I am a home schooler. I have friends who are free schoolers completely. My hat goes off to them. My wife and I use Connections Academy. We like the content, the enrichment projects, the structure and the resources they provide. My kids are being introduced to and learning things at the 1st grade and 4th grade levels that I didn't know about until the 9th grade. The basic Rs course work is pretty intense. My 10 year old (just turned 10 yesterday) reads at a 12th grade level, writes at a high school level and is doing algebra and geometry.
Connections will provide the computers and school materials like protractors/rulers, art supplies, fake money and counting blocks, science materials, textbooks and workbooks, supplement books, and more. In addition they give a quarterly stipend of $50 per child for internet use.
My 10 year old actually skipped a grade but my wife and I had to focus more on our business and didn't have the time so we put her in charter school for 4 months. They wouldn't allow her to remain in the higher grade due to her age. Sucks because she would be in 5th grade instead.
In order for our kids to get the cultural component we add Black/African history. My daughters have a good command about slavery and Civil War, the Armistad, the Civil Rights era, West African kingdoms and empires, Egypt /Kush (my 10 year old is particularly fond of since part of her first name is Nefertari), African traditional beliefs and cultural heroines and heroes.
We take field trips and all. Its good to find similar families to connect with and outside extra curricular activities and sports.