Ok, I have 2 letters typed up, one for each child in PS right now. Does this just go their principal or do I have to send this to the superintendant?
Do I also send him information on what we plant to teach during the year? Gosh that is going to take some time but what else do I need besides this right now?
stellar225
09-25-2006, 07:18 AM
I know when I was homeschooled my dad was supposed to let the superintendent know.
keegans_mommy
09-25-2006, 09:30 AM
I know when I was homeschooled my dad was supposed to let the superintendent know.
Ok, I think I may send a letter to both the principal and the super. just in case :D
1bigfamily
09-25-2006, 11:05 AM
It depends on your state. Here is the link for the HSDLA for Virginia.
http://www.hslda.org/hs/state/VA/default.asp
As long as you have a HS diploma, all you have to do is file the letter with the superintendent and then give them the state tests, or if you have religious reasons you can file the exemption and not even have to do the regular testing. I think you can get copies of previous years tests online so you can administer them yourself. You would have to check. Happy Homeschooling!
luckyduckies
09-25-2006, 11:19 AM
here is the form to fill out in Virginia
http://www.vahomeschoolers.org/noi/NOI_form.doc
here is a step by step list
http://www.vahomeschoolers.org/guide/#MidYear
Ima_to_6
09-25-2006, 12:25 PM
I live in MA and send the letter of intent and a list of materials that we intend to use to the superintendant; he then forwards the letter to the principal of the school that my children would attend if they were going to PS and a grade level teacher looks over the materials list.
keegans_mommy
09-25-2006, 12:51 PM
Ok, I have the letter and I went and got the curriculum according to what they both needed to learn in their year of schooling. Can I legally make THIS Friday their last day and start schooling them myself on Monday?
keegans_mommy
09-25-2006, 01:10 PM
Nevermind :D Found it! VA laws states that I can take them out at anytime just as long as I am within compliance with the laws within 30 days. Meaning, I have to send the super. the letter of intent AND what curriculum I plan to use for this year within 30 days of withdrawl!
My girls are so excited and are totally onboard with this!
Plus, it's wonderful for Tiffany, who's got Asperger's Syndrome, this type of schooling will be perfect for her learning! I am just so SICK of the PS's exuses of why they lost my children after school, why their cafeteria STILL isn't open for lunches (they get crappy, lunchables type lunches EVERYDAY!), school dances for 11 year old children (sorry, too tight in our household LOL) and such. That is just a START of our grief!
Thank you all for your help! I am working on setting up their "learning" area with their new curriculum books and tools!
1bigfamily
09-25-2006, 01:54 PM
:happyclap: Congrats mama!! It is so liberating and exciting when you are finally able to do what you know is right for your kids!!
mamato5angels
09-25-2006, 02:17 PM
When I pulled my dd out of school all I did was didn't send her and sent a letter saying that I was HS'ing that year and a list of books I was using. This is for NY. I didn't have to have anything special to do this.
Good luck to you.
keegans_mommy
09-25-2006, 02:21 PM
I allowed them to chose their last day and today was it LOL So my DH will call their principals and let them know that they will no longer be students in their lacking buildings and we will be by to pick up their things later! :D
I am going to have the girls help to set up their "classroom" and decompress from PS the rest of the week. We will start slowly with their new studies on Monday. I am totally excited for this to happen!
annes_cottage
09-25-2006, 03:38 PM
Look up your state laws on the Home School Legal Defense website, I think the link is in the head post about important links. Sone states do not require that you do anything like that. Make sure you know the laws. The school system will get nosey and you may not need to do anything formal.
dirtdartwife
09-25-2006, 03:43 PM
I can't reiterate enough what the other posters have mentioned about the HSLDA. They are your "big gun" when it comes to homeschooling laws and what is required to be sent in, etc. It's also highly adventageous to enroll into their program when you can because they'll be able to give you even more information and then protect you should something come down the pipelines regarding homeschooling stuff if someone wants to take legal action against you (to include the schools or county).
Congrats on your first steps and good luck!!! :mrgreen:
bobandjess99
09-25-2006, 05:49 PM
just seconding that you should not voluntarily provide ANY info that isn't required....you might be "okay" with doing it, but it sets a BAD precedent...comply with the legally required process only......for example, if your state doesn't require you to explain what curriculum you will be using..DON'T, even if you want to.....
Also....just as a caution, you said you were going to use the rest of the week to "decompress"...(I'm not sure how much prep you have done, so disregard if this is stuff you already know, LOL!) you might want to look into the concept of "DEschooling" (not to be confused with UNschooling)....it is basically the "decompression" that you speak of....HOWEVER, it generally tskes significantly longer than a week...it will likely take several weeks, even MONTHS in order to deschool your children (and yourself, if you are coming from a "school" background/mindset).....I'm not trying to be negative, im trying to be positive here..i don't want you to set some expectation and then feel like you are failing.......just wanted to caution you that it might take a LONG time to deschool......
HAPPY best wishes!
MommaRhi
09-25-2006, 09:08 PM
Nevermind :D Found it! VA laws states that I can take them out at anytime just as long as I am within compliance with the laws within 30 days. Meaning, I have to send the super. the letter of intent AND what curriculum I plan to use for this year within 30 days of withdrawl!
My girls are so excited and are totally onboard with this!
Plus, it's wonderful for Tiffany, who's got Asperger's Syndrome, this type of schooling will be perfect for her learning! I am just so SICK of the PS's exuses of why they lost my children after school, why their cafeteria STILL isn't open for lunches (they get crappