sassenach Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 My 8yo is in public school. We just moved to a new school district and had a 30 day review of his placement (he's special ed). I brought my 6yo with me and left the girls at home. So this guy, who I was already not too fond of, asks me where ds goes to school. I reply that we homeschool. He then asks me if we filed an R-4 (the private school affidavit that independent hsers have to file). I reply yes. THEN, get this, he tells me that I should give him a copy of our R4. I reply in the nicest way possible, that we comply with the law, but that I am not compelled to go beyond that. He tells me that it will save me trouble, because it's the districts job to SEARCH and ACCOUNT for any child that is not in their system. I reply that I don't believe it is their job, and that any accounting for children would be done by DCF and not the district. I then pointed out that there are many private schools in the area and asked if he maintained copies of their R4s. He said that they do not. I then told him that I don't feel any need to go beyond what the law requires of private schools and that my children are private school children and he should treat them as such. I was pretty much saying F off, but with a smile on my face. He asked me the name of our private school and I told him that since we don't really use it, I couldn't recall what name we chose. We ended it by agreeing that according to the law, I did not have to give him a copy of it. Now here's where I need some help from Cali people. At the beginning of the school year, my 11yo was enrolled in a charter and I filed the R4 for my 6yo. We moved and now my 11yo is also independent. I feel pretty certain that this guy is going to look us up on the California website. Do I have to re-file with our new address? What about adding in my 11yo? Am I in the clear or should I re-file even though it's not that Oct window? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 I have no idea, I just want to congratulate you on not being intimidated by the schmuck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twinmom Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 I have no idea, I just want to congratulate you on not being intimidated by the schmuck. :iagree::iagree::iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted April 9, 2009 Author Share Posted April 9, 2009 I have no idea, I just want to congratulate you on not being intimidated by the schmuck. Thanks!! My adrenaline was pumping. I wasn't in danger of giving in, but I was working VERY hard to keep my cool. I didn't want to get personal with him, but in the back of my head I'm thinking, "You're the special ed coordinator!! It's not your job to worry about 'search and accounting' of random kids out there." Sigh. This guy has an ego and a half. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 My 8yo is in public school. We just moved to a new school district and had a 30 day review of his placement (he's special ed). I brought my 6yo with me and left the girls at home. So this guy, who I was already not too fond of, asks me where ds goes to school. I reply that we homeschool. He then asks me if we filed an R-4 (the private school affidavit that independent hsers have to file). I reply yes. THEN, get this, he tells me that I should give him a copy of our R4. I reply in the nicest way possible, that we comply with the law, but that I am not compelled to go beyond that. He tells me that it will save me trouble, because it's the districts job to SEARCH and ACCOUNT for any child that is not in their system. I reply that I don't believe it is their job, and that any accounting for children would be done by DCF and not the district. I then pointed out that there are many private schools in the area and asked if he maintained copies of their R4s. He said that they do not. I then told him that I don't feel any need to go beyond what the law requires of private schools and that my children are private school children and he should treat them as such. I was pretty much saying F off, but with a smile on my face. He asked me the name of our private school and I told him that since we don't really use it, I couldn't recall what name we chose. We ended it by agreeing that according to the law, I did not have to give him a copy of it. Now here's where I need some help from Cali people. At the beginning of the school year, my 11yo was enrolled in a charter and I filed the R4 for my 6yo. We moved and now my 11yo is also independent. I feel pretty certain that this guy is going to look us up on the California website. Do I have to re-file with our new address? What about adding in my 11yo? Am I in the clear or should I re-file even though it's not that Oct window? Well done. And what a jerk. Which county is this? I don't believe the law addresses this, as most private schools don't move.:D However, IMHO no, you don't have to refile. Just wait until next October. And you can add your ds at that time. Students enroll and withdraw all the time from private schools. Nothing in the law requires schools to notify the state that this is going on. Imagine what a burden that would be! Back in the day when we mailed in hard copies of the R-4, we kept a copy and sent the other 4(!) to Sacramento. From there, copies were mailed to the county offices of education and to the local school district. Now that the R-4 is filed on-line, I don't know if county offices of education receive any notification at all, but if they care (and most of them don't) they can check things out on-line (as you know). Anyway, you said just the right things. If you're contacted further, don't back down, k? