Cola City Homeschool Expo 2026
Saturday, June 27th, 10 am-4 pm
Jamil Center, 206 Jamil Road, Columbia

Whether you’re considering homeschooling, new to it, or a seasoned homeschooler, Cola City Homeschool Expo 2026 is the place to Connect, Expand, and Thrive!

This year’s theme, “Grow Your Village” celebrates building strong community connections while exploring diverse learning resources. Our Expo is designed to create a welcoming space where every family, learner, and educator feels included, valued, and inspired to discover new ideas.

We are looking for vendors and exhibitors who bring a variety of educational resources, creative products, and services that reflect diverse learning styles, cultural backgrounds, and ability levels. Join us in cultivating a vibrant, connected community — where together, we can make meaningful connections, broaden our bookshelves, and thrive as a collective.

>>Vendor Hall 2026<<
>>Facebook Event for Updates<<

The post Cola City Homeschool Expo first appeared on SC Third Option Participants.

Local homeschoolers in the Midlands area, consider this additional opportunity to connect with others.
Cola City PLUS.

More Than Activities. A Place to Belong.

Cola City PLUS is a collaborative homeschool social club focused on meaningful connection, shared learning, and community-building.

Through reading discussions, collaborative planning, and member-led opportunities, we’re creating a space where homeschool families can connect, grow, and thrive together. Third Place theory and Let Grow Play initiative encourage our youth to develop greater agency, independence, creativity, and confidence through mixed-age, unstructured play.

Planning regular opportunities for homeschool families to gather in welcoming public spaces where people are free to come and go, connect naturally, and build relationships over time. Our goal is not to over-structure every moment, but to create environments where authentic community can grow.

Inclusive. Intentional. Community-driven.

Membership is just $5/month to join the private app at Our School Hangout.
Set up your account for a free peek inside the app

Click HERE to set up your account
at Our School Hangout

Read more at Cola City Homeschoolers:
What are you gonna do about socialization?

The post Cola City PLUS first appeared on SC Third Option Participants.

Dual Enrollment Procedures & Policies

Dual Enrollment is a great way to dip your toe into more advanced classes, while you’re still in high school. You can take a college course AND it counts toward your high school course of study also.

Some colleges allow you to audit the class, so it doesn’t count for college credit. Some programs offer certificates that can be accepted by the college, similar to a CLEP or AP exams. Colleges often issue the letter grade on their final transcripts. These differences can matter with the SC Uniform Grade Scale calculations.

SC TOP needs to see your grade reports from the institution in order to verify we are listing the courses correctly on our transcripts. You or your student should be able to access a grade report without paying additional fees for a secure delivery platform (such as Parchment).

Enrolling Procedures: As you’re applying to the college, there are some documents that you will need gather. SC TOP can assist with these documents.

• Transcripts and/or Report Cards.
  • Previous members should have a DRAFT ONLY copy of the formatted transcript. Request finalized draft at director@sc-top.org before submitting it to the college.
  • New Members, request assistance formatting your transcript for an added fee. 
• School Verification Form. The college usually has a form for the association to sign verifying the student is ready for advanced classes. Submit a Help Desk request or email director@sc-top.org for assistance with the forms. 
• Test Scores. For placement purposes, the college wants to verify the student will be successful in the classes that you select. If you have ACT or SAT scores, those can be used for admissions consideration. But, if you do not have any test scores, the college offers an accuplacer test that can be done instead. 

Selecting Courses: As you’re choosing classes, consider what will be the best for your student’s goals after graduation. If you want some additional feedback about the course selections, contact director@sc-top.org

• If you know the degree program and/or the specific institution that you’ll attend. Choose classes that will go toward the Gen Ed requirements for the degree field. If the course transfers, does it transfer into the specific degree program?
• If you are not sure of the degree field or not even sure if you’ll seek higher learning. Choose classes that dabble in what the college experience is like or what the student’s interests might lead to a career path.
• Be aware that course titles may correlate to the next progression needed. For example: if you’re needing a 4th higher Math.
  • The high school course title recommended may be Precalculus or Calculus. But, those courses are advanced 200 level classes. The jump in difficulty may affect the student’s grade and it may not even transfer into the degree program.
  • So a Basic/Intermediate College Algebra course may be covering essentially similar content as the high school course you did, but the credit counts as a higher progression for high school. AND is more likely going to fulfill the course requirements toward the degree program.
• Be careful not to academically overload your student. Dual Credits are not necessary if your student is not ready.

