings and training (for some, this may be a positive). At the beginning of the year, parents are required to meet with an assigned TOR (teacher of record) to discuss the program and how the parent plans to use it. Parents are also required to do an online training to ensure they understand the program and know how to work the online components that their kiddos will be navigating through.
- Limited options for advanced students. Students cannot “test out” of classes or requirements. It may feel punitive or like “hoop jumping” for students who already know material, because they need to prove profiencey anyway through their weekly submissions. The Princeton VIBE – new this year – will offer some programming for advanced students.
- Online/Inside time/socialization. If you use the program for its synchronous classes or working through every module online, you may find you and your kiddos online more than you want. Time spent online decreases the amount of time spent outside in shared space with others.
- Homeschoolers in MN have worked hard for their legal homeschool rights. Programs like Venture Upward can be seen as blurring the lines of homeschooling, and may threaten the rights that veteran homeschoolers have worked so diligently to secure.
In my training to help guide others around the particulars of the program, it has regularly been reiterated that this program is not for everyone. All families need to weigh the pros and cons and decide if this educational marketplace option feels like a god-send, plain awful, or somewhere in between.
I’m here to help!
As a Guide for Venture Upward, I’d love to hear about your goals for your family. I am happy to share more about our personal experience as well, and those of the families I have connected with through Venture over the years. We can work together to see if this may be a good fit for your family. If you’re not already connected with a Guide, and you’d like a phone call or email, please fill out this short form, and I will reach out soon!
