mazakaal Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 I'm curious - do you military moms have to follow different state homeschool requirements for each state that you live in or is there a special requirement for the military in general? So if you start off the school year in a state that has no requirements other than sending a letter of intent, and then half-way through the year you move to a state that requires testing, do you suddenly have to sign your kids up for the state testing? And if you start off in a state that doesn't require you to keep track of days in school and then suddenly move to a state that requires 180 days, but you haven't been keeping track, what do you do? I just started thinking about this when I was reading in the dream list thread about how many different places some people had lived. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 Yeah it's a bit of bummer, but that's what would happen. You have to follow the laws of the state you're physically living in. That's why even though VA has no required days or things I have to keep track of, I do anyway. I keep a portfolio of work and log of days done just in case. Here we are required to test and send in an NOI only. I'm sure that if it was toward the end of the year and we'd filled all the requirements for the state we moved from we just wouldn't do anything with the new state until the following year, but mid year would be a pain in some instances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melanie Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 Yes, we have to follow the regulations of whatever state we are living in. In my experience, the new state is generally not interested in what happened in the old state, but once you are in the new state you must comply with any rules the new state has, including testing. If I were to move to a new state which required attendance records to be turned in, I would begin keeping attendance upon arrival, and then turn in a signed statement saying that the remainder of the days had been completed in another state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mazakaal Posted April 12, 2009 Author Share Posted April 12, 2009 Interesting. Thanks for sharing. And thanks for all you do so your dhs can serve our country. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katrina Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 I I actually talked with one of the HSLDA reps at a convention once about a national exemption for military homeschoolers, where we don't have to follow the local laws but could just follow one national norm. Even though we move and have to change our recordkeeping/our monitor status/our number of days/etc., basically what we do at home with our kids doesn't change. It's just a different rhythm that we have to learn to dance to... but it's the same dance. Um, seriously, if you want to start a grassroots movement to help get this implemented, sign me up. I would LOVE to just be able to register the kids with the DOD regardless where we live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alte Veste Academy Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 Um, seriously, if you want to start a grassroots movement to help get this implemented, sign me up. I would LOVE to just be able to register the kids with the DOD regardless where we live. I would personally prefer a law dictating that you must follow the rules of your home of record. Ours is Texas and I would really resent having to report to anyone even if I live in Texas just because I happen to be military, you know? We are Texans stationed in Texas and we will work hard to stay that way until DH retires. If we are forced to PCS and have to follow the local rules of the new locale, yes, that will be a pain. However, I think it would be more upsetting to me to have the absolute freedom I have here in Texas tampered with. Now, doing the law my way would mean my life would be easy breezy wherever the Army happened to send us. Home of record laws I'm all for. Then it would be just like for tax purposes--whenever anyone makes a PCS to TX, they seem to change their home of record in order to avoid their own state's income tax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katrina Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 (edited) When I talked with the HSLDA rep about this idea, he wasn't very keen on it. He said that if we tried to do that, then that opens the doors (further?) for the federal government to control education. Education is (supposedly) a local issue, or at least state-level. So although it might be VERY convenient for US, I'm not sure if in the long run it would be worth it. well, I don't think HSLDA would be the people to go through. They're just lawyers upholding already written laws. It would have to be presented to congress. (I'm just thinking outloud here, so don't take me too seriously.) There is already a program in place (and I can't think of the name right now) where military families get together, brainstorm any problems that might need to be addressed, come up with a solution, and then vote to send that issue to congress. I know last year one of the topics being sent up is insurance options for vision check ups and glasses. It would be an opt in program like dental insurance is. If we military families came up with resonable guidelines to mirror some of the state regulations, it might work. I think HSLDA mindset is to be anti federal gov. (not saying that's all bad, not wanting to start a debate here). Edited April 12, 2009 by Katrina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katrina Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 I would personally prefer a law dictating that you must follow the rules of your home of record. Os is Texas and I would really resent having to report to anyone even if I live in Texas just because I happen to be military, you know? Home of record laws I'm all for. Then it would be just like for tax purposes--whenever anyone makes a PCS to TX, they seem to change their home of record in order to avoid their own state's income tax. Well, I think it should be an option...register with DOD or register with the state you live in (or whatever.) I'm just wondering here...for some states how easy or hard would it be to follow homeschoolers that live across the country? When I lived in NC, the state had the right to do a home inspection to spot check your record keeping or something like that (it's been a few years now and memory doesn't improve with age :lol:). Personally, I don't think it should be that hard, but I also don't trust politicians not to take something easy and make it totally complex! