questions about notification to schools

[Lacie]

We live in Texas. Our oldest just turned 4, so I don't have to deal with this yet.

 

But I have some questions:

Do I need to send a notification to the school even though he has never attended school?

If so, how do I find out what school needs to get it?

Would it need to be sent next year (his kindergarten year) or do I need to wait until he would be starting first grade?

What should the letter say?

Here's hoping that someone has the answers or can at least point me in the right direction.

 

Thanks.

[DawnL]

Here in Washington state, we are not required to notify the school until the child is 8 years old. So, when my child is 8, I will fill out the very basic form, and take it to the office of the school Superintendent for my school district. Nothing else is required. Be sure to supply only the information that you are legally required to give. Many school districts in my state will hand you a form that has many more questions than you are required to answer.

[i.love.lucy]

This site give you all the info on what to do about notifying the school. You don't have to do so until he is 6, and then you'd notify the district office/superintedant, not the local school.

[Renee in NC]

This site give you all the info on what to do about notifying the school. You don't have to do so until he is 6, and then you'd notify the district office/superintedant, not the local school.

 

The site you posted says this:

 

I have decided to homeschool. What do I need to do? My child is NOT enrolled in public school.

There is no need to contact the school district if your child is not enrolled in the public schools. Simply obtain curriculum and get started. It is wise to find a local support group to help you in this endeavor. If the school contacts you and says that you must do more (come to the central office, fill out a form, etc.), do not go to the school. Follow the directives on this link.

[JennC]

We live in Texas. Our oldest just turned 4, so I don't have to deal with this yet.

 

But I have some questions:

 

Do I need to send a notification to the school even though he has never attended school?

 

 

If so, how do I find out what school needs to get it?

 

 

Would it need to be sent next year (his kindergarten year) or do I need to wait until he would be starting first grade?

 

 

What should the letter say?

Here's hoping that someone has the answers or can at least point me in the right direction.

 

Thanks.

 

My suggestion to you is to call your local county superintendent of schools.

At least here in my county, they are happy to find out that someone else is going to help out with the school overcrowding problem - :DJK

[bbsweetpea]

If your child has never attended school in TX then there is nothing for you to do other than teach. :001_smile:

[Mommyof4ks]

Exactly, our kids have been homeschooled from the beginning, and I have never contacted the school district. They have sent me information on kindy round up for my two oldest, but kindy is not required so I ignored it. They have never contacted me again.

[i.love.lucy]

You're right! I pulled my daughter from ps in 3rd grade so I had to notify obviously. I had not yet thought about it with my son because he's just turning 5, so it looks like I'm all set!:D

[Pamela H in Texas]

I'm sure that someone has answered, but in Texas, you do not have to notify anyone of anything. It's none of their business anymore than if you were putting kiddo in the local private school :)

[milovany]

Here in Washington state, we are not required to notify the school until the child is 8 years old. So, when my child is 8, I will fill out the very basic form, and take it to the office of the school Superintendent for my school district. Nothing else is required. Be sure to supply only the information that you are legally required to give. Many school districts in my state will hand you a form that has many more questions than you are required to answer.

 

We're in Washington too -- our SD sent out a form and it asked for birthdates and grades, when all the law says we have to give is the age of our child. Seems like a small thing, and probably is oversight on their part, but I just wrote in the age and left it at that.

[Jean in Newcastle]

We're in Washington too -- our SD sent out a form and it asked for birthdates and grades, when all the law says we have to give is the age of our child. Seems like a small thing, and probably is oversight on their part, but I just wrote in the age and left it at that.

 

Don't assume that it is oversight. Often SD add things that they think the law should require. Our SD has a box to check that states that you are enrolling them in the local ps/homeschool program. It implies that that is required for homeschooling. I leave that box unchecked. Every year I get a slightly snotty letter from the school district saying that "since you didn't check the box we assume that you must be following the law stating that . . . (yada yada yada)." Yes, I follow the law. That's why I didn't check the box which is not required by law. I often wonder though how many newbies do check that box and enroll their child even if they didn't really want to.

 

That's great that Texas doesn't require any notification or anything!