Florida homeschool law

[KeriJ]

Can a county request something outside of the state homeschool law? In Florida, we are required to submit a letter of intent when we begin homeschooling.  My county contact keeps asking for us to submit one each year because that is how she interprets "establish and maintain a homeschool."  But I know for a fact that we only need to submit it once. So far, I have just ignored the email.

[KidsHappen]

I don't know how the law is now but when we lived there 20 years ago we were required to submit one each year and then have an evaluation or testing at the end of each year. 

[KeriJ]

HSLDA states that it is only needed once.🤷‍♀️

[KSera]

wrong thread (how does that even happen? I’ve never even opened this thread and was posting in another thread but it showed up here??)

Edited July 14, 2022 by KSera

[Lady Florida.]

Unless something changed in the last few years, which I don't think it has, you only send it once. One notice of intent to homeschool and one notice when you stop homeschooling, including when your child graduates from high school or reaches the age of 16. The only thing you have to do every year is send in an evaluation. County school board employees are often not aware of the law. Many years ago our county tried to say when the evaluations were due. They wanted them at the end of the traditional school year because it was easier for them. State law just says one year from the date of your NOI. They had to relent because homeschool laws here are state laws. You can simply write stating that you are complying with state law. There's nothing they can do to you.

ETA: You don't have to send in a notice when your child reaches 16 if they're still doing high school. I meant that as an option because some do stop at 16, the legal age to unenroll from schooling. 

Edited July 14, 2022 by Lady Florida.

[KeriJ]

5 minutes ago, Lady Florida. said:

Unless something changed in the last few years, which I don't think it has, you only send it once. One notice of intent to homeschool and one notice when you stop homeschooling, including when your child graduates from high school or reaches the age of 16. The only thing you have to do every year is send in an evaluation. County school board employees are often not aware of the law. Many years ago our county tried to say when the evaluations were due. They wanted them at the end of the traditional school year because it was easier for them. State law just says one year from the date of your NOI. They had to relent because homeschool laws here are state laws. You can simply write stating that you are complying with state law. There's nothing they can do to you.

ETA: You don't have to send in a notice when your child reaches 16 if they're still doing high school. I meant that as an option because some do stop at 16, the legal age to unenroll from schooling. 

What you posted is what I think the law clearly says. Our county is hung up on the word "maintain" and thinks it means yearly. I just wanted to verify. Thank you!!

[Brittany1116]

My county has tried to overstep several times since we started 6 years ago. They keep trying to add regulations and even volunteer committees to police other parents. Go by the letter of the state law and just submit your eval annually. The SB has nothing to stand on when they ask for more. "Maintain" has already been established by the state law and Brenda Dickinson. 

[73349]

"Maintain" should mean that you and they retain on file a copy of the letter you sent the first time as a record. That would be my answer to her.

[ktgrok]

No, you don't need to submit another letter of intent, just the end of year evaluation. 

[purpleowl]

Sic Brenda Dickinson on them. 😉 Our county recently started telling certified teachers that they were not allowed to do evals for their own homeschooled children. It got sorted out pretty quickly with Brenda's assistance.

Edit: I looked back at the Facebook post where people were talking about it, and they credited both Brenda and the Florida Department of Education for setting things straight. So contacting FLDOE directly and letting them know about the issue might also get it dealt with.

Edited July 14, 2022 by purpleowl

[LawsonRodriguez]

On 7/14/2022 at 7:28 PM, Lady Florida. said:

Unless something changed in the last few years, which I don't think it has, you only send it once. One notice of intent to homeschool and one notice when you stop homeschooling, including when your child graduates from high school or reaches the age of 16. The only thing you have to do every year is send in an evaluation. County school board employees are often not aware of the law. Many years ago our county tried to say when the evaluations were due. They wanted them at the end of the traditional school year because it was easier for them. State law just says one year from the date of your NOI. They had to relent because homeschool laws here are state laws. You can simply write stating that you are complying with state law. There's nothing they can do to you.

ETA: You don't have to send in a notice when your child reaches 16 if they're still doing high school. I meant that as an option because some do stop at 16, the legal age to unenroll from schooling. 

Also, I would like to draw your attention to another very important problem that should be discussed in the relevant society - this is the problem of childhood obesity. At https://edubirdie.com/examples/childhood-obesity/ you can read more about childhood obesity, its causes and the consequences it can lead to.

Thanks for the advice.

Edited July 22, 2022 by LawsonRodriguez