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Disclaimer: I'm not trying to offend anyone. Please don't be offended!

 

I was looking up the TX homeschool laws, and honestly, I was shocked.

We are in PA, which is a highly regulated state. And I realize that not every state is like ours. But, from what I looked at, it seems like there is zero accountability for homeschoolers in TX. Is it really like that, or am I just misunderstanding?

 

What I read said that there is no testing requirement, and no evaluation requirement. You have to complete 160 days, but you don't have to keep a record of your school days, and you don't have to prove to anyone that you have completed them.

 

So, I was just wondering - for anyone who has lived in TX - are there many homeschoolers who take advantage of the lack of accountability?

 

I have heard rumors of people here in PA who homeschool 'under the radar' and don't bother to meet the legal requirements, and who don't challenge their kids very much academically. But, I don't actually know any people like this.

 

Are there a lot of very self-motivated homeschoolers in TX (which I would consider myself to be, simply b/c the weight of educating my children is not something I take lightly)? Or, are there many lax homeschoolers because the law is so light? Or, do you think that there is an even mix of homeschoolers comparable to any other state?

 

Opinions?? :bigear:

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We started our homeschooling journey while in TX. I took it very seriously but did not connect with many other homeschoolers before we moved (military). The two I did connect with there still homeschool (all in other states now too) and were very serious in going above the bar, since the bar is so low there. I thought it was nice to start schooling there b/c I wasn't pressured beyond my own internal pressure to do well. I can see how it would be easy to slack after a few years and the bloom has worn off.

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I think that it's probably comparable to other states.

 

Texans are a very independent people, and (to stereotype just a bit....) generally value personal freedoms, highly. We tend to sort of get our feathers in a ruffle if the government tries to interfere in places where the gov't doesn't belong.

 

So, really I'd say in my experience most of the homeschoolers I met were doing fine. There is a lot of support for hs'ing in Texas, loads of co-ops and support groups and group activities, etc.

 

I think the fact there isn't so much oversight means people have no reason to fly under the radar. I don't think the lack of oversight makes people lazy.

 

I also think accountability comes from a lot of places, not just the gov't. Family, friends, doctors, church, outside activities, etc.

 

I'd definitely say that there are no more slacker/lax homeschoolers in TX than in any other state; at least, that was my experience in the Houston/Gulf Coast area for the years we lived there (we left TX when my oldest was 10).

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I think that it's probably comparable to other states.

 

Texans are a very independent people, and (to stereotype just a bit....) generally value personal freedoms, highly. We tend to sort of get our feathers in a ruffle if the government tries to interfere in places where the gov't doesn't belong.

 

So, really I'd say in my experience most of the homeschoolers I met were doing fine. There is a lot of support for hs'ing in Texas, loads of co-ops and support groups and group activities, etc.

 

I think the fact there isn't so much oversight means people have no reason to fly under the radar. I don't think the lack of oversight makes people lazy.

 

I also think accountability comes from a lot of places, not just the gov't. Family, friends, doctors, church, outside activities, etc.

 

I'd definitely say that there are no more slacker/lax homeschoolers in TX than in any other state; at least, that was my experience in the Houston/Gulf Coast area for the years we lived there (we left TX when my oldest was 10).

 

This!! All the bolded parts are the ones I particularly have found to be true!! Government oversight does NOT equate to quality or rigor.

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I am in Texas, and every homeschooling family I hav0e personally met have taking homeschooling very seriously.

:iagree:I take homeschooling very, very seriously, as does everyone I know. I am quite glad to live in a state that values personal freedom and leaves us alone to educate as we see fit. I certainly do not think that a state whose ranking is somewhere around 44th in the nation should have any say in how I set my educational goals for my children.

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Way back when when my mom pulled me from public school, she wrote a formal letter to the principal of the school I was in stating that she was withdrawing me to homeschool and that I would not be returning for the spring semester. As far as I know that was it. Just a letter of intent

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I've been homeschooling for 17 years in TX. I've been in four different support groups, attended and taught at one large co-op that was academically oriented and then organized a small (true) co-op this last year. My kids have taken classes from three individual providers and taken dual-credit courses from two CCs and one local four-year state uni branch.

