1999

The idea for a secular homeschool cooperative for older students started taking shape in the spring of 1999 when homeschooling mom Julie Abel began wondering what the next stage of homeschooling might look like for her ten- and eleven-year-old children. She wanted some help with academics in the coming years as well as a supportive and welcoming community. With the thought that structured classes one day a week could provide this, she contacted her friend Zoe Carroll Kuester and together they launched what would become Planet Homeschool.

They started by contacting their homeschooling friends and acquaintances. Several showed interest, and through a series of meetings formed an assortment of committees to tackle the myriad issues involved in starting a parent-led learning cooperative. The families developed a mission statement that summed up their intent: “We are an educational cooperative for homeschooled students in upper elementary grades through high school. We are committed to building and sustaining a positive and enriching environment for learning, socialization, and support.”

Planet Homeschool, the name chosen by voting on names submitted by students at the first gathering, began weekly Thursday classes at Creek Valley Baptist Church in Edina starting in the fall of 1999, as a program of the non-profit corporation Learning for Life Cooperative, Inc..

2007

In 2007 Planet Homeschool moved from Edina to South Minneapolis, spending three years at Minnehaha United Methodist Church.

2010

In 2010, Planet Homeschool changed location again, relocating to Northeast Minneapolis at the Grace Center for Community Life.

2013

Planet Homeschool moved to its current location at Faith United Methodist Church in Saint Anthony Village in 2013 and switched from Thursdays to Fridays. 

2015

In the summer of 2015, the decision was made to dissolve Learning for Life Cooperative, Inc., and a new non-profit corporation, Minnesota Secular Homeschool Enrichment, Inc. took over the Planet Homeschool program.

2020

In March 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Planet Homeschool introduces synchronous online classes.

Our co-op has been around for more than a quarter of a century!

1. 1999–2000: Planet Homeschool begins weekly Thursday classes in Edina
2. 2000–2001
3. 2001–2002
4. 2002–2003
5. 2003–2004
6. 2004–2005
7. 2005–2006
8. 2006–2007
9. 2007–2008: Planet Homeschool moves to South Minneapolis
10. 2008–2009
11. 2009–2010
12. 2010–2011: Planet Homeschool moves to Northeast Minneapolis
13. 2011–2012
14. 2012–2013
15. 2013–2014: Planet Homeschool moves to Saint Anthony Village and switches from Thursdays to Fridays
16. 2014–2015
17. 2015–2016: Learning for Life Cooperative, Inc. dissolved and replaced by a new non-profit corporation, Minnesota Secular Homeschool Enrichment, Inc. (MSHE)
18. 2016–2016
19. 2017–2018
20. 2018–2018
21. 2019–2020: Planet Homeschool introduces synchronous online classes in response to COVID-19
22. 2020–2021
23. 2021–2022: first PHS Club introduced for Spring 2022
24. 2022–2023: Sibling Squad introduced for Spring 2023
25. 2023–2024: 25th Anniversary!
26. 2024–2025: J-Term introduced (Spring Semester shortened to 12 weeks)
27. 2025–2026