STEP 1: Purchase Subscription to Portals Home Education When you purchase your subscription to Portals Home Education, you will receive access to all of the lesson plans for all learning levels for that school year. Each school year begin on July 15th with Portals launching new lesson plans. STEP 2: ​Determine Math, Reading and Learning Level for Each Child: After purchasing your subscription to Portals Home Education, you will need to determine which level to place your student: MATH: Portals uses Math-U-See to develop lesson plans for K-12 students. Math is not connected to age level or grade level, but it is based on skill level and competency. Your child(ren), no matter the age or learning level, will need to complete placement testing in order for you to determine the correct course and materials. The Math-U-See placement test can be accessed here. READING: Portals uses Pathway Readers curriculum from Kindergarten through 2nd grade in order to teach students how to read. K-2 reading level placement can be completed using this link. In alignment with our learning philosophy, Portals believes that the best way to learn a skill is to do it. After 2nd grade, students are generally ready, and encouraged, to read books on their own through the list of classic literature, poetry, and short stories included in the Growers Literature course. LEARNING LEVEL: Each Portals Learning Level has unique curriculum, reading materials, and project ideas that change each year to best support the developmental stage of each learner. We recommend that you review the book lists for each level to determine which may be the right one for your student. Consider their reading skill and comprehension, as well as the concepts they will be exposed to in each book that they will read. Our homeschool advisors are also here to help you determine which level may be the best fit for your child(ren). Learn more about each learning level by clicking on the links below: Founders - Early Elementary - Generally Ages 5-8 Growers - Late Elementary - Generally Ages 8-11 Thinkers - Middle School - Generally Ages 11-14 Leaders - High School - Generally Ages 14-18 STEP 3: Collect Reading Materials: After step two, you'll be ready to take your book list and start collecting the reading materials that you need. Portals provides full detail book lists, including ISBN #, so that families can choose to save money by purchasing used copies of each book or using public library resources. There are some families who prefer the convenience of having Portals send all of their reading materials to their home, and you can make that purchase by using the Portals Book Order. ​ STEP 4: Start Learning: Just prior to the selected start date of your subscription, you will receive instructions on how to log-in to the Educator Dashboard to set up your lesson plans preferences and begin teaching. To get a sneak peak at how the dashboard looks, watch this instructional video: REMINDER - Know the homeschool laws in your state. You may be required to notify your district that you are withdrawing your child(ren) from school. The Homeschool Legal Defense Association is a great resource for understanding the laws and regulations of each state.