 

In all that time and with all that exposure, I will say that I've seen a range of homeschooling families who range from average academics to truly rigorously homeschooling. I've only known one family in which I was worried about their total homeschooling picture, but the parents were blue-collar entreprenuers and were very resourceful, so I figured it was none of my business: their kids would likely be cut out of a similar mold as the parents and grandparents, so I didn't concern myself past loaning them some algebra books which they returned with profuse thanks at the end of the year. Shrug.

 

I will say that I have had great frustration and concern with parents who will not hold their kids accountable or who make excuses for their kids, but those kids will run into the realities of life sooner or later. They were doing no worse than they would have done in public school.

 

We learn at a pretty intense level, although nothing like some of the draconian moms I admire on the high school board: I would face open revolt at home if I tried. One of my students has the heart of a scholar, the other two learn what they want to but aren't the information and interconnection hounds that we two are.

 

About TX law: that very lack of oversight--the lack of yearly milestones and comfortable accountability--may have the effect of weeding out some of those who are more timid or less inclined to put in the effort on their own. Who knows. Laziness usually seeks the path of least resistance, and public school can be that path for some folks.

 

(No rotten tomatoes, please, I'm not saying anything about all the reasons families send their kids to school. In the scenario I'm talking about, the too-lazy-to-homeschool parent, wouldn't you think they'd find it easier to not be responsible for their ill-behaved little brats for 7 hours a day if they had invested nothing in parenting the kids?)

 

Just a thought...

Edited by Valerie(TX)
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:iagree: I'd also like to point out that they don't regulate private schools either, except for health and safety rules.

 

This.

 

I'm in Ca, we are unregulated- the State does not have oversight for private schools here, nor should they have oversight over homeschools >> a big conflict of interest.

 

Also, our schools are doing so badly here in Ca, I don't think I should have to answer to them- they need to clean up their own house first.

 

Homeschoolers I know care about how their children are doing and want to do better than the public schools.

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I have lived in TX for two years and have yet to meet a homeschool family here who is not schooling well. In fact, I know quite a few people here enrolled in an umbrella school and therefore voluntarily accountable to an outside institution. So while I don't doubt they exist somewhere, I haven't met any of them, and none of my friends have either.

 

I don't know anyone who chose to homeschool because the laws were lax. I do know people in high regulation states who chose not to homeschool because of the regulations there. But people in most places, TX included, make a decision to homeschool and then look at the regulations that accompany it.

 

I lived in IL, which has basically the same laws, and found more variety in schooling methodology, but the families I knew, regardless of philiosophy, accountability, or record-keeping, all took the responsibility of educating their children seriously.

 

I really do not think that testing requirements or portfolio reviews improve the quality of education, even in the public schools, so why would I want that in my home? People who want to not educate are not representative of homeschoolers anywhere I have been, and those people who are the most insistent on that would not follow the laws even if the laws were in place.

 

Texas considers and treats homeschoolers as private schools, and you will find the same levels of excellence and mediocrity as you will find in the spectrum of brick and mortar private schools.

 

For what it is worth, I am just as perplexed at the high regulation states as you seem to be at the low regulation ones. I don't think the regulations improve performance. I don't think NCLB improved public school performance either.

Edited by Asenik
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Michigan has extremely little in the way of homeschool regulations; pretty much like Texas. In fact, if I recall correctly, it just says that we are supposed to keep a schedule similar to other schools (whatever that means); in other words, I don't think there's a 'you must school 180 days a year' or whatever requirement. We don't report, we don't test, nothing. It does list what subjects we are required to teach, but there's no way for the state to know if you do that.

 

That being said, all my homeschooling *friends* are committed to giving their children a good education. I do, however, *know* of several homeschoolers who, well, don't. The sorts who let their kids play video games all day, and count that as school. And I don't mean occasionally. I mean, that's what they do.

 

But that's not my business, nor is it the state's. I very much appreciate the lack of governmental involvement in homeschooling here in Michigan, and I suspect most Texans feel the same way.

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Right next door to you in New Jersey we don't have any accountability for homeschooling either. Which is really shocking considering how much NJ loves to make laws about things. :tongue_smilie:Most of the homeschoolers I am around take their children's education seriously. The schools in my area are not bad at all so what I usually see is people who homeschool due to their child's special needs - either gifted or disabilities or 2E - that make the schools a bad fit.

