rose Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I'm not intending to do this. I'm asking more curiosity then anything. In what states could you easily get away with flying under the radar and not comply with state laws. I'm thinking that in some places you probably have to register with the local school which would make flying under the radar schooling difficult in a small town. The school officials would notice you and know that you hadn't registered. Other area would be much easier to go unnoticed. In BC no one would ever know if you didn't register (we do anyways). So what states do you know about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laundrycrisis Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Illinois. No registration, no testing, reporting, portfolio, anything. Unless someone starts a truancy investigation on you, there is no requirement to ever demonstrate that you are in compliance with the law. In writing, the law requires us to provide an education that is at least equal to what a public school would provide, However it is very rare for anyone in IL to ever have to prove that they are doing that. I keep records, and I encourage others to keep records, because you never know when you might need them. But I have known of a lot of people who don't do anything structured, and don't keep any records at all. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Ca. When we moved here, the Rachel Long case was just breaking. We lived here for 9 months before we filed our affidavit. I didn't want to get on the state's radar until I knew how that case was going to shake out. It would be nothing to stay off the grid here. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 In Scotland, if your children have never been in school, you don't need to tell anyone. If someone brings you to the authorities' notice, they might make contact with you, but you don't have a duty to contact them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sk8ermaiden Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Texas. Since my DD has never been to school, I don't have to do anything. If she had been to school and been pulled out, I would have had to send a letter. Technically we are supposed to provide a "bonafide" education in certain subjects, but there are no parameters spelled out for that, and they only ever ask for proof if you're being investigated for serious reasons. Like that family that just totally stopped educating their million kids because the end times were coming so what does it matter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 NC, they have plenty of requirements but the state agency that oversees HSing is so understaffed that you'd very likely get away with not registering for quite awhile(at least the first year). Or if you did register but didn't test they'd most likely not bother you.....that was my experience for the 3 years we lived there, things may be different now? There are several states where you don't have to register, like Indiana but not sure if that's what you're looking for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItoLina Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Hawaii. Tons of people do it here. As long as your kid has never been in the school system it's really easy to do. Though, even being official here is as simple as turning in a letter saying "I am homeschooling". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 New Jersey, Indiana, Oklahoma, Michigan, Idaho, Missouri, Texas, all of which require no contact with school officials at all. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Illinois. No registration, no testing, reporting, portfolio, anything. Unless someone starts a truancy investigation on you, there is no requirement to ever demonstrate that you are in compliance with the law. In writing, the law requires us to provide an education that is at least equal to what a public school would provide, However it is very rare for anyone in IL to ever have to prove that they are doing that. I keep records, and I encourage others to keep records, because you never know when you might need them. But I have known of a lot of people who don't do anything structured, and don't keep any records at all. :iagree: Be aware that even a false DCFS/CPS call means you need to show what you have done, though. There was a bit of a witch hunt here several years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Ca. When we moved here, the Rachel Long case was just breaking. We lived here for 9 months before we filed our affidavit. I didn't want to get on the state's radar until I knew how that case was going to shake out. It would be nothing to stay off the grid here. I agree with CA. Even in a small town, I doubt anyone would check the state database to make sure their neighbors have filed a private school affidavit. One year it slipped my mind until spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rzberrymom Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Oregon. Almost every homeschooler I know is under the radar (and there are a LOT here) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmseB Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 So, I thought by stealth homeschooling was "don't register or file anything even though the state tells you to". Wouldn't this be possible in any state unless/until someone reports you? Even in a high-reg state, if your kid has never been in the school system and you don't file it's not like they are going to come looking for you, right? 