Has anyone from NC ever been contacted by the DNPE?

[Danestress]

I registered with the DNPE and maintain records as required by law. Last year when I got the invitation to be "inspected" by mail (ie, send copies of these records in) I just ignored it. I think it required testing earlier in the year than I prefer to do it.

 

But this year, the test just has to be administered before June 30. Really, that's fine.

 

If there is any chance someone is going to call and want to meet with me, even knowing that they probably don't have the legal power, I still would rather avoid the conversation and just send this stuff in.

 

Has anyone ever actually been called for such a meeting? Any really good reason I shouldn't just send in the photo copies and be done with it?

[Tarheel Heather]

You don't have to do a thing. That card is sent out every year. If you choose to participate fine, if not, it's okay.

 

I sent in paper work anyway.

[Ellie]

I registered with the DNPE and maintain records as required by law. Last year when I got the invitation to be "inspected" by mail (ie, send copies of these records in) I just ignored it. I think it required testing earlier in the year than I prefer to do it.

 

But this year, the test just has to be administered before June 30. Really, that's fine.

 

If there is any chance someone is going to call and want to meet with me, even knowing that they probably don't have the legal power, I still would rather avoid the conversation and just send this stuff in.

 

Has anyone ever actually been called for such a meeting? Any really good reason I shouldn't just send in the photo copies and be done with it?

 

You never, ever have to attend a meeting of any kind. Not ever. You can administer standardized tests any.time.of.the.year. And yes, the reason you shouldn't do it is that IT IS NOT REQUIRED BY LAW. Rule of thumb: Never, ever do anything not required by law. NOT EVER. When you begin complying with illegal requests from government officials, you begin giving away your freedom. DON'T DO IT.

[Frontier Mom]

I actually send mine in. The first time I got this, I called HSLDA to check on whether I should send this in or not. They told me NC has some of the best home school laws and this is a way to keep our limitations to a minimum. To be honest, I have always heard there are only 3 employees in the office and they have to keep up with all Non-public education so they just check it off as sent in and file it. I just mail it in each year.

[KAR120C]

You never, ever have to attend a meeting of any kind. Not ever.

 

You do have to attend if they have it at your house: "For one year after the testing, all records shall be made available, subject to G.S. 115C‑174.13, at the principal office of such school, at all reasonable times, for annual inspection by a duly authorized representative of the State of North Carolina."

 

It generally doesn't happen anymore (I've heard of only one since about 1995), but it is legal.

 

Honestly I find the "don't do anything not required by law" approach extreme. I don't apply that rule to any other aspect of my life. I have been a government bureaucrat, wielding a heck of a lot more power over people than any DNPE staff person could ever hope for. I could have been really really awful if I were so inclined. I'm sure there are people who use that for evil, but in my experience they are few and far between (and don't last in their jobs -- "bureaucrat" is a really hopeless path if "dictator" is your goal).

 

And the fact that huge numbers of us do send in the postcards hasn't resulted in any firestorm of legislation. In fact it hasn't resulted in any legislation at all. None. Not even a bigger postcard.

 

I send it in. Between a meeting at my house (unlikely though it is) and mailing in the records they are legally entitled to see anyway, I'll choose mailing. Both as a homeschooler and as a taxpayer I'd much rather they not waste their time and gas driving all over the state looking for us.

[Ellie]

You do have to attend if they have it at your house: "For one year after the testing, all records shall be made available, subject to G.S. 115C‑174.13, at the principal office of such school, at all reasonable times, for annual inspection by a duly authorized representative of the State of North Carolina."

 

Handing photocopies of your dc's most recent standardized tests through your front door is not exactly the same thing as "attending a meeting." Test scores are all DNPE is allowed to "inspect." HSLDA says that "though the Division of Nonpublic Education has attempted to perform home visits under this provision, the law gives its officials no right to enter homes to inspect any other records but test scores."

[Danestress]

Handing photocopies of your dc's most recent standardized tests through your front door is not exactly the same thing as "attending a meeting."