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I also homeschool in a state with no direct oversite and few requirements. I don't think the lack of oversite translates at all to a lack of committment.

 

I don't homeschool because it's easier than public school (even though it is here). And I can't say that I have actually met anyone who does.

 

I think I actually can do a better job homeschooling because I don't have to spend my time preparing portfolios and filling out forms reporting on what I am teaching my kid. I have my doubts that the level of oversite that is required in PA is actually a good thing or is a model that other states should follow.

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I think that it's probably comparable to other states.

 

Texans are a very independent people, and (to stereotype just a bit....) generally value personal freedoms, highly. We tend to sort of get our feathers in a ruffle if the government tries to interfere in places where the gov't doesn't belong.

 

So, really I'd say in my experience most of the homeschoolers I met were doing fine. There is a lot of support for hs'ing in Texas, loads of co-ops and support groups and group activities, etc.

 

I think the fact there isn't so much oversight means people have no reason to fly under the radar. I don't think the lack of oversight makes people lazy.

 

I also think accountability comes from a lot of places, not just the gov't. Family, friends, doctors, church, outside activities, etc.

 

I'd definitely say that there are no more slacker/lax homeschoolers in TX than in any other state; at least, that was my experience in the Houston/Gulf Coast area for the years we lived there (we left TX when my oldest was 10).

 

BWHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHA as a displaced Texan yes that is just about it.

 

and I agree that people can be lax anywhere. Also just because someone chooses to fly under the radar because they believe the family unit is sovereign doesn't mean they are lax or don't care.

 

In VA you can hs via religious exemption. I know many doing it that way. Just because there is no oversight doesn't mean you don't care about educating your child. Usually it means you want the government out of your family decisions.

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This.

 

I'm in Ca, we are unregulated- the State does not have oversight for private schools here, nor should they have oversight over homeschools >> a big conflict of interest.

 

Also, our schools are doing so badly here in Ca, I don't think I should have to answer to them- they need to clean up their own house first.

 

Homeschoolers I know care about how their children are doing and want to do better than the public schools.

:iagree:

 

As a former credentialized K-6 public school teacher from CA and now a homeschooling parent in TX, I concur.

 

Many of the homeschooling moms I know in my support group have a minimum of a BA degree and most left occupations like law, teaching, professional writing, or nursing to be at home to educate their children. And they do take the responsibility seriously.

 

I think the issue here in TX is more for less govt intrusion and more right to educate their children. Thus the law is written with giving more freedom to the homeschooler thanks to the 1987 Arlington ISD vs Leeper court case.

 

I know for a fact, I do not wish to move to a state where is it MORE restrictive to homeschool. Perhaps that is the rebel in myself saying this... but I do like TX & CA homeschool laws. I do not like the idea of the govt telling us what to do as a schoolteacher or a parent. Did that for way too many years as a public schoolteacher. :glare:

Edited by tex-mex
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This!! All the bolded parts are the ones I particularly have found to be true!! Government oversight does NOT equate to quality or rigor.

 

:iagree:

 

I also homeschool in a state with no direct oversite and few requirements. I don't think the lack of oversite translates at all to a lack of committment.

 

I don't homeschool because it's easier than public school (even though it is here). And I can't say that I have actually met anyone who does.

 

I think I actually can do a better job homeschooling because I don't have to spend my time preparing portfolios and filling out forms reporting on what I am teaching my kid. I have my doubts that the level of oversite that is required in PA is actually a good thing or is a model that other states should follow.

 

:iagree::iagree:

 

I've homeschooled in two states. One required 180 days and a letter of notification to the state each year, no other oversight. The other requires a certain number of hours and maintain a portfolio (shown to no one), but no notification or oversight.

 

We've never done yearly testing and I know exactly where my ds falls in his abilities. I take his education very seriously, and I appreciate not having to deal with extra bureaucracy in the process. :D

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But, from what I looked at, it seems like there is zero accountability for homeschoolers in TX. Is it really like that, or am I just misunderstanding?

It's really like that. As far as I can tell, the only requirement to homeschool is that you have kids. :D

 

What I read said that there is no testing requirement, and no evaluation requirement. You have to complete 160 days, but you don't have to keep a record of your school days, and you don't have to prove to anyone that you have completed them.

