Hire a Teacher to Homeschool Your Child

The assumption is that homeschooling requires the parent to do all the teaching. It does not. Hiring a qualified teacher or tutor to deliver some or all of your child's instruction is legal in virtually every jurisdiction — and it is more common than most people realize.

Whether you need full-time instruction coverage, targeted subject support, or just someone to handle the subjects that make you break into a cold sweat, there are legitimate options.

What "Hiring a Teacher" Can Mean

There is a spectrum of arrangements:

Private tutors work with your child on specific subjects — typically one to three sessions per week. This is the most common arrangement for families who handle most homeschooling themselves but want expert instruction in areas like advanced math, foreign languages, or music theory.

Full-time homeschool teachers (governesses/private educators) — a small but real market of certified teachers who work exclusively with one family's children, typically five days a week. This is how wealthy families have educated children for centuries, and it has not gone away.

Education coordinators manage the curriculum, planning, and record-keeping while parents deliver instruction — essentially a freelance director of education for a single family.

Online tutors and subject specialists deliver instruction remotely via video call. Since the pandemic normalized video education, the market for remote tutors has exploded and quality is high.

Homeschool co-op teachers are educators who teach specific subjects to small groups of homeschooled children. Parents pay a share of the teacher's fee, making specialized instruction affordable.

What Does a Homeschool Teacher Cost?

Rates vary widely by qualification, subject area, and geography:

Private tutors (in-person): $25–$80 per hour in most US markets. Highly credentialed tutors in competitive subjects (SAT prep, AP Physics, Advanced Calculus) run $80–$150 per hour in major cities.

Online tutors: $15–$60 per hour. Platforms like Wyzant, Tutor.com, and Varsity Tutors aggregate tutors and handle payment. International tutors (particularly from English-speaking countries) are often available at the lower end of this range.

Full-time homeschool educators: $40,000–$80,000+ annually for a truly qualified, experienced professional. This market exists but is realistically a fit for a narrow segment of families.

Co-op teaching arrangements: $50–$200 per semester per subject, shared among four to eight families. The co-op model brings down the cost dramatically while maintaining quality.

The key distinction: you are not required to hire a certified teacher. Many excellent tutors are subject-matter experts without formal teaching credentials. A retired engineer who tutors mathematics, a working musician who teaches piano theory, or a published author who runs writing workshops can all provide expert instruction without a teaching license.

When Hiring Makes Sense

When the parent lacks subject expertise. Most parents are comfortable teaching elementary-level reading, writing, and math. Many are not comfortable teaching high school chemistry, calculus, or second-language acquisition. Hiring for high-school-level subjects in areas outside your expertise is a practical and common solution.

When the parent-child relationship needs a reset. One of the most common challenges in new homeschooling families is the collapse of the parent-teacher role. When a parent has been trying to function as a classroom teacher and it is creating daily conflict, bringing in a third-party instructor for some subjects can relieve the pressure on the relationship while instruction continues.

When a child needs specialized support. Children with dyslexia, dyscalculia, or other learning differences often benefit from working with specialists trained in specific intervention methods — Orton-Gillingham trained tutors for dyslexia, for example. These specialists may not be parent-teachers, but they deliver targeted support that a curriculum cannot.

When working parents need coverage. Some families cannot have a parent home full-time. A combination of online tutors, co-op programs, and homeschool teacher arrangements can cover the instructional hours while a parent works.

How to Find Qualified Homeschool Teachers and Tutors

Wyzant, Tutor.com, Varsity Tutors: Major US tutor marketplaces with verified credentials, reviews, and secure payment. Good for finding subject specialists quickly.

Superprof: Operates in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and most major markets. Good for finding local in-person tutors.

Outschool: A platform specifically for homeschooled children. Teachers run live online classes in small groups on every subject imaginable. Many are certified teachers. Classes typically run $15–$35 per session per child.

Homeschool co-ops: Local homeschool groups often have internal teaching arrangements. Finding your local homeschool network (via Facebook groups, Meetup, or Homeschool Connect) is the best way to access co-op teachers.

Care.com and Sittercity: These childcare platforms have sections for tutors and educators. Less specialized than dedicated tutor platforms but broader reach.

Word of mouth through homeschool communities: Reddit's r/homeschool, state-specific Facebook homeschool groups, and local homeschool co-ops are where most family-specific referrals happen.

Important Considerations Before You Hire

Legal responsibility stays with the parent. In all US states and most countries, the homeschooling parent (or legal guardian) remains legally responsible for ensuring the child receives an education. You can hire whoever you want to help deliver that education, but you cannot outsource the legal accountability.

Not during the deschooling period. If your child has just left school and is in the initial decompression phase, introducing a new authority figure — even a warm, skilled tutor — is usually counterproductive. The deschooling period is about reducing external demands on the child, not adding them. Wait until the child has shown recovery signals before introducing hired instruction.

Credential verification. Ask prospective tutors for their qualifications, ask for references from other homeschool families they have worked with, and if working with children is involved, ensure appropriate background checks have been completed.

Trial before committing. Especially for younger children or those recovering from school trauma, chemistry with the tutor matters enormously. Arrange a trial session or two before signing any longer-term arrangement.

Country-Specific Notes

UK families: Private tutors are extremely common in the UK, particularly for GCSE and A-Level subjects. The tutoring industry is well-developed, with platforms like MyTutor, Tutorful, and First Tutors serving the UK market. Rates typically run £25–£60 per hour for school-level subjects. Home-educated children sit GCSEs through private exam centers, and specialist tutors who prepare students for these exams are readily available.

Australian families: The Australian tutoring market has grown significantly, with platforms like Cluey Learning and Kip McGrath operating alongside independent tutors. Co-op models are less established than in the US but growing, particularly within state-based homeschool networks in Queensland and Victoria.

Canadian families: Tutoring platforms like TutorOcean (Canada-based) and Superprof serve the Canadian market. In provinces with homeschool funding (Alberta, BC), some of that funding can be applied toward tutor costs through registered programs.

The Bottom Line

Hiring teaching help is a normal and legitimate part of many homeschooling arrangements. You do not have to do it all yourself. Whether you need a weekly math tutor, a language instructor, or a subject specialist for high school sciences, a qualified person is available — likely within driving distance or over video call.

The more important decision is timing. Before worrying about hired instruction, make sure your child has had the decompression time they need after leaving school. A child who has not deschooled adequately will resist instruction from anyone — parent or hired teacher.

The De-schooling Transition Protocol covers how to assess your child's readiness for structured instruction, what signs indicate they are ready to engage with external teachers, and how to set up learning arrangements — including hired help — in a way that builds on their recovered curiosity rather than imposing on a still-recovering nervous system.