Online homeschooling providers

My wife and I are looking for an online provider for our 11 year old girl who is about to start in the 7th Grade (we're keeping her 1 year ahead).  Her test scores have always been in the very high 90's, although math is probably her least favorite subject. 

Up to now, she has been taught by my wife (who has 3 years of college), but she is now running out of confidence to keep our daughter's ability quenched and satisfied. We still want to homeschool, but think an online based curriculum might be best.  It is also becoming more difficult as our 7 year old boy grows up and is educated as well, not to mention our 3 year old girl.

Our requirements include quality interactive lessons (not just flash cards on a screen!), child logging and parent tracking/report card features, flexible schedule (i.e. not realtime), and at least the main core subjects covered.  Our budget is about $500 to $1000 per year - and we're only looking for our oldest right now.

Also, we're not looking for a religious based curriculum, as we can provide exposure to the various religions of the world ourselves.

We’ve both been looking for several weeks now, but keep going round and around in terms of quality and cost.

Any suggestions and experience (or horror stories) would be much appreciated.

Cy.

Thanks elliemarjune.  Personally, I think she is capable, but she feels a bit daunted and guilty about continuing to be the "teacher" on certain subjects when she is not all that confident herself. Of course we do understand that she is more of a guide and not a teacher, per se, but still........ kids have questions......

Actually, I just noticed that K12 is modular, so perhaps we could just pick two or three of the most intimidating subjects (e.g. math), and then do the rest with dd one-on-one, as we've been doing. Best of both worlds, sort of thing.

Thanks for the feedback!

>>Why wouldn't 15 years of formal education, plus 7 years of on-the-job training, be enough for her to call herself a teacher?

Surely a good teacher ought to have *confidence* plus a certain level of expertise in the subject that he or she is tecahing, right? My dw has said that she is getting less confident about her ability (*in spite* of my encouragement). 

My view of homeschooling is that the parent is equipping the child to learn... using encouragement, guidance and, of course, some level of "teaching" or instruction - but not in the traditional/didactic sense that institutional schools use.

It's probably an age-old homeschooling 101 question: What happens when the parent gets to an age/subject that he/she can no longer recall, e.g. algebra (without becomming a student themselves again)?

Update:  We're leaning (heavily) towards Keystone (a division of K12, about $1800 for a full year of 5 subjects). In fact, they have a virtual open house this evening that we're going to attend.

Good luck.

elliemaejune wrote: But you said, "Of course we do understand that she is more of a guide and not a teacher, per se, but still........ kids have questions...... " Why would your understanding be that she is more of a guide and not a teacher? More or less confidence does not make one more or less of a teacher. I would have less confidence in teaching algebra and above, but that wouldn't make me less of a teacher.   FTR, I began teaching my children at home in 1982, when I withdrew my older dd from a private Christian school. I have only a high school education. Both of my dds began taking classes at the community college when they were 14yo. So I always figure if I can do it, anyone else can do it. We don't have to know everything; we only have to be able to help our dc learn. And we are still teachers.

I agree with you 1000% elliemaejune!  After 30-40 years the home education movement has adequately proven that parents from all walks of life and educational backgrounds are more than capable of teaching their children from home at all grade levels.  I don't see a need for formal teaching qualifications for homeschooling parents at all.