Verifying Grades for Transcript Assistance Services: We need to see the grade reports in order to be sure we’re listing the details correctly. Each institution has different policies/procedures about obtaining the grade reports. Usually the STUDENT has to request, not the parent.

We need Course Number Code, Course Title and NUMBER grade earned. Along with the name of the institution where the grade came from and date when the course was completed. For example: Midlands Tech; ENG 101: English Composition 1; 93/A  Fall 2026

• We prefer that the parent collect the grade reports from the college.  Then you can upload the verification documents with the transcript request form at the end of the year.
• Some colleges prefer to send the grade reports to our offices instead. Some colleges send us the grade reports for all the students from SC TOP in one spreadsheet, so they won’t release it any of the parents.
• Preferred email contact: director@sc-top.org

For Midlands Tech, there’s a difference between the official grade report and the official transcript. The student should be able to request the official grade report at no additional charge:

 Midlands Tech: Grade Report
Includes course section, course title and number grade with credit hours
Should not cost additional fee to request this file.
Kari McLeod: mcleodka@midlandstech.edu or Records Office: recordsoffice@midlandstech.edu

Midlands Tech: Transcript  If it’s delivered thru Parchment server, you’ll be charged for added fee. The verification that we need should not cost added fees.

Upload the documents with your transcript assistance request form. Please plug in the details into the fields as well. If you want to file the documents before submitting the transcript assistance request or if you forgot to upload the documents with the form you already submitted, use the transcript update form instead.

Look for this section in order to attach your files with your form
so everything is all together when we process your request.
Then it won’t get lost in the email slush pile!

Read More about SC TOP Polices and Procedures
>>High School Transcript FAQs<<
>>Course Credit Policies<<
>>Common App Assistance<<

The post Dual Enrollment Procedures first appeared on SC Third Option Participants.

Common App Assistance

The Common App includes questions that are supposed to be answered by the guidance counselor. Questions about our ranking policies and grading procedures. Answers that you might not be able to clarify on your own.

So, you can list me as your school counselor instead. Kim Andrysczyk: director@sc-top.org

However, there’s also some questions that are more personal, that I cannot answer. So, we need you to provide answers for those sections. SCROLL DOWN to fill out the form below.

• Please provide any information about the applicant’s homeschool experience and environment that you believe would be helpful to the reader (e.g. educational philosophy, motivation for homeschooling, instruction setting, etc.).
• If the student has taken courses from a distance learning program, traditional secondary school, or college, please list:
  • the course title
  • content
  • sponsoring institution
  • instruction setting
  • schedule
  • frequency of interactions with instructors and other students (once per day, week, etc.)

  Also include any standardized tests the student has taken that are not listed on the Common App.

• OPTIONAL Counselor Recommendation: Please provide comments that will help us differentiate this student from others. We especially welcome a broad-based assessment and encourage you to consider describing or addressing: · The applicant’s academic, extracurricular, and personal characteristics. · Relevant context for the applicant’s performance and involvement, such as particularities of family situation or after-school obligations, either positive or negative. · Observed problematic behaviors, perhaps separable from academic performance, that an admission committee should explore further.
• OPTIONAL Fee Waiver Verification: Please provide documentation proof for us to verify your eligibility. Common App Fee Waiver FAQs

In order to assist with this additional service, we request a small fee for the time to assist.

The post Common App Assistance first appeared on SC Third Option Participants.

SC TOP Members,

Please submit this form to close out your file for current school year. This simple checklist verifies you’ve done the record-keeping requirements–which we recommend is due by June 5th.

**NOTE:  You may continue logging additional learning days, later into the summer to get to your 180 day total or continue logging days beyond the 180 required. Learning happens 365 days a year, so logging additional days is for your benefit. 

