Question about IHIP & letter of compliance NY

[Maddysmom26]

 Okay so I just finally got a letter back from the homeschool coordinator.  ( Not from the PS it is a separate office in BOCES & they handle several schools )

 

 He basically said  that he found my IHIP to be  "minimally compliant" to the regulations. & that I need to include hours of instruction in the quarterly reports. ( Which I already knew this was in the paper work )

 

But he did not offer any reason for why he said that or offer any suggestions/changes.

 

 

 I don't feel we are doing the minimal work. She is quite busy with all subjects.

She also already has her language credit and an elective credit from 8th grade. We are covering every subject and she has an elective class.

 I only listed the main curriculum being used, not all the extra stuff we use and do.

 

We are in NY and I followed everything exactly as the regulations suggested.

 

Should I be worried that this is going to be an issue??

It really kind of bothered me.

:confused1:

Thanks!

[Starr]

Don't be worried, compliant is compliant. It doesn't matter how compliant. Write the hours near her name so it's easy for him to see. :D

[Myra]

Instead of meaning that the work/program/curriculum your daughter is doing is minimal, perhaps he meant the actual IHIP reporting form was written  "minimally compliant" in that it only gives the exact information as required by NY State regulations and not any extra "whistles and bells".  And, if so, great - You gave them what was legally needed.  I find it rather insulting (and by NY regs - illegal) that he even bothered to critique your IHIP as the state doesn't have the right to approve/disapprove of your instructional choices as long as the major subjects are completed by the end of grade twelve.   

 

So ignore the comment.  Follow the regs.  And have a great school year!

 

Myra

[Starr]

And at 16 you don't have to send in IHIPs. Your child can be a dropout. haha You can keep up records for college but don't need to send them in. So you never have to have everything completed. Only the rare superintendent will grant a ps diploma to a homeschooler .

[Jen in NY]

I'm not sure I would advise stopping reporting if your dc is still in high school .... and this is why.

 

In order to be a matriculated student in our local NY Community College, and therefore become eligible for financial aid and graduation, a student must have a high school diploma (or the equiv.). That means: The TASC (new GED), a super's letter, 5 regents, 24 credit hours from the CC (which you would have to pay full price for), or one other thing that I can't recall... lol... it may just be regular old high school graduation!

 

Anyway... nobody (that I know of) in my district has had a problem getting a letter from the super if they are compliant with the regs through graduation. Lots of other districts around are just as accommodating. It seems to me that the easiest way for my kids to get their HS equiv is just to get the letter... since there are no extra hoops to jump (exams, classes...etc) because I follow the regs.

 

I would check carefully before deciding to stop reporting.... to make sure you're not making extra work for your dc later.

 

Just my 2c. :)

 

 

 

 

[anne1456]

Yeah, I'd agree with Jen, don't stop reporting when they are 16.  I stopped reporting my oldest when she hit 16 and had to do 2 years of paperwork in one night when I realized I actually needed the superintendent's letter.  Luckily my district was accommodating and took the paperwork and gave me the letter even though the paperwork was years late, otherwise my daughter would have had to take the GED.  Around here all the districts will write the letter, so unless you know they won't keep reporting.  And "minimally compliant" is probably just a boilerplate phrase they stick in all the letters, don't worry about it.

[Starr]

You guys are so lucky. Our superintendent won't give anyone anything except the occasional student who follows the high school courses exactly, takes all the regent exams, and any other exams they can think of. 

[Jen in NY]

You guys are so lucky. Our superintendent won't give anyone anything except the occasional student who follows the high school courses exactly, takes all the regent exams, and any other exams they can think of. 

 

Ug! So sorry to hear that.

 

[Maddysmom26]

Thank you everyone for the advice ! I am definitely not going to stop reporting. Letting the comment go and moving forward! :driving:

 

 

I do have another question though.. When do you start making a transcript?  ( she already has a 2 hs credits) . Also do you send that in at the end of year? or just keep in your records and keep updating it every year?

 

Thanks

[Myra]

I agree that you should continue reporting throughout the high school years esp. if you child is heading for college.  I know that the state colleges wanted the super letter from us here in NY, but none of the private ones bothered.

 

 

Each year in high school, I sent a final year end narrative which included a short letter, transcript, and  stating that:   

XXXXX XXXXXXX

Grade XX

20XX – 20XX

 

 

Year End Narrative

 

 

Educational Statement

 

XXXX studies followed the Classical Educational Studies curriculum, which is characterized by a rich exposure to the history, art, and culture of Global Civilization, including its languages (Latin and Greek), its philosophy and literature, sciences, mathematics, and logic & rhetoric.

 

Course Work

 

XXXXXXX has successfully completed, and gone beyond, the New York State’s Department of Education’s requirements for the Grade XXXXX course of study. 

 

 

. 

 

I then attached a transcript for that school year along with a list of textbooks and short course descriptions for each subject

 

 

I didn't do this for the district per se, but rather it forced me every year to do this work so I'd have it up to date for colleges!  Also, when it came time for asking for the super letter of equivilency, I didn't need to submit any additionally paperwork and was just given the letter without any fuss.

 

 

 

Myra

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Maddysmom26]

I agree that you should continue reporting throughout the high school years esp. if you child is heading for college.  I know that the state colleges wanted the super letter from us here in NY, but none of the private ones bothered.

