Homeschool families usually have math, reading, and history covered. The harder question is the one that comes up around 16: is my kid ready to be on their own?
Here is the checklist we built Life Ready 1 around. Your student doesn't need to master all of it this year. But by 18, every line should be a yes.
Emergencies
- Checks a scene for danger before stepping in to help.
- Calls 911 and gives an exact location first.
- Knows how to control serious bleeding with direct pressure.
- Recognizes the signs of stroke, shock, and a severe allergic reaction.
Preparedness
- Knows the family's out-of-area contact and two meeting places.
- Can pack a go-bag and explain how it differs from a shelter-in-place kit.
- Knows where the gas shutoff, the breaker box, and the fire extinguishers are.
Personal and digital safety
- Reads a room and notices exits when entering a new place.
- Knows the order when threatened: escape first, evade second, defend only if there's no other option.
- Uses long passphrases, not the same password everywhere.
- Knows what to do if an account is hacked or someone is harassing them online.
Health
- Understands protein, carbohydrates, and fat, and eats with intention.
- Has a simple strength and cardio routine they can keep without a coach.
Navigation
- Reads a paper map: the scale, the legend, the grid, and contour lines.
- Can plan a route and get somewhere without a phone.
Money
- Spends less than they earn, consistently.
- Understands a paycheck, taxes taken out, and how credit works.
- Recognizes lifestyle inflation: when a raise quietly becomes new spending.
Work
- Can fill out a job application and the tax forms that come with a first job.
- Knows the basics of their rights as an employee.
- Understands that a reputation at work is built by doing the right thing when nobody is watching.
Car care
- Knows that a red dashboard light means stop now and a yellow one means deal with it soon.
- Can check tire pressure and oil, and change a flat.
- Can describe a problem to a mechanic and keep service records.
Running a home
- Cooks a handful of real meals from scratch.
- Cleans a kitchen and bathroom properly.
- Handles small repairs and knows which ones (especially electrical) to leave to a professional.
- Understands a lease and a monthly bill.
How Life Ready 1 covers it
Life Ready 1 is 12 weeks, five short video lessons a week, with a quiz to close each week. Daniel Shaw teaches every lesson himself. Students who finish all twelve weeks earn a certificate and a suggested 0.5 elective credit, and you decide how it goes on your transcript.
The course is $249, the same for every family. Compass Life Skills is a nonprofit and an approved Arkansas EFA vendor, so Arkansas families can pay through ClassWallet. See the full course or read how paying with your EFA works.