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 New Jersey. We do not register here. We do not test, we do not keep attendance records, we do not have evaluations or portfolios, we do not sign anything at all, we meet with no one, we turn in nothing. We just do what we do. There is no radar to fly under. We've been homeschooling here for years and I'm not sure anyone knows our children exist. While I have some mixed feelings about some aspects of that, in the end, I do like it that way. Having said that, we do keep records and we do diligently home educate our children. You just never know what you might have to substantiate, so those records (and completed work that leaves a paper trail) give me some peace of mind. I do know plenty of homeschoolers here who don't seem to see the need to keep records, but for me, these are essential to homeschooling in peace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbgrace Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 oops. Someone already posted my information. Those states whose laws don't require registration or submitting records/testing reports with any agency at all are my personal ideal. You're completely off the radar and yet legal at the same time. I can see why people don't consider that stealth though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 So, I thought by stealth homeschooling was "don't register or file anything even though the state tells you to". Wouldn't this be possible in any state unless/until someone reports you? Even in a high-reg state, if your kid has never been in the school system and you don't file it's not like they are going to come looking for you, right? I suppose in theory, that would be true in PA, but in reality, I think they'd come looking for you. Every year my children have been five, they have sent me the standard kindergarten registration packet (and it's been addressed to the Parent of FirstNameOfChild LastNameOfChild, so it's not a generic thing they send to everyone every spring). Somehow they know my child exists. I'd say it's because of birth certificate/SSN registration, but they knew for my child who wasn't born in this state. So between tax filing or census or something, they do know who lives in my house and how old they are. They expect to get a registration packet back for my child, or they expect me to call and tell them that we aren't registering said child; I think if they got nothing from me, not even a call, they'd very possibly come looking for me. (I mean, I hope they'd not bother because kindergarten isn't mandatory, and surely they have better use for their funds, but who knows?) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Girls' Mom Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 We moved in and back out of Texas without the state even knowing our kids existed. Can't get much more under the radar than that I suppose. You *might* be able to do it in TN if you moved here from out of state. But the rules aren't hard or unfair, so I don't see why one would bother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HelenNotOfTroy Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 One of the options in Florida is to register with a private "umbrella" school, so not everyone homeschooling is registered with their county and it would be easy to fly under the radar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purpleowl Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 So, I thought by stealth homeschooling was "don't register or file anything even though the state tells you to". Wouldn't this be possible in any state unless/until someone reports you? Even in a high-reg state, if your kid has never been in the school system and you don't file it's not like they are going to come looking for you, right? That's what I was thinking. I'm in Florida, all of my kids born here, and I never heard anything from my district until after I had registered my child as a homeschooler for her K year (her birth date meant that K was compulsory for her). If I just...didn't? I don't know that anything would happen unless our family were to be under investigation for some reason. I mean, presumably I could have enrolled my kid in a private b&m school, or chosen the umbrella option like someone else mentioned. However, it makes sense to me to comply with the laws we have (which are not terribly burdensome!) so that no one feels the need to enact more laws that could be quite burdensome. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Even in a small town of a regulated state I doubt anyone would check the records if you didn't say anything. Everyone would assume you sent your records in. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 :iagree: Be aware that even a false DCFS/CPS call means you need to show what you have done, though. There was a bit of a witch hunt here several years ago. In IL, DCFS is not supposed to get involved in truancy/educational neglect cases. They can only deal with abuse and neglect. It is the role of the truant officer to investigate and enforce any sanctions. If someone does report you to the board of education, you do have to provide proof that you are educating your child according to state laws. In most cases, a letter to the local board of education or school superintendent assuring that you are following the law is enough to get authorities off your back. However, there were cases several years ago in some counties where the authorities were seriously over-stepping their bounds (truancy officer bringing armed police officers to intimidate homeschoolers who were complying with the law.) I know that HSLDA did send letters to get it stopped, but there were families who were planning on filing suit at this gross misuse of authority. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 In IL, DCFS is not supposed to get involved in truancy/educational neglect cases. They can only deal with abuse and neglect. It is the role of the truant officer to investigate and enforce any sanctions. If someone does report you to the board of education, you do have to provide proof that you are educating your child according to state laws. In most cases, a letter to the local board of education or school superintendent assuring that you are following the law is enough to get authorities off your back. However, there were cases several years ago in some counties where the authorities were seriously over-stepping their bounds (truancy officer bringing armed police officers to intimidate homeschoolers who were complying with the law.) I know that HSLDA did send letters to get it stopped, but there were families who were planning on filing suit at this gross misuse of authority. I remember that. It was DCFS that showed up to our door for trumped up charges (that were dropped immediately when they saw just how ridiculous the charge was), but as part of their investigation (not related) they insisted on seeing all of our homeschool materials and work. There was at least one other family that I *know* had the same thing happen. They saw our work and were satisfied, so that wasn't an issue, but I am glad I kept some things around that aren't required by law. