Cornerstone Guide
The Special Needs Homeschool Guide
Curriculum recommendations, co-op design, legal accommodations, and community resources for families homeschooling neurodiverse children, written with honesty about what's hard and what's possible.
Condition guides
Deep, balanced, fully-sourced guides. More are on the way.
Autism
Balanced approaches (including an honest look at ABA), home strategies, programs, and how to find 1:1 help.
Open guideADHD
Strengths and challenges, approaches with medication covered neutrally, and what actually works at home.
Open guideDyslexia
Structured literacy and Orton-Gillingham, assistive tech, and protecting the love of reading.
Open guideDyscalculia
Math learning differences and persistent math struggle: number sense, the CRA sequence, math anxiety, and programs by need.
Open guideDysgraphia
Writing and fine-motor support. Deep guide coming.
Sensory processing
Sensory-friendly learning. Deep guide coming.
Gifted and twice-exceptional
Asynchronous and 2e learners. Deep guide coming.
01 You are not alone, and you are not behind.
Many families who homeschool a child with special needs arrive at that decision after years of watching their child struggle in a system that wasn't designed for them. The grief is real. The exhaustion is real. And the quiet, fierce hope that there is a better way is also real. Homeschooling a neurodiverse child is not the same as homeschooling a neurotypical child: the pace is different, curriculum choices matter more, and community shapes everything. This guide was written for the real version, the one where some days are extraordinary and some are survival, and both are valid.
02 Dyslexia-friendly curricula
Structured, multisensory, Orton-Gillingham-based programs work best. All About Reading, Logic of English, and Barton are the names families return to. Short sessions, plenty of review, and no shame about pace.
03 ADHD-compatible approaches
Short lessons, movement breaks, and interest-led projects beat long worksheets. Lean on the freedom homeschooling gives you to teach when your child is regulated, not when a bell rings.
04 Autism-supportive structures
Predictable routines, visual schedules, and clear transitions lower anxiety and free up energy for learning. Reduce sensory load, and let special interests be a bridge into every subject.
05 Designing co-ops that include, not exclude
A good co-op plans for sensory needs, flexible participation, and a quiet space from the start. Inclusion is a design choice, not an afterthought.
06 Legal accommodations by state
Homeschooling does not erase your child's rights. Depending on your state, you may still access evaluations or therapy services through the district. Check your state guide, and for disputes, HSLDA.
07 The grief section, what no one talks about
Many families arrive here worn down by a system that wasn't built for their child. Name the grief. You are allowed to mourn the experience you hoped for while building a better one. Some days will be extraordinary, some will be survival, and both count.
08 15+ recommended resources for learning differences
Hand-picked curricula, therapy tools, and community resources for learning differences, each reviewed for who it actually helps. Browse the directory for the full set.
The Community Map includes families homeschooling neurodiverse children across all 50 states. Find families near you, or browse the resource directory.