what state woudl you not live in for homeschooling reasons?

[mama2cntrykids]

I have to put in a plug here for New Mexico! In addition to the great climate, spectacular scenery, friendly people, and FABULOUS food, here are the advantages of homeschooling in NM:

 

(1) Minimal requirements. The only real requirement is filing an annual Intent to Homeschool, which takes 2 minutes online, and which I would need to do anyway so I have proof for all the Educator Discounts (Borders, B&N, Scholastic, etc). No follow-up, no testing, no reporting.

 

(2) FREE COLLEGE! NM residents who graduate from High School here (including homeschool students) get up to 8 semesters of free tuition at state colleges and universities as long as they take at least 12 credits per semester and maintain a 2.5 GPA. The tuition grants are provided by the State Lottery and qualification is automatic if you meet the criteria (and it's NOT means tested). Homeschool students have to take the GED to get the scholarship, but not for admission to any of the colleges or uni's.

 

(3) Cheap Community College. NM has some of the least expensive CC tuition in the country; usually about $40/credit ($120 for a typical 3-credit course). They also have TONS of distance & online course options.

 

A relatively robust economy and fairly cheap housing are other bonuses to living here. (And did I mention the FOOD? :D )

 

Jackie

 

YES!! I used to live in MN (as a PS high schooler and young adult) and the food is absolutely to DIE for!! I some day want to go back, if for nothing else, for the FOOD.

 

Didn't mean to hijack, lol...

[tricia]

None of the upper eastern states. I understand they are all heavily mandated.

[Ellie]

The "show your records" meeting hardly ever happens, but if it does you show them the immunization record, the attendance form (checked boxes), and proof that you tested (not even the results.)

You do not have to show immunization records or attendance records. The Department of Non Public Education (DNPE) would like to make people think that, but no, you don't. And yes, you do turn in test results if asked (although some people black out their dc's names on the reports, because they don't think the state needs to know the dc's names, only that they were tested during the last 12 months).

[Murphy101]

Nope, sorry, "as easy as it gets" goes to the states where you are required to do less than even a one time filing.

 

And as for the others, complying with the requirements is surely not that big of a deal. And I understand why others say that. But the idea that there are those requirements is what puts my panties in a knot. I shouldn't have to send in an intent letter, especially not every year. I shouldn't have to test my kids once, four times, yearly or otherwise. In my opine, anyway.

 

:iagree:

 

just to be clear this is not a marrital disagreement.

More of a clarification of what we both want for our family. :)

[BikeBookBread]

Germany - we are military - no reporting - EASY

 

 

Whaaaa??? I thought homeschooling was illegal EVEN for military in Germany. Just keeping my eye on this one because we would LUV to be stationed in Germany, but not if we can't homeschool.

[Erica in PA]

I would not move to Pennsylvania. The PA border is not far from me and there is some quite attractive property in southern PA. But I told dh to not even think about it. I knew a hser who moved to PA from MD and then moved back in under a year. Their invasive laws really give me the willies!

 

If I could/would live anywhere, based on hsing laws? Texas. Hands down.

 

Are there any homeschoolers here with firsthand experience who have had a problem homeschooling in PA? Everyone I've seen post here from PA, including me, has said that it's not a problem at all. And yet people continue to say that it's so bad, they would never live here. I think that unless you have lived in a place yourself, you don't know what it's actually like. Sending in a couple vague forms at the beginning of the year, putting a couple samples of schoolwork in a folder at the end of the year and showing them to a fellow homeschooling mom who happens to be a former teacher, and having a standardized test done 3 times in your child's entire school career... I really don't see that as a terrible burden at all. I think it's a lot of negative hype, really.

[robsiew]

I live in MN. If you have a bachelor's in anything it's easier. You have to provide your diploma once to prove. Then, there is a yearly report (starting the year your child is 7 at reporting time) and I do have to test the kids yearly, but we don't report the scores at all (just keep them on file in case we're audited). If you don't have a bachelor's it's a bit more restrictive (I know you have to do report cards... not sure what else). I find it very easy to homeschool here. The climate is good and there are quite a number of support groups.

 

My bf moved to Iowa this past year and they are much more restrictive. She needs to have a supervising teacher (whom she must pay) because she doesn't have an IA teaching degree. I don't think she needs to test yearly though. She also has a number of days she has to complete (180 I believe). The climate is not friendly there. Lots of people are involved in government run "home school" programs. IA has done a pretty good job of convincing parents they are incapable of teaching their own children as most home schoolers are involved in these programs.