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 In states like Texas where you are not required by law to do anything, there is no "stealth" involved at all in not doing anything. In states where you are required by law to do something, and you don't do it, that's not really stealth either. It's breaking the law. You can DO IT but it's a choice you make. You aren't stealth-driving if you go 80 mph where you know the posted speed limit is 35. **Note I am not making any ethical judgements here. I didn't realize I was in the window to register with my state last year until almost too late. A friend of mine was really concerned that I get everything done on time...and I did...but if I hadn't, I wouldn't have worried about it at all. It's extremely low on my list of priorities. Yeah, I was going to come back to correct my comments, because you're right. ::face palm:: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 New Jersey, Indiana, Oklahoma, Michigan, Idaho, Missouri, Texas, all of which require no contact with school officials at all. ETA: Yeah, you know what? Those aren't stealth situations. There are just no requirements. Stealth would be not sending in your paperwork in New York or PA, or seeking approval in MA. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 In states like Texas where you are not required by law to do anything, there is no "stealth" involved at all in not doing anything. Missouri is another one of these. There is nothing required to be turned into the state ever. No filing. No telling them that you are homeschooling. No one need ever know unless your kids are in public school, in which case you have to withdraw them so they aren' t considered truant. You do have to keep some records, but you only have to show them to the prosecuting attorney's office if they are bringing charges of educational neglect against you. This is a very, very rare thing, however I wouldn't risk not having the records on hand "just in case". That said, I know many families here who don't keep records at all. They just don't bother since they don't get turned in. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 You have to file any paperwork at all to homeschool in Missouri or Iowa (under one of the new homeschooling choices). (If you want to have your kids involved in certain public school things in Iowa, you do need to file paperwork, I believe.) So, I thought by stealth homeschooling was "don't register or file anything even though the state tells you to". Wouldn't this be possible in any state unless/until someone reports you? Even in a high-reg state, if your kid has never been in the school system and you don't file it's not like they are going to come looking for you, right? So, I live in a small town in farm country. Everyone knows everyone else's business. In such a situation, it would be possible for someone to turn you in for truancy if there was paperwork that needed to be filed (with local school or school district) & it wasn't. You neighbor could be the superintendent or on the local school board and not like your family. :coolgleamA: With paperwork that is only filed at the state level (Kansas, Nebraska), you could definitely fly under the radar until/unless someone reports you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I remember that HSLDA encouraged us to stealth homschool when we moved from IL to PA. They were in the middle of another case and were trying to get others to be part of a stealth group. Yeah, I was NOT placing my family in that position. We dropped HSLDA and we registered, kept records, and saw an evaluator every year. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 You can do it anywhere, but it depends on both the laws and your risk of getting caught. I live in what HSLDA calls a "moderate regulation" state, and I know probably half a dozen families that could be called "unregistered" because they have never, ever made contact with the county. State laws require annual notification and testing. To me, that's reasonable, but some feel differently. The reality is that the police have far more bigger fish to fry than tracking down unregistered homeschoolers. It has come up in relation to child neglect, but friends with the county police and county schools have told me that there has never been a case of going after someone solely for being unregistered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Long-term stealth homeschooling could get complicated in some places, depending on your lifestyle. I think it usually wouldn't though unless you were doing other sketchy things. But short-term? I haven't followed every regulation in every state we've lived in. Usually that's because I'm not going to bother registering with a new school district when we move mid-year within the same state and I've never tested at the end of the year when I know we're moving before the next school year starts. I've never lived somewhere that required anything more than notifying and testing, but if I did, I really doubt I'd bother submitting end-of-year records if we were only in the state for one school year or less. That's not really stealth homeschooling though, it's just that I am tired of the rules changing all the time. I didn't follow the education laws at all in Kyrgyzstan, but a lot of people didn't either. I haven't worried about it here in Mexico. But that's not really stealth homeschooling either since I'm not trying to be sneaky. Kyrgyzstan doesn't allow homeschooling and doesn't have the resources to make sure all children attend school. Mexico allows homeschooling but I have no idea what the local laws are. I'm not a very exemplary expat. I promise I am educating my children no matter what the local laws are. Sometimes it makes me nervous that it's so easy to ignore the laws. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I suppose if you were willing to break the law, you could fly under the radar anywhere. I know people who were flying or have flown under the radar in both MD and VA. There are definitely reporting laws in those states, but they chose not to follow them. They were never caught. Military members and others who move a lot seem to have the easiest time flying under the radar since they will be moved on to another place in a couple or three years anyway. Place like in Texas where there are no reporting requirements, it isn't stealth or flying under the radar. You *are* complying with the laws. