AZ is just a letter of intent in the beginning. I started to keep my own calendar and such just because it feels odd having no supporting documents (and the fact that a week would slip by if I were not keeping track).
Sorry I just saw this. I am from AR too. The 14 day waiting period is so that parents cannot pull their child out to avoid punishment or because they are upset only to re-enroll a few weeks later. You will have to fill out an intent form every year but as long as it is turned in by August 15th you will not have any trouble. The superintendent can waive the 14 day waiting period. Some will refuse though. All kids in 3rd-9th grade also have to test once a year. You should receive papers on it in February or March. Don't miss the test or the state will count your child truant for the entire year and you can face legal action. As long as you turn in your intent form and show up for testing you will not have to deal with the state for anything else. What part of the state are you in? We have a great hs group in the northeast part.
That makes sense. (Well, in the "gov't runs my life" context.) There is a special provision for people in my situation (having just moved to the state). I have 30 days to notify them that we are already homeschooling. The 14 day thing doesn't apply. I just have to get this crazy lady to understand. lol. Oh, that's more than enough. Lol. I already told my son who's old enough that he just has to complete the test this year. I couldn't care less if he gets even a single answer right. I'm not going to put pressure on him to help the district look good. :lol: I'm Central... just north of Little Rock. For now. We'll be moving again in June. That is, unless DH gets the promotion he just put in for today. But since he was just promoted last month, that may not be likely.
So you have already turned in your notification? I know you went in to do it, but thought maybe you ended up not doing it, since they were giving you grief. Every year, be sure to keep a copy of your notification, and also to send it certified mail so you can have a receipt.
Yes, I turned it in. I couldn't send it certified mail because the first year you homeschool in a particular district you have to hand deliver it. I made a copy of it once I had it notarized (NOTARIZED!!! Stupid thing cost me money!)
NOTORIZED!!! You've got to be kidding!!! (BTW, check with your bank. The bank we go to notorizes things for free if you have an account. When Phillip went with my dad to Wisconsin, we notorized a paper granting Dad temporary guardianship, and also one for emergency medical authorization.)
Our bank is in MO. lol I wish I was kidding. Stupid letter of intent is actually a lengthy form on which one must disclose curriculum, hours of education each day, school calendar, etc, etc. And it has to be notarized.
Ohio is similar. We need to give tell them what we plan on teaching, and give a list of books/materials we plan on using. Don't know about where you're at, but in Ohio that stuff is supposedly "for informational use only" (according to LAW). That means YOU CAN STILL CHANGE if something's not working out right. Don't think that, because you wrote it down, you can't change, nor do you have to inform the district if you decide to change. I usually write a disclaimer at the bottom of my form "This is a working outline only, and is subject to change". That way, if I write French and decide not to teach it, I feel they can't come back and fuss if I write it again (with same books!) the next year.
When we file our affidavit, we do not have to list subjects. It is required that all subjects taught in the public school be taught at home. We do not have options as to what we teach only how we teach it and what curriculum we choose to use. Electives are above and beyond required subjects and we decide this for ourselves. So the state already knows what subjects we are teaching, outside of electives. With that said, we have to keep a calendar; actually a record of attendance. Although I have heard it isn't required that we keep our day logged, HSLDA suggests it because the state website is iffy in this area. I read it as WE ARE supposed to keep record but others read it as we are not. So HSLDA tells us to cover ourselves since we operate through a loophole in the system and after the 2008 incident, HSLDA thinks we should cover all basis. This applies to private homeschoolers. The other options of home education require the family to follow whatever requirements that are set by the program our tutor the student is being taught under. ..and we get to file online, directly to the state website so there is no paperwork other than our copies of the affidavit.
What I do is specifically list the topics under the subjects. When Phillip was a 6yo, I listed the following under Language Arts: dictation/recitation, creative/journal writing, grammar, spelling, reading comprehension, classical literature. However, for math I just wrote "First Grade Math". With Rachael, I actually went through the math book and wrote all the different topics...addition, subtraction, measuring, etc. But I later decided that was a waste of time. This is a rather vague list, which is fine with me. And then I also send in a list of textbooks, computer programs, etc., that I ANTICIPATE using. (ANTICIPATE, because as I said, I reserve the right to make whatever change I want whenever I want!)