 

I've been very happy in MN and even though I have to do a couple things, I'm happy to do them for the right to home school.

[Melissa in FL]

When we last moved we could have gone to NY to be with family. Between too many taxes and the intrusive homeschool laws, we decided NY really didn't want us there. Even if dh could have found a job paying the same as in MI (which he would not have been able to) it would have been a large pay cut because of the taxes. We moved to FL instead, very homeschool friendly (I use an umbrella school) and no State income tax and we have family here too!

Melissa

[Murphy101]

Are there any homeschoolers here with firsthand experience who have had a problem homeschooling in PA? Everyone I've seen post here from PA, including me, has said that it's not a problem at all. And yet people continue to say that it's so bad, they would never live here. I think that unless you have lived in a place yourself, you don't know what it's actually like. Sending in a couple vague forms at the beginning of the year, putting a couple samples of schoolwork in a folder at the end of the year and showing them to a fellow homeschooling mom who happens to be a former teacher, and having a standardized test done 3 times in your child's entire school career... I really don't see that as a terrible burden at all. I think it's a lot of negative hype, really.

 

I think that if you read cookie monsters post you'll see why PA is getting that label. Of course I "can" jump through hoops of various heights. But it's a point of principle to refuse to do so. :)

[HRAAB]

Well, Idaho is a great state for homeschoolers. No reporting requirements. Plus we have gorgeous mountains, rivers, lakes - lots of outdoor activities and four seasons.

 

Janet

[Samiam]

wow, I guess it's really a personal thought on whether it's easy to HS in your state, as it seems there are alot of differing opinions from people in the same states.

 

Someone said FL is a difficult state, and I think the complete opposite. We have a few different options here:

1. Register with our county, simple as sending in a letter once. Then have annual testing or portofolio review. Send letter to county that states child shows progress. Yeah, you are supposed to keep work on file for three years IN CASE of someone wants to see it...not a biggie to me as I would keep it anyway.

 

or

 

2. Register with an umbrella school, which is considered a private school and they can have their own regulations...most do not require testing or portofolio review, which is why many families choose to go this route.

 

I do #1, and it's so not even a problem. Once a year, my son takes a standarized test, and I send in the letter which states he made progress. Done deal.

 

On the other hand, I think FL is one of the few states that allows HSers to participate in extracurricular activities at public schools, which for us will be sports once DS gets that age. This is a big thing for us, as DS is really into sports, and who knows what kind of scholarships that may lead to. So that is a nice pay off for the bother of testing once a year.

[Valerie in Chicago]

I haven't read all of the replies, so forgive any repetitions here...

 

Come to my block in Chicago! There's a Catholic church two blocks due south of me. And if that one doesn't suit you, there's a lovely on in the neighborhood due west of me and the one due south of me.;)

 

And the homeschooling laws in IL are waaaay laid-back. Nothing to file, report, send in. And if anyone notices that DD1 is not in school, it's up to Chicago Public Schools to pursue any questioning about it. So we assume that it will never, ever happen!

[gardening momma]

I think Ohio is pretty easy (but this is my first "official" year). Not as easy as not doing anything at all, sorry! :tongue_smilie:

 

Send in NOI, which gives very basic info, including child's birthdate, but not grade, which I appreciate. Give assurance that the basic subjects will be taught, 900 hours of schooling, etc... I don't have to keep or turn in records of this stuff, just assure them that it will happen. Also send in a page that states what materials you intend to use. That was easy. I received back an acknowledgement that stated my child is excused from compulsory attendance.

:party: <-----that's how I felt when I read that part.

 

I just used a basic form that I found online (for Ohio) that had boxes to check off assuring the district I'd do this, this and this.

 

Then at the end of the year I'm supposed to do either a standardized test or a written evaluation by a certified teacher. There are many homeschooling moms who are certified teachers who do this. I know two, both from my church. I'm going to do the evaluation, plus possibly a parent-administered standardized test, just for my own info. I will put that in my portfolio I'm preparing for the evaluation, but will not turn that in to the school district. I don't need to turn in any part of the portfolio or any part of the student's work to the district--just a simple one page letter from the evaluator.

[DianeJM]

It may also be a matter of which district you are in, maybe more so than the state itself.

 

I've only homeschooled in Massachusetts. The state does have a fairly negative reputation; however, I have never had one teeny problem ever, and we've been homeschooling since 1996 officially. There are some hoops we have to jump through, though, but really it's not that bad, and it does depend on the town you live in.