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purpleowl Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 "Stealth" is defined here as "secret, clandestine, or surreptitious procedure." I think you could be a "stealth" homeschooler - secretly homeschooling, no one knows about it - legally in some places (e.g. Texas) and illegally in others (e.g. Pennsylvania). I don't think calling it "stealth" homeschooling means it is or isn't legal, just that it's not known (perhaps by the local authorities). I think there's an element of sneakiness in anything "stealth," which is why it doesn't actually feel stealth in places where you don't legally have to let anyone know. Or we could just agree that afterschooling is stealth homeschooling. ;) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThursdayNext Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Talking about not letting the government know what you're doing... I knew a couple families back in the day in Montana who did not send in a declaration of intent. Their children did not have social security numbers so the government wouldn't find them. Those were some real off the grid homesteaders. Paranoia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love_to_Read Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I can't imagine. I'm shocked that HSLDA would encourage anyone to do such. I did know a family who was investigated by CPS for truancy in a high reg. state because the new secretary in the district *thought* they had missed a deadline for which they were actually in compliance. They still came out to her house and made a full investigation of the home, checking all the standard things in an abuse investigation such as food in the cupboards, sleeping arrangements, discipline, interviewing the kids, etc. *Most* districts in the area will just send you a postcard asking for late paperwork, reminding you that a call could be made if no action is taken, but it most certainly is CPS who gets called for truancy here. Perhaps that varies by state.I've heard of special needs parents flying under the radar in a high reg state by filing regular paperwork but not ever having their child's disability formally diagnosed and therefore never filing the extra paperwork required for special needs homeschooling, but I don't know anyone that intentionally stays any further off the grid than that. Personally, I think having a dx is worth the extra paperwork, and affords you some protection anyhow, should your child fail the standardized testing or have a portfolio that isn't quite up to grade level or such, so that manner of stealth homeschooling boggles my mind, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I've heard of people doing it here in DC and I'm sure it's very easy. I think in MD, like PA, they would likely come looking for you. However, the law is so easy to comply with here that it makes no sense. I think people who don't just comply are putting people like me at risk so I really hope no one is encouraged to do it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmseB Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I suppose in theory, that would be true in PA, but in reality, I think they'd come looking for you. Every year my children have been five, they have sent me the standard kindergarten registration packet (and it's been addressed to the Parent of FirstNameOfChild LastNameOfChild, so it's not a generic thing they send to everyone every spring). Somehow they know my child exists. I'd say it's because of birth certificate/SSN registration, but they knew for my child who wasn't born in this state. So between tax filing or census or something, they do know who lives in my house and how old they are. They expect to get a registration packet back for my child, or they expect me to call and tell them that we aren't registering said child; I think if they got nothing from me, not even a call, they'd very possibly come looking for me. (I mean, I hope they'd not bother because kindergarten isn't mandatory, and surely they have better use for their funds, but who knows?) Wow, that's interesting. We move a lot and I've never gotten anything from the kids' birth states or any of the states we've lived in. That would sort of creep me out a little because it would have to be so specific to a certain elementary school (for registration paperwork) that there would be any number of reasons why a kid wouldn't go to that particular school (homeschooling, private school, an out of state move, or even an out of that particular district move) and it almost seems like the state of PA in that case, or the school district, or even the school, is requiring that you notify them of your specific circumstances as to why you wouldn't be sending your kids to a certain school. And wait, kindy isn't even mandatory and they are expecting you to call in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmseB Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Thinking of situations of people reporting someone for homeschooling, that also seems really strange to me. I've told tons of people we are homeschooling (like when we're out and about during the day when other kids are in school) and it didn't even occur to me that any of them would call the state on me. Most people don't even bat an eye, or they ask a few questions, but I've never had anyone be suspicious or mean about it to the point I thought I was going to get some kind of visit from a truancy officer. Maybe I've just been fortunate? ETA: And I'm not worried about it because I have all my paperwork in order, it just seems weird that someone would do that unless there was some kind of concern for my kids' education. Which seems sort of unfathomable when we're out on a Monday afternoon at the library checking out 50 million books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I'm not intending to do this. I'm asking more curiosity then anything. In what states could you easily get away with flying under the radar and not comply with state laws. I'm thinking that in some places you probably have to register with the local school which would make flying under the radar schooling difficult in a small town. The school officials would notice you and know that you hadn't registered. Other area would be much easier to go unnoticed. In BC no one would ever know if you didn't register (we do anyways). So what states do you know about? Generally, in my experience, what you're referring to is called "underground