Fort those who homeschool in NC, SC, TN, or TX...

[angela&4boys]

...would you kindly brief me on the requirements?

 

We do have an HSLDA membership, but I'd really appreciate a resident's thoughts.

 

TIA!

Edited December 28, 2009 by angela&4boys

[i.love.lucy]

In TX there are none. I withdrew my dd in mid-third grade and used the letter from the THSC website that stated my intent to homeschool. I haven't done anything with my son but my understanding is that I need to send a letter by the time he's 6. Just sent to the school district headquarters.

 

That's it. No testing, no record keeping. Of course I do some of that for my own self. You are supposed to teach math, grammar, history, science and good stewardship, and my curriculum covers all this and more, so I save examples of their work to show this, but I have no concerns that anyone will be knocking on my door.

[Nakia]

I live in NC. The requirements are very easy. The teacher must have a high school diploma. You must school 180 days and do annual testing. That's it!

[Ellie]

Technically, "at least nine calendar months of the year, excluding reasonable holidays and vacations." That means you could have fewer than 180 days. :-)

[Jmac]

In TX there are none. I withdrew my dd in mid-third grade and used the letter from the THSC website that stated my intent to homeschool. I haven't done anything with my son but my understanding is that I need to send a letter by the time he's 6. Just sent to the school district headquarters.

 

That's it. No testing, no record keeping. Of course I do some of that for my own self. You are supposed to teach math, grammar, history, science and good stewardship, and my curriculum covers all this and more, so I save examples of their work to show this, but I have no concerns that anyone will be knocking on my door.

 

This is accurate about Texas but I will note that if you never enroll your child in school to begin with, you never have to notify anyone of your intent to homeschool.

[Ellie]

I haven't done anything with my son but my understanding is that I need to send a letter by the time he's 6. Just sent to the school district headquarters.

No, you don't have to notify anyone, ever. The only reason you needed to send that letter to your dd's school was so that they wouldn't think she was just truant; it isn't required by law.

[TxMama]

I haven't done anything with my son but my understanding is that I need to send a letter by the time he's 6.

 

No testing, no record keeping. You are supposed to teach math, grammar, history, science and good stewardship,

 

This is correct EXCEPT you do not need to notify anyone that you intend to homeschool and the required subjects are reading,spelling, grammar, math and course in good citizenship taught in a bona fide manner.

 

If your child is enrolled in PS you need to go through the proper method to withdraw them.

 

The best information for Texas is at THSC.org.

[Dana]

The law in SC is a bit interesting, but in practice, it's easy here.

 

There are 3 options:

(1) Homeschool through the district with district oversight. (Don't choose this.)

 

(2) Homeschool through SCAIHS. Pricey to register with them, but you do get resources, some guidance counseling, and they keep records. You submit curriculum descriptions, grade reports to them. SCAIHS requires testing every year for children 3rd grade and up.

 

(3) Use a third option group. (You can find some links through the "law in SC" link.) You register with a third-option group (different fees - generally relatively cheap), there'll be some records submitted to the group, but you keep all records.

 

State requirements under all options are teaching 180 days covering reading, writing, math, science, social studies (adding in composition, literature in grades 7-12). Parents need a high school diploma and need to do over 50% of the teaching. Give progress reports (grades) semi-annually. Keep a portfolio of student's work (I've never heard of these being checked).

 

Typing it all out, it looks rough - but it's really not.

Links will also give more information.

[angela&4boys]

That's great info. They all look to have the equivalent of FL or less in terms of requirements.

 

Thanks so much, ladies. :)

[i.love.lucy]

I stand corrected ladies. Thank you!!:D

[krisperry]

Technically, "at least nine calendar months of the year, excluding reasonable holidays and vacations." That means you could have fewer than 180 days. :-)

 

Another tidbit about NC - the annual testing. You can do the Cat-C or the PASS test. Both are around $25 and can be administered by you. So EOG testing isn't costly or difficult.

 

They do ask (but it isn't required) for you to turn in your attendance logs and EOG test scores.

[Rhonda in TX]

This is accurate about Texas but I will note that if you never enroll your child in school to begin with, you never have to notify anyone of your intent to homeschool.

 

We've never been in the public school system, so we've never notified anybody of anything. If you move here, just don't enroll your children in PS and you're good. :)

[Ellie]

They do ask (but it isn't required) for you to turn in your attendance logs and EOG test scores.

Yes, they can ask for test scores (and of course, you can test any time of the year; it is *annual* testing, not end-of-grade testing); they need to request test scores, as opposed to folks volunteering in the fall to submit them at some future date. They can ask for attendance records, but you *never* have to submit those as the law does not require it.

[TXMomof4]

In TX there are none. I withdrew my dd in mid-third grade and used the letter from the THSC website that stated my intent to homeschool. I haven't done anything with my son but my understanding is that I need to send a letter by the time he's 6. Just sent to the school district headquarters.

 

That's it. No testing, no record keeping. Of course I do some of that for my own self. You are supposed to teach math, grammar, history, science and good stewardship, and my curriculum covers all this and more, so I save examples of their work to show this, but I have no concerns that anyone will be knocking on my door.

 

You don't even have to notify anyone if he's never been in school. My kids were hsed from the beginning and no one in the school system knows anything about them. Only if you are withdrawing do you have to notify someone - you can't just quit going to school.

[DawnM]

We don't have to give the EOG test as homeschoolers. We only need to give a standardized test.....are you calling them both the same? The school system gives both each year.

 

I never turn in anything. I almost want them to show up and audit me! :D And attendance? Goodness....."Johnny, are you here today?" It just seems ridiculous.

 

Dawn

 

Another tidbit about NC - the annual testing. You can do the Cat-C or the PASS test. Both are around $25 and can be administered by you. So EOG testing isn't costly or difficult.

 

They do ask (but it isn't required) for you to turn in your attendance logs and EOG test scores.

[jenL]

I live in NC. The requirements are very easy. The teacher must have a high school diploma. You must school 180 days and do annual testing. That's it!

 

You also need to register your homeschool (using a Notice of Intent form) when your child is of compulsory school age, which is 7 in NC.

[AngieW in Texas]

It's very easy in Texas. If you have enrolled your dc in a Texas public school, you need to unenroll him. If you haven't already enrolled your dc in a Texas public school, you don't have to notify anybody about anything.

 

There are no notification requirements, no testing requirements, no oversight requirements.

 

This website may help:

http://www.thsc.org/FAQ/default.asp