A computer glitch enrolled DD in school

[zimom]

A computer glitch enrolled DD in school.  Now mind you, to 'unenroll' from homeschool first you have to send in written notice.  

And to enroll in public school, first, you have to go online and make an appointment (this can not be done by phone or in person).  You must provide a birth certificate, I'm guessing certified, and proof of residency.  Since she is in high school, I'm guessing they would want any records from her previous schooling.   It takes at least a week to get an appointment.   But one little glitch and 'poof' my daughter was a public school student.  How did I find out?  I received a phone call telling me she was absent!  

To unenroll her from the public school has taken me two weeks, countless phone calls, a trip down to the DOE office (1.5 hours round trip), where I was assured it would be taken care of but it was not, and migraines galore!   Of course, I was asked countless times when I removed her from public school to homeschool her as everyone was sure this was my error.  She has never set foot in a school.  What a way to start the year.  

[edelweiss]

OMG!  How is that possible?  That's so crazy!! I can't believe that you have had to deal with that for two weeks.

[jewellsmommy]

Wow. I would be so curious about how, exactly, that happened (and assurances that it won't happen again)! I would not think that her info should even be in the same database as enrolled students since she has never been, physically, in the school?! It takes a significant amt of paperwork presented before they put a kid into their system. I had to enroll ds, a child we were guardian of, into 8th grade a couple of yrs ago. It took 2 days before they let him attend because they had to "get him into their system."

But then I always wonder how the flow of info works when I get these "come try our exclusive private school for a day" mailers addressed to dd, and they even know what grade she is in. ? Like you, my dd was never enrolled in any school. 

[maize]

Wow!

I wonder if it happened to anyone else?

[Garga]

Did you ask them to find the copy of the birth certificate and proof of residency they must have had on file?  Did you ask them when the appointment was scheduled for?  Did you ask them where her records from previous schools are? 

If they couldn’t find those things, then shouldn’t they remove her from the system themselves?  What would have happened if you said, “Until you can show me those things, then she is not enrolled”?  Would there have been legal repercussions for truancy?

I believe you that you were forced to be the one to jump through the hoops, but did no one ever comment on the fact that they had nothing on file for her?  And if they had nothing on file, why still make you jump through the hoops?  And like someone else asked—how will they make sure it doesn’t happen again? 

If she’s never been in a school, how’d they get her name and whatever other info they had to have on her to know she’d be a student (her address, etc.)?

Edited:  Typos!  Oh, the typos!

Edited August 29, 2018 by Garga

[extendedforecast]

I wonder if any other homeschooled kids were erroneously enrolled like your daughter. Sorry is has been a hassle to unenroll her. 

[maize]

15 minutes ago, Garga said:

Did you ask them to find the copy of the birth certificate and proof of residency they must have had on file?  Did you ask them when the appointment was scheduled for?  Did you ask them where her records from previous schools are? 

If they couldn’t find those things, they shouldn’t they just remove her from the system themselves?  What would have happened if you said, “Until you can show me those things, then she is not enrolled”?  Would there have been legal repurcussions for truancy?

I believe you that you were forced to be the one to jump through the hoops, but did no one ever comment on the fact that they had nothing on file for her?  And if they had nothing on file, why still make you jump through the hoops?  And like someone else asked—how will they make sure it doesn’t happen again? 

If she’s never been in a school, how’d they get her name and whatever other info they had to have on her to know she’d be a student (her address, etc.)?

 

I'm guessing her name and address and such were from the homeschool registration information.

[gardenmom5]

that "glitch" had to have been in a chair.

[rebcoola]

Wow that is nuts I thought it was bad when they called because 8 yr old at the time was absent from US Government class at the local High school.  At least she was in the system from attending the ALE and it only took one email to sort out.

Edited August 29, 2018 by rebcoola

[unsinkable]

Could it be identity theft?

[zimom]

26 minutes ago, unsinkable said:

Could it be identity theft?

 

Actually, this child goes by a nickname.  She has been going through a phase where she has been wanting to use her legal name.  Long story short, she is 'known' due to sports but by her nickname.  I think I was finally able to get through to her that I would prefer that the general public (GP) continue to only know her by her nickname and not her legal name.  The example I gave her is that the GP might choose to mess with Al Roker (Today Show was on) and by having his legal name it makes it much easier, but since literally only a handful of people know her legal name it makes it so much harder.  Someone would have to know her legal name to even start to enroll her in public school.  

[Jean in Newcastle]

Very strange. What state is this?  

[bethben]

I had this happen to my Ds.  I have no idea how he got enrolled in school since he was at an age I didn’t even have to report him for homeschool purposes.  How can a school enroll a child with absolutely no paperwork or forms from the parent?!?!?  How did they even know about him?  How did they even know that we hadn’t moved?!? I only knew about it because I got a call from a teacher introducing herself and saying how excited she was to meet my son.  I then called the school office  and told them about their mistake.  They didn’t seem too concerned until I mentioned that by their enrolling him, they also bought school materials for him.  That was a bigger deal as we lived in a small town and most likely wouldn’t have a new kid coming in any time soon to use those materials and workbooks.