 

In their favor, they have been super responsive to me with anything I have asked. My son was able to participate in high school varsity sports without any complication whatsoever. I borrowed a couple of books from the high school to use at home, and I only had to sign my name on some form; they don't know me from Adam. Also, when I needed an official document for the NCAA Clearinghouse stating that my son had been homeschooled in accordance with the law, I contacted the superintendent's office, and they said, "Sure, what do you need to have on the form?" (If you want to talk about restrictive, just try signing up your homeschooled college-bound athlete with the NCAA, yikes!)

 

So, even though there may be regulations in this state, it has not been a hardship in any respect.

 

When we went to our very first homeschool convention, in 1991 when our oldest was a baby, Mike Farris was the speaker. We asked him which states were the most hs-friendly. He named a few, but the only one I can remember him saying was Hawaii! Sure, no problem, I think I could handle that (but here we are still here in the Northeast).

 

Have a great rest of the weekend!

[Philothea]

From things I've heard, I don't think I'd want to move to NY or PA, but I've never actually hs'ed there, so I can't speak with any authority.

 

I think MA gets a bad rap - certainly your critera #1 would be filled here - something like half the population in MA is Catholic; pretty much every town has a Catholic church. You have to report yearly, and there's an assessment but it's not even required to test (though you can if that's easiest for you). There are no evaluators like in some states (I would hate that), no visits or personal contact with any officials. You can just send in a letter saying what you've done that year, or some work samples to show you haven't been hiding them in the closet. They can not mandate any materials or methods of teaching.

 

There are tons of homeschoolers here; I've never gotten any funny looks or questions. Lots of classes and coops, and I know of a few Catholic homeschooling groups too (even though I'm not Catholic myself. :))

 

Actually the Catholic homeschooling groups here are excellent. Almost every type of museum, wildlife sanctuary, art studio, has homeschool classes. Some libraries even have homeschool resource sections. I believe there are an estimated 20,000 homeschoolers in this state too.

 

I wish there were no regulations, but I can say that I thought it was going to be much harder than it actually was.

[Ellie]

None of the upper eastern states. I understand they are all heavily mandated.

New Jersey and Connecticutt are both considered "green" states: no accountability at all. The others are the middle-of-the-road states.

[plimsoll]

PA gets a bad rap. Yes the PA law has a few requirements. Yes PA is one of the rare states where the portfolio gets evaluated twice - once by an evaluator and once by the school district. Yes you have to have your kids take a standardized test three times in their 12 years of schooling.

 

However, in actual practice, I have not found any of this to be much of a big deal, nor have I had any problems.

 

So if you have a really, really great employment opportunity in PA, I would recommend considering it.

 

If you know what part of PA you'd be moving to, try to find homeschoolers in the same district to interview to find out their experiences.

 

As others from PA have already stated, there are some formalities here, but it hasn't prevented us from successfully homeschooling.

[jujsky]

NH isn't too bad. We have to do a letter of intent, and then either submit a portfolio of work to a certified, non-public school teacher, or submit standardized test scores (I think the student has to get 40% or higher, but I may be wrong -- it's not the option we plan to use). This will be my first year reporting, but I haven't heard any horror stories about NH from any of the other HS families I know. They are constantly trying to change the laws here to make it tougher to homeschool, but NH homeschoolers are a pretty vocal group of people :D

 

NH is also one of the states that allows homeschoolers to participate in extra-curricular activities, use the school library, borrow text books/curriculum, and take classes part-time. We haven't used any of those options yet, but once the kids are older I can see using the schools for extra-curricular activities. The kids want to learn to play instruments, and if they can do it through the school for free, that would definitely help us out!

Edited September 27, 2009 by jujsky

[gardening momma]

NH isn't too bad. We have to do a letter of intent, and then either submit a portfolio of work to a certified, non-public school teacher,

Certified teacher or certified non-public school teacher. Both options are allowed.

[LatinLover]

I think it depends on your family. I know someone said Alabama is easy, but I actually refused to move there when dh suggested it. It requires a religious cover, and I am agnostic. I have no problems with religion at all -- some of my best friends on family are religious. ;) But I will not lie to a church or compromise myself just to appease the state.

 

While most cover schools in AL are affiliated with Christian demoninations, there are many secular covers and I've heard of a Pagan one as well. Alabama is a pretty darn friendly state in which to homeschool.

