Out of curiosity...

[mommy4ever]

What are the regulations in your state or province for homeschooling?

 

Here we must be registered with a school board, this can be with the school system itself or with a private homeschooling board. We also have to achieve the learning outcomes of 1 of the 2 paths. One is fully aligned with the provincial education guidelines or a more of general guideline.

[texasmama]

In Texas, homeschoolers are unregulated and considered to be "private schools". It's great to live in Texas.:D

[JulieD]

Michigan's pretty good, too. If you're the parent or guardian, you can just go ahead and homeschool your child; the regulation just specifies you should cover a list of basic subjects, but you don't have to register or report anything.

 

There's a private school option also, but I don't know much about it.

 

Julie D.

[hoosiermom]

all you have to do is show that you have 180 days in attendance.

 

I did notify my local school district that I would be homeschooling and requested that all previous school records be sent to me. I also notified the state dept. of education that we would be homeschooling, but that was optional.

[Ravin]

In Arizona, you have to file an affidavit when you begin homeschooling (or child reaches compulsory school age of 6). As long as you remain in the same county, that's all you have to do.

 

As a part time P/S student (DD is enrolled in an enrichment program run by a local district for hs'ers), DD is subject to state testing, which annoys me but I get over it because she really enjoys the program.

[Slartibartfast]

We just have to register our school.

[nukeswife]

Virginia isn't to bad.

 

Each year by Aug 15th I have to send in a Notice of Intent and because of the option I homeschool under (there are 4 to pick from ) I have to send in a "description of curriculum" That last part scares some but really all I do is say something like "For the x-y school year I will teach child a, grammar, spelling, writing, math, history and science" and at the bottom I add that I retain the right to change any and all curriculum or methods in order to fit the needs of the child. I send this to the local super intendant's office and they send me a letter back saying they got it. Then by the following Aug 1st I have to send in standardized test scores showing a math and LA composite of at least the 4th stanine or an evaluation done by a certified teacher. I usually go with the testing because they aren't picky about who gives the test so I can us the CAT from Seton which I can give or the ITBS which my dh can give.

 

That's it. I know there are states out there where it's easier, but it's not bad here. I liked the in FL I only had to send in one NOI when we started and then you don't have to do that again unless a new school age child joins the mix, but testing there was harder because it had to be given by a certified teacher.

[mom31257]

In Georgia we have to file a letter of intent to homeschool. It goes to the local school superintendent's office. We have to file monthly attendance reports with the same office. We are required to do standardized testing, starting by 3rd grade. It only needs to be done every 3 years, and we do not have to turn in the results, just keep them. You are supposed to have a yearly progress report written, but there are no regulations as to how to do it. I've been told a report card can be enough. That has to be kept as well, but not turned in.

[Crimson Wife]

California is pretty low-key. No standardized testing or portfolio review unless the family decides to enroll in a virtual charter. It's considered a low-regulation state by HSLDA.

[Nakia]

NC is easy too. We have to file an intent to homeschool when the child is 7. After that, we have to keep attendance records (180 days per year) and have them tested every year.

[Wheres Toto]

NJ we don't have to do anything. No notification, no reporting, no testing, nothing. If someone reports us truant, we send a letter saying we're homeschooling and that's it. We are supposed to provide equivalent instruction to the public schools but can do that however we see fit.

[kwickimom]

NADA. :) We are considered a private school and we don't have to notify the schools or keep any records.

[mommy4ever]

Here, it's fairly simple, but not as simple as handing in a NOI. How involved it is depends on how you plan to register.

 

You can register with any regular school boards as a homeschooler, as far as I know; but most families opt to register with a homeschool board. there is a Notice of intent that the homeschool board will send to the resident school board, and they are able to get any school records.

 

We have 3 options in how we register. Option 1 fully aligned. To most school boards it means teacher led, like online or correspondence with the parent home to assist. This program will meet the provincial guidelines. Option 2 - Blended. This is where some are teacher led, a minimum of 50% and the remainder the parent decides on. Option 3 - Traditional this gives the parent full control.