[Katy]

I bet it's fraud for school funding.  They have more enrolled students, they get more money from the state.  I'd check out how your state funds schools, and if that's a case, file an online complaint for fraud with your state attorney general.

[Ravin]

I would not have done anything to un-enroll, since you had no justifiable burden to do that since you didn't enroll her in the first place. I'd have let the school know, once, that they had made an error, and ignored it thereafter. As long as you are following whatever rules for homeschooling in your state, no way would a truancy charge stick.

[Shoeless]

3 hours ago, Ravin said:

I would not have done anything to un-enroll, since you had no justifiable burden to do that since you didn't enroll her in the first place. I'd have let the school know, once, that they had made an error, and ignored it thereafter. As long as you are following whatever rules for homeschooling in your state, no way would a truancy charge stick.

The truancy charge may not stick, but you still may have to deal with a bunch of legal red-tape to prove it shouldn't stick. 

[zimom]

8 hours ago, MissLemon said:

The truancy charge may not stick, but you still may have to deal with a bunch of legal red-tape to prove it shouldn't stick. 

 

My DD is the type that I have been laughing with her that the police are going to show up any day to take her to jail for truancy.  Of course, first I had to explain truancy to her LOL

[zimom]

12 hours ago, Ravin said:

I would not have done anything to un-enroll, since you had no justifiable burden to do that since you didn't enroll her in the first place. I'd have let the school know, once, that they had made an error, and ignored it thereafter. As long as you are following whatever rules for homeschooling in your state, no way would a truancy charge stick.

 

I wasn't going to get into this, but yes, I HAD to get this worked out.  We live in the only state that I know of that has a 'special needs'  scholarship through the state.  Long story short, my daughter qualifies for curriculum reimbursement due to her diagnosis through the state for homeschooling but she cannot be enrolled in the public school or obviously, it is double-dipping.  So I have been under a time crunch and much stress to get this handled or it would have cost us much $$$.  

(please do NOT quote as I will likely delete this part)

 

[Ravin]

With the further info, then yes, I can understand why you went the way you did!. 

[Katy]

With the additional information, I'm doubly certain it's fraud.  They may be getting half the salary for one teacher from one child like that alone.

[vonfirmath]

15 hours ago, Katy said:

I bet it's fraud for school funding.  They have more enrolled students, they get more money from the state.  I'd check out how your state funds schools, and if that's a case, file an online complaint for fraud with your state attorney general.

 

In Texas, at least, students on the role has nothing to do with school funding. School funding is based on rear ends in the seat (Ie attendance) and that is why attendance is such a huge thing here.

 

[zimom]

1 hour ago, Katy said:

With the additional information, I'm doubly certain it's fraud.  They may be getting half the salary for one teacher from one child like that alone.

 

Well again, trying not to give out too much personal information, but we are very fortunate this is available in our state but no additional funding would be provided had she been in public school.  She would not be on an IEP.  Honestly, I do believe it was just as explained in the beginning, a computer glitch.  

[athena1277]

I know not everyone likes HSLDA, but if you are a member, I would call them.  A phone call from a lawyer would probably have it fixed with a quickness.

[DawnM]

5 hours ago, Katy said:

With the additional information, I'm doubly certain it's fraud.  They may be getting half the salary for one teacher from one child like that alone.

 

Half the salary from one student?  It hasn't worked that way in any district I have been a part of.  And attendance is part of the package as well.  So, if she never shows up, the school doesn't get the money anyway.

 

[zimom]

Will save the details but it has been fixed.  The state DOE has verified via phone she is no longer enrolled.  I really, really hope I don't have to come back and update otherwise.  I received 4 different back and forth emails yesterday saying otherwise.  I do think it was a computer glitch but still pretty ridiculous that a computer glitch can cause that much difficulty. Ok, I realize it's not ?  

[Katy]

5 hours ago, DawnM said:

 

Half the salary from one student?  It hasn't worked that way in any district I have been a part of.  And attendance is part of the package as well.  So, if she never shows up, the school doesn't get the money anyway.

 

 

That totally depends on the state and the way they figure funding. Some of them are like yours, with a good dose of common sense.  Others have very different formulas.

[Tree Frog]

12 hours ago, vonfirmath said:

 

In Texas, at least, students on the role has nothing to do with school funding. School funding is based on rear ends in the seat (Ie attendance) and that is why attendance is such a huge thing here.

 

Unless you have a parent working on a military base. Then they hunt you down if you don't fill out all the forms because of the federal money they get. Based on how much they hound the kids and parents, it must be a fairly substantial amount.