homeschooling" or, as you said, "flying under the radar" (though that could also refer to compliance in a very vanilla way so as to avoid raising red flags). I've never heard it called it "stealth" anything, and some of the underground families I've known have been anything but stealthy about it! I've known quite a few families over the years who have been underground, in several high-regulation states. In some cases, it's a specific choice for religious/political reasons. In others, mom is just busy with kids and hasn't gotten around to doing the paperwork. Some have sustained it for many years; for others it's been a short-term thing. In my observation, it gets tricky around the high school years, when some opportunities require external verification of schooling. Generally, those who go legal voluntarily get a stern talking-to from the district secretary and no other consequences. Those whose underground status comes to light as part of CPS involvement don't always fare as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 In Virginia, you can claim a religious exemption and then are exempt from all other regulations. Some people truly have a "sincere religious conviction against sending their child to school" (as is stated in the code). I know many others who openly state that they claim the religious exemption to avoid all other regulations but that don't truly have that religious conviction. It's legal but I think also sort of what you are talking about. A way of flying under the radar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 I'm guessing that you could do this in WA. You have to file an "intent to homeschool" document with the local district, but if you didn't, and your children had never been enrolled in a PS, I'm guessing that they would never know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Wow, that's interesting. We move a lot and I've never gotten anything from the kids' birth states or any of the states we've lived in. That would sort of creep me out a little because it would have to be so specific to a certain elementary school (for registration paperwork) that there would be any number of reasons why a kid wouldn't go to that particular school (homeschooling, private school, an out of state move, or even an out of that particular district move) and it almost seems like the state of PA in that case, or the school district, or even the school, is requiring that you notify them of your specific circumstances as to why you wouldn't be sending your kids to a certain school. And wait, kindy isn't even mandatory and they are expecting you to call in? I don't know what would happen if I didn't call them. There ARE a lot of reasons why a child wouldn't attend the elementary school for my township. In theory, I suppose I don't have to let them know because K isn't mandatory, but I do just take a second to call them quickly to let them know my child won't be attending their school, mainly just to keep them from bugging me again. The less I have to be on anyone's radar, the better. I suppose someone sending their child to a private school would call to let the school know as well, just to keep the school off their backs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Some have sustained it for many years; for others it's been a short-term thing. In my observation, it gets tricky around the high school years, when some opportunities require external verification of schooling. Generally, those who go legal voluntarily get a stern talking-to from the district secretary and no other consequences. Those whose underground status comes to light as part of CPS involvement don't always fare as well. Yes, no dual enrollment here unless you can provide the letter from the county that you're a registered homeschooler. That has tripped some up, although they get around it by just graduating their kid on paper and doing a lighter community college loan for a few years while they mature a little bit. The lady who processes in our county has all of the special programs. She told me that she's so busy that she handles what she knows and doesn't worry about what she doesn't know (almost her exact words). The judges are indeed hard on CPS cases where being an unregistered homeschooler is part of the case. Basically that's the end of homeschooling, period. Even if the CPS issues are cleared, they're going to order that the kids be registered in school and put on "truancy watch" for several years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rose Posted August 24, 2015 Author Share Posted August 24, 2015 I'm guessing that you could do this in WA. You have to file an "intent to homeschool" document with the local district, but if you didn't, and your children had never been enrolled in a PS, I'm guessing that they would never know. I've got a question about WA in particular. If you lived in a small town and your family was fairly distinct (ie. big family with girls in dresses and covers) do you think that someone with the local district would be likely to notice that you hadn't sent in the "intent to homeschool" document or does it get filed by someone far enough upstream for it not to be too noticeable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laundrycrisis Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 There are people in IL who are stealth not-schooling. They don't believe the equivalent education is important, and nobody is making them prove they are educating, so they do whatever they feel like and call it good. They are probably not in compliance with the law, and if they find themselves in a situation needing to provide proof of the equivalent education, they are going to have a very hard time. It isn't likely to come up though, so IL is an easy state for stealth non-compliance. