Can they make me register with our new school district?

[Based on Faith Academy]

I got remarried two months ago. :D

 

As a result, we moved to a different district. I was a part of the same district for ten years.

When I moved here, two months before the end of school, I contacted the school and they

wanted me to enroll my kids for the last two months with them even though I was home schooling.

I talked to my previous district and they suggested I complete the school year with them.

I then called the school district that we just moved to back and they agreed. Why they didn't

suggest that in the beginning, I don't understand. Once I suggested it they did a 180 and said

that that is normally what they suggest anyways.

 

Now here is my question. I live in NY and this new district is telling me I have to

register my kids with the public school and then they will give me papers to submit

for home schooling and to do my IHIP and reports. I read the NYS guidelines and it says

you don't have to register.I asked my old town and they said no you don't have to register.

When I talked to the new district they said that they require it for testing reasons.

 

What is your opinion or thoughts?

[Aiden]

Are you a member of HSLDA? If so, I'd ask for advice from them. My inclination would be to tell them that I will follow the laws and that's it--just be certain of what the law says first. If they require more than the law allows them to require, they'd have to put that in writing so I could get legal advice before I acquiesced.

[freesia]

No you do not have to register. You send them a Letter of Intent. They send you forms for your IHIP (which you can use or not).

 

Our district has us come in each time one of our children reaches reportable age (6 by Dec.1). They want us to prove residency and show proof of the child's birth. (Because, we might *want* to fill out so much paperwork for a child who doesn't exist????????) They call it registration. We remind them that we are not registering. They tell us our child needs a number. We tell them s/he doesn't. We don't fill out any info they are not entitled to. We go home and return 2 years later with the next child.

 

So, no, do.not.register.for.public.school. Since they don't seem to know the law, I would send them a copy of the law highlighted regarding what you do need to do. If they complain ask them to show you exactly where in the law it tells you to do that. If they can't tell you, tell them it is important to you that you follow the law and do what it says.

 

You may also want to print a copy of the FAQs about the law. It says clearly that you don't have to register.

[freesia]

No you do not have to register. You send them a Letter of Intent. They send you forms for your IHIP (which you can use or not).

 

Our district has us come in each time one of our children reaches reportable age (6 by Dec.1). They want us to prove residency and show proof of the child's birth. (Because, we might *want* to fill out so much paperwork for a child who doesn't exist????????) They call it registration. We remind them that we are not registering. They tell us our child needs a number. We tell them s/he doesn't. We don't fill out any info they are not entitled to. We go home and return 2 years later with the next child.

 

So, no, do.not.register.for.public.school. Since they don't seem to know the law, I would send them a copy of the law highlighted regarding what you do need to do. If they complain ask them to show you exactly where in the law it tells you to do that. If they can't tell you, tell them it is important to you that you follow the law and do what it says.

 

You may also want to print a copy of the FAQs about the law. It says clearly that you don't have to register.

 

eta: They don't have anything to do with testing your child. They don't know the law.

[Crimson Wife]

I wouldn't register unless you intend to use them for PT enrollment or an independent study program or similar thing. Our district does offer an independent study program but I'd have to use the district-approved materials at grade level and meet with a teacher every week. No, thanks!

[Based on Faith Academy]

No you do not have to register. You send them a Letter of Intent. They send you forms for your IHIP (which you can use or not).

 

Our district has us come in each time one of our children reaches reportable age (6 by Dec.1). They want us to prove residency and show proof of the child's birth. (Because, we might *want* to fill out so much paperwork for a child who doesn't exist????????) They call it registration. We remind them that we are not registering. They tell us our child needs a number. We tell them s/he doesn't. We don't fill out any info they are not entitled to. We go home and return 2 years later with the next child.

 

So, no, do.not.register.for.public.school. Since they don't seem to know the law, I would send them a copy of the law highlighted regarding what you do need to do. If they complain ask them to show you exactly where in the law it tells you to do that. If they can't tell you, tell them it is important to you that you follow the law and do what it says.

