Guest tariqam Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 First time poster. I'm planning on homeschooling both of my teenage kids starting in the fall of 2015. We currently live in the Mclean, VA area and was wondering if any there any benefits to homeschooling in VA (Fairfax County or Arlington County) vs the District. We are prepared to relocate (we are renters so it's easy) if the benefits stack up. We are comfortable in Mclean but Arlington and DC may offer better access to events, resources and diversity. Any locality more homeschool friendly...Appreciate your thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 Have you gotten on the Homeschool Legal Defense Association website to compare homeschooling regs? You might also seek out local homeschooling groups in both areas and ask questions there. Plus that might give you an idea if there is a local group your kids and you might find interesting/fun/helpful to join. I'm just brainstorming some things you could be doing while you wait for a response. Hopefully someone with experience will respond. I lived in Fairfax County as a kid but I didn't homeschool so I'm not much help I'm afraid. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockhopper Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 Honestly there are so many great opportunities in the area that I don't think you can go wrong. Where you are, you're easy access to all the DC opportunities anyway and very few groups/opportunities/etc are strictly limited or defined by location. We are part of an American Girl book club/weekly field trip co-op and we have people from as far north as Reiserstown and as far south as near Quantico. Just depends on how much you're willing to travel! I only know one homeschool family who actually live in the District and their dd is small, so I'm not sure of the regulations there. I live in MD. I would prefer to live in VA or DC for homeschooling -- MD is a portfolio state, which I don't like, and has other restrictions I could do without (sports, etc.). Plus while there are LOTS of homeschoolers here, it all feels kinda disjointed, compared to the other states we've been in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalusignan Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 I know 1 family that home schools in DC and a lot that homeschool in NoVA. The biggest difference is that DC requires an annual portfolio and VA requires annual standardized testing. It's really a difference in what you prefer. You can look at all the regulations and compare differences at hslda.org. As far as opportunities, I think it's fairly even. There are a lot of groups in NoVA close to where you are or a short commute, but I'm sure if you lived in the district, there would also be many homeschool opportunities and educational experiences. Hope that helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 I haven't homeschooled in DC, but I have homeschooled in Virginia in three different school districts including in Arlington and Fairfax counties (and we'll be back in NOVA next year). If you lived in DC you would need to keep a portfolio in DC that would be reviewable upon request, but it's not a big deal since you just have to keep it for the year and they won't necessarily request anything. In Virginia you don't have to keep a portfolio, but you do need to test. We never actually tested there since we didn't stay in one place long enough to do so, but you don't have to score very high on those tests- something like the 23rd percentile. I think you need at least a high school diploma in both states and you might need to list the materials you'll be using. As we've homeschooled in many different places in the US and internationally, I've learned that the specific laws in one area matter much less than the neighborhood we're living in. I think you'd be fine homeschooling in either place and choose the neighborhood and house/apartment that works for you whether it's in DC or VA. I'd love to live in the district someday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 We have homeschooling friends and family in PA, MD, DC, and VA. Frankly VA is the easiest from my perspective. Some localities have their own forms, or you can use this one from VA Homeschoolers: http://vahomeschoolers.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/NOI_form.pdf. Then you provide a list of classes (i.e. Algebra I, Modern Literature with Composition, Biology, etc.) for each kid. At the end of the school year you provide test scores. In VA, you can use the PSAT, ACT, or SAT taken any time during the school year, or you can test them yourselves using a nationally-normed test. Many like dealing with Seton Testing: http://www.setontesting.com/. That said, I'd pick based on where you want to live if it came between DC and VA, because both are pretty hands-off. I have several friends in DC, and only one ever had to show the portfolio, and only a single time. From what I've heard, they're pretty hands-off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 DC is the easiest of all the three options here legally speaking. I wouldn't listen to anyone posting who has only read the laws - they don't know the DC one. I live in DC, I have friends in VA and MD. DC's law *looks* like Maryland's. However, it is, for all intents and purposes, notification only. No one - seriously, it's a very small community, and no one that I know, no one that they know, no one that any of us in DCHEA have heard about, no one at all - has been reviewed under the law ever. So if they've used it to review anyone, it was someone completely detached from every other homeschooler. And I'm pretty sure they haven't even done that. The bureaucrats didn't want this law, the state board doesn't care much about us, in part because there are so few of us and in part because they have bigger fish to fry. Of course, Virginia's laws are also very simple - you just have to do standardized testing every year. There are more homeschoolers in Virginia. If community is important to you, you should head there - there are more in Alexandria, Arlington, etc. as well as much farther out. Virginia has a stronger statewide organization, more co-ops, etc. If you're interested in being close to the vast resources of DC, then I do think close in is better - either in the city or in one of the close in suburbs like Alexandria or Arlington (or Takoma Park or Silver Spring or College Park or Bethesda, etc. in Maryland). When I have known people who live farther out, they tend to come to the museums a few times a year if that. People who live nearby use the resources more. Being near the metro is a huge boost if you want to really take advantage of the city resources. I find it very useful living walking distance from the metro - it means we can always choose to avoid the parking issues downtown. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 DC is the easiest of all the three options here legally speaking. I wouldn't listen to anyone posting who has only read the laws - they don't know the DC one. I live in DC, I have friends in VA and MD. DC's law *looks* like Maryland's. However, it is, for all intents and purposes, notification only. No one - seriously, it's a very small community, and no one that I know, no one that they know, no one that any of us in DCHEA have heard about, no one at all - has been reviewed under the law ever. So if they've used it to review anyone, it was someone completely detached from every other homeschooler. And I'm pretty sure they haven't even done that. The bureaucrats didn't want this law, the state board doesn't care much about us, in part because there are so few of us and in part because they have bigger fish to fry. Yes, I've always suspected that there was some backstory to the DC person who had to bring a portfolio. Definitely the "lone wolf," do-it-my-own way type of person. They may have stirred up the waters too much somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tariqam Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 Very helpful feedback everyone! Really appreciate all your insight and has given me a jump start to my research/decision making. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 Actually, you do not need to test in VA. Here is what you can do if you do not want to test. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 Yes, I've always suspected that there was some backstory to the DC person who had to bring a portfolio. Definitely the "lone wolf," do-it-my-own way type of person. They may have stirred up the waters too much somewhere. I'm pretty sure if there's a CPS investigation and you homeschool, it will trigger a review. I'm also pretty sure at this point that that's the only thing that will trigger a review. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 Actually, you do not need to test in VA. Here is what you can do if you do not want to test. Of course, I forgot about that. Testing is the most common option, but not the only one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 Honestly, all three places there are easy. I've homeschooled in MD and VA. The district I was in in MD we have a "review" by mail in the fall (literally checking a box saying I was following the law) and in person or on the phone in the spring. I did the CAT-E Survey in VA. Super easy and they only want 24th percentile or higher (or progress - I do know of a couple cases of lower percentiles that were accepted because it showed progress). DC is essentially just notification. I'm in TX (where we do nothing) now and I still keep a portfolio for my kids to have for themselves so DC wouldn't be much different for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 I'm pretty sure if there's a CPS investigation and you homeschool, it will trigger a review. I'm also pretty sure at this point that that's the only thing that will trigger a review. That sounds probable in the case I'm aware of. Enough said. For the OP, the vast majority of homeschoolers never, ever have any problems homeschooling. Contrary to what some may lead you to believe, most local governments leave us completely alone. The local lady who handles my paperwork says that it takes all of a minute for her to scan the materials for each kid to make sure that everything is there, and then she updates her records and generates the "OK" letter. They really don't dig deep at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 Actually, you do not need to test in VA. Here is what you can do if you do not want to test. Yes, you do not need to test. I've homeschooled in VA (NoVA) for 7 years and only tested one of those. The other years we do the letter of evaluation. One thing I didn't realize when we started out was the evaluator does not have to be somehow approved or special. Anyone with a master's degree in an "academic subject" or a current teaching license can do the evaluation. There are oodles of evaluators that advertise on the various homeschool newsletters and groups but it's also fairly easy to find someone who meets the qualifications. I've had a good friend who is a teacher do it for us most years. Super easy. Personally, I would go with what makes the most sense for the rest of your life. Where is your job? Your church? Your friends? Traffic being what it is, I think it always makes sense around here to center your life in one area. You can always go on field trips downtown but if you are having to deal with a longer commute every day that might not be something you want on a day to day basis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 I can't speak to DC, but Virginia is a very easy state in which to homeschool. You send a letter of intent with a list of subjects you are going to teach, and then you start homeschooling. A standardized test or evaluation is required of most each year, but the test is parent choice, and can be administered by the parent in the home. If you homeschool for religious reasons, you can file to homeschool under the religious exemption law, and then you don't have to have contact with the school district ever again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Very helpful feedback everyone! Really appreciate all your insight and has given me a jump start to my research/decision making. Thank you. Good luck, OP! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventuresinHomeschooling Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Virginia was fairly easy. My son did the test online, but I also had the option of a portfolio review. The religious exemption is more intense, imo. Not sure of DC, but I know VA was easier than MD according to some friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terabith Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 I wouldn't move for the express purpose of easier homeschooling, even if it was a lot easier/ less regulated. Moving is a pain in the butt!!! And DC is very expensive to live in. That said, I think either one would be fine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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