Calling all military moms home schooling overseas

[KJB]

Anyone heard anything about a change in the DoDDS policy?

 

I received this email tonight from a list I'm on:

 

"I don't know if this is at all schools or only KES, but the lady in the office today said it was DoDDS-wide. She said they will NO LONGER permit homeschoolers to register only for library and extra-curricular activities. I'm not sure how this will affect enrolling for specific classes--my eldest already enrolled for next year at the high school and had no problems, but they may or may not allow that at the elementary level."

 

I think KES is Kaiserslautern, but I'm not certain.

[lovemyboys]

Wow. I hope not.

 

For all those folks who are homeschooling and can be stationed overseas, or already there, I would hope that the only school system available in most cases, wouldn't take such measures.

 

Serving overseas is already stressful and isolating enough without these extra challenges, especially for the older kids.

 

Hope you get word that this is only a single case or perhaps an inaccurate message.

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

This does fly in the face of everything DoDDS has been doing recently. (And it should be noted that I am responding from the perspective of a military member sponsor not another catagory)

 

I would want the school to show me a policy that superceeds this one:

 

DoDEA Memorandum

 

You might also want to check Chapter 8 of this:

 

SY0809 DoDDSE Handbook

 

Now, my understanding of the handbook is that it is flawed.

 

"DoDDS encourages families who wish to home school their children to communicate their

desire to the local military community commander to determine if there are policies or other

rules that ensure that home schooling practices meets host nation or state requirements.

A host nation, state, commonwealth, or territory where a DoD sponsor is stationed may impose

legal requirements on home schooling practices. DoDEA encourages DoD sponsors who wish to

home school their dependents to communicate their desire to their commanders to determine if

there are any command policies or other rules ensuring that home schooling practices meet host

nation, state, commonwealth, or territory requirements. Sponsors are responsible for complying

with applicable local requirements."

 

I was always under the impression that base commanders could not impose homeschooling regulations when outside the US and that Homeschooling was covered by the SOFA for military members. This statement seems to imply otherwise.

 

I would love to see a copy of the regulation they are quoting. Please post a link if someone has one. Unfortunately, schools can't make their own policy when it comes to homeschooling and access to the school. That is DOD policy and I'd want copies giving chapter and verse of the new policy.

 

"In accordance with USAREUR Memorandum dated 23 Oct, 2000 all eligible command

sponsored student not attending a DoDDS facility within USAREUR must complete registration

requirements through the community schools officer."

 

This quote is another gem from the handbook that seems to imply that homeschoolers need to register with the school no matter what-of course the memorandum above from 2002 contradicts this.

 

My guess is that the school is working with old or bad info as is often common. Somefolks don't seem to realize that access for homeschooled students is granted at a level higher than the principal's office.

 

I would encourage your friend to get in touch with the local homeschool group (most bases have one) and if not-contact DoDEA directly.

[KJB]

One concern I've read is that the policy you link in your post (DoDEA Memorandum) is no longer directly linked from the DoDDS site.

 

Instead, the only reference to home schooling is the handbook section, "DoDDS encourages families who wish to home school their children to communicate their desire to the local military community commander...."

 

The prattle on my list is that the wording of the memorandum is going to be changed. Of course, at this point it's only gossip.

 

If you don't mind, I'll quote your post on the list and see if it calms a few list members.

 

 

 

 

.

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

I wish I could remember where but I think I once saw a long explanation about how you didn't actually need to contact anyone in the CoC about your desire. Within the US you are required to meet the regulations of the state you reside in but outside the US you are covered by any SOFA or similar agreements and not subject to host nation laws. Thus the ability to homeschool in a country like Germany where the locals do not have that right.

 

It does seem that there are two slightly different sets of rules for dependents of military members and dependents of DoD personnel.

 

Although a bit dated I think this article from HSLDA summarizes what has been the situation overseas. This article is also relevant and this summarizes the outcome.

 

The text of the bill is short and sweet (as well as linked in the above article) it would appear that they would need to overturn federal law to deny homeschoolers access to auxillary services or require a minimum enrollment.

 

One more article: HSLDA. I am having trouble linking all these by dates so some may superceed others.

 

Please keep us posted on any further developments.

Edited April 8, 2009 by JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst

[TammyinTN]

I haven't heard about this..but I don't use any of the services through the post schools. I was told when we moved here last summer from Wurzburg that I didn't have to disclose to anyone I homeschooled. There was no reason.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

My understanding about the difference between active duty and DOD civilian is that some DOD civilian can get space at the DODEA schools by buying in, while DOD active duty military are space required (in other words, if their dependents are authorized in theatre, then the school has to provide services for them).

