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What exactly is a SEP anyway?
Understanding the road ahead
November 2025 | Finding Support
What happens when there's no school system to hand you a plan?
If your child has previously had an Individual Education Plan (IEP), Individual Service Plan (ISP), or 504 Plan, which is an accommodation plan, you already know those documents support student success.
But what if you're starting fresh ... no formal plan, no prior paperwork, just your child and a desire to help him/her thrive at home? For many homeschool families, the mere thought of building a Student Education Plan (SEP) can feel overwhelming before the process even begins.
In the public or private school setting, you typically have a team—teachers, specialists, therapists, and administrators—collaborating to craft the "perfect" plan to meet your child's needs. But when you step onto the homeschooling path, that team suddenly gets a lot smaller. To be honest, quite often, it's you at the center of all the planning. Naturally, it's fair to wonder: How am I supposed to do this? Where do I even start?
If your mind is already filling with questions, you're not alone, and you're not behind.
Feeling overwhelmed and out of your element is completely normal.
Here's the truth: you do not have to know everything today, and you do not have to figure it all out by yourself. There are tools, experts, and communities designed to guide you through every step. Your SEP isn't a one-time, perfect-on-day-one document. It's a living guide that grows with you and your child.
Yes, you're leading the process, but you are not walking this journey alone.
A Reliable Navigation System
Let’s take a step back for a moment. Schools use these planning documents as agreements between the school and parents, outlining how the student’s unique learning needs will be met. Sounds like a lot of paperwork, right?
And you are probably thinking, "Why would anyone choose to do all that work if they weren’t required to?"
Great question. The short answer is the same reason you wouldn’t buy a house without seeing the floor plan or set off on a cross-country road trip without a map!
An education plan provides a clear path to your destination while allowing for pit stops and reroutes as needed. No matter how many times you adjust course, as long as you have a reliable navigation system, you can always find your way back.
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That’s exactly what a Student Education Plan or an SEP is—a homeschool-friendly navigation system for your child’s education. It helps define the goals, supports, interventions, and accommodations your student needs to successfully move forward. Every homeschool journey looks different, but an SEP typically includes:
The frequency of services or supports.
The person(s) responsible for implementing them.
The learning environment or where services will occur.
The identification of annual goals targeting academic, behavioral, social, or language development (as needed).
Mapping Out Success
For homeschoolers, formal IEPs or ISPs are less common, though some families may still have them if they receive services through their local school district. Most homeschooling parents already tailor their child’s education to fit their strengths, needs, and learning styles, often without a formal document. And that’s completely fine!
Still, as your child’s primary educator, you may find it helpful to create a Student Education Plan (SEP): a flexible, family-centered roadmap that helps you outline goals, strategies, and accommodations designed to support your child’s growth. An SEP isn’t about adding extra paperwork; it’s about gaining clarity and confidence in how you guide your child’s learning journey.
Taking the time to craft an SEP allows you to pause, reflect, and intentionally plan for what lies ahead. It helps you focus on what truly matters—creating a plan that fits your child, not forcing your child to fit the plan.
The beauty of homeschooling is that you don’t have to have every answer before you begin; you just need a willing heart and the right tools. If you’d like to start developing an SEP on your own, several excellent resources can guide you step by step through the process. But remember, if you ever feel unsure or would like more personalized guidance, we’re here to help.
Contact us at EFM Educational Consultants — our team specializes in helping families like yours build meaningful, customized education plans for diverse learners. You don’t have to do this alone. Some kids might benefit from a little extra help, while others may need quite a bit more, like life skills training or executive function coaching. Whatever you're thinking, we've got you covered! We’d be honored to walk beside you every step of the way.
Happy planning and here’s to charting your child’s unique course toward success!
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Every successful trip begins with both a plan and a willingness to take detours. Your child's SEP is not meant to lock you in; it's a compass to help you navigate. When the road twists or the scenery changes, remember, flexibility is not failure. It's wisdom gained in motion.
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Helpful Resources for Getting Started with an SEP
Creating a Student Education Plan doesn't have to feel like guessing in the dark. Here are a few trusted tools and starting points to help you confidently map out your child's learning path :
Scope and Sequence of Skills
Before you can set realistic goals, you need a clear picture of what students typically learn at different ages and stages. A scope and sequence outlines the order in which academic skills are usually taught, giving you a helpful framework, not a rigid rulebook.
Understanding this can help you answer questions like:
What skill comes right before double-digit multiplication?
When do most kids start writing paragraphs?
Is my child behind, on track, or ahead in certain areas?
Many homeschool curriculum companies (e.g., BJU Press Homeschool) publish their scope and sequence charts for free, and they're a great starting point when you're unsure where to begin.
World Book- Typical Course of Study - scope and sequence by grade level.
Hewitt Learning Objectives for K through Grade Eight - skills taught by grade level.
(Independent) Goal Banks
There's no need to reinvent the wheel. Many educators and therapists have already created goal banks with hundreds of skill-based objectives. These goal banks offer ready-made options you can tailor to your child.
A Day in Our Shoes - IEP Goal Bank - 1000+ measurable IEP goals & objectives by domain
Positive Action - Social Emotional Skills IEP Goals - 100+ SEL (sample) goals
We Are Teachers - 175+ Goals plus Tracking Sheets
Autism Educators - Free IEP Goal Bank - goal bank by domain (academic, reading, social-emotional, etc.)
Bridges4Kids, Redmond, Oregon: IEP Goals and Objectives Goal Bank - hundreds of sample IEP goals across multiple domains, including: Independent living, recreation, leisure, self-management, daily living, vocation, and more.
Are you looking for more community to support your homeschool journey? Consider joining our Facebook group. Be encouraged and equipped with resources in a community with other like-minded homeschoolers on the same journey as you!
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