[jplain]

ETA: My DH tells me the same thing about moving too. He is kind of, sort of looking and there are no good options left for what he does here. And I told him I am only willing to move to Oklahoma or Texas!

 

You might want to investigate some other states, unless you have non-homeschooling related reasons for preferring OK and TX. For example, in both Michigan and Connecticut, there are essentially no rules to follow at all. No sending anything in, no meetings, nada. And I see a few others mentioned in this thread that are similar....

[LatinLover]

I think it depends on your family. I know someone said Alabama is easy, but I actually refused to move there when dh suggested it. It requires a religious cover, and I am agnostic. I have no problems with religion at all -- some of my best friends on family are religious. ;) But I will not lie to a church or compromise myself just to appease the state.

 

While most cover schools in Alabama are tied in with Christian denominations, there are many secular covers and I know of at least one Pagan group. AL is a pretty easy state in which to homeschool.

[Erica in PA]

PA gets a bad rap. Yes the PA law has a few requirements. Yes PA is one of the rare states where the portfolio gets evaluated twice - once by an evaluator and once by the school district. Yes you have to have your kids take a standardized test three times in their 12 years of schooling.

 

However, in actual practice, I have not found any of this to be much of a big deal, nor have I had any problems.

 

So if you have a really, really great employment opportunity in PA, I would recommend considering it.

 

If you know what part of PA you'd be moving to, try to find homeschoolers in the same district to interview to find out their experiences.

 

As others from PA have already stated, there are some formalities here, but it hasn't prevented us from successfully homeschooling.

 

:iagree: And the thing that sort of bugs me, is that I really haven't heard from many people who have actually homeschooled in PA having any trouble with it. It seems to me that pretty much everyone who has firsthand experience agrees that it's no big deal. And then someone else will say what they have *heard* about PA, second or third hand, and gives everyone the idea that PA is to be avoided at all costs. I guess I would just encourage people who are thinking about moving to PA to speak to people who actually homeschool here, and consider that carefully without being scared off by dire warnings from those who haven't lived here.

[nata]

You might want to investigate some other states, unless you have non-homeschooling related reasons for preferring OK and TX. For example, in both Michigan and Connecticut, there are essentially no rules to follow at all. No sending anything in, no meetings, nada. And I see a few others mentioned in this thread that are similar....

 

I HS in CT and quite frankly it's not an all "green light" situation, at least not in my town. Legally we are not *required* to do anything except provide names and ages for enumeration purposes, however my local board of education thinks nothing of harassing me by illegally stating that I MUST fill out and return a Notice of Intent and participate in a portfolio review at the end of the school year. They base this demand on the C-14 Guidelines which are just that...suggested guidelines, but they put it in such legal terms that unless you know the law very well, you will think these guidelines are the law.

 

I had to contact an attorney, Deborah Stevenson, back in 2004 to get the board of Ed off my back and for 2 years things were quiet and then I again got letters in 2007 & 2008 requiring a NOI. I have not yet heard from the board this year, but wouldn't be surprised.

 

My son attended K in PS and when I sent a letter of withdrawal in June 2003, I was called for in for a meeting with the principal and teacher to find out why I was withdrawing him. It made me VERY uncomfortable. While I had no further trouble with his withdrawal, I have heard of many instances in CT of children being labeled "truant" after withdrawal, through Deborah (she keeps us CT homeschoolers updated on everything affecting us in the state.)

 

Another thing that I must mention is that many uninformed parents do choose to fill out the NOI, thus making it harder for those of us who do not choose to do. So, please, please, please no matter what state you live in green, red or otherwise...you MUST know the law intimately and *do not, not, not* give the state anything more than what is LEGALLY REQUIRED. Why? Because the "volunteers" give the lawmakers in your state capitol ammunition for requiring more and more from HSers in your state. Basically they say, "well, if this many people did this and this willingly, then certainly it's not too much to require it of everyone..." CT has been under attack for a number of years now to have more controlling legislation over homeschoolers. Our freedoms are under attack.

 

I'm sure there must be places in CT which are much more HSer friendly, but Greenwich with its "some of the best public schools in the nation" is definitely offended by anyone wanting to homeschool. I know of only 2 other HS families in my town.

 

I have a friend whose son has left the PS system in Greenwich for a technological HS in Stamford, CT. She was all excited to tell me that he can still participate in PS sports and has encouraged me to find out if my children qualify. I have not yet tried, but am pretty sure that my signing the NOI and doing the portfolio review would be a "requirement" in order for my kids to participate. I won't do it, unless some day the law changes and it is legally required.

