At least for the Scripps bee, you need to be involved with a homeschooling group which hosts a bee. Typically the way it works here (in NJ) is a newspaper will sponsor a local bee. The winner of that bee moves on to the next level (typically county) and then up to states. I am pretty sure Scripps changed their rules to reduce the numbers of homeschoolers recently, but that is the basic way. If you are an active homeschooler you are likely to hear about the local bees, they typically start in January. The group we know of hosts a bee for the 5th grade and up age kids, and a “trial” bee for the younger kids. It is very fun and highly competitive.

Although I agree with your statements, I also believe that freedom of choice should never be limited to parents when it comes to education.

Personally I do not believe children belong in conventional institutions (schools) before college either, but I would not want that choice taken away from parents who think that’s the way to go.

Unfortunately that same attitude is not always forth coming when they disagree with our choice to home school.

Now to your original question:

We have a mom who functions as a liaison between the school district, and the home school community.

She contacts the district as the Spelling Bee organizer, gets the materials, practices with the children, and enters them in the local, and state competitions.

It takes someone to step forward to do this, and most often it will be a parent who has children that want to participate themselves.

You can either do it solo, or make it a group/class event.

Another way would be to contact the national organization directly at: http://www.spellingbee.com/

Scripps, who runs the big national spelling bee, requires the lower levels to allow homeschool groups participate. Go to the Scripps Howard website for more info.

according to Scripps, you need to contact the spelling bee committee in your area and qualify to participate in the regional spelling bee under their rules. I would suggest that you check with homeschooling groups in your area to find out if there are any homeschool teams.

OMG!! jackieB is sooooooo RUDE! I totally agree with you! I am homeschooled by a vrtual homeschooling program called k12……….. and I dont suggest public or private school either! I HATED it! but I wonder that too……… how WOULD we get into a spelling bee?good question! one star 4 u!

Send them to a public school,their is nothing wrong with the majority of them. I won a spelling bee in 4th grade , even had my picture on the front page of our local paper.My kid went to public school and graduated high school.Why do all you home schoolers hate public schools,I could see it if you lived in the inner city, most of you live in nice rural areas and nice cities with great schools.I don’t believe those children get properly socialized,and I would be afraid my kids would become loners and reclusives? Any how good luck and God bless!