Starting a University-based Physical Educational Program for Homeschooled Children

The rapidly changing landscape of higher education is making it more difficult for teacher-education programs to provide their students with authentic instructional opportunities. Budget cuts, larger class sizes, fewer faculty, and fewer physical education programs in public schools are causing education departments to reassess how they prepare their teacher candidates. There is one opportunity right in the backyard of many institutions ready to be utilized. The growing homeschool population can provide programs with an opportunity to create authentic K–12 teaching experiences for preservice students right on campus. Furthermore, it can generate revenue and serve as a recruiting tool for future college enrollments. This article discusses the logistics of starting a successful educational program for homeschooling families and shares the steps that one university took to make it happen.