One more question for VA homeschoolers

[TravelingChris]

What do you put down for the required list of books or how you teach a subject? What do I do when a course I am designing is in transition?

 

My younger is easy- she is doing Calvert School 6 with calvert School Math 7 and Life of Fred. We also do La Clase Divertida if we find the DVD.

 

My older is harder- this semester she is doing Life of Fred geometry, The Road to The Last Great Hope American History, BJU Chemistry, BJU Spanish 2, Hewitt Lightning Lit American Literature. Her last class next semester will be an elective we will decide after we move to VA and figure out what classes and activities they can do.

[Tess in the Burbs]

I simply say:

 

Description of curriculum:

We plan to educate our children to their grade level or above, by following their interests in reading, writing, grammar, spelling, math, science, history, latin, art, music and other subjects. We reserve the right to change any and all methods and materials in order to meet our children's needs, as the year progresses.

 

 

this has been approved for two years now in my district. so I wouldn't get specific. list subjects. it's really all they want to know.

[Mama Lynx]

I wrote something like this:

 

For 7th grade this year, (Athos) will be studying Algebra 1, Latin I, and beginning Koine Greek. He will be studying grammar and composition through an integrated language arts program. He will study world history from 1650-1850, with a special emphasis on American history and Virginia history. He will read literature from this time period of history, as well as selections from ancient literature. He will study physics, engineering, computer programming, physical education, drawing, and music, through a combination of classes and self-study. We will make extensive use of field trips to enhance our study of history, science, and the arts.

 

And now, I think I said too much. Next year I will write less. Plus, it turns out that we're still doing pre-algebra.

 

But I certainly don't plan to get any more specific than this. I will not list particular books or programs, because I reserve the right to change those as I see fit.

[Old Dominion Heather]

I simply say:

 

Description of curriculum:

We plan to educate our children to their grade level or above, by following their interests in reading, writing, grammar, spelling, math, science, history, latin, art, music and other subjects. We reserve the right to change any and all methods and materials in order to meet our children's needs, as the year progresses.

 

 

this has been approved for two years now in my district. so I wouldn't get specific. list subjects. it's really all they want to know.

 

I got turned down in my city when I did not provide texts. I had to send in a more explicit description. So, it really depends on your county. When you move, you have a certain # of days to file. Wait til you move and then find out from other HS people in that county how much info you need to provide.

 

What Tess says above would work fine for my HS friends who live 10 minutes away in the next county.

[GSMP]

All we do is list the subjects each child will be doing and the name of the book.

 

Here is a copy of what we have sent in for the past 4 years. This is all that is required...........

 

*********************************************************

 

 

Dr. Steven L. Walts

Superintendent,

Prince William County Public Schools

PO Box 389Manassas, VA 20108-0389

EVIDENCE OF ACHIEVEMENT

 

Enclosed, please find the results from the California Achievement Test for my children. Please note that in all tested areas, their scores were at or above the national average.

 

NOTICE OF INTENT TO PROVIDE HOME INSTRUCTION FOR 2008-09

 

I am providing this notice of my intent to provide home instruction for the children listed below as provided for by Section 22.1-254.1 of the Code of Virginia (1950) as amended, in lieu of having them attend school.

 

NAME OF CHILD DATE OF BIRTH GRADE LEVEL

Colleen E. Porter Nov 15th, 1993 9th

Charles R. Porter Oct 29th, 1995 6th

Robert R. Porter May 3rd, 1997 5th

 

I am eligible to provide home instruction as I have a baccalaureate degree from George Mason University. You should already have a copy of my degree certificate on file. If you need a replacement copy, please let me know.

 

We have purchased complete course curriculum for the core subject areas. We will be using the following curriculum:

Latin Bridge to Grammar

WordSmith writing (5th & 6th grades)

WriteShop writing (9th grade)

Total Language Plus (9th grade)

Saxon math (65 for 5th grade, and Pre-Algebra for 7th grade)

VideoText Interactive Algebra (9th grade)

Mystery of History (5th & 6th grade)

Apologia Science

 

All three children will be learning Spanish with ‘Rosetta Stone’ software and ‘La Classe Divertida’ video program.

 

I understand that by August 1 of next year, I must provide evidence of educational achievement as prescribed in Section 22.1-254.1 of the Code of Virginia, which defines the requirements for home instruction.

 

I hereby certify that I am the parent of the children listed above.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Charles R. Porter

 

 

******************************************************

 

We have never had an issue. If they have questions they will send you a letter but do not give more than the law requires.

[Mama Lynx]

I got turned down in my city when I did not provide texts. I had to send in a more explicit description. So, it really depends on your county. When you move, you have a certain # of days to file. Wait til you move and then find out from other HS people in that county how much info you need to provide.

 

What Tess says above would work fine for my HS friends who live 10 minutes away in the next county.

 

 

But all we're doing is giving the state our notice, not asking their permission ... it was my understanding that the law doesn't require us to give more info? I haven't gotten my acknowledgment from the county yet.

 

What did they say they'd do if you didn't give a more explicit description?

[GSMP]

At the time we sent the letter in that was what we were doing. Several of the subjects have changed in regard to the material being used but we do not need to notify of any changes.

 

This is to the Prince William County School Board.

[VaKim]

But all we're doing is giving the state our notice, not asking their permission ... it was my understanding that the law doesn't require us to give more info? I haven't gotten my acknowledgment from the county yet.

 

What did they say they'd do if you didn't give a more explicit description?

 

Right. Virginia is a notification state, not an approval state. And we only do what the law requires, not a bit more. There is really nothing they can do about it but threaten you. The problem is, so many do not know the law. Even the school boards and superintendents don't. Especially them, actually.

[G5052]

I list the math program, grammar program, writing program, spelling program (only for my younger one now), and then say "reading will be selected to coordinate with our science and history studies. I do one sentence for each child.

 

By law, Virginia only requires math and language arts as subjects, so that's all I give them. That's what I've done from the beginning, and they've always acknowledged my records as being complete (my county nicely sends out letters to that effect). Trust me, they'll spend all of five seconds looking at it, and then it will be filed unless it's incomplete and they have to contact you. Note that they don't "approve," they just make sure that everything is there. If you change your mind mid-year on something, you don't have to notify them either.

[iquilt]

Mine looked almost exactly like GSMP's did above, except that I only report 1 child so far; others are too young for the state standards for the NOI. This year they sent me a letter that I'll be teaching my child only math and language even though I listed science, history and art. Our city is overwhelmed with homeschoolers so I'm surprised I received any information from them at all this early in the year.

[hsmamainva]

I list my name and address, my children's names and birthdates, and their grade levels.

 

Then I'll list something like:

 

English - Smarr's Introduction to Literature

Math - Teaching Textbooks Algebra I

 

etc. etc. etc. for each of my children.

 

I've never had a problem and this is our 4th year homeschooling in Virginia (we homeschooled in Maryland for nearly 10 years prior to this..and that state was harder, because they had curriculum reviews twice a year where they actually looked at your curriculum to see that it was completed and covered the same topics that are covered in the public schools)

[Nestof3]

My pdf files which I sent in can be downloaded here:

 

http://www.savefile.com/projects/808665756