Do not send the records to SC TOP. Records are for you, so you can see your student’s progress. This form verifies you’re doing the record-keeping as required by law.

• If you’re transferring to another school, SC TOP can also assist with report card preparation when you fill out this form: Report card request form
• ALL HIGH SCHOOL students 9-12th grade are also required to submit credits and courses. Please also fill out this form: Transcript Preparation form This service is included in your membership fees.

If you’re still working to document the 180-days of learning past June 30th, please contact director@sc-top.org so that we know what’s happening and we can advise.

Thanks for choosing SC TOP!
~Kim Andrysczyk, Director

Fill out this form to close out your membership file for the 2025-2026 school year.

The post End of Year Form first appeared on SC Third Option Participants.

• SC TOP Registration for 2025-2026 is CLOSED.
• SC TOP Registration for 2026-2027 will be open in mid-May. 
  • Current members will need to close out your current membership file before submitting application for next year
  • New member inquiries, please email director@sc-top.org so we can add you to the list to be notified when registration is open

If you need assistance with immediate transfer for 2026-2026:

• Homeschooling is not “a program”. Membership with an association is a permission slip that allows you/the parent to take on the responsibility for educating your child.
  • You are responsible to pick/choose the learning materials and activities.
  • You set the pace and schedule of the assignments
  • You keep track of the progress
• The law is somewhat specific about the record-keeping requirements. And someone is supposed to verify that you are doing the record-keeping requirements. That’s what the accountability association does (it’s for verifying that you’re doing the record-keeping requirements)
  • SC TOP is not accepting any LATE registrations for the current school year (2025-2026). Email director@sc-top.org if you would like to be added to the notification list for next year registrations.
  • Here is a list of associations that we trust who may be willing to accept LATE registrations. SC TOP director does not know if the applications are still visible or if you have to request access. Contact the association directly for assistance.

Stacy Brown/ GLOW:  Glow@glowchs.com
registration: https://glowchs.com/glow-accountability/
Offers transcript assistance for high school, but not ranking

Rebecca Bennett/M2SHA:  admin@m2sha.com
registration: https://www.m2sha.com/register-now
Low cost family rates.

Monica McCoy/G3O:  monica@gotoptionsllc.com
registration: https://www.gotoptionsllc.com/
Low cost family rates

Katie Frampton/Half Moon;    halfmoonhomeschool.sc@gmail.com
Registration: https://halfmoonhomeschool.com/
Secular/Inclusive, low family rates

Phyllis Louder/PACESC:  pacesc@pacesc.com
registration: https://www.pacesc.com/
Low family rate; Transcript assistance

Hazel Douthit/At Home in the Lowcountry:
email: athomeinthelowcountry@gmail.com
registration: https://www.athomeinthelowcountry.com/
transcript assistance; advice on course of study

April Ray/Homeward:  aprilray@homewarded.com
Registration: https://homewarded.com/
High school transcript assistance & ranking

Denise French/Palmetto Homeschool Association:   director@palmettoha.org
registration: https://palmettoha.org/
High school transcript assistance and ranking

Heather Grant /HOPE: hello@hopehomeschoolgroup.org
registration: https://www.hopehomeschoolgroup.org/
High school transcript assistance and ranking

More Recommended Resources

Check out my blog The SC Homeschooling Connection for all kinds of extra resources getting started, getting thru high school…and every step in between!

The post Registration Info first appeared on SC Third Option Participants.

Statement from Kim Andrysczyk, Director of SC TOP Homeschool Association:

There has been some recent confusion online about a roundtable discussion involving the Coalition for Responsible Home Education (CRHE). To avoid any misunderstanding, I want to clearly distinguish between my roles.

I want to clarify that SC TOP did not host or participate in that roundtable.

SC TOP’s purpose remains unchanged: to provide accountability services under South Carolina’s 3rd Option law and to support families in maintaining academic compliance. SC TOP supports the parent’s responsibility to educate their children and the parent’s right to choose the methods that suit their family best. We are happy to offer encouragement, advice, or information whenever you need.

