If you live in Indiana... Is it a law that you have to fill out the homeschool registration form with the Dept. of Ed. or do they just really WANT you to do it? I am finding conflicting sources. Did you fill out the form? We just moved and I have to homeschool my daughter for approx. 3 weeks. We have boxes stacked and I wanted to wait a couple of days before we start. I don't want to fill out the form and then not start right away. Any input would be great. Thanks!
There is a mom from Indiana that is on quite often, but she isn't on line right now... I'm sure she can help.
No, there is no law, you do not have to fill out any forms. The only hs law in IN is you must keep an attendance record for yourself. Also, if you are pulling them out of school you do not have to say where they are going except that your sending them to a private school. You are allowed a copy of your childrens records if they currently have any. There are other sites online, just look up IN homeschool and you will find a bunch of stuff, or wait on here maybe someone will post more things. ----------------- Indiana Legal Home Schooling Options: 1 Legal Option: Operate a home school as a private school Attendance: Same as the public schools; Generally, 180 days per year Subjects: None Qualifications: None Notice: None, unless specifically requested by the state superintendent of education Recordkeeping: Maintain attendance records Testing: None http://www.hslda.org/laws/default.asp?State=IN
this is why I'm confused the homeschool contact for the dept. of ed. said I did have to register and gave me the link for the registration form. It won't let me post it : ( But everything else says that you do not have to register.(I keep getting the same as the above post)...but the Dept. of ed said yes I do. Help!?!
If you're only doing this for 3 weeks, why do you have to go through all the hoops? If you're moving, isn't 3 weeks a reasonable amount of time to move and switch and then put the child in school without having to go through a bunch of legalities?
Here's the link to HSLDA's page about Indiana: http://www.hslda.org/laws/default.asp?State=IN It says that you don't have to notify your school district unless your state superintendent of education says you have to. It sounds like your superintendant DOES say that. Perhaps you can either call or e-mail the department of education and tell them that the registration link doesn't work for you and ask them what to do about it.
I am homeschooling her next year as well. I removed her from PS in FL and we moved to IN. Her teacher gave me the rest of her curr. for this year. I *thought* I wouldn't have to do anything but attendance record so I was just focused on next year. When I got ready for the move I came across this form online. I called the dept. of ed. and they said I did have to fill the form out for the 3 weeks. (Until we reach 180..including her PS days) I had read all about IN laws and it was the first I had read about this form. Since it came from the dept. of. ed. I figured it was law....but now I am not sure again. Thanks for all your help!
...I would have never suggested you call the dept of ed... Drats. Can you just let it go and not do anything. If they send you a letter in the mail about it then I would so something, if not let it go. It is 3 weeks for crying out loud. I had a friend who was told she had to fill out info also, she never did, nothing was ever said and that was that. IMO unless they formally request it, I would not fill it out or give them anything.
I did not give out any of my info to them. I told her I had thought that we did not have to give notice. She said yes I did need to. I said if you do not check...how is it monitored and why the notice? She said that the dept of ed and the school can not check but CPS can. That is why I got nervous. Knowing my luck....someone will call it in and I did not register and blah blah blah. I am all set for next year. This year just threw me for a loop. I had not planned on doing anything because my dd had already done all of her end of the year things at PS.
Good you didn't give out any info. Just try not to stress about it, let it go. If you get a formal letter then go from there. No one will call it in, just don't talk about it with anyone you know any more...that may be hard do do, but it would keep your personal business info personal.
If you have records from her previous school that show she had already done all of her end of the year things at the previous ps, then you shouldn't have to fill out or do anything extra where you are!
You do NOT have to fill anything out. They will try and persuade you to , but legally, there is nothing you need to do other than keep attendance.
The law is pretty confusing I think. Indiana Code 20-8.1-3-24 in particular "When a pupil withdraws from school, and no public or other private school has requested the pupil's educational records within fifteen (15) school days after the date the pupil withdrew from school, then the private school shall report to the state superintendent of public instruction or the superintendent of the school corporation in which the private school is located, the name and address of the pupil and the date he withdrew from school." At first blush it makes it seem as though you are simply required to keep attendance records and give them to the DOE should they ever be requested, but it seems that more is required. To further muddy the waters, the HSLDA advises no notice is required unless specifically requested by the state superintendent of education. So since I too am in Indiana and homeschooling I am curious too. However, my gut instinct is to lay low and stay off the radar screens of the DOE.
She straight out told me it was law. This is getting confusing. I'm assuming you did not fill one out? What if CPS comes to find out why dd does not go to school? Will I get in "trouble" for not filling it out? I live in an apartment. We have lots of neighbors. I just moved to the Evansville area 2 days ago. We moved from South FL. Am I close to you?
I think I found the answer! http://www.doe.state.in.us/sservices/homed.htm Since this is from the DOE website, I trust it is accurate information. "Indiana Home School Help Sheet Getting Started RESEARCH HOME EDUCATION: Before you withdraw your child from a traditional school, learn all you can. Talk to other home educators, read books about home education, learn about home school law in Indiana, "comparison shop" for a curriculum for your school. WITHDRAW YOUR CHILD AND NOTIFY HIS OR HER CURRENT PRINCIPAL, IN WRITING, OF YOUR DECISION While the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) issues school numbers to all private schools after they report their grade level enrollment data as required by Indiana law, You do not need a home school number prior to withdrawing your child and beginning home instruction. However, you do need to let the public school know why your child is no longer in attendance or he or she may be considered truant. REQUEST A COPY OF YOUR CHILD'S PUBLIC SCHOOL RECORDS: You are entitled to a copy of these public school records, both as a school administrator and as the parent of a minor child, under state law and the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Please note that this does not apply to private school records. NOTIFY THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OF YOUR GRADE LEVEL ENROLLMENT: Indiana law requires all private school administrators, including home educators, to notify the IDOE of their schools' grade level enrollments upon request of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. All notification of grade level enrollment reported to the state will now be done online. For online notification go here: http://mustang.doe.state.in.us/HOME/entry.cfm " S
I am still wondering: IF YOUR DD FINISHED HER SCHOOLWORK AT ANOTHER SCHOOL IN ANOTHER STATE, WHY DO YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL THIS?!
Deena, If I am interpreting this correctly, according to my previous post and the link from IN DOE, aside from keeping attendance records, you don't have to do anything, unless it is specifically requested. Read my previous post and the DOE link provided and see if you don't agree.
Her PS was open for 180 days. She withdrew on the 3rd. Her PS is open until the 24th. Because I am going to homeschool....it opens us up to the 180 day rule. I basically just have to homeschool her until the 24th. Her teacher gave me all her "stuff". Her PS in FL would not allow her to just miss the last 3 weeks. She would have to go back for 1 day before the end of the year otherwise it is a withdrawl...we are 20 hours away..LOL so that is not going to happen. It is not that big of a deal, I just was not planning on doing anything (related to notifying or attendance or whatever) the rest of this year. I was just going to unpack and have her do the rest of what her PS teacher packed..kwim. I got all freaked out because I thought I had the summer to prepare for HS. Thanks for your help. I am going to wait to notify until Monday....maybe I can empty a few boxes by then : )
