DC folks

[Mrs Mungo]

We are still over a year out from a move and we are not positive we will be heading your way. But, we need to weigh our options of the best place to live.

 

Which state is the best as far as homeschooling goes? What are the pros and cons of where you chose to live?

[Alice]

I don't know the Maryland rules, so can only speak to Virginia. I think it's fairly easy in Virginia. You send in a letter of intent once a year with description of curriculum (that can be very vague). You can either go under the religious reasons heading or you have to have at least a high school diploma. If you are not under the religious reasons, you have to do some kind of evaluation once a year. This can be a standardized test, an evaluation by an outside person who has either a teaching license or a masters degree or it can be a portfolio.

 

We live in Vienna, a suburb in Virginia. I know there are many many homeschoolers in our area and in Fairfax, Loudon and Arlington counties. There are a ton of homeschool groups and co-ops. Many of the museums, nature centers, sports places, etc run homeschool classes or have other offerings for homeschoolers.

 

I also know Fort Belvoir has a very active homeschool group, but not sure if you'd be on base.

 

I've lived in Virginia my whole life and met dh here so living here wasn't so much a choice for us. Where we live now (Vienna) we chose because it was as close in as we could afford and still have a reasonably sized house and yard. We like Vienna for it's slightly small town feel and because we are very close to a great bike trail.

[G5052]

I don't know the Maryland rules, so can only speak to Virginia. I think it's fairly easy in Virginia. You send in a letter of intent once a year with description of curriculum (that can be very vague). You can either go under the religious reasons heading or you have to have at least a high school diploma. If you are not under the religious reasons, you have to do some kind of evaluation once a year. This can be a standardized test, an evaluation by an outside person who has either a teaching license or a masters degree or it can be a portfolio.

 

 

And now instead of curriculum, it is just a list of subjects, which will take even less time. It really isn't bad.

 

http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?121+ful+CHAP0547

[Chris in VA]

oH, Mrs. M, it would be wonderful if you were close! Although I'm terrible about meeting those close to me...(Mariann...LOL! I have met Alice...:D)

 

My df moved from VA to Maryland, and told me she just signs up under a Maryland umbrella, meets with them once a year socially, and then doesn't have to do anything--no port, no tests, etc. It almost seems disingenuous! Just kidding, but it is really easy. There's also a lot of cool options for supplementation--CC, a 3-day-a-week classical school (near Owings Mills, I think), etc.

 

However, Fairfax County is amazing, too. Lots of co-ops, tons to do, close to everything, and yet some places have lots of open, park-like space, too.

 

Don't know if you'd be on post--

But Ft. Belvoir is next door to me.

 

 

Which may or may not be a good thing!:lol::lol:

[Mama Lynx]

We live in Fairfax County. Pros: easy laws, tons to do, close to everything. Cons: high cost of living.

[Swimtaxi234]

I homeschooled in Maryland for 3.5 years before we moved here.

 

We weren't in an umbrella group, so I had to report twice a year to the state. I printed out the HSLDA state laws for Maryland and used that to bring in the minimum amount of paperwork. My reviewer would thank me since most moms brought in enough to need a wagon.

 

I brought in two thin files and zero test results. I HATED the process, but my reviewer was very nice.

 

The state we live in now has zero accountability. I send in a letter saying I am going to homeschool two children over the age of 7. :confused:

 

But, I did want to add that we lived in Montgomery County and loved it. My husband used the Shady Grove Metro station to get to the Pentagon and it also gave us easy access to DC for trips to mall area.

[Farrar]

I know people homeschooling on both sides...

 

In Virginia, there are different options, but the easiest is to do a standardized test. They accept lots of them.

 

In Maryland, you have twice (usually) yearly reviews with the county and must show evidence of progress in a long list of subjects (including health). It's usually pretty perfunctory, but occasionally not. I feel like thick skinned, sure of what they're doing people come out of it rolling their eyes mostly and thin skinned, new at homeschooling parents sometimes come out shaken. And sometimes there are actual challenges, though I understand it's nowhere near as onerous as Pennsylvania. It's not a great system. You can pay to join an umbrella and avoid the review. There are both secular and religious ones (though a lot more religious ones).

 

In DC you have to keep a "portfolio of materials" and teach a long list of subjects. They have the right to request a review with you up to (I think) three times a year. However, no one to my knowledge has ever actually been reviewed EVER. It's a newish law and as far as I can tell they have no idea what any of it means, they don't even have a single full time staff person to deal with homeschool issues and so for all intents and purposes, it's notification only. There's some unsure elements there if one were ever to run afoul of the authorities for other reasons, presumably they'd get involved with the homeschooling too... but we don't really live in fear of it ourselves.

 

Overall, I think the homeschool laws are probably most annoying in MD, but not so much so to deter one from living there if you wanted to. There are more homeschoolers in northern Virginia. However, there are a lot in Maryland as well. I've noted that the MD side homeschoolers tend to be a bit more secular, but not always - there are religious and secular (and classical and unschoolers and Waldorfers and so on and so forth) on both sides of the river. There are almost no homeschoolers in DC proper though. Sigh. It makes me have to drive a lot. Really, what it boils down to is that I think you can find the sort of community you want and not worry too much about homeschoolers and where they are.

[Mrs Mungo]

Thanks, ladies! I appreciate it!

 

Chris, we might be very close, indeed, if we have our way. But, the army doesn't always see things our way. ;)

[ZooRho]

There is also another option in VA the certified teacher option. If you are a certified teacher you can file under the tutoring option. it isn't a part of the hsing law. If you do that then you are not required to test either.

 

There are some that say you have to be VA certified but I know a few that have done it with other state certificates.

[MariannNOVA]

I have no idea at all how all this works with the army, but if you need a place to stay while you scout out the area, pls let me know. Our guest house is certainly available to you.:)

[Mrs Mungo]

There is also another option in VA the certified teacher option. If you are a certified teacher you can file under the tutoring option. it isn't a part of the hsing law. If you do that then you are not required to test either.

 

There are some that say you have to be VA certified but I know a few that have done it with other state certificates.

 

Nope, not a certified teacher, good to know all of the options though!

 

I have no idea at all how all this works with the army, but if you need a place to stay while you scout out the area, pls let me know. Our guest house is certainly available to you.:)

 

That is terribly kind of you! :)

[Butter]

I've lived in both states. They are really equally easy as long as you know the law in the state. I was in Alexandria City and Fairfax County in VA. NOI at the beginning of the year was pretty simple. We did the CAT-E Survey from Seton to prove progress. Super easy. I live in Charles County in MD. The reviewer is VERY pro-homeschooling. Once a year we send in a paper that says we're doing the required subjects. Once a year we take in a very simple portfolio and 15 minutes later (for 2 kids... 3 starting this year) we're on our way. He says it's not his job to determine if what we are teaching is okay, but just that we ARE teaching something. We don't even prove progress, just that we are teaching the required subjects (I combine health with science BTW and it's perfectly fine). Also super easy. I wouldn't stress the homeschool laws in either state.

[MariannNOVA]

 

 

That is terribly kind of you! :)

 

It would be our pleasure -- we are right now getting it all furnished for Heather and her family when they visit DC over the July 4th holiday -- dh and I are thrilled that we can help.:)

 

Get in touch with me as the time gets close -- we are located a hop, skip and a jump off of Route One, :auto: literally a minute from Ft. Belvoir, :auto: in the Mt. Vernon section of Alexandria .

[iamrachelle]

Just thought I'd pop in and say :seeya:. We will be PCSing to the DC area next year too. From everything I've garnered on-line it does seem slightly more relaxed and easier to homeschool on the Virginia side.

 

Having said that, we are strongly considering living in DC proper just so my DH will have a shorter commute time. I dread the thought of him spending an hour and a half on the road every day, and I've heard the commute times can be horrible there.