I am sorry, Amie, that this is happening to you I just got online today, so I did not see this earlier. That sounds very crazy to me. When we went to turn in our letter, the lady took it, read it to make sure it was filled out correctly, then sent us on our way. There were no discussions about a waiting period, or enrolling them. I think they are very confused about what the law really means, and they have it in their heads one way, but hopefully once she reads what you sent her, she will se she is TOTALLY WRONG, lol. We did not have to get our letter notarized, I don't know whay you did. It must be your school district, or again, them making up something that is not necessary, lol. Also about the test, I have been told that it is just for the state to report on themselves, it has no effect on us. My boys are kind of stressed about it, they have not taken tests like that. I am teaching them how to fill in the bubbles, but beyond that, I am not worried about the test at all.
Huh. You might check with HSLDA to see if it's a state requirement to have it notarized. If not, I wouldn't do it next year!
California has bad reps but it is easy you just file affidavite by October and then you basically have to have them in school either so many days or take attendance, it changes on us now and then so you kind of have to keep track if you need to know. Otherwise its easy as pie here, i choose what o teach that is somewhat like the high schools here offer. kids have had Drama, PE, Art, extra Science , extra history and geography courses, extra curriular events, Band etc, just like our schools are cutting we have them here at Agape Academy Home School!
Arkansas Homeschool Law Amie; I am so sorry that you are going through this. The woman at your superintendents office is wrong. You do not have to enroll your children in public school for 10 days before you can legally homeschool them. What school district is this--I can have people from the Family Council look into this. You do not have to teach the same subjects as the public schools do and you do not have to follow their calendar. I just write "language arts, math, science, and social studies. This is subject to change based on my child's needs." For the time spent on school I put "Monday through Friday, 5 hours a day, subject to change based on my child's needs." You do not need to get the form notarized. If you have a teen who will be driving, make a copy of the notice of intent form and get that copy notarized when you bring them to DMV to get their permit. This is a DMV requirement, not a home school law. As for your qualifications, just list whatever schooling you have. The cannot deny you the ability to homeschool based on your education or lack thereof. I homeschool in Arkansas. I am new to the forum so I cannot post links otherwise I would post the link to the homeschool law for you. Here are the prerequisites for homeschooling in Arkansas. It is taken directly from the education code--pay particular attention to paragraph 2: 6.15.503 Prerequisites to Homeschooling (a)(1) Parents or guardians desiring to provide a home school for their children must give written notice to the superintendent of their local school district of their intent to provide a home school for their children and sign a waiver acknowledging that the State of Arkansas is not liable for the education of their children during the time that the parents choose to home school: (A) At the beginning of the school year but no later than August 15; or (B) By December 15 for parents who decide to start home schooling at the beginning of the spring semester; or (C) Subject to the provision of subsection (d) of this section, fourteen (14) calendar days prior to withdrawing the children from the local public school and at the beginning of each school year thereafter. The superintendent or local school board may waive the fourteen-day waiting period. (2) Within thirty (30) calendar days of establishing residency within the district, parents or guardians moving into the school district during the school year must give written notice to the superintendent of their local school district of their intent to provide a home school for their children and sign a waiver form acknowledging that the State of Arkansas is not liable for the education of their children during the time that the parents choose to home school. (3) This notice must include: (A) The name, date of birth, grade level, and the name and address of the last school attended, if any, of each student involved. (B) The location of the home school. (C) The basic core curriculum to be offered. (D) The proposed schedule of instruction. (E) The qualifications of the parent-teacher. (4) Parents or guardians shall deliver written notice in person to the superintendent of their local school district the first time such notice is given. (b) The information may be used only for statistical and test administration. (c) Each local school district shall report the statistical data required by this section to the Department of Education each year. (d)(1) No public school student shall be eligible for enrollment in a home school if the student is currently under disciplinary action for violation of any written school policy, including, but not limited to excessive unexcused absences. (2) Public school students who are under disciplinary action by the local school district shall be eligible for home school enrollment if: (A) The superintendent or local school board chooses to allow the child to enroll in a home school; (B) The disciplinary action against the student has been completed or the school semester has ended, whichever occurs first; or (C) The student has been expelled. I hope this is helpful to you