 

 

 

Sorry, this got so long, but I feel very strongly about this...

[Murphy101]

don't be sorry!

that's exactly what I want to know!

[cbollin]

Up until 1.5 months ago, I lived in Indiana. very easy to homeschool there in terms of paperwork. None required really. (Well, if the dept of ed specifically asks you register the number of kids in each grade, then you have to, but they don't really ask anyone that I've known in the town I lived.) I was in a university town and the climate toward homeschooling was great! Wonderful library system too.

 

My husband lost his job, and we had to move where his new job was. The job is in TN. I looked at TN laws and said "uh, I don't think so" We almost decided to live across the border in MS. That seems easy - one piece of paperwork that said "we're homeschooling legally using real curriculum". Just didn't really want to live in MS. preferred suburb of Memphis instead... .hmm... seemed hard at first, but then, we found that in TN, we could almost homeschool as easy as Indiana by using what is called option 3: we joined an official umbrella school, so that we are private teachers in an off campus location. Turns out, there are several of these umbrella schools -- some of which had too many restrictions, and one that fit our educational philosophy. So, for less than $100 a year (for whole family, not per child), we have the same freedoms we had in Indiana, but with online "paperwork" for about 10 minutes per year, and mark attendance and grades for another couple of minutes about 2 times per year and it goes to a private school, not the local school district. So it was click, click, and $ - and we're legal.

 

So, we moved to where the job is.

 

good luck with the job.

 

-crystal

Edited September 27, 2009 by cbollin
typo

[AngelaNYC]

I know NY is getting a hugely bad rap on this thread, but if you can look past the regulations (which is only a very minor formality), I would like to recommend NYC. The city has everything. We are part of so much here. There are so many homeschoolers of all methods - everywhere. The opportunities for internship, apprenticeship, and volunteering are endless. There is always somewhere to go and people to be with. The kids get free Metrocards and many museums and other cultural areas have homeschool days either weekly or monthly. The homeschool groups are incredibly active and classes/activities are set up in museums, science centers, botanical gardens, zoos, libraries, etc - all taught by people who work there and love what they do.

 

I can't imagine being anywhere else where my kids can have this kind of education. The experiences and resources available are unsurpassed. It's amazing to be a part of it all. :001_smile:

[Cranberry]

just wanted to add more of my 2 cents here as another PA HSer. I certainly understand the frustration of having the gov't involved in our homeschooling. On principle it is irritating. But as others have said, I don't know anyone here who has not been able to homeschool the way they want to because of the laws.

 

The other thing to keep in mind is that these laws change. I think the more homeschoolers there are and the more there are that are unhappy with the law, the more power we have with our state legislators to make real change. The issue here in PA is that many evaluators are also homeschoolers themselves who rely on the secondary income generated by the law that requires us to use them! Anyway, just keep in mind that laws can and do change! Just because a state is currently friendly to homeschoolers, it can always change and vice versa.

 

Of course I won't tell anyone that homeschool laws should or shouldn't affect a decision to move to a state. But also, I think it's worth noting that plenty of homeschoolers are successful and happy and feel quite free even in those states like PA where it's laws have gotten a bad rap by some. It's completely do-able, and if the principle bothers you, perhaps you'll be a great agent of change for the whole state. :001_smile: I hope to be as I get more comfy in my homeschooling hat, to branch out and make our district and state more welcoming and friendly to homeschoolers.

[oceandaughter]

Indiana is amazing to homeschool in. You can get special ed resources. (Which I thought you could in any state.) All you do is keep a record of attendance (which you won't be asked for) and register on a website where you'll get a number which gives you discounts at Barnes and Noble.

 

Easy as pie. Plus Bloomington is a little slice of heaven as far as I'm concerned.

 

We have a house for sale there, in beautiful Brown County...feel free to pm me.

[phathui5]

My dh says I'm making his job hunt very hard b/c I refuse to move to a state that isn't very home school friendly. Very as in no paperwork, reporting, or record keeping required. DH says that is hard for him and not neccessary b/c I actually happen to keep excellent records. But my POV is that those records are for ME and at my discretion, not a mandate.

 

I think the man has a point.

 

We're moving so that dh can have a job (he's been unemployed for almost a year). Next Sunday, we'll be headed to New York, land of standardized testing and quarterly reports. I think you do what you have to do to take care of your family.