We do not engage in policy partnerships, external advocacy collaborations, or outside organizational programming. 

If SC TOP members have questions about our services or policies, I welcome respectful communication. SC TOP continues to stand firmly for homeschool freedom and family support for members across South Carolina. 

— Kim Andrysczyk
SC TOP Director

Meet the Director
What’s Included with SC TOP Membership

The post Clarifying Rumors About SC TOP first appeared on SC Third Option Participants.

Meet the SC TOP Director: Kim Andrysczyk

I am a veteran homeschooler with 25+ years of experience. I have been an accountability director since 2010. I have utilized all three accountability options at various times in my family’s homeschool journey, and I believe third option accountability gives parents the most flexibility.

I believe in school choices, and I support the diverse choices our members make for their children for public, private and home education. You have to do what works for each child. Some members homeschool some of their children while having others enrolled in public school, like I did. Some families homeschool for a while, while others are in for the long haul.

SC TOP respects the unique perspectives, backgrounds, and identities of all people, embracing diversity as a cornerstone of our organization. SC TOP supports the parent’s responsibility to educate their children and the parent’s right to choose the methods that suit their family best.

I believe my job is to encourage you through the tough times and inspire you to strive for excellence. Protecting homeschool freedom continues to be central to SC TOP’s work as well. We are accountable to our children to provide a quality education that will open the doors of opportunity and put them on a path to success. 

My accountability association has been able to stay compliant each year with SC Department of Education, built rapport among third option directors, established compliance with the Commission on Higher Education (CHE), secured Palmetto Fellows, LIFE and HOPE scholarships for grads, assisted student applications for Governor’s School, and qualified for NCAA eligibility. I have also assisted members who faced court proceedings and DSS investigations.

I’m happy to offer encouragement, advice, or information whenever you need.
I’m here to help you!

The post Meet the Director first appeared on SC Third Option Participants.

SC TOP has limited phone availability. Thanks for your understanding in streamlining communications and official requests.

SC TOP does not offer 24/7 access to the admin. If you leave a voicemessage or text, the admin will respond via text during business hours.

• If you’re getting started in homeschooling, there’s articles and recorded tutorials that offer a much fuller explanation than you can get in a quick phone consultation.
  Additional resources available here.
• If you’re a member and need us to look up your membership file in order to offer personalized feedback, this takes extra time when the admin is in the office.

The vast majority of questions that we get require an email follow-up anyway. Due to the high volume of inquiries, we request that you contact us via one of these options:

• Email director@sc-top.org for general questions about homeschooling law or SC TOP policies. Response times vary, depending on the volume of requests and the detail required for the response.
• Submit your questions at the Help Desk Form for priority response on official requests (added fee).
• Schedule a consultation appointment for more detailed, personalized assistance (added fee). Educational Consultation services to help new homeschoolers, needing assistance getting started thru planning out your high school course of study that will open the doors of opportunity after graduation.

Thanks for your understanding!
~Kim Andrysczyk
SC TOP Director

The post How to Contact SC TOP Admin first appeared on SC Third Option Participants.

Group Coaching Session: Virtual
Tuesday May 5th at 2:30 pm
FREE for SC TOP members

Come meet up for  this month’s coffee-time, group coaching virtual workshop. This a totally free perk with your SC TOP membership.

This month, let’s talk about Wrapping Up the Year. SC TOP policies and procedures for closing out this school year and starting again for next year.

This session will include:

• • What forms do you fill out? What are the deadlines?
  • End of year form and High School Transcript Assistance
  • Transferring back to a traditional school or renewing for 2026-2027 school year

The sessions will include a presentation which will be recorded and made available for replay. Then, there will be an open Q/A for those who attend the live session, if you have a specific legislation that you want to look at as well.

Bring your questions and concerns–let’s talk about it! Ask me ANYTHING or just come chat/hang out!

Note: if you want to schedule personal coaching by phone or zoom, click here for a $30 session.

Pre-register for the link and email reminder:

Oops! We could not locate your form.

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