 

There was a discussion recently in the base paper about access to libraries and sports teams for DOD civilians who homeschool.

 

I will also say that one of the families in our homeschool group has a parent teaching in one of the DOD elementary schools, so I think if this were the result of a DODEA wide policy that something would have come up.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

/

One concern I've read is that the policy you link in your post (DoDEA Memorandum) is no longer directly linked from the DoDDS site.

 

.

 

 

Well if you google "DoDEA memorandum homeschooling" you do get the memo from the DODEA website.

 

There is a recent (last year) change to DoDEA Regulation 1342.13 (change is dated 12/29/08 [actually it has two dates but I think the December one is the correct date.]) which outlines Eligibility Requirements for Education of Elementary and Secondary School Age Dependents in Overseas Areas. Changes are outlined in red. I don't see any specific mention of homeschooling unless they are interpreting paragraph 4.3.1.1.2 about families in commuting distance from a DOD school that choose a non DOD school being responsible for paying for tuition and education expenses (which is why you don't get a private school allowance if you live near a base school). This regulation also reflects the change in kindergarten entry cutoff to 1 September.

 

I did find a document from DoDEA Europe that has a chapter on homeschooling access to auxillary services such as libraries. This states that homeschoolers do not have to enroll but may be required to meet other eligibility requirements. (See chapter 8, pages 39-41) This is the Student Eligibility Handbook for 2008-2009.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Anyone heard anything about a change in the DoDDS policy?

 

I received this email tonight from a list I'm on:

 

"I don't know if this is at all schools or only KES, but the lady in the office today said it was DoDDS-wide. She said they will NO LONGER permit homeschoolers to register only for library and extra-curricular activities. I'm not sure how this will affect enrolling for specific classes--my eldest already enrolled for next year at the high school and had no problems, but they may or may not allow that at the elementary level."

 

I think KES is Kaiserslautern, but I'm not certain.

 

I am not aware of any policy change regarding homeschoolers having access to auxillary services like school libraries. I will say that when I asked at the local DOD school (on base in Japan), I was initially told by the office staff that there was no access to homeschoolers. I said that I didn't think that was an accurate policy and could they check. By the time we were finished, the vice principal was making me feel at home.

 

I mentioned in another post in this thread that there are documents on the DODEA website that do indicate that homeschoolers have access to auxillary services. There was a recent change to a DODEA instruction that more clearly outlined that families who choose not to use DODEA schools when they are available are then responsible for tuition and educational expenses. But my reading of this is that it pertains to things like the actual curriculum or tutoring, not access to auxillary services, which is covered under a different document (the 2002 memorandum on homeschooling).

 

Feel free to provide the links in my other post to anyone on your list. Encourage them to just go back to the school and calmly ask questions. In the military, changes like this don't happen without a paper trail. It really sounds to me like a mistaken interpretation of the DODEA policy.

 

We're on spring break right now, but I'll try to visit our school library next week and let you know if I hear anything different. I can say that the librarian was very welcoming when we wandered over in January.

[KJB]

I have a feeling (because I am woefully anti the "they're out to get us" mentality so I might be slow to take this seriously) that the buzz is from newbie home schoolers who are freaking out a little about home schooling in Germany.

 

However. At least one of the list members is a seasoned home schooler who has been here for awhile and she has mentioned the changes to the site. In fact, here is her post (edited to remove a portion which would be considered too political for the board):

 

This is interesting. Did they provide any explanation as to the

change? Also, did they provide you with a copy of the policy letter explaining

the change? (they have to have one, the decision has to come from someone higher

up than the office staff) I ask this because when I arrived in Germany in 1999,

I went to the DoDD school at the first place we lived to try to register my

daughter for just an art or German class (she was going into 3rd or 4th grade at

the time) I was told that DoDDS didn't allow homeschoolers to attend on a part

time basis or particpate in sports or use the library. The person told me it

just wasn't allowed. She did not refer me to the principal, nor did she give me

a policy letter stating this.

 

A year or so later, another homeschool family I met via the

homeschool group at the airbase in Frankfurt (now closed) told me that their

kids were taking certain classes of interest, such as art and band, at the

school there. Then I met a family in my town, Darmstadt, who had kids taking a

class or two at the school where I had tried to do the same the year or so

prior. When I asked how they were able to do that, we compared stories. What

it boiled down to, was that they insisted on seeing a policy letter stating that

DoDDs didn't allow kids to enroll for just a couple of things, or that you had

to register to use the library. Apparently it ruffled someone's feathers,

because their kids got in. Apparently there was a policy letter, you just had

to know to ask about it. But in my case, the school secretary was not

forthcoming with that information, probably in an attempt to just "shoo me

away" which worked, since I basically

didn't challenge her.