 

As a traditional homeschooler, you file your intent with the school board of choice, they deal with the gov't notifications. You put together your educational plan, if you want the facilitators are happy to assist. Then you meet 2 times a year, to show proof of learning - a portfolio, and may meet or talk by phone or email some where in between.

 

With the blended and fully aligned, there is more board involvement. More tasks met and done on time. A plan still needs to be made but is made for the most part by the school board,, and only partially by you, and there is alot of paperwork to send in.

 

We also get funding available from the gov't. The traditional homeschool families have the least funding for both the board and the families. Blended the board gets by % of how much is teacher led and how much is parent led. They get the most for fully aligned. They don't hand over the $. You need to have approval for some things and others are on a pre-approved list. It's not alot, but it off sets the costs of curriculum and outside lessons. It assures that even the lowest income families can get some quality curriculum for their kids. A family layoff won't force the kids back to school, as long as one parent can be home, it doesn't matter, the kids will have their curriculum funds, so they aren't trying to work for a $0 budget or using grocery money for books. If a parent can't buy and submit receipts, there is the option of PO from various retailers. If well budgeted, it can go a long way, by using consignment and used book stores and ebay. Buying multilevel books, goes a long way too. Or build a living book library at home, and then just getting math curriculum and grammar....

 

You can opt out of funding if you chose, but you can't opt out of being registered with a school board, or dealing with a facilitator.

[usetoschool]

just requires a notice of intent when you start. That's it. Forever.

[golfcartmama]

Here, it's fairly simple, but not as simple as handing in a NOI. How involved it is depends on how you plan to register.

 

You can register with any regular school boards as a homeschooler, as far as I know; but most families opt to register with a homeschool board. there is a Notice of intent that the homeschool board will send to the resident school board, and they are able to get any school records.

 

We have 3 options in how we register. Option 1 fully aligned. To most school boards it means teacher led, like online or correspondence with the parent home to assist. This program will meet the provincial guidelines. Option 2 - Blended. This is where some are teacher led, a minimum of 50% and the remainder the parent decides on. Option 3 - Traditional this gives the parent full control.

 

As a traditional homeschooler, you file your intent with the school board of choice, they deal with the gov't notifications. You put together your educational plan, if you want the facilitators are happy to assist. Then you meet 2 times a year, to show proof of learning - a portfolio, and may meet or talk by phone or email some where in between.

 

With the blended and fully aligned, there is more board involvement. More tasks met and done on time. A plan still needs to be made but is made for the most part by the school board,, and only partially by you, and there is alot of paperwork to send in.

 

We also get funding available from the gov't. The traditional homeschool families have the least funding for both the board and the families. Blended the board gets by % of how much is teacher led and how much is parent led. They get the most for fully aligned. They don't hand over the $. You need to have approval for some things and others are on a pre-approved list. It's not alot, but it off sets the costs of curriculum and outside lessons. It assures that even the lowest income families can get some quality curriculum for their kids. A family layoff won't force the kids back to school, as long as one parent can be home, it doesn't matter, the kids will have their curriculum funds, so they aren't trying to work for a $0 budget or using grocery money for books. If a parent can't buy and submit receipts, there is the option of PO from various retailers. If well budgeted, it can go a long way, by using consignment and used book stores and ebay. Buying multilevel books, goes a long way too. Or build a living book library at home, and then just getting math curriculum and grammar....

 

You can opt out of funding if you chose, but you can't opt out of being registered with a school board, or dealing with a facilitator.

 

 

I SO wish we could get some $$ from the state! That would help out so much!

[mommy4ever]

I SO wish we could get some $$ from the state! That would help out so much!

 

I think this is an anomaly in Canada, but I can't say we are the only one, we are very fortunate. It is a relief that next year I won't need to decide between paying a bill or getting books. We registered late as my kids were in school until the end of March, so any purchases were out of pocket, and I don't believe in cheaping out on education, I don't feel I have the know how at this point to be able to work with a $0 budget. I bow to those that can make it work with admiration. We'd make it work either way as we no longer have the kids registration fees and bus fees to pay, that is a savings of $1200+/year, so we wouldn't have a $0 budget to work with. But this makes it SO much easier when it doesn't have to come from the family budget for a good portion of things.