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
May Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 I have only homeschooled in 2 states (Washington DC and CA) but never registered in DC and only when dd started hs did I get the private school affidavit for CA. Usually, I'm a follow the rules person but this is one area where I refused to comply for elementary school. The CA schools we are zoned for would have a hard time coming up with legal documents for all the students enrolled. I only know that DC and CA are easy states to homeschool in because people talked about it. I nevered inquired. But let me also say, that if my dd would go back to school, it would be to a private one and they are less concerned about that sort of thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plucky Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 I have a friend here whose son started out the school year in another state (homeschooled), and moved back in-state with about 50 days already completed. But the homeschool monitor is telling her that the law here requires 175 days of homeschooling IN STATE, and she is not allowing the 50 days from the other state. (HSLDA is being contacted in this case.) So yeah, it pretty much stinks. I actually talked with one of the HSLDA reps at a convention once about a national exemption for military homeschoolers, where we don't have to follow the local laws but could just follow one national norm. Even though we move and have to change our recordkeeping/our monitor status/our number of days/etc., basically what we do at home with our kids doesn't change. It's just a different rhythm that we have to learn to dance to... but it's the same dance. So all this to say, yes, it's a bit of a pain in the watoosie at times. This is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Then out of state field trips don't count as school days in that state??? I think that person is just being an ass. I'd go over their head in a heart beat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Having actually had to deal with the DOD education activity when we homeschooled in an overseas area with no DOD school, I can say that registering with DOD would be the last thing that I'd want. At least with a legislature, there are state reps to contact, hearings to attend, a state capitol to visit, media to contact. If you were homeschooling solely under DOD rules and didn't like the rules, it would be very difficult to appeal, protest or get traction to create any sort of change. (It took us over two years to get the appointed education administrators to admit that my kids were in fact using the books we were claiming, even though they were above what they considered grade level appropriate.) When you think of how this might go, you can't just imagine it with the politest, most helpful administrator. You also have to imagine how it would be if it were staffed by the most harried, rudest, poorly informed person you ever had to deal with (say the worst encounter you ever had at the personel office or at medical). [Then consider that not toeing the line of whatever DOD homeschool regulations were created might have mandatory reporting requirements to dh's command.] I also agree that this would create a national definition of acceptable homeschooling regulation that might not set a good precedent for when I was out of the military system. By defining homeschool and by setting a minimum of regulation that might be far above what some states now require. (Remember, states are often allowed to have more stringent state laws.) It can be a hassle to have to deal with multiple states in a school year. But this isn't that much more of a hassle than traditionally schooled students who move and have new graduation requirements or new required tests to pass. I wouldn't wish a national curriculum on them either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melanie Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 :iagree: I feel the DoD has quite enough control over my life already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katrina Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Having actually had to deal with the DOD education activity when we homeschooled in an overseas area with no DOD school, I can say that registering with DOD would be the last thing that I'd want. At least with a legislature, there are state reps to contact, hearings to attend, a state capitol to visit, media to contact. If you were homeschooling solely under DOD rules and didn't like the rules, it would be very difficult to appeal, protest or get traction to create any sort of change. (It took us over two years to get the appointed education administrators to admit that my kids were in fact using the books we were claiming, even though they were above what they considered grade level appropriate.) When you think of how this might go, you can't just imagine it with the politest, most helpful administrator. You also have to imagine how it