 

So, I was just wondering - for anyone who has lived in TX - are there many homeschoolers who take advantage of the lack of accountability?

Define "take advantage of." What does that mean?

 

Don't you think parents care enough about their dc's education without government officials somewhere making up rules? Officials who don't my dc from Adam's cat, don't know what he plans to be when he grows up, don't know what his skills and abilities are? Rules which cannot be proven to cause anyone's children to be well educated? Since when is it the government's job to do that? The same government officials who have come up with laws for their states' public schools which have not, as far as I can tell, actually, reliably produced well-educated adults.

 

Generally, people who "shouldn't" homeschool...don't, at least not for very long. It's way easier to send the little darlings off to school every day than to be responsible for them. The few who continue...meh, that's too bad, but my tax dollars are supporting public schools which are scandalously prone to all sorts of educational misuses, not the least of which is high school *and college* graduates who are functionally illiterate, such that major corporations have had to run bone-head English classes for their college-grad employees.

 

Yeah, I'm not too worried about it. :D

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I have heard rumors of people here in PA who homeschool 'under the radar' and don't bother to meet the legal requirements, and who don't challenge their kids very much academically.

 

FWIW, the people I've known in PA who school underground are not really any different, academically, than the people who "go legal". They still think of themselves as homeschoolers, and teach their kids according to their preferred method/philosophy, just like the rest of us. Probably some selection bias there, of course.

 

Because our compulsory school age is so high (age 8+), people self-identify as homeschoolers way before the law kicks in. Sometimes being underground is a matter of religious/philosophical objection to state oversight, and sometimes it's just something they didn't get around to doing. They are generally not people who live in fear of authority and the law. Typically, in my experience, they are well-educated people who see it as busywork paperwork, who figure they can smile and speak intelligently if they are called on the truancy, and in practice, for folks like this anyway, that tends to be the case and there is rarely more than a stern talking-to. The more educated the parent, and the more educated their students, in some cases, the less they fear serious problems re truancy. (The flip side may be true too, of course, especially for those who are less likely to "pass" as a well-educated, competent parent-teacher. I'm not suggesting anyone go underground, and I'm not saying it will turn out well for everyone who does.)

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Generally, people who "shouldn't" homeschool...don't, at least not for very long. It's way easier to send the little darlings off to school every day than to be responsible for them. The few who continue...meh, that's too bad, but my tax dollars are supporting public schools which are scandalously prone to all sorts of educational misuses, not the least of which is high school *and college* graduates who are functionally illiterate, such that major corporations have had to run bone-head English classes for their college-grad employees.
:iagree:

Dallas ISD has made the news (again) for suspected cheating on their state standardized testing. And people want to question whether unregulated homeschoolers in Texas are actually homeschooling?

I was just quizzed by my (public school teacher) aunt about why Texas is unregulated and the typical "But how does anyone know if the children are learning anything?"

It is human nature to want more/better for your children. That alone is the driving force behind homeschoolers, I think.

Yeah. Some homeschooled children are going to fall through the cracks. But I don't feel the need to justify that, just as I wouldn't expect a school teacher to justify why 72% of our public school graduates take remedial classes in college. :glare:

Homeschooling is darn hard work. If you are lazy or uninterested, you are typically going to take the easy road and enroll them in a public school.

I have homeschooled here for 6 years and know ~100 homeschool families. I only know one family that maybe shouldn't be. That said, their oldest homeschool child is now a respectable adult and someone I would be proud to say I know, so maybe they are doing "well enough" even if it isn't up to my standards.

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It really is like that. I would say that 98% of the homeschoolers I know take schooling their children seriously. I did have a friend that did not and we urged to rethink homeschooling. It truly was not working for her or her children. She eventually put them back in public school and they are doing great.

Edited by KRG
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To homeschool in AZ, I had to file a letter of intent with my child's birth certificate (which they mailed back to me) at my county Board of Education. I agreed to teach my child certain subjects. Other than that, the county has no interest in what I'm doing unless I want to enroll my child in public school. It's possibly I'm also supposed to tell them if I move out of state, but I haven't looked.

 

The "Joke" is that it's the Wild West out here ;), and that's why there are so few restrictions. The last time I looked, Arizona had the lowest per student spending on education in the country. I know lots of people don't think that "more money spent" = "better education," so YMMV.