[anissarobert]

Well, Idaho is a great state for homeschoolers. No reporting requirements. Plus we have gorgeous mountains, rivers, lakes - lots of outdoor activities and four seasons.

 

Janet

 

I agree with Janet. Idaho is one of the easiest states for homeschoolers, and our local leaders work hard to keep it that way.

 

No registration

No reporting

No testing

 

Parents in Idaho have the right to direct the upbringing and education of their children without governmental oversight or involvement of any kind.

 

Blessed with this I would be very hesitant to move, but my family is here and I was born here, so that is a factor as well.

[Ellie]

It shouldn't be that way. It is like districts make up stuff as they go along.

That's exactly what happens, IMHO. It's the reason that it is vital for homeschoolers to know the laws in their states and to follow them to the letter. School officials are less likely to try to behave badly, although some will still do it. And that's the reason I also think it's important to be members of HSLDA, because even though hsers know and follow the law to the letter, they sometimes need legal back-up.

[jlovebaker]

no reqs other than notice and a degree in high school or whatever. No testing, no nada!

[Mary in NJ]

Not sure where you get your NC info, but it isn't that. You register once as a private school, agree to keep immunization records, attendance, and test yearly. You can administer the test yourself in your home and there is no requirement that you report any of it to anyone. The "show your records" meeting hardly ever happens, but if it does you show them the immunization record, the attendance form (checked boxes), and proof that you tested (not even the results.)

 

No reporting, no yearly notification, and you don't have to send anything in.

 

FL is much harder and has a lot more oversight. Annual notification, yearly evaluation (it can be testing but the test has to be administered by a certified teacher), and a portfolio kept for 3 years in case the superintendent wants to see it. We also have to keep a log book of books used.

 

I would prefer nothing at all (like TX), but if I have to do anything NC is the easiest.

 

 

I got the information off of the NCHE site.

 

As for the notification, we are sent a card in the summer that must be postmarked by September 30, to show that we are homeschooling for another year. Another card is received that requests we must pull our records together to "Show". I have heard from some parents who do not comply and do not show their records.

 

I suppose NC might be easier than FL, but I have never lived there. Best of luck to you.

[Mary in NJ]

Whaaaa??? I thought homeschooling was illegal EVEN for military in Germany. Just keeping my eye on this one because we would LUV to be stationed in Germany, but not if we can't homeschool.

 

You most certainly can homeschool legally in Germany IF YOU ARE MILITARY, and you are command sponsored.

[HollyDay]

I would not want to live in NY, PA, or Mass. I know some folks who are homeschooling quite happily in Mass. But, I have also known folks who have had nightmares depending upon their school district superintendent.

[ConnieB]

Haven't read all the responses yet, but in case no one has mentioned Arizona.....easy as pie here.

 

You register with a one page document, name/address/birthdate/parents names....one of the parents have to have their signature notarized (probably the only "hard" thing you have to do), and they need a certified copy of the child's birth certificate. File that with the County Superintendent of Schools and you're done. Forever (unless you stop homeschooling, then you have to do it again to restart). You only have to file this Affidavit of Intent to Homeschool when you start homeschooling, not every year. No testing, no reporting, no checking up on you....and our homeschool population has grown so big that you don't even get strange looks from the store owners like we did a decade ago, lol.

 

The laws are very easy as well, simply stating the subjects you have to teach (reading, grammar, math, science and social studies), but not requring any specific way to teach them.

 

No requirements for the parents to have any teaching credentials.

 

The only bad thing.....Arizona is hot hot hot in the summer....but here in Phoenix Valley (Maricopa County) there is more than enough museums and other indoor activities to keep you indoors and happy for the summer....and then we have absolutely perfect weather the rest of year. (edited to add: many homeschoolers switch their school year around and do a lot of the inside, sit at the desk work in the summer when it's hot....and with the weather finally cooling down here we're about to start doing our "get out of the house and learn by living" part of homeschooling life). Besides the weather as incentive for that, there is also the fact that in the summer like everywhere else, the public schools are out and so everything is more crowded. Life is close to perfect when you go on a hiking trail in October and there is no one else there for hours of hiking and exploring.....life is not so perfect when there are 20 other kids screaming and racing around pulling up plants etc. Grrrrr. It's also pretty neat to have museums to yourself, the library, stores, everything, lol. Flipping our year to more school time in the summer and more outdoor fun stuff in the fall/winter/spring works for us and many other families.

