Documenting homeschooling -edited

[Dmmetler]

Thanks, everyone! I think I have some suggestions that will hopefully help her be a little more confident in what she has. 

(Subject-documenting homeschooling during a contentious divorce without many physical records and when there are known delays)

 

Edited January 20, 2020 by Dmmetler2
Removing details for privacy reasons

[beaners]

I would take what she does have and make it look good. Add educationese and goals and structure things around instructional units. 

Can the 8th grader take a standardized test to show an adequate educational level, or are both kids behind?

Can they roll through a supermarket grade level workbook to have more to show? Do a couple audiobooks and discussion questions to flesh things out?

[Guest]

She is registered with a cover school, so there is a record of past registration and parent submitted grades, but because the kids are not in high school, there is not a yearly review yet-that starts in 9th. She has test scores from 2 years ago. She plans to have them test in the Spring. 

[Ausmumof3]

Does she have any digital photos of previous years?  Is there likely to be records of purchases she’s made from homeschooling resource providers through their online site?  If she could track that down and make a stat dec about ex destroying the past work that may help?  Present the stat dec alongside evidence from various curriculum providers of purchases and maybe a statement from the vision therapist.  Obviously I don’t know what the situation is as far as access to technology and old passwords etc.  I’m sorry sounds like an extremely sucky situation.  I do think even what you listed here could be framed into a presentable report that our home ed people would accept. 

[Rachel]

What about seeing if she can print records of curriculum she has purchased in the past from Rainbow Resource or wherever? It won’t show that the kids completed anything, but it would be additional documentation of the grades the cover school has. 

Edited January 20, 2020 by Rachel

[prairiewindmomma]

Start consistently doing school, including math, with the kids.

Do standardized testing this spring and come up with a remediation plan.

Start keeping lesson plans for the spring semester, and gather some written work for a portfolio.

 

[sweet2ndchance]

Just from my personal experience, and I really don't want to go too deep into it honestly because my divorce and the aftermath is still a trigger topic for me, but I was allowed to continue homeschooling through the divorce process because it was the status quo while we were married. Ex tried to fight it but the judge ruled against him saying that if they had been homeschooled all these years than a few more months to the end of the school year wouldn't hurt them since he wasn't claiming I was abusive toward the children. Of course, that just gave him the idea to start making up all kinds of stuff about me abusing the children in future allegations against me but I'm sure he would have thought of it eventually on his own anyways.

So, she may not have to prove anything at this point. Just saying that homeschooling has been the status quo for x number of years during the marriage and that she wants to continue until the end of this school year rather than change one more thing about the children's lives during what is already a difficult time for them may be enough to convince the judge to allow it without question or any sort of proof needed. Definitely have any proof you can gather in your back pocket just in case but I would start off with just asking not to have to make anymore changes to the children's lives at this time. It can work, it did for me.

If she is considering putting them in public school at some point anyways, she might check and see what sort of services would be available to the younger child for learning disabilities. It shows that she absolutely cares about their education and is taking steps towards getting the child the help they may need but also it might cut down on the wait time for services next year if they have already evaluated the child this year and determined that he qualifies. Of course if she really doesn't want to send them to ps then I would document, document, document that her stbx stopped paying for educational services that the child needs. Now that I think about it, document the not paying for therapy no matter which way you want to go. 

[wathe]

Could she ask other adults in positions of authority in the community that are in her kids lives for letters  documenting their observations and involvement with her kids?  I'm thinking the local librarian, swim teachers, coaches, scout leaders or whatever adults know her kids from activities outside the home.  Librarian might write "I've know Janie and Johnie since 20xx.  They have shown themselves to be avid readers and have participated in xyz  library programs."  Then comment on reading materials selected appropriate for level, engagement with books, conversations had with librarian about books etc, etc"

Or letters from any co-op or other families they have co-schooled with for any subject.  Or letter from a homeschooling friend who knows them well enough to know what they've been doing school-wise.