I get embarrassed sometimes as well. I mean, we don't even have to teach science or history for goodness sake. But we do anyhow. There is no one to check that we are actually schooling the kids and that's fine with me. Because I KNOW my kids are getting an education but others think that we should be held more accountable. I'm sure my MIL is on cloud nine knowing that my 14 year old may be going back to school. That way he can "be with other kids his age":roll: And that he will be getting a certified education. UGH!! Once, my kids were outside shooting bbguns ,while I was WATCHING them from the kitchen window, when the police show up because a neighbor complained that they were shooting his house and cats. They weren't, but I did get asked why they weren't in school. All I had to do was say that we homeschool and we were done for the day. The police officer said that they had to ask and that was that. I just KNEW that CPS would be called but nope. And then there was the checker at walmart whose eyes nearly popped out when I told her that we don't have to have our curriculum approved by the school. TMI I guess, I've since learned that the smallest amount of information I give them the better. Unless they are genuinely interested in homeschooling their kids.
You're in the office by the coffee maker. Someone tells a rude joke. No one likes it, but everyone chuckles anyway. The teller thinks he's the life of the crowd and continues his tales. If people walk away, the teller gets a clear message and stops. PS w/o HS reporting - "Everyone is doing it our way, so our way must be right." PS with increasing numbers of HS reported year after year - "Perhaps we're not doing something right. Perhaps we should rethink what we're doing." and also "I didn't realize there were so many HS'ers in my community. Maybe it's ok to pull my kids out after all!" As for testing, I don't think there should be a single standard for everyone, but I do think parents should document SOME level of learning. Even radical unschoolers should be able to prove that their children learned something over the course of a year, even if it's by walking an education official through their home to see what a typical day entails. Is it perfect? No. Will kids still fall through the cracks? Yes. But will it stop the abuses that so-called homeschoolers do to threaten the foundation of our right to teach our own children? Yeah... quite a bit. I don't think *I* need regulation because I know that *I* am giving my kids a good education. I think *we* as a homeschooling population need some, though just to keep the system honest and to track down people to hide their kids for the sake of sexual abuse and things like that. :? I'm not going to run out and lobby for regulation in TX. I'm enjoying my freedom just as much as the next guy. I've just seen too many kids who were very, VERY poorly "homeschooled" and grew up to regret their parents' decisions.
I'm in AZ too and I know what you mean. So far I've only been asked about what the state requires by my co-workers and they have not meant the question in a mean-spirited way. They're just curious so I do my best to set a good example with a loving attitude. Two co-workers have started homeschooling and a 3rd is considering a virtual school. Even though regulation is low I don't want more regulations although I totally understand some of the reasons stated for them.
I live in a state that has 2 options. Option 1-enroll as a private school, send a letter of intent yearly...the letter says that you will school 180 days and ensure they receive an education on par or better than the public school. Option 2-enroll in the state home study option, fill out an application yearly where you declare a set grade level and test yearly. Most people use option 1 b/c it is basically just keeping the truancy officer off your back. They normally switch to option 2 in high school in order for their children to be eligible for the state grants and scholarships. The problem with option 1 is that there are many who believe that any education is better than the public school education. I have been involved in many home school groups and a co-op. It is amazing the amount of children without learning disabilities that are not reading or writing in 2nd and 3rd grade within these groups. It isn't the majority, but I would say 30% or better are no where near where they should be academically. My MIL works in the school system and she has seen many home schooled children going back in at 4th and 5th grade testing on a 1st or 2nd grade level with no learning disabilities. The school has no choice but to label them special education and try to catch them up. She was very concerned when we began to home school. I do think there should be some accountability. I have seen several cases where the parents insisted that just being home was better than public school. Even though I am not held accountable by the state we live in now, I keep attendance records, report cards, a cumulative file folder for each child, and test yearly. I do this for the benefit of my children.
I live in NY. This state and Pennsylvania are probably the most heavily regulated states in the country. I honestly don't mind. We have to send a letter of intent every year, and home instruction plan, 4 quarterly reports, and an annual assessment. I actually like having this kind of paper trail for my records. In return, they give us free Metrocards to use on the subways, we have a guidance counselor, and they were incredibly helpful when my daughters went through the whole high school application process (that NYC is notorious for, lol). I would never be embarrassed. It is what it is. And even with all the NY regs, I find it all fairly unobtrusive. As long as we touch on all the main subjects (does anyone ever not?) we can teach whatever, whenever, and however we please.
Ok, ladies, it has been great to hear your responses. I can completely undertstand not wanting anyone in your business, assessments not proving anything, etc. Like I said, no one has ever doubted me or what I do/do not teach. People who know me enough to be asking me about homeschooling know me enough to know that my son will always come first and be well taken care of. It was just something that crossed my mind and I am always interested to hear other perspectives on things. Just yesterday I was talking with a new co-op member who moved here from SC, she was asking me if she missed something on the state website, and I had to laugh because I had just been thinking about our requirements.
This has been my experience as well. People usually ask out of curiosity, when they hear that I have no reporting they seem surprised for about 2 seconds, and then they quickly realize that it really isn't necessary. I usually point out that no one cares about how well my kids do more than I do. The people asking are usually people who have met my kids as well, and it is pretty obvious that they have been schooled and aren't being abused. Usually by the time the conversation is over they have positive things to say about the option of homeschooling. I don't know ANY homeschoolers who aren't giving their whole heart and soul to the task. Granted, I live in NJ, where there is so much striving and pushing to get your kids ahead. If I did know of homeschoolers who were struggling, I would see if I could help them. If they didn't want help, I'd probably encourage them to put their kids back in school. If I had any suspicion that they weren't actually homeschooling and were in fact abusing their kids, I would further investigate and report them! The idea that further homeschool regulation is necessary to prevent child abuse leads to a nanny state. It promotes the further assumption that the government is more qualified to take care of kids than the parents are. We basically assume parents are guilty of child abuse, and therefore the government must intrude into our homes and investigate and ensure that we don't harm our children. That is not the assumption we should be starting with. One question that we pretty regularly get asked is, "Does the school system provide you with the curriculum?" My answer is, "No, and I wouldn't take it if they did. I have much better resources available to me than the school system does."