 

Here in Maricopa County there are literally hundreds of support groups, lots of co-ops, some small, some huge, tons of cultural/performing arts things to do, museums, zoos, even a new aquarium! Plenty of outdoors to play in, mountains to hike, and a couple hours drive to the Lake for serious fishing, houseboating, etc. Skiing in the winter a few hours away in higher elevation than Phoenix (Flagstaff and area).

 

We're feeling the recession, but who isn't........ the want ads in today's papers is plenty thick so the jobs must be out there! Now is a great time to buy a house because the prices have plummeted, but if you plan to stay than you can ride the next wave up. The prices were getting pretty inflated before the crash, and most of us here presume it's because the Californians cashed in on their equity but couldn't afford to stay in California and brought their huge down payments here. We of course, expect the prices to go back up again as the rest of the country will also.

 

Not sure what industry your DH is in, but construction is probably the worst hit here....whereas technology, medical, and surprisingly retail are all pretty strong. It amazes me in this economy to see them starting new shopping malls and strips!

Edited September 28, 2009 by ConnieB

[dancer67]

I live in Massachusetts and we are an "approval" state. Compared to NY and PA I would rather be here. With that said, I hate this state in general. No offense to anyone, but I am sick of the liberal way of thinking here, and everyone feels they are"entitled". Politics are bad, climate is bad, taxes are bad, cost of living is bad.

 

Makes me wonder why I am still here.:confused:

[Lizzie in Ma]

I live in Massachusetts and we are an "approval" state. Compared to NY and PA I would rather be here. With that said, I hate this state in general. No offense to anyone, but I am sick of the liberal way of thinking here, and everyone feels they are"entitled". Politics are bad, climate is bad, taxes are bad, cost of living is bad.

 

Makes me wonder why I am still here.:confused:

 

I love much about my state but not all. I would be more concerned about the taxes, the cost of living, and the politics than the homeschooling laws.

Yes, it is an "approval" state but I only had an issue once and it was a bureaucrat with a control chip on her shoulder. All I did was resubmit my letter with a highlighted CC to HSLDA and I got a nice little thanks for sending it.

 

If my dh were to be offered a good job I wouldn't much care where we moved though it would kill me to be far from my family.

[Loupelou]

We love homeschooling in Missouri. We were in Washington before and while it doesn't rank among the most difficult you still have to do yearly testing or evaluation, and letter of intent. Missouri has no such requirements. The law outlines number of hours and basic subjects, and keep your own records in case anyone asks. I just throw all of the yearly stuff into one bin and label the year! As teachers for our children we all have lesson plan books with information that should satisfy anyone. We have never had a single problem here, most people we encounter think it is awesome that we have chosen to home school. An added bonus is how many people in this area home school.

[Ellie]

I got the information off of the NCHE site.

NCHE has decide to go along with DNPE's illegal "requests." It is a source of great distress and anguish among many.

[caitlinsmom]

Idaho is about as simple as it gets. Nothing at all required at all in anyway. In fact we just had a law amendment a few months ago that even took out all the obnoxious wording like "comparable to public education". We have some great law makers on board with homeschooling. There are a lot of groups here (with Boise having some of the best options!).

All that said, I live in the middle of no where in a small town and while we have a local HS group, I find it very lonely. I have lost "friends" because my kids dont go to PS. I know this isnt a state wide issue more just my town.

 

A place I wouldnt go? Hmmm probably NY but only because I am spoiled here! However if my dh were offered a secure well paying job in NY you bet we would be there and I would have to learn record keeping skills! :)

[cbollin]

Indiana is amazing to homeschool in. You can get special ed resources. (Which I thought you could in any state.) All you do is keep a record of attendance (which you won't be asked for) and register on a website where you'll get a number which gives you discounts at Barnes and Noble.

 

Easy as pie. Plus Bloomington is a little slice of heaven as far as I'm concerned.

 

 

:iagree:

 

I just moved from Bloomington and had to chime back in....

 

The registering with the state is optional unless some one at the department actually formally asks you to do so. Lived there for 15 years and homeschooled officially for 8 years and never legally was required to register.

 

I got my Barnes and Noble teacher discount from showing my teachers' manual (and maybe my hslda card). They were easy going about giving the discount at the Bloomington store. (ooh.. a neat advantage of a boxed curriculum)

 

But yeah, you got to love the Monroe County Public Library - worth the out of county fee if needed.