[besroma]

We live in MD and operate under the umbrella option. I maintain a portfolio year-round and meet with one of the members of the umbrella group annually for a review. I receive a list of the members in the group and choose who I would like to do my review and what month I would like to be reviewed.

 

When I initially read the rules for homeschooling in MD, I was a bit concerned because I moved from NC where you have no review, but must have the child tested annually and send the results in to the state. I actually prefer the annual review to the testing.

 

I don't know anyone who simply makes a social event of it as mentioned earlier. The homeschool moms I know choose someone they want feedback from (much like asking someone here on the forum for advice).

 

This link provides more information:

 

http://www.churchvillechristianschool.org/aboutus.html

[athena1277]

Another vote for VA. We have been here 3 years and hs'ing is very easy. We are also in Fairfax County, in Fairfax City. Seriously, ladies, we need to have a WTM get-together! So many of you are very close to us.

[xixstar]

We live in Maryland and chose to not do the umbrella group option so we had to deal with the county reviews 2x a year. It really seems that experiences vary across the state and how friendly your reviewer is.

 

My experience was with middle school for my dd and it was challenging every time. They always wanted me to bring more or extra and were often annoyed that I didn't bring my daughter in (it's not required by law, so I didn't). We also had a very loose unschooling approach and focused more on experiential learning than have written projects, so we didn't really have extras to bring in. We often did projects and assignments just to have portfolio materials, but those were never deemed enough. We were never marked deficient just always listed as needing more documentation versus acceptable, and that annoyed me. I think using a more classical approach or even starting at a younger grade would have been easier because all my friends with young children have a great time (but also seems the reviewers prefer talking to the kids and that is a big part of how well the evaluation goes).

 

I am strongly considering an umbrella group for our next round of homeschooling whereas originally I was so opposed to the idea "because if the law states these are the requirements and I meet them, it shouldn't be a problem" -- at this point in life, I'd rather my life just be easier and not struggle with the county at all.

[mommywise]

Subbing...

Great information! Thank you.

One of the dh's job is in Ft. Meade. Is it too far away to commute from the nearest town in VA? I read that MD has more laid back, rural town feel than Northern VA which is more city-like and busy. Is it true to anyone?

I also partially unschool/ loose homeschool so there are not many "proof" or workbooks involved for Portfolio or progress. How do you all keep up with this?

If I choose to go with religious reason, what paper work do I need to have?

What umbrella schools in VA or MD do you know and recommend?

TIA

[Butter]

We also had a very loose unschooling approach and focused more on experiential learning than have written projects, so we didn't really have extras to bring in. We often did projects and assignments just to have portfolio materials, but those were never deemed enough. We were never marked deficient just always listed as needing more documentation versus acceptable, and that annoyed me. I think using a more classical approach

 

I think you are hitting the nail on the head about why you had problems. Unschooling is actually not okay according to Maryland law. We are different from most states in that rather than proving progress, we provide evidence that was are *teaching* the subjects. The viewpoint is you can't force a child to learn anything, but you can try to teach everything to them. Unschoolers pretty much need to use an umbrella or be very careful in how they present what they do to make it sound very much not like unschooling.

[ZooRho]

Subbing...

Great information! Thank you.

One of the dh's job is in Ft. Meade. Is it too far away to commute from the nearest town in VA? I read that MD has more laid back, rural town feel than Northern VA which is more city-like and busy. Is it true to anyone?

I also partially unschool/ loose homeschool so there are not many "proof" or workbooks involved for Portfolio or progress. How do you all keep up with this?

If I choose to go with religious reason, what paper work do I need to have?

What umbrella schools in VA or MD do you know and recommend?

TIA

 

In VA you can use the CAT test instead of portfolio.

 

For Religious exemption the letter goes to the school board instead of the Superintendent. It would be advised to join HSLDA or one of the other legal groups is you choose to go that way. Although I know many people doing it who don't belong.

 

Some people send in letters from pastors and friends that know the religious beliefs.

 

The other thing is there is no deadline on when to report RE. There are many that never officially send in the paper work but just keep it at home in case it is ever needed.