 

Here's a link to some educational statistics: http://www.arizonaeducationnetwork.com/2010/08/quick-facts-public-education-funding-in-arizona/ (the link is meant for AZ, but it has national statistics listed).

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My state has only two regulations - 180 days in a 12 month period, and a letter of intent by age 7. I feel good about those two things, I feel the state is trying to make sure every child is getting schooling. Our state ranks very low in education. There are terrible budget problems and they are trying to make different types of schooling available to the students. I don't see it as butting into anyone's business requiring a certain amount of days per year.

 

 

 

I have seen some with no regulations go without doing school for a long time, months in fact. The good thing about homeschooling is that if you miss for a long time, you can focus and get your act together and no harm is done. If you missed public school like that, you'd get far behind.

 

It probably all works out in the end.

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When I was starting out, I only knew conscientious homeschoolers. The few homeschoolers I knew who couldn't cut it, sent their kids back to school. However, as my kids got to double digits and we got more involved with a few communities of homeschoolers, I found that few actually homeschooled. Their kids did various activities. They showed up to (without completed assignments) cooperative classes. They were usually several years behind, especially in math.

 

(Note: I don't consider it really possible for a 5 or 7 year old to be behind and always put it in quotes because of that. However, a 17yo unable to do 5th grade math is most certainly behind as is one who hasn't had a full year of science, history, etc)

 

Anyway, I used to be very anti-regulation. My thought was that the government needed to worry about the rafter in it's own eye before worrying about our splinter. Additionally, I felt that the government is supposed to answer to the people, not the other way around. However, I definitely can see the benefits of some oversight. Most children I know could have benefited by either going to school or being homeschooled in a conscientious manner. Parents would make those choices if they knew they would be forced to if they continued to slack. Of course, all my original arguments stand and I sure hate the idea that *I* would have to answer to anyone. *I* don't need it and neither do my children as I've well proven over the last 15 years and will continue to do over the next 15 or so :)

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I LOVE homeschooling in Texas and would never move to a state that regulated homeschooling. Seriously. If DH had a job transfer and it was to a state that regulated homeschooling, he would find another job. I don't know any families that do anything less than their best when it comes to homeschooling their children.

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I pretty much agree with everyone else. I have homeschooled in TX for almost 7 years and I love the freedom to school when, where and how I want to. Our local district is a mess and if they tried to regulate my successful homeschool I would have to laugh.

 

I know homeschoolers who don't do as much as I think they should do, but lucky for them what I think doesn't matter. To each his own. Anyone who is not a "good" homeschooler usually ends up sending their kids back to school. I don't know anyone who just claims to be a homeschooler and "takes advantage" of the law. I do know of public school officials who flat out lied about drop outs being homeschoolers. They have been caught for the most part.

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I have been homeschooling for 25 years in Alaska for a few years, and the rest in Texas, both are the same as far as laws go. In those years I have met 4 families that were lax in the education of their children. Two in each state. I have met many that others from the outside looking in might see as lax. Or that those of us that are more rigorous, might think lax. But I have been genuinely concerned about only 4 families. I feel that most people take the education of their children very seriously !

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There are many ways to shirk responsibility even in higher accountability states, but in 9 years of homeschooling I've met very few people do that. We know several people who moved to our area from Texas, and all of them take the responsibility for their children's education seriously.

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We live in IL and there is very little oversight here. 1) Teach in the English language and 2) teach subjects equivalent to those taught in public school. No one checks, no tests, no required number of schooldays, no home visits, no letter of intent, etc. HOWEVER, because the state is not involved AT ALL in my children's education, if there ever was an issue and I had to prove their competence, it's all on me. That's a huge responsibility.

 

Do I take advantage of no oversight? Absolutely. The time I would spend filing mindless, useless paperwork or meeting with individuals from the school district is spent concentrating on my children. I'm certainly not going to report to a public school rep. when IL has 600,000 truant public school students, and the graduation rate in Chicago is around 50%. And unless they have PhDs, they are not more highly educated. So, we do our thing.

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Love living in Texas. I don't know of any families that are lax for lack of regulation. I can't imagine being tempted to slack off. I feel that the responsibility of getting my children educated enough for college and future careers is enough to have hanging over my head without the added stress of putting together a portfolio.

