Program Structure & Family Responsibilities
A clear overview of our learning model, how our program works within state guidelines, and what families can expect when enrolling at Renewed Roots.
Renewed Roots is a full-day, instructor-led forest microschool where children receive daily academic instruction, small-group learning, and integrated, land-based outdoor education on campus. Families are not expected to recreate school at home.
For enrollment purposes, families are connected to a homeschool designation while their child attends Renewed Roots for daily learning. This page explains how that structure works and what, if anything, families are responsible for outside the school day.
You don’t have to do this alone.
How State Education Requirements Apply
Because Renewed Roots operates as a forest microschool, families are connected to state homeschool requirements for enrollment purposes. Below is a simple overview of what that looks like in Minnesota and North Dakota.
Minnesota
Submit Letter of Intent by Oct 1
Teach core subjects (listed below)
Maintain immunization record
Administer an annual standardized test
Parents choose curriculum
Parents issue transcripts & diplomas
No specific requirement for how often these subjects must be taught or at what grade levels
Does not require a set number of teaching days
Minnesota Required Subjects:
Language Arts
Math
Science
Social Studies
Health
Physical Education
Fine Arts
Career Exploration (upper grades)
North Dakota
Submit Statement of Intent
Annual standardized test
Parent-led education allowed
Parents choose curriculum
Parents issue transcripts & diplomas
Instruction must have a duration of at least four hours each day for a minimum of one hundred seventy-five days each year
North Dakota Required Subjects:
Language Arts
Math
Science (including agriculture)
Social Studies (including ND-specific history in 4th & 8th Grade)
Health
Physical Education
Fine Arts
Computer science
I live in North Dakota. Do Minnesota laws apply to me, and can my child attend Renewed Roots?
Yes. Families from North Dakota can fully enroll in our Minnesota-based programs.
Minnesota laws apply to the program, not to where you live.
ND families remain legally homeschooled under North Dakota law, while Renewed Roots serves as your child’s tutorial enrichment program.
There are no restrictions on ND residents attending a Minnesota preschool, camp, or homeschool tutorial center.
Enrollment, tuition, schedules, and expectations are exactly the same for ND families.
In simple terms:
Yes, you can attend. We follow MN statutes because we are located in MN. You follow ND homeschool requirements because you live in ND. We help you with both.
How Renewed Roots Supports Families
-
Academic Support
We guide your child through their curriculum using instructor-led and small-group learning, helping them stay on track, complete work, and understand what they’re learning, so families can choose a non-traditional school model without carrying the full responsibility alone.
-
Enrichment & Outdoors
Hands-on learning, nature exploration, stewardship, art, science, outdoor skills, and faith-centered reflection, all woven into your child’s weekly rhythm.
-
Community & Connection
Children learn alongside others, form friendships, and build confidence through healthy interactions and shared experiences.
Your Role as the Parent, Our Role as the Program
Parents Handle:
Registering with the state
Administering yearly testing
Issuing transcripts/diploma
Reviewing weekly updates
Weekly one-on-one support with the student as needed
Renewed Roots Handles:
Curriculum Guidance
Small group learning
Daily curriculum support from a licensed elementary teacher
Nature-based enrichment
Hands-on learning
Community + social experiences
Monthly supervising-teacher curriculum review
Documenting progress for families
Why we use a licensed curriculum supervisor:
Renewed Roots is an instructor-led forest microschool guided by a licensed elementary school teacher who leads daily instruction, learning flow, and academic structure for both elementary and secondary students.
In addition to our on-site instructional leadership, we work with a licensed teacher in a curriculum supervisor role. This provides an added layer of academic guidance and alignment. The curriculum supervisor conducts monthly reviews of curriculum flow and student progress to ensure state-required subject areas are being addressed through a combination of family-selected curriculum and program-based learning.
This layered approach allows Renewed Roots to maintain strong instructional quality, support a wide range of learning styles, and offer a consistent, well-rounded educational experience while remaining aligned with state education requirements.
This role does not:
Replace or override family curriculum choices
Approve or deny a family’s selected curriculum
Serve as a formal evaluator or testing authority
Assume the parent’s role as the primary educational decision-maker
Instead, this role supports families by:
Providing academic guidance and instructional insight
Reviewing curriculum flow and student progress on a monthly basis
Ensuring required subject areas are being addressed through a combination of instruction and enrichment
Supporting alignment with Minnesota and North Dakota education guidelines so families can move forward with clarity and confidence
Will my child miss out on milestones… prom, graduation, belonging?
Not at Renewed Roots.
One of our long-term goals is to create a true sense of belonging for homeschoolers. A place where friendships deepen, milestones are honored, and childhood feels full and celebrated.
By 2028, we plan to host:
• A Homeschool Prom in the barn
• A Graduation Ceremony in the meadow
And we won’t stop there. We are committed to adding clubs, seasonal events, leadership opportunities, and social gatherings so homeschool children and teens have a community that feels like theirs; a place to root, rise, and experience every part of growing up.