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted April 9, 2009 Author Share Posted April 9, 2009 Well done. And what a jerk. Which county is this? I don't believe the law addresses this, as most private schools don't move.:D However, IMHO no, you don't have to refile. Just wait until next October. And you can add your ds at that time. Students enroll and withdraw all the time from private schools. Nothing in the law requires schools to notify the state that this is going on. Imagine what a burden that would be! Back in the day when we mailed in hard copies of the R-4, we kept a copy and sent the other 4(!) to Sacramento. From there, copies were mailed to the county offices of education and to the local school district. Now that the R-4 is filed on-line, I don't know if county offices of education receive any notification at all, but if they care (and most of them don't) they can check things out on-line (as you know). Anyway, you said just the right things. If you're contacted further, don't back down, k? Thanks Ellie, I managed to find on the California website that only schools with more than 6 students need to re-file if they move. We're in Marin County. This has been a good reminder to me that we're not completely under the radar and I need to keep up with stuff like attendance records. The scary thing is that he said that he has gotten copies from other hsers. You know, just to "protect them." :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 I have no idea, I just want to congratulate you on not being intimidated by the schmuck. :iagree::iagree::iagree: The guy sounds like a real idiot, and I'm glad you stood up to him. Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 I have no idea, I just want to congratulate you on not being intimidated by the schmuck. :iagree:I think you get the Remudamom "Gird up your Loins" award for today. Here's your sign. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest janainaz Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 No info. for you, but just a pat-on-the-back for not letting him intimidate you on that. That situation is good reason for all homeschoolers to be well informed of the laws in their state. I think I know mine, but I'm going to re-visit it again.... :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WagsWife Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 First, good for you for sticking up for yourself. It boggles my mind that there are so many officials who blatantly lie and try to intimidate homeschoolers! I just wanted to mention something about the attendance records... This is straight from the CA Department of Education website, concerning "Attendance in Private Schools" http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/ps/rq/psaffedcode.asp "The attendance of the pupils shall be kept by private school authorities in a register, and the record of attendance shall indicate clearly every absence of the pupil from school for a half day or more during each day that school is maintained during the year." This means that you only have to keep track of the days your child is ABSENT from school...not the days you "did" school. There are also no required number of days you have to keep track of. My children are *never absent from school...they live here. If they are sick (or gone for some reason) it is just not a school day. This is what I do. I find a blank attendance form, print one off for each of my children, then write their names and school year on them. I place these in a binder...never to look at again, until the next year. Thanks Ellie, I managed to find on the California website that only schools with more than 6 students need to re-file if they move. We're in Marin County. This has been a good reminder to me that we're not completely under the radar and I need to keep up with stuff like attendance records. The scary thing is that he said that he has gotten copies from other hsers. You know, just to "protect them." :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 :iagree: I have no idea, I just want to congratulate you on not being intimidated by the schmuck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coralloyd Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 :hurray::thumbup: Way to go mom! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LG Gone Wild Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 (edited) I don't think you have to re-file but you should keep records. If you don't like HSLDA, there is the California Homeschool Network (CHN). You can contact them and ask about refiling. That guy was LYING. LYING. LYING. What b#lls. Your R-4 is between you and whom you filed it with. ETA: Here is CHN's website http://californiahomeschool.net/default.htm Edited April 10, 2009 by LG Gone Wild more info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leah Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Late to the conversation here, but of course, listen to Ellie. :) It sounds like you did just what you should have in this conversation! Go, Shannon, Go!! You are also right that things can be a bit different in varying counties in CA...Santa Cruz Co. is very, very different from many of the counties "over the hill." No one cares here if anyone is in school and any old way that you choose to follow the path of learning is ok with anyone. This is not the case in the more "uptight" counties. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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