 

This was all about the same time that a commander of one of the

units was trying to "require" folks in his command to register with the school,

even though they were not going to use it. This caused a big stink, too. I

have a copy of that letter here somewhere, I wish I could locate it. It had

nothing to do with using the school for a class or two, he just wanted

"accountability" or whatever.

 

I went to the DoDEA website, and you can no longer find any

policy letter there regarding homeschooling and a parent's ability to use the

schools for just a class or two, sports, library, etc. They have been removed.

There IS a page for homeschooling in areas where there are not any DoDD schools

and forms to do so. Are they trying to make folks think that we no longer have

the right to homeschool our own kids? Or are they just trying to refuse to let

homeschool kids derive any benefit from the schools, even though each of us pays

taxes to support these schools? We should be able to choose for ourselves to

what extent we want to use ( or not) the schools...(SECTION OMITTED HERE FOR POLITICAL CONTENT) Okay, enough. I will step down. But I am curious about the

removal of policy letters that were on that site just a few months ago. Does

anyone have a copy of them?

 

And be prepared that even though you have a son already registered

for any classes elsewhere, that could change over the summer, too. But let's

hope not. And I would be curious to hear if others who have used the school for

just a class or two have had similar experience for the upcoming year.

 

 

I have been planning on having my daughter take German at the high school this next fall and am now wondering if I'm going to have a problem. I need to contact the school again but I've been waiting until registration time at the end of this month to enroll her.

 

FWIW, my kids have never used the ps system and this will be the first time we've used any of what they have to offer. I hope this is just a bunch of hooey.:glare:

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

If I felt strongly about using the school services then I would go armed with copies of the documents linked above to the school and have a calm discussion with someone other than the secretary.

 

I would ask them for a copy of the policy that they are using and if they can't provide one I would refer them to the memorandum and various federal laws quoted above. If there is a policy that they have heard is coming next year I would feel free to ask for a name, email and phone number of who you can contact about that policy or a copy if they happen to have one.

 

Don't confuse homeschooling with the military overseas and the extent to which you can use a DoDDs school with the discussion of what happens if you have no access to a DoDDs school. There are military dependents living in places with no DoDDs school access and sometimes no English speaking school access. They sometimes choose to homeschool and some end up with a correspondence program. Those folks are comparativly few and not the run of the mill overseas assignment and also know who they are well in advance.

[Kathy in MD]

My understanding about the difference between active duty and DOD civilian is that some DOD civilian can get space at the DODEA schools by buying in, while DOD active duty military are space required (in other words, if their dependents are authorized in theatre, then the school has to provide services for them)......

 

DOD civilians with children authorized to be in theater are also guaranteed space and services at DODEA schools, given that the posting had schools. There was no question that my then pre-schooler and kindergartener would receive ST through DODEA. At our IEP meeting, the staff wanted to also put my ds in their pre-school speech therapy classes. At that time there was no question that our ds would continue to receive ST once he was in kindergarten, even though he was in an American private Montessori school.

 

It is the DOD contractors that only have access to the schools if there is space available. They also are required to pay tuition for their childen (or, more likely, their employers)

 

BTW, KMC, not KES, is the abrieviation for Kaiserslautern (Kaiserslautern Military Community). We were there from '98-'00 and I do recall the commanding officer's request for all home schoolers to register.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Thank you for posting the longer comment. I think that you might find similar stories at just about any base that doesn't have homeschoolers actively using auxillary services. In fact, I was initially told no by the office staff of the DOD elementary school. And I know of another mom who was told no during a phone conversation.

 

The point is that we have to know what the policies are, because it is the education of our children. We are a tiny minority of the school age kids associated with any given base. The elementary school here has to deal with all the same issues of a stateside school, plus large numbers of bi-lingual/bi-cultural students, large numbers of students who come and during the school year and students with parents deployed for months or longer. That is their core job, not staying up on policies regarding access for homeschoolers. Policies for homeschoolers is my job. Because I am the homeschooler.

 

I don't know what links used to be on the DODEA website. I do know that I found several documents outlining policies, including the one about student eligibility in DODEA Europe schools by using the search function on the DODEA website.

 

It is natural to be frustrated when you find out that you were given incorrect information. But it's also our own responsibility to search the requirements to see if these things are true. To ask, politely but persistently, for clarification and written policy. To come back with regulations and chapters from guidelines and ask why the school isn't following them.