 

A lot of families I know do optional testing despite the fact that it isn't required. I keep a large binder of our completed work for personal records. I'm thankful I can spend time teaching/parenting instead of logging hours and filing paperwork. I'm very thankful that I can go at my childrens' pace without having to worry about meeting someone else's expectations. I feel that it has given me the freedom to be a better teacher.

 

Do you feel most people in PA who are legally homeschooling do a bang up job because of the reporting?

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We live in IL and there is very little oversight here. 1) Teach in the English language and 2) teach subjects equivalent to those taught in public school. No one checks, no tests, no required number of schooldays, no home visits, no letter of intent, etc. HOWEVER, because the state is not involved AT ALL in my children's education, if there ever was an issue and I had to prove their competence, it's all on me. That's a huge responsibility.

But having a list of subjects you're supposed to teach is not the same as oversight. :) It's only oversight if you actually have to show someone what you did.

 

And it's unlikely that you'd ever have to prove your dc's competence, as IL's court case doesn't allow for that.

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I do know of public school officials who flat out lied about drop outs being homeschoolers. They have been caught for the most part.

 

When I worked at a large home school co-op in Texas, I took a lot of phone calls asking about homeschooling. I was stone cold shocked at how many parents were being told by the school system that they should home school their child, or even told that they HAD to home school their child. Sometimes it was because a child's needs were not being met and a teacher or guidance counselor really thought the parent could do a better job at home. But a lot of these parents were clearly being told to home school because their child was a problem for the school and they wanted them out. This was obviously much easier for the school than having to kick them out (if they could even do that).

 

So, if those kids do not do well homeschooling, who is going to get blamed? And what would the point be in having the school system regulate them? :glare:

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But having a list of subjects you're supposed to teach is not the same as oversight. :) It's only oversight if you actually have to show someone what you did.

 

And it's unlikely that you'd ever have to prove your dc's competence, as IL's court case doesn't allow for that.

 

Even better! I generally dislike living in IL (even though I was born and raised here). There are only two reasons I stay: when homeschooling I am left to myself and my family lives here.

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:iagree:I take homeschooling very, very seriously, as does everyone I know. I am quite glad to live in a state that values personal freedom and leaves us alone to educate as we see fit. I certainly do not think that a state whose ranking is somewhere around 44th in the nation should have any say in how I set my educational goals for my children.

 

:iagree:

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I began homeschooling in Texas. Most of the homeschoolers I know took it very seriously. I look at it this way - I am accountable to my *kids* and to *their future.* Ultimately that is the most important thing. What's a state test? It's *my job* to see that my kids are prepared for the opportunities they'll have, and to be able to pursue the lives they'll want. That's accountability.

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When I worked at a large home school co-op in Texas, I took a lot of phone calls asking about homeschooling. I was stone cold shocked at how many parents were being told by the school system that they should home school their child, or even told that they HAD to home school their child. Sometimes it was because a child's needs were not being met and a teacher or guidance counselor really thought the parent could do a better job at home. But a lot of these parents were clearly being told to home school because their child was a problem for the school and they wanted them out. This was obviously much easier for the school than having to kick them out (if they could even do that).
Same experience here.

We live in a high-ranked district, with our local high school considered one of the best around.

Our school was investigated by the TEA last year for "pushing out" those students that cannot pass the state standardized tests. These parents are finding out at 10th, 11th grade that their children are failing and being told that they have pull their children out and homeschool them, as the district does not want their failing test scores on their record!

The parents I have spoken with are shocked, as their children have always received passing grades and showed no signs of failing.

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Since I started homeschooling almost 8 years ago, we have lived in 3 different states. All of them were/are very relaxed regarding homeschooling accountability. One state only required that I submit a copy of birth certificates and a letter stating we were homeschooling. The other two, nada. Nothing was/is required of me.

 

In the last 8 years I have not met one single homeschooler who did not properly educate their child/ren.

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When I worked at a large home school co-op in Texas, I took a lot of phone calls asking about homeschooling. I was stone cold shocked at how many parents were being told by the school system that they should home school their child, or even told that they HAD to home school their child. Sometimes it was because a child's needs were not being met and a teacher or guidance counselor really thought the parent could do a better job at home. But a lot of these parents were clearly being told to home school because their child was a problem for the school and they wanted them out. This was obviously much easier for the school than having to kick them out (if they could even do that).