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 I know a few people who have done so in TN until high school. In elementary, I think the assumption usually is that you're registered, just not with them. For high school, though, the "not bothering to register" folks seem to scramble to do so. I don't know of anyone who has stayed underground through high school. I also know people who have been registered and just didn't get around to it in a year. The cover schools do submit a list of "no longer registered", but usually nothing comes of it unless you end up in court for some reason (divorce, legal issues, CPS), in which case it looks bad. I suspect the local districts don't bother to track down who didn't re-register vs who transferred to schools but didn't get records requested unless there's some reason. Again, they seem to end up registering somewhere when the oldest child reaches high school. I don't know what would happen if you've never registered or had a gap in registration and then chose to send the child/children to PS. I know that if you don't register your child for K and send them to school at 6, they'll put them in kindergarten, because DD10 had a K classmate who turned 7 in September who had been homeschooled, but not registered. I kind of doubt they'd make a child too much older than that start in K, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Strawberry Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Louisiana requires yearly registration, but there is no follow up. I know not everyone registers every year, and certainly not within 30 days as is required. Arizona requires a one time registration. Again, no follow up. In both states, it would be easy to simply not register. My neighbors know that we homeschool because I didn't want them to get suspicious when they were clearly not attending school. But they have no way of knowing if we have filed our paperwork or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimm Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Missouri it would be easy. We're supposed to keep records but no one checks. The public school didn't even know my kids existed till I decided to register one of them for school. On the other hand... I just saw a MO social worker and homeschooling mom say on Facebook that she was told to treat homeschooling as a red flag for abuse. That parents might be homeschooling to cover up abuse, so always investigate. I have no idea if that's true, or just true of her particular boss or whatever, but I still feel like it's a good idea to comply with the law, even if you think you'll never need to prove anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimm Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 I've got a question about WA in particular. If you lived in a small town and your family was fairly distinct (ie. big family with girls in dresses and covers) do you think that someone with the local district would be likely to notice that you hadn't sent in the "intent to homeschool" document or does it get filed by someone far enough upstream for it not to be too noticeable? I lived in a small town in TX as a teenager and we homeschooled and I guarantee we would have been noticed if we were required to register and didn't. I wouldn't try to fly under the radar in a tiny town. (2700 people in the city limits in this case.) Unless you refused to speak to anyone and they weren't sure where you lived and maybe thought you were from a neighboring town... That wouldn't have even worked in our case. We lived out in the country but our neighbors knew we lived next to them and our realtor was a local so people would have eventually found out where we lived and eventually someone at the school would have known. And yes, this town was lame enough and loved gossip enough that it would have spread around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 I've got a question about WA in particular. If you lived in a small town and your family was fairly distinct (ie. big family with girls in dresses and covers) do you think that someone with the local district would be likely to notice that you hadn't sent in the "intent to homeschool" document or does it get filed by someone far enough upstream for it not to be too noticeable? I assume it depends on the district and the people involved. I think each district is somewhat different in where they have folks bring their document (district office vs office in a particular school, for example). I'm assuming you can also mail the document, but I've never done that. In the situation you describe, I certainly wouldn't try going under the radar. Of course, WA is so hands off, I don't see what the point would be anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 NC, they have plenty of requirements but the state agency that oversees HSing is so understaffed that you'd very likely get away with not registering for quite awhile(at least the first year). Or if you did register but didn't test they'd most likely not bother you.....that was my experience for the 3 years we lived there, things may be different now? DNPE regularly oversteps its boundaries by contacting homeschoolers annually and encouraging them to volunteer ahead of time to send in test scores at the end of the year. The requires people to notify DNPE one time, when their first child is 7yo; after that, there doesn't need to be any contact at all, *unless* DNPE decides that a specific family should send in test results and that specific family is contacted (of course, it could be more than one family; I'm just pointing out that nothing in the law says that people need to volunteer ahead of time to send in next year's test scores). Parents are supposed to test annually and keep the test scores for three years; they're supposed to keep "attendance," which is not defined ("Oh, look! the children are here again today!"), and health records. No one is allowed to see either attendance or health records, and most parents have their dc immunized, so it doesn't matter that the law says they're supposed to do those things. In short, the vast majority of homeschoolers in NC should never have any interaction with DNPE after their initial notification, and who would even know if they didn't do that, either? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Now that I think of it, New Jersey is not a state in which one would do any "stealth homeschooling," because it is possible to homeschool here without any government involvement or notification at all, and still be compliant with the law. OP -- The thread title says that this thread is a "spin-off" of another thread, but I can't find that one. Could you please post a link to it? Thanks! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeriJ Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 GA has laws about keeping 3 years of work, and testing. But the law turns right around and states that no officials can ask to see proof of this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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