I believe in many states (all?) kindergarten is NOT MANDATORY.
Therefore, homeschoolers don't have to *register* with the authorities until a kid is legally eligible for 1st grade.
That year finally arrived for my son, the 5.77 year old Prince.
As far as I can tell, the following constitutes all the paperwork I am legally obligated to file:
Okay. (1) only has to be done for the first year. (2) is nothing.
- Register my child with the school district (though still not sure if technically I HAD to).
- File a 2-sentence letter of *intent to homeschool* with the Superintendent and the local elementary school by July 1st.
- File an IHIP (Individualized Home Instruction Program) with the schools by August 14th. This is supposed to describe the course of study my wife and I will be implementing for our son.
- File 4 reports (inaccurately called *quarterly reports*) with the school which, I think, list how many hours have been spent on each of the subjects spelled out in the IHIP. There may also be *attendance* records or some other nonsense that I have record.
(3) and (4) may seem like a bit of work, all that planning and whatnot, but they really aren't. Homeschoolers are not really required to get too specific. And it seems that most of them simply rip a list or *typical 1st grade curriculum* from World Book Encyclopedia or something. That's what I did. Remember, for those of us who have accepted the responsibility of educating our own kids....we mostly have well-thought out and well-developed plans for the upcoming year(s) anyway. So it'd be nothing at all to whip up a meticulous outline. I refrain from doing so purely on principle.
Also, from what I read, the quarterly reports are complete BS as well. Just make up some numbers. One homeschooler I read actually just copies and pastes her IHIPs and reports from prior years without any problems at all. Click here to see the sample IHIP I worked from.
Again, this is my first time around so the above may not be accurate or complete. As I learn, I'll update this post.
In fact, I've yet to hear from the town on my IHIP - i.e. they haven't approved it yet!
In a way I am itching for a little fight with them as it would make for some good blog material/publicity.
Heck, I could just have my *undereducated* son rip the school district on his own blog!
2 comments:
The homeschooling link is double linked.
Man, I am itching for your fight more than you are.
It would be really funny to have Prince J attend his local 1st grade class as a "Visiting scholar" from time to time. He could probably tutor the students and the teacher could just sit there and collect her overcompensated pay check and benefits.
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