 

You may also want to print a copy of the FAQs about the law. It says clearly that you don't have to register.

The school district is asking me to exactly what you mentioned. Are you saying you do fill out some of the paperwork they ask for with your proof of residency and birth certificate?

[freesia]

The school district is asking me to exactly what you mentioned. Are you saying you do fill out some of the paperwork they ask for with your proof of residency and birth certificate?

I send dh. He fills out only the parts of the paperwork that ask for info that they already have on the LOI. It's stupid and he doesn't have to do it, but he does. If they complain about him not filling it all out, he reminds them that the law doesn't require us to give that info.

[redsquirrel]

I got remarried two months ago. :D

 

As a result, we moved to a different district. I was a part of the same district for ten years.

When I moved here, two months before the end of school, I contacted the school and they

wanted me to enroll my kids for the last two months with them even though I was home schooling.

I talked to my previous district and they suggested I complete the school year with them.

I then called the school district that we just moved to back and they agreed. Why they didn't

suggest that in the beginning, I don't understand. Once I suggested it they did a 180 and said

that that is normally what they suggest anyways.

 

Now here is my question. I live in NY and this new district is telling me I have to

register my kids with the public school and then they will give me papers to submit

for home schooling and to do my IHIP and reports. I read the NYS guidelines and it says

you don't have to register.I asked my old town and they said no you don't have to register.

When I talked to the new district they said that they require it for testing reasons.

 

What is your opinion or thoughts?

 

You do NOT register with your home district etc. You send in your LOI and then your IHIP. If the school district is asking you to do more or submit more than they are allowed ask them to tell you specifically where in the NYS homeschool regs it says you have to do whatever it is they are asking you to do.

 

Some districts are more...comfortable, than others with homeschoolers. Some mistakenly believe they get to make up new rules or add on things just because. We have a smaller district here that literally did not believe that NY already has homeschool regs that they have to follow. The woman in charge of overseeing homeschoolers thought she could ask for anything she wanted. She was quite upset to find out that the state has already made requirements and she couldn't deviate from them.

 

However, be aware that your local oversite person may determine your end of year assessment method. That is up to the district. In my district the oversite person is perfectly comfortable with parents writing an end of year review in a non-testing year. Other districts may disallow that and make you either test every year or get a certified teacher to write a review of your kid. Most people in that situation just test. NY takes the PASS and CAT. Both may be administered by parents and are pretty simple to deal with. In fact, I find them so easy that I started testing both my kids every year. It was simpler than writing out a whole end of year assessment and it gave them some experience with testing. But I am not saying that is for everyone. I am just super lazy when it comes to paperwork.

 

So, know your regs and don't let them push you around, lol. If they ask for things that don't make sense ask for a specific citation of NY State homeschooling regs. You can be nice about it.  Just say something like "I am confused. I know you asked for copies of the table of contents of all my books, but I am not seeing where in the NY State regulations where that is required. Can you show me? I want to make sure I am following all the state regulations." ;) If they can't then you may need to let them know that it is not allowed. "New York State educational law and regulations do not allow you to ask me for that. I am not going to do that unless you can prove to me that it is required by law."

 

I don't understand how you could register for 'testing reasons' when they don't test your kid. You could ask them that, 'what testing reasons?" Now, they could be referring to a walk in registration to allow a homeschool student to take a regents exam, my son just did that for the Algebra test, but that was literally one day thing. But in NY, public schools do not 'test' the homeschool kids. Ask for specifics and examples of what they are talking about.

 

Good luck. It sounds like you are in a doozy of a district. I have found most of the time, these things are caused by ignorance. The person in the office just has no experience with homeschoolers and answers off the top of their head. And they keep trying to make your square peg fit in their round hole. They want you to register because as far as they know, everyone registers. Many, many people working for schools literally have no idea that there are entire sections of the state educational regs dealing with homeschoolers. They don't get to just make it up.