I wouldn't say I want further regulations, it just feels odd verbalizing to people that there are no regulations. And, for me, people who ask know me enough to know that my son is well taken care of, they just become curious about homeschooling in general. So, no, I am not interested in more regulation, testing, or reporting, just feel like it is expected my many people.
Sounds like Louisiana to me. I have been homeschooling in Louisiana for 16 years. I have chosen to have the kids enrolled in the home study option for the for 12 of those years. My oldest son was only 2 when I started homeschooling him. It's hard to believe he is a senior this year and about to graduate with honors! Most other homeschoolers here have always thought that I was crazy to have anything to do with the home study program. Honestly I have never had any trouble with the state of Louisiana.
What an accomplishment. Congrats to you as well as your son. I have just begun the homeschooling journey, so it is inspiring to read stories like yours.
You are right! It is Louisiana and I have never understood why most home schoolers avoid the home study option. I am excited about the possibilities that the new virtual schools will offer as well. Congratulations on your senior!
My laptop apparently hates my reply and keeps shutting down on me.. but I'll attempt to answer the question here. I both love and hate our requirements. I have to file yearly letter of intent, then have a choice of either a yearly test, or to have a certified teacher look over a portfolio. I appreciate the legal requirements when it comes to a relative who dislikes ALL of my parenting decisions. With him, it is much easier to say, "Obnoxious person, I am completely legal here." That gets him off my back. OTOH, the idea of the test, at least this year, makes me feel sweaty. My dd is learning to read with phonics, and I've gotten word that the test is sight-words based. My 3rd grader had to be moved back in LA to fill a hole the size of the Grand Canyon in that subject. And he needed to go back a level in math to regain confidence there, as well. Which means.. for the test I have the choice of pushing them to do well on it and maybe having them crack, or letting them do very poorly. I'm probably going with the portfolio this year, instead, but it all makes it hard. With 3rd grader, ds, there has been a lot of recovery from ps time, which has left me twitching about all he's not learning. Without any testing or review requirements, it would be MUCH easier to teach my kids what I want them to know, and what I feel is important. Instead, I still feel locked into what the state wants them to know, even if I think it's sad, insulting, or way too much too fast for comprehension level. It makes me feel like I HAVE to introduce geometry and probability concepts to my 1st grader, even though I really want her to ONLY concentrate on addition/subtraction right now. I'd love to spend the rest of this year (at least once the snow melts) with REALLY teaching them about nature, and the planet, but I feel very constrained. Science gets relegated to a few paragraphs in a text (plus whatever I can come up with) instead of the indepth knowledge I want them to have. Soc Stud gets handicapped with a drive to learn all the oceans, all the continents, or all the 'community helpers' stuff, rather than indepth studies of different cultures, communities, and plant/animal life for that region. If any one asks me about state requirements, unless they are thinking about homeschooling themselves, would make me think they are questioning MY abilities. And that, I think, is call to pass the bean dip
Another thing about regulations is this: What about people who want to do delayed academics? Some public schoolers or even some homeschoolers find this unacceptable, so if they were regulated more heavily-would they even be able to stand true to their choices? What about unschoolers? That is another divisive issue. I have read where this type of learning works in many situations, but what would a government body overseeing it think? You see, while some might think it is good to have accountability, I don't the accountability should be from some outside government organization. It should come from God. He knows each child inside and out and He has a specific plan for each child that may be very different from the other children in that state/city or even that home.
I couldn't agree more, Cabsmom! Very good questions! Let parents be responsible for their own children, for good or bad.
Thank you! Good luck with your homeschooling journey. I pray that God will bless your family as he did ours!
If I were in charge of making laws (imagine that! HA!) The homeschool law would be. File a letter of intent each year. (compulsory age would be 8-16) The end! That's just for a statistical standpoint. Just to get numbers. After that-I say leave it up to the parents! I don't need the government to tell me how to raise or educate my kids. Yes, I know some bad parents would take advantage-but we shouldn't make laws that essentially punish and take away rights of good parents for a handful of bad parents. No matter the law or situation some bad person is always going to take advantage. But we can't let the government raise our kids because a handful of parents won't raise their kids. ETA: I"m in Ga-our laws are year DoI, monthly attendance form, 4.5 hours a day 180 days a year and testing every 3 years starting at the end of 3rd grade-which isn't turned into anyone....
Another reason for filing a letter. That way the district has it in writing that they are not responsible for the educating of that child.
In NC, I am just getting started with planning my first home school year (although my daughter is doing the work now along with her ps work). It seems I have to submit a letter of intent one time, and then my child has to pass a yearly standardized acheivement test once each year. The state requires 180 days of school, which I have to keep attendance records for, as well as vaccination records for each child. In the event that the state wants to see records, they notify you by mail to submit them. I think that's the extent of it. I like the accountability of testing each year, and the attendance records. Otherwise, I am thankful for my freedom here in our state. When people ask me about the requirements, I tell them there aren't a lot of regulations, but class size is much smaller than in ps!
