As homeschoolers we have a lot of products and services to choose
from. There are a lot of really great companies
and individuals
marketing homeschooling supplies and services. There are also a
few `bad apples' in our basket.
How can you tell the difference, and
how can you know whether the products or services are worth what you
are paying
for them?
When we hear about new products and services on an Internet list
where someone is promoting them
the first place to look is at the
source. Is this person a homeschooler? Do they know the product or
service
they are promoting? Can they answer your questions? Are
they paid to promote this product? Do they use
it themselves?
You can also ask other homeschoolers if they've used the product or
service and their opinion
of it. That's the great thing about the
Internet - there is almost always someone who has already purchased
the
product and can tell you what they thought of it.
When you are at a curriculum fair, you can examine the materials
and
ask the merchant questions, but when it's on the Internet or comes in
the mail that's not so easy.
*If
you are proud of what you are marketing, you put your name on it.*
It's easy to use the Internet to learn more about
a product or
service. To find the name of the company search the product
literature or web site. Google
is a wonderful tool to search for
more information. I like to start by `googling' the name of the
product or
service and seeing what comes up. You can also `google'
the name of the person that owns the company and learn more
about
them and their background and whether they have homeschool
experience. If you can't find it, perhaps this
person doesn't want
you to know who they are. "Google" the address given for the
product. While it's not
necessarily a bad thing to find out its a
box at the UPS Store, it can give you pause to know there is no real
physical
address for the company.
Most states put their corporate filings on line. "Google" `secretary
of state'
and `specific state the address is in' and you should be
able to find the corporate records. Most corporate filings
include
the names of the principle owners and their street address. While
you are there search for other companies
the individuals have
registered. Do they go in and out of business regularly? Want to
know if they've
ever filed for bankruptcy? Ask
http://www.privateeye.com. Want more personal information? Try
www.intellius.com.
If you discovered from the corporate records that the school was
incorporated 3 months ago, does it seem
reasonable for them to claim
thousands of students are enrolled already? A staff of hundreds? If
the product
claims endorsements from unnamed experts, who are they?
*What's in the Box?*
Examine carefully the information you
have. If, for example, you are
looking at a curriculum that costs $600 hard-earned dollars, ask for
a complete
list of what you will receive. If it's a cyber or virtual
school, find out if a computer is included (own?
borrow? cost of
shipping and returning if borrowed?) Will you have to pay for the
Internet connection and possible
long distance phone charges? Will
you be expected to purchase more supplies, for example, science
experiments
or gym memberships? Do they tell you specifically what
you will be receiving, both in products and services?
Is
there `assembly required"? Are there any additional fees?
It never hurts to ask the Department of Education
if the school is
licensed, and you can check the schools accreditation by going to the
accreditor's web site and searching
the list of schools it has
accredited. Find out if the school includes written transcripts so
if you want to
later transfer to another school, there will be a
record of you child having completed their grade.
If you
go ahead and purchase the materials only to find out they are
not suited for your child, is there a return or cancellation
policy?
Can you get all your money back if you are not satisfied?
If it's a curriculum, does it meet
or exceed the requirements for you
to legally homeschool in your state? If you state requires testing
or a portfolio
review, does the school provide those services and are
they included in your cost? What about individual states
that
require state history be included in the curriculum? Is the
curriculum compatible with your personal beliefs?
When it's your money and your child's education, you have a
responsibility and a right to see that the products
and services you
need are provided and worth what you are paying for them.