 

I wouldn't agree to attend a meeting. And I wouldn't let anyone in my home.

 

I know all I have to do is keep records on hand, and the law doesn't specifically say HOW they will inspect them, but it almost seems easier to me just to photocopy and send them in, knowing that will be that and they won't bother me for another year.

 

I guess I just wondered if there was any reason why I might want to rethink sending them in.

[milovany]

I'm with Ellie if I'm understanding correctly. I wouldn't do one thing more than required by law, so if sending the scores in isn't *required* I wouldn't do it. In our state we have to file an annual Notice of Intent with our local superintendent's office and we only have to give Child's Name, Age, and Address. The form the school district "nicely" sends out for us to fill out has space for other info. (birthdate, phone number, grade) and I leave all those spaces blank.

 

I personally think it's important to not give more than the law requires or else government or administrative leaders *could* try to make those "offerings" part of the law. They could say (with proof) "Most homeschoolers are giving us this info voluntarily anyway" and step by step the laws could get more restrictive.

 

My vote is don't do it.

[Mary in NJ]

I am new to the state (NC) and recently met with one of the board members for the state's homeschool organizational group. I thought you may be interested in what she had to say:

 

She said that an attendance record, the orange postcard, immunization records (or the religious exemption statement), and last year's test scores are all that is required to be in the "folder."

 

She does not recommend mailing in the test scores. The state office is overwhelmed with the number of homeschoolers in this state. The three paid full time workers and two part time workers can barely stay ahead of the game with all the people "volunteering" to mail in their test scores. She asked if I had ever seen their office - she repeated DO NOT mail in your test score information. She said that they will contact me if they want to see my information. The only times that she has heard about a direct at-home meeting, was when the family did not comply with the notification process (the orange card) and the state's child protective service asked the office if the family did indeed homeschool. The state office would then go out to ask for the folder of information.

 

The board member said that IF I am ever contacted by the state to produce my "folder", that they are required to give a 5 day notice. At that time, I step outside on the porch and let them "review" the information. End of meeting.

 

Because of the state's limited personnel staff in the non-public education department, they really do not get out that often to check on an individual's homeschool documentation. They are not there to see the children - just to look at my "folder."

 

At the end of our visit, I learned that she has been homeschooling since the time it was made legal in the state! She was a wealth of information not just in the homeschool requirement area, but in the history of homeschool in this state. Awesome lady!

 

Personally, I will keep the items that they require in my "folder." Other than that, I will focus on teaching my children.

 

Hope this helps,

[JWSJ]

I know many, many NC homeschoolers that have thrown the orange request card into the trash, never replying.

 

None have received any visits or negative consequences.

[Tarheel Heather]

I know many, many NC homeschoolers that have thrown the orange request card into the trash, never replying.

 

None have received any visits or negative consequences.

 

 

Mine went in the trash last year! I was anxious for a while. But what Mary said is great for those in NC!

[Jean too]

I hope you don't mean the orange card that was sent to you when you established your home school. You will need that card for other things including driver's education in the public school.

[Ellie]

I wouldn't agree to attend a meeting. And I wouldn't let anyone in my home.

 

I know all I have to do is keep records on hand, and the law doesn't specifically say HOW they will inspect them, but it almost seems easier to me just to photocopy and send them in, knowing that will be that and they won't bother me for another year.

 

I guess I just wondered if there was any reason why I might want to rethink sending them in.

 

But here's the thing: the law does not say that you have to respond to DNPE's post card and volunteer ahead of time to send in test scores. The law says that test scores can be "inspected." So if DNPE calls and asks to see them, you can cheerfully hand them over; you just don't have to volunteer ahead of time to do so. See the difference?

 

IMHO, it's because people have been so willing to play the game with the post cards that DNPE felt it could go ahead and schedule those meetings where people were supposed to show up and bring their teaching materials *and their dc* to be inspected.:eek:

[JWSJ]

I hope you don't mean the orange card that was sent to you when you established your home school. You will need that card for other things including driver's education in the public school.

 

No, the card received for sending files.