TracyR Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 (edited) I could live in a state where I could be left alone to homeschool my children the way I want to homeschool them. I hate living in Pennsylvania. The rules are so strict that you really can't enjoy homeschooling your children(which is the point the state wants so you throw your kids in their wretched public schools). I just want to be free to not to have to notify my school district. I want to be free of standardized testing, I want to be free of making porfolios ( to do them as an enjoyment and not a requirement), I want to be free of having my child being grilled by an evaluator so they can sign a paper to say an education is taking place in my home. I want to be free to just enjoy teaching my children without having to place a grade level on them. I want to be free of a law that states if the school district decides that an education is not taking place that they will force you to put your child in a public or private school. I want to be free of having the paperwork to notarize saying I am educating my children at home( I know I am) and having to write yearly objectives. I was talking with a mom this evening that I hadn't seen literally in years. Her husband works at a private school and her children had attended there. Her youngest two ( the last left at home) she was thinking of pulling out. They had homeschooled on their own previously(she has 9 children) and she was telling me she wasn't sure that she wanted to homeschool on her own anymore, and was thinking of using a cyberschool instead because she has started to hear rumblings that PA is thinking of making the law even tougher. I can't imagine. If that happens I would think there would be a big decline in homeschooling in our state. All I know is that I know I educate my children. That is my job. I want to prepare them for life and for college. I just want to be left alone to homeschool my children the way I see fit. What ever happened to the pursuit of happiness? I know that these laws don't make me happy at all. ACtually have made me consider putting my children in school a few times. I don't give in though. I know that is the purpose of the laws in PA. I know I could move but its not an option at the moment. I know there have been homeschoolers that have tried to change the law but nothing ever happens. Sigh.:glare: Really is that too much to ask for, homeschooling freedom? Edited June 16, 2009 by TracyR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 I'm sorry, that sounds like a major pita. Changing the subject, your littlest girl's haircut made me laugh. They all seem to have to do that, don't they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyR Posted June 16, 2009 Author Share Posted June 16, 2009 Oh yes. My girls all went through this stage. My oldest used to cut the front of her hair and it was always before pictures. My second , either my oldest was cutting it or she would cut it from time to time. Thankfully it was always real fixable. My third I'm not sure if it was her or her sisters , again always fixable. Then there is my 4th who hacked her hair and she didn't it so quickly I didn't know she did it until I found a trail of hair in our kitchen all the way into her sister's bedroom. By the looks of the hackjob I know it was her that did it.LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 I agree with you. I find it sad that what was really created to help those who could not afford to or not able to educate their own has become the standard. I also don't appreciate other people assuming they know more about how I should educate my own children. I am quite educated, thank you, and have spent years studying child development and educational philosophies. I also happen to think that we don't need a society of cookie-cutter people -- a bunch of jack-of-all trades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoyfulMama Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 And honestly, I don't feel the burden from the state that you do. I have two sets of general objectives: one for elementary and one for secondary. The generalness of them allows me to be extremely flexible in our homeschooling. As far as evaluators, you can choose someone to be as specific or as general as you choose. Yes, it takes some work to find someone who is a good fit. And there are +/- to each type of evaluation. The portfolio, again, doesn't have to be an elaborate task. Testing... my least favorite. But I try to make it as painless as possible by having someone familiar administer it at home. I'm in a new SD, and when I dropped off my affidavit I didn't want to provide medical records, so was prepared to cite the homeschool law. They agreed to review the law and if they still wanted to request the records, that they would request that in writing. Instead, I got a letter telling me that we were "approved" to homeschool in the district. :lol: I hope you can find a way to make it feel easier for you. I know PA asks for a lot more than other states, but it doesn't have to be a heavy burden. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 I really don't think PA is terribly difficult, but being from NJ and living barely 30 miles from the border drives me INSANE! It's like sitting in front of a bakery window while eating a salad. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 And honestly, I don't feel the burden from the state that you do. I second your opinion. I live in the state and haven't considered anything burdensome at all... The only thing I wish we could change would be the testing requirement, but I only have one left to test at the end of next year... so it's not really a biggie either. We make portfolios as we go along throughout the year and rather enjoy looking at them at the end... Our evaluator is the best... she homeschools her own kids, so perfectly understands... and we have fun catching up at our evaluation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 I think that PA is probably the second or third worst state to be homeschooling. It is so bad that I told dh that we can't live there or I won;t live there. NY is worse and MA is closely tied to PA or maybe a little worse. I admire all of you who can put up with such oppressive regulations. I don't even like VA's garbage but at least I don't have to compile portfolios or write more than once a year. I am really hoping that with almost all the states' having budget crises, that some may go the way of NM and lessen regulation to save money. By the way, I am not a better homeschooler in a more regulated state. I don't really change what I do- I change what I report. My two older have gotten into colleges _ younger one into an honors program at a cc while dual enrolled, and I don't think any regulation is necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafiki Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I talk to the trees Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 I really don't think PA is terribly difficult, but being from NJ and living barely 30 miles from the border drives me INSANE! It's like sitting in front of a bakery window while eating a salad. :glare: Okay, this one made me LOL!! NY is bad, but not quite as bad as PA! Still... Ah, to be back in VA or WV..... -Robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KellyinPA Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 We've always lived and homeschooled in PA so it's all I've known. I admit to being a bit envious of those who have NO hoops to jump through (Texas comes to mind;) That said, I don't find it extremely difficult. I give the SD the very minimum required by law and have not had any trouble with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen in PA Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Tracy -- I am not so sure things will get worse. Last I heard, there is legislation that would drop the portfolio requirement. I know that most of the legislation related to homeschooling never amounts to much, but I do know that some districts already waive this requirement, and only require the affidavit and evaluation (plus medical and testing in the appropraite grades). I don't have to report yet, and I am definitely hoping that things move in a positive direction in the next couple of years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisN in NY Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 NY is worse. After hs'ing here in NY for almost 20 years with NO Hassles from my school districts, choosing whatever materials I want to homeschool, not having anyone inspect my curriculum or grill my kids, I have to disagree. Yes we have to send in quarterly reports, but imo, they're more like report cards than anything else. Takes me about 30 minutes each quarter, by editing the previous quarter's report. Yes, we have to do an annual assessment, but the kids think the tests are fun. Weird, huh? :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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