would be if it were staffed by the most harried, rudest, poorly informed person you ever had to deal with (say the worst encounter you ever had at the personel office or at medical). [Then consider that not toeing the line of whatever DOD homeschool regulations were created might have mandatory reporting requirements to dh's command.] I also agree that this would create a national definition of acceptable homeschooling regulation that might not set a good precedent for when I was out of the military system. By defining homeschool and by setting a minimum of regulation that might be far above what some states now require. (Remember, states are often allowed to have more stringent state laws.) It can be a hassle to have to deal with multiple states in a school year. But this isn't that much more of a hassle than traditionally schooled students who move and have new graduation requirements or new required tests to pass. I wouldn't wish a national curriculum on them either. Well, I wouldn't want a national curriculum either. ;) AND the possibility of having the DOD running away with it isn't an appealing offer either. Basically, for it to really work, I'd have to be the one in charge, and people would just come to me and say "I want to homeschool," and I'd say "POOF, permission granted." :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mazakaal Posted April 13, 2009 Author Share Posted April 13, 2009 I actually talked with one of the HSLDA reps at a convention once about a national exemption for military homeschoolers, where we don't have to follow the local laws but could just follow one national norm. This would make so much sense. I hope they do it for your sakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 (edited) I must agree with previous posters that, as there is no national norm, I wouldn't want to go down that road and create one. Education may best be left with the states. Second, I don't think I want to see the mess that DOD would create in administering a policy by itself. Third, military families who send their kids to public schools must transition from one set of state requirements to the next when they move. This can be very difficult when trying to get a student to graduate from high school. They would be most justified in being angry if there were a different education standard for one segment of military dependents. Fourth, I think the only policy that might work is to have the family educate under the requirements of the sponsors state of record. That would be the only way to provide continuity and have it make sense without federal government oversight. I'm not sure where or how you would register for truancy issues and you would still be in conflict with my third point but this would be the only way I can see working with some ease. Edited April 13, 2009 by JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 We just moved in the middle of my dd's 10th grade. We don't know when we will move next but it may very well be in the middle of her 12th grade. In light of this, I am going to push an extra English credit somewhere in the next 1 3/4 year so I can graduate her officially according to the next state before we move again. What I am scared of is moving to a state that has onerous regulations and keeps her from graduating on time. By moving up her graduation, if necessary, I would be free from that but she could still continue studying our normal 12 grade subjects for college. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 DOD already has a homeschool policy for dependents in SOFA areas. It is a wonderful policy and it would be nice to have that adopted as a national policy. (Education is ultimately a parental matter and homeschooling is left to the parents with schools providing services as they are able and you want them to). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supertechmom Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 i'm not military but I run a support group in SC and I was told that military only had to obey the laws of their official state of residence (concerning things like registration, license, tags, insurance and such). We have many who have tags from other states and such stuff and the SC laws don't apply to them. Why does that change for education? Or am I just misinformed about that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katrina Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 No clue, but maybe because concerning education, they're thinking more about public school, since it would be physically impossible to attend school in the state you're a resident in when you live in another? I don't know, just making a guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alte Veste Academy Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 i'm not military but I run a support group in SC and I was told that military only had to obey the laws of their official state of residence (concerning things like registration, license, tags, insurance and such). We have many who have tags from other states and such stuff and the SC laws don't apply to them. Why does that change for education? Or am I just misinformed about that? Yes, someone misinformed you and maybe the person who told you. We have to follow the laws of each state we move to. Now, most people I know don't bother to change their car tags until they expire in the state they were living in prior but they're supposed to within a couple of weeks (roundabout, don't know the exact requirement and I'm sure it differs by state). Our insurance is through USAA and if we ever moved to a place where the policy we have isn't adequate according to local law, we would need to change our policy. We had different policy requirements in Germany, for example. The only thing I know of that is influenced by home of record is pay. Texas doesn't have