 

 

-crystal

[silvermine]

wow, I guess it's really a personal thought on whether it's easy to HS in your state, as it seems there are alot of differing opinions from people in the same states.

 

Someone said FL is a difficult state, and I think the complete opposite. We have a few different options here:

1. Register with our county, simple as sending in a letter once. Then have annual testing or portofolio review. Send letter to county that states child shows progress. Yeah, you are supposed to keep work on file for three years IN CASE of someone wants to see it...not a biggie to me as I would keep it anyway.

 

Of course it's not hard to comply with that. I mean, I can easily make my kids take a test and keep track of records and submit a portfolio. I just refuse to purposely live somewhere where the state feels they have the right to require it.

 

I *could* do all sorts of things. I mean, if they required that I get a teacher's certificate or demonstrated the ability to do 40 situps, I would do what I had to. But out of choice, I think the state needs to mind its own business. ;)

[Murphy101]

Of course it's not hard to comply with that. I mean, I can easily make my kids take a test and keep track of records and submit a portfolio. I just refuse to purposely live somewhere where the state feels they have the right to require it.

 

I *could* do all sorts of things. I mean, if they required that I get a teacher's certificate or demonstrated the ability to do 40 situps, I would do what I had to. But out of choice, I think the state needs to mind its own business. ;)

 

:iagree::lol:

[Rhonda in TX]

We have very, very few requirements in Texas, but I could handle a bit more than we do have. The requirements in PA and NY just sound too burdensome. I would not move there while we are homeschooling.

[lisabees]

I agree! We're in PA, and it's a piece of cake to homeschool here. Would I rather not have to do *anything* at all for the state?-- Sure. But I actually think it would quite unwise to turn down a job opportunity merely because of the homeschooling situation in PA. It is very, very easy, and very non-intrusive in practice. And our state is considered one of the very hardest! So there wouldn't be anywhere that I would have dh turn down a job to avoid.

 

ETA: If the OP or anyone else would like to know more details about homeschooling in PA, let me know and I'll post what we have to do each year.

 

:iagree: I live in PA also. Really not that big of a deal for me. I do the few things that are required and don't waste time getting angry about it.

[AlaskaGrownFamily]

I have lived in two states that were homeschool friendly. The best was Alaska b/c out there you can sign up for a homeschooling program where they actually give you money (cash!) to purchase your curriculum and supplies. They give you a computer, printer, and passwords to subscription websites like encyclopedias online etc It was around 1500-2000 dollars for the school year that they gave me if I am remembering correctly. I LOVED it. They did not get in your business at all, no mandated testing, and it was easy. I feel it was my favorite place to homeschool.

 

YES!

 

AK is amazingly homeschool-friendly! You can receive funding from various school districts throughout the state, with very little oversight. They are unobtrusive, created for and by homeschoolers. It's basically like getting paid to teach your kids! :D

[Renee in NC]

Of course it's not hard to comply with that. I mean, I can easily make my kids take a test and keep track of records and submit a portfolio. I just refuse to purposely live somewhere where the state feels they have the right to require it.

 

I *could* do all sorts of things. I mean, if they required that I get a teacher's certificate or demonstrated the ability to do 40 situps, I would do what I had to. But out of choice, I think the state needs to mind its own business. ;)

 

That's an easy principle to stand on when your dh isn't desperate for a job. I am assuming that Martha's dh has a job still, so it isn't an emergency. Let me assure you that when you are desperate, you will do all KINDS of things to get a job and hs requirements in a state just aren't on the radar.

 

When I looked at FL requirements, I was not happy about the new hoops to jump through. However, I assure you that my devastation was caused by leaving my 16yo behind, not the fact that I had to keep a portfolio.:tongue_smilie:

[Murphy101]

No my dh was laid off back in June.

We will be able to continue paying what few bills we have (mortgage and utilities cell phones and netflix) through December. Not much of a Christmas but that's okay. He is also taking electrician classes in case he needs to completely change careers.

 

Obviously we'd rather have a job than be homeless.

But we also don't want to rush to be miserable somewhere else. Esp when what little family we have is here and we'd have to sell our home at a loss and it's dang hard (read as impossible) to find rental property with 9 kids.

 

If the price is right obviously we'll reconsider any location.

So far that's not a problem :001_unsure:

 

at this point the plan is that if he gets a job out of out state he won't move the family/put our house up for sale until he's been on the job 6 months. Far too many people uproot everything only to have the new job not work out for us to do that until he has spent enough time there to feel stability is likely.