 

So, if those kids do not do well homeschooling, who is going to get blamed? And what would the point be in having the school system regulate them? :glare:

 

Same experience here.

We live in a high-ranked district, with our local high school considered one of the best around.

Our school was investigated by the TEA last year for "pushing out" those students that cannot pass the state standardized tests. These parents are finding out at 10th, 11th grade that their children are failing and being told that they have pull their children out and homeschool them, as the district does not want their failing test scores on their record!

The parents I have spoken with are shocked, as their children have always received passing grades and showed no signs of failing.

 

Wow, these stories *are* shocking!

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Same experience here.

We live in a high-ranked district, with our local high school considered one of the best around.

Our school was investigated by the TEA last year for "pushing out" those students that cannot pass the state standardized tests. These parents are finding out at 10th, 11th grade that their children are failing and being told that they have pull their children out and homeschool them, as the district does not want their failing test scores on their record!

The parents I have spoken with are shocked, as their children have always received passing grades and showed no signs of failing.

:glare::001_huh: This is crazy! The school ratings are crazy and don't really give a true representation of where the students really are. In addition once the school has an exemplarary or recognized status, many principals become tyrants to keep the ratings. Its a system that is less about the students and more about ratings. I wonder when someone at the board of education is going to wake up and realize that teaching kids to a test is not an education.:rant: An unwinnable battle in my opinion.

 

To the op, I hs in TX and we are very serious. Perhaps too serious if you ask my first grader. Personally, I don't want the government telling me what to teach my children and when. Dont Mess with Texas and Dont Mess with Me. :lol:

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In a state directly to the OP's south, only about 50% of special ed kids actually graduate from high school :001_huh: I don't think those people have the moral authority to regulate the way I school my kids, so I'm glad they don't attempt to do so!

 

Delaware requires only notification of intent, then annual statements of number of kids enrolled and annual attendance (no proof of records, just a statement). No testing, portfolios, specific subjects, etc.

 

This is a good thing. Why on earth should it matter whether I teach American history in 3rd grade or fifth grade, just so they can take a standardized test in 3rd grade? So what if I choose to focus on chemistry in 3rd grade, even if that isn't what my state says that in 3rd grade they should be focusing on animals and habitats (again)? It's what I think is appropriate. Despite no requirement to test or produce portfolios, the homeschoolers I hang out with are getting their kids into college with multiple scholarship offers, college credits already in place, internships and international travel under their belts, excellent writing and advanced math skills in addition to great exposure to American and world literature and world history and one or more foreign languages . . . largely because they were not hamstrung by any state requirements to hold them back from doing school in a way that they found joyful and productive.

 

Prior to homeschooling, we had briefly considered moving over the state line into PA, because we live near some excellent school districts in PA. Now that we homeschool, I am glad that we do not (particularly with a special needs child who is thriving now that he is learning at home; his special learning needs are becoming less and less detectible as he learns skills and coping strategies to move past them).

 

Just like losing weight, education is a journey of miles, not baby steps. Maybe the kids in the local schools learned something this year that my kids didn't, because we didn't study that topic this year. But I bet anything we did study, we studied in far more depth than anything they covered. We'll eventually get around to most of the important stuff on our own timeline, and do it better, so in the long run, my kids will have a far better, richer education-- because I didn't worry about spending 3 days on this random topic or that one, to make sure they got it right on the test, even though we weren't planning to cover it this year. We have time to study Latin and German, and do sentence diagramming (in all three langauges), so when my kids get to high school, they'll be ready to pick up a 4th or maybe 5th language, not their second.

 

And best of all, my child with special needs is not having his education overseen by someone coming from a system that only graduates 50% or fewer of their special needs kids.

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The following link is provided on the website used by college admission officers researching homeschool applicants to see whether their homeschool efforts have been legitimate. The document was produced by the Education Commission of States, and is linked to the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC).

 

 

http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/82/30/8230.pdf

 

OP, you might find this to be an interesting way to compare the requirements of various states.

 

For anyone else, this might be a useful chart to use if contemplating a move.

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