How we homeschool--the law of the land

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Country Families : One Thread

Homeschooling is legal in all fifty states and in Canada. However, every state and province has its own laws governing how homeschooling is regulated. Texas and New Jersey are the easiest states, I think, not requiring any reporting with the state. New York is difficult; one has to send the local school board a report card four times a year, and students have to be tested yearly. Also, curriculum has to be described and approved, and there are 12 required subjects for elementary students.

Here in Ontario, we do what we think is sufficient, and do not report to anyone. Other provinces have to "meet or exceed" public school standards.

I recommend homeschoolers in the states joinin Home School Legal Defense Association. For $100/year, they will advise and defend you any time you are in any trouble with the state. They cover all fees and provide expert legal counsel. Run the name through a search engine; I don't know what their addy is. I think they have an arm in Canada, but I haven't looked it up yet.

To get a run-down of your state's or province's laws, use a search engine to key in "home school laws" and the name of your state/province.

-- Cathy N. (homekeeper86@sympatico.ca), February 13, 2002

Answers

Connecticut has a fairly relaxed homeschooling atmosphere. If you wish to have the state/local school district looking over your shoulder, just file a letter of intent to homeschool - however this is NOT a STATE REQUIREMENT!!! Completely voluntary. Other than that, the laws pertain to and are written for the public school system.

The HSLDA mentioned in your letter isn't infallible - they don't know it all, and had CT's homeschool laws incorrectly defined in their paperwork. This would cause me to hesitate spending $100 for their advice/defense (I would check on that - I am not certain that they would actually provide you with a lawyer...).

-- Judi (ddecaro@snet.net), February 13, 2002.


Oklahoma has the freedom to homeschool written right into their state constitution. No reporting, no papers filed.

-- Terry - NW Ohio (aunt_tm@hotmail.com), February 13, 2002.

Brazil's still trying to get all their kids into regular schools, so I don't think the government has had much time to think about homeschoolers.

-- Randal in Brazil (randal@onebox.com), February 14, 2002.

In Indiana, you're supposed to register and keep track of days, but I don't know anyone that ever did.

-- Cindy (SE. IN) (atilrthehony@hotmail.com), February 14, 2002.

Indiana requires only that you keep records (not to show anyone, necessarily) and to provide an "equivalent" education but the law does not specify equivalent to what. We were absolutely not bothered at all for 13 years. Individual counties might harrass but that is not legal. There are no HS laws and we want to keep it that way because as soon as you mention HS in a law, you must acknowledge that it exists and define it and that will cause problems. There are a LOT of Homeschoolers in Indiana but they keep a low profile because of harrassment by the general public, not by officials.

-- Dee in IN (deatline@globalsite.net), February 14, 2002.


Oklahoma dose have manditory attendance, in some public, private, or other school, [and basically] for the lenghth that the public schools are in sesson. In most places that is 180 days, so our school starts on the 1st Monday of the first full week of the year and continues until 200 days of work are completed,

-- Thumper/inOKC (slrldr@yahoo.com), February 15, 2002.

Moderation questions? read the FAQ