a state income tax and because that is our home of record, we don't have to pay state income tax to another state just because we happen to be stationed in a place that has one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 (edited) I wouldn't want a national norm either. As much of a pain as it is to have to deal with new state laws for home education, I can't imagine the amount of red tape the DOD could create with a national Homeschool norm. As for keeping it as state of record, that wouldn't fly everywhere either. Our Home of record is FL, and to have to find a FL certified teacher in VA to give either a portfolio review or standardized test wouldn't be easy, nor would I be willing to drive all the way to FL for that to happen. As for car tags and driver's license, we were told by state troopers at a predeployment breif that the only time you must change those is if your let yours expire when in another state, so as long as we renew our plates and DLs in time we're fine to keep them. This information was given to make sure the spouses had things in order before their servicemember left and couldn't do anything about it if they were needed. You are only required to change if you plan on making the new state your permanent home. We also changed our state of residence to FL because they also have no state income tax, and plan to keep it as FL until dh retires in about 6 years. I'm not positive but I think the reason education is exempt from these rules is because it just wouldn't be feasible for anyone to send their child to school in a state of residence/record while stationed in another state unless the children were left behind with another guardian, where as it's pretty easy to renew a car tag via the phone, internet or mail now a days. This probably stemmed from the fact that if you child goes to PS, then they would be required to follow the laws of the state your stationed in while attending PS. Edited April 13, 2009 by nukeswife Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katrina Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 We have to follow the laws of each state we move to. Now, most people I know don't bother to change their car tags until they expire in the state they were living in prior but they're supposed to within a couple of weeks . Okay...this thread is starting to get hijacked (sorry!) BUT...I don't know if that's true about the licence tags. When we lived in OR, for example, we just informed NC that NC was still our state of record, but we weren't living there anymore and we were able to renew our tags though the mail. It's all confusing, but I don't think you have to register your car unless you decide to change your state residency. (which we did in WA because WA doesn't have a state tax either. :lol:) I'm not sure I'm right, this is just how I understood it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommytobees Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 I have a friend here whose son started out the school year in another state (homeschooled), and moved back in-state with about 50 days already completed. But the homeschool monitor is telling her that the law here requires 175 days of homeschooling IN STATE, and she is not allowing the 50 days from the other state. (HSLDA is being contacted in this case.) So yeah, it pretty much stinks. I actually talked with one of the HSLDA reps at a convention once about a national exemption for military homeschoolers, where we don't have to follow the local laws but could just follow one national norm. Even though we move and have to change our recordkeeping/our monitor status/our number of days/etc., basically what we do at home with our kids doesn't change. It's just a different rhythm that we have to learn to dance to... but it's the same dance. So all this to say, yes, it's a bit of a pain in the watoosie at times. I have a friend that this happened to, I don't remember which state it was... However, she had to complete the 175 days OR enroll her three older children in school. The problem..... there were only 165 days left INCLUDING weekends until June 30 when the "cut off" was. She contacted HSLDA and it was all worked out, but it took a TON of work. Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alte Veste Academy Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Okay...this thread is starting to get hijacked (sorry!) I'm not sure I'm right, this is just how I understood it. Sorry, and yes, apparently I'm the one who was misinformed. :blushing: That's what we were told and now I'm apparently spreading misinformation. Oopsie! To be fair to me :D, we did have to change our tags when we moved to Germany (and that's the only place we have been besides TX in DH's time in service so far except for a move to AL that was so short that we didn't bother to change anything since we knew we were going straight back to Texas). Anyway, my experience has obviously been tainted by the suction grip we've got going on our homeland. :lol: Sorry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommytobees Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 i'm not military but I run a support group in SC and I was told that military only had to obey the laws of their official state of residence (concerning things like registration, license, tags, insurance and such). We have many who have tags from other states and such stuff and the SC laws don't apply to them. Why does that change for education? Or am I just misinformed about that? This is a unique issue for SC. We're bound (at some point) for Goose Creek, SC. And, when we last thought he was getting orders there I looked into it. I was told that they didn't care what I did. I needed to follow my home of record. That is NOT normal though. Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommytobees Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Yes, someone misinformed you and maybe the person who told you. We have to follow the laws of each state we move to. Now, most people I know don't bother to change their car tags until they expire in the state they were living in prior but they're supposed to within a couple of weeks (roundabout, don't know the exact requirement and I'm sure it differs by state). Our insurance is through USAA and if we ever moved to a place where the policy we have isn't adequate according to local law, we would need to change our policy. We had different policy requirements in Germany, for example. The only thing I know of that is influenced by home of record is pay. Texas doesn't have a state income tax and because that is our home of record, we don't have to pay state income tax to another state just because we happen to be stationed in a place that has one. THat isn't true about car tags. In SC they do NOT care. When we lived there, we never had SC plates or tags or license. Same with VA, though they weren't as happy about it. I had a license there. We did have WA plates when we lived in WA, but that was because WA is CHEAP! We've lived in 7 different states over the past 10 years and have kept the same plates the whole time until I bought my Forester in WA, then we got WA plates. They cost all of $15. Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeBookBread Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Okay...this thread is starting to get hijacked (sorry!) BUT...I don't know if that's true about the licence tags. When we lived in OR, for example, we just informed NC that NC was still our state of record, but we weren't living there anymore and we were able to renew our tags though the mail. It's all confusing, but I don't think you have to register your car unless you decide to change your state residency. (which we did in WA because WA doesn't have a state tax either. :lol:) I'm not sure I'm right, this is just how I understood it. HIJACK again! :) We are WA residents currently living in Arizona, previously in UT and ND. In each state we have re-licensed/registered a newly purchased vehicle to Washington. We have had no problems. But just don't let them expire, because it is a PAIN, but not impossible, to get tabs re-issued while expired in another state. (Voice of experience!) Amd while in-state visiting, I had my driver's license re-issued to Washington, as well, and they allowed me to get an non-expiring license that says "military" on it, even though I'm the spouse. Back to the real subject...I do not desire a DOD-wide standard, either. I guess I'm too much of a Federalist. I know it's a pain to have to figure out all of those rules, but as noted previously, they have enough control of our lives as it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 It is a bit of a pain, and the reason I give the IOWA test to my daughter every year--I wouldn't if we were not moving and in a state where we didn't have to, but I want taking a test to be normal for her if we ever do move into a state where we have to test. However, I wish there were even more true local control over schools, and wouldn't want a federal requirement. I would be interested in a federal program for military for foster care and adoption, you have to do some paperwork and the home study over and over again every time you move and deal with a new state process even if you're adopting internationally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Targhee Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 :iagree: I feel the DoD has quite enough control over my life already. Ditto the sentiment I like the home of record idea (or state of residence, since that's the place you pay taxes in whether or not it is your home of record - example, our HOR is UT, but our residence is WA no matter where we're stationed) being the laws and requirements you have to follow. For anyone living off-base/post in Germany, do you have troubles? It is illegal in Germany to homeschool (if I remember correctly). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supertechmom Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 This is a unique issue for SC. We're bound (at some point) for Goose Creek, SC. And, when we last thought he was getting orders there I looked into it. I was told that they didn't care what I did. I needed to follow my home of record. That is NOT normal though. Kris Then maybe that explains it because for homeschooling that was the answer one of the ladies said she received from JAG (?) Basically that it didn't matter in SC just follow your home state and you would be fine. Probably because we have two huge training bases ( I think we have two I'm not sure exactly what FT Jackson and Parris Island are considered.) where no body stays for long. Maybe that shaped up our state laws a little differently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melanie Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 Then maybe that explains it because for homeschooling that was the answer one of the ladies said she received from JAG (?) Basically that it didn't matter in SC just follow your home state and you would be fine. Probably because we have two huge training bases ( I think we have two I'm not sure exactly what FT Jackson and Parris Island are considered.) where no body stays for long. Maybe that shaped up our state laws a little differently. While I have not spoken with a military lawyer about the issue, I have read the SC homeschool laws, and there are no written exceptions for military homeschoolers. Perhaps some local communities look the other way, but I would advise military homeschooling families to comply with state law for their own protection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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