 

 

Each year in high school, I sent a final year end narrative which included a short letter, transcript, and  stating that:   

XXXXX XXXXXXX

Grade XX

20XX – 20XX

 

 

Year End Narrative

 

 

Educational Statement

 

XXXX studies followed the Classical Educational Studies curriculum, which is characterized by a rich exposure to the history, art, and culture of Global Civilization, including its languages (Latin and Greek), its philosophy and literature, sciences, mathematics, and logic & rhetoric.

 

Course Work

 

XXXXXXX has successfully completed, and gone beyond, the New York State’s Department of Education’s requirements for the Grade XXXXX course of study. 

 

 

. 

 

I then attached a transcript for that school year along with a list of textbooks and short course descriptions for each subject

 

 

I didn't do this for the district per se, but rather it forced me every year to do this work so I'd have it up to date for colleges!  Also, when it came time for asking for the super letter of equivilency, I didn't need to submit any additionally paperwork and was just given the letter without any fuss.

 

 

 

Myra

 

That's a good idea just to cover all bases and have everything together. Thank you! 

Just curious what did you use for making your transcripts? Also how did you do your grading? I am still trying to figure all this out! thanks

[Myra]

I used a generic transcript that others recommended here.  I think it was from Donna Young's website. I just did a yearly transcript for each year in high school then a four-year cumlative transcript for the end of the senior year and for the common ap.  Although most people here give grades, but I never gave any grades at all.  We also didn't take any outside courses or any APs. It seemed to work out okay for us.  The colleges offered merit scholarships based upon the courses we did, the common ap, and SAT scores.

 

Myra 

[Maddysmom26]

I'm not sure I would advise stopping reporting if your dc is still in high school .... and this is why.

 

In order to be a matriculated student in our local NY Community College, and therefore become eligible for financial aid and graduation, a student must have a high school diploma (or the equiv.). That means: The TASC (new GED), a super's letter, 5 regents, 24 credit hours from the CC (which you would have to pay full price for), or one other thing that I can't recall... lol... it may just be regular old high school graduation!

 

Anyway... nobody (that I know of) in my district has had a problem getting a letter from the super if they are compliant with the regs through graduation. Lots of other districts around are just as accommodating. It seems to me that the easiest way for my kids to get their HS equiv is just to get the letter... since there are no extra hoops to jump (exams, classes...etc) because I follow the regs.

 

I would check carefully before deciding to stop reporting.... to make sure you're not making extra work for your dc later.

 

Just my 2c. :)

 

Thanks Jen!

I am not going to stop reporting.

 

 

Question, for anyone.. My first quarterly report is creeping up at the end of this month I chose 11/30 to give us a little extra time for this quarter.  I am a little nervous as to exactly what I should put in this? Like he mentioned I must report hours but you do you all just put total hours required + or do you report hours for each class?

Should I just state what we covered for each class as far as chapters?

And also what about grades ??   Do you report a grade at each quarter or just in the final at the end of year. ?

 

Also I am not sure how to report for - PE,  ART and Nutrition etc.. we are just using various resources?

 

One other question..

I am going to be working on putting together her transcript and I am wondering how to add in her classes that she received  credit in 8th grade at PS for her language - french and a elective class she took ??

 

Thank you!! :)

[Jen in NY]

Hi Lindsay,

 

This is really a matter of personal preference, to some extent. Since we have always been a 'school at home' type family, I just put textbook titles and page numbers or chapter numbers, for the most part. I don't give a lot of extra info... I just say something like, "Chemistry" Chapters 1-3. Material included: atomic structure, periodicity, etc. The student made satisfactory progress in Chemistry. If we do anything extra I keep track of it for my own info and course descriptions for college apps.

 

If we are just using a hodgepodge of materials, I say something like: So and so spends approximately 1 hour per day studying Spanish. Resources include: Madrigal’s Magic Key to Spanish, Asi se Dice, Harry Potter y la piedra filosofal, and Iguana, a Spanish language magazine. So and so made satisfactory progress in Spanish.

 

There are many New Yorkers that would prefer not to give so much info, though. Maybe some of them will chime in, too. :) As a sort of personal protest (against what I am not sure....) I stopped 'evaluating' my kids for the Qreports. It seemed silly. We don't give tests, the kids just do the work we ask them to do and they do it well. We discuss things. It's all very subjective so I just say satisfactory for everything.

[Maddysmom26]

Hi Lindsay,

 

 

This is really a matter of personal preference, to some extent. Since we have always been a 'school at home' type family, I just put textbook titles and page numbers or chapter numbers, for the most part. I don't give a lot of extra info... I just say something like, "Chemistry" Chapters 1-3. Material included: atomic structure, periodicity, etc. The student made satisfactory progress in Chemistry. If we do anything extra I keep track of it for my own info and course descriptions for college apps.

 

If we are just using a hodgepodge of materials, I say something like: So and so spends approximately 1 hour per day studying Spanish. Resources include: Madrigal’s Magic Key to Spanish, Asi se Dice, Harry Potter y la piedra filosofal, and Iguana, a Spanish language magazine. So and so made satisfactory progress in Spanish.

 

There are many New Yorkers that would prefer not to give so much info, though. Maybe some of them will chime in, too. :) As a sort of personal protest (against what I am not sure....) I stopped 'evaluating' my kids for the Qreports. It seemed silly. We don't give tests, the kids just do the work we ask them to do and they do it well. We discuss things. It's all very subjective so I just say satisfactory for everything.

 

Great thanks so much for the helpful feedback Jen. I feel same way about the evaluation part, so do you just give a final grade at the end of the year than for the transcripts?