It’s only the middle of summer, but as a home school family, I’m already looking at the next year. I don’t have to worry so much about buying supplies from the school required list, or making sure we have clothes for the first day of school and I don’t need backpacks or lunch boxes.
What I do need is to notify the school district of our intent to home school again this year. This needs to be mailed, certified mail so you have a receipt, to the school district Superintendent before the start of school. They are usually fairly quick at getting an acknowledgment letter back to you and you’ll need this before school starts.
We write our notification letter every year, for each child home schooling the coming year. Our letter to the school district Superintendent gives notice, but also provides a list of all the resources we’ll use for our education in the coming year.
Our notification letter will also include either a summary from a certified teacher who has given an assessment of each of our children from the previous year who will be home schooled, or we can test our child(ren) with a home test. Either option provides the Superintendent a look at how well we were teaching and learning the previous year.
Usually, we opt to test. This way we don’t have to worry so much about keeping track of everything we do all year long. I order CAT (California Achievement Test) from Seton Home. The tests aren’t expensive and it includes test results. The CAT is easy to administer at home too.
If you choose to have an assessment done, you’ll need a certified teacher. This is easy to do too. What is looked at most in the assessment is progress. The teacher wants to see the child has progressed from the beginning of the school year to the end. Take samples of the work from early in the year, and samples from the end of the year. Keeping a calendar of all your activities is helpful too.
This year, my youngest son is age 5 before August 1, or in some districts September 13th. In Ohio, that means he’d start kindergarten this year. It’s not a requirement to notify for kindergarten, at least not in Ohio. However, if I were planning to put him in school for first grade, it’s a good idea to go ahead and notify for kindergarten. This way there is a record he schooled for kindergarten because in Ohio a child must complete kindergarten to move on to 1st grade. Here’s another article about Kindergarten Options in Ohio.
Once you have your acknowledgment letter in hand, it basically makes you an educator. So take it to your local library and ask for a teachers library card. This allows you to check out books for a longer period of time and may have a few other perks. Take the letter to your local book stores, there you can get a discount card which may give you up to 20% or more off educational materials. Don’t be shy, when you make purchases for your home school, ask if they have a teachers discount. Some activities will provide a discount for teachers and you may qualify.
Just writing about getting ready for homeschooling makes me excited for the coming year and all we’ll learn and do.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m getting ready to do that as well. We get an acknowledgment letter from the state, but no testing or anything is required.
We started, but it doesn’t count toward our hours until we get that letter.
At least I hope the police don’t show up and take me to court for reading the Hobbit in July rather than September! :)
Wish we didn’t have to test, but I guess they just want assurance the home schooled students are actually learning. What state do you live in?
Wow you have a lot to do! Here in Oklahoma I don’t have to do anything. I don’t even have to notify them as long as they have never been in public school before. I love the freedom!
Oh how lucky! I wish it were so easy here. But I can’t complain really because it’s easier here in Ohio than in some states.
Yes some states it is and can be very difficult. Lucky!
Hello,
My daughter is four… I know it is early but i am reallt nervous about my ability to home school. Any advice?
Thank you
I didn’t realize there was so much regulation of home schooling. Despite the many hoops for homeschooling parents I suppose it is really a good thing they make sure the kids are learning otherwise parents could just say they are teaching their kids and then just plop them in front of the TV.
I’ve never tried asking for a teachers discount. Did not know that i can in the first place :( I suppose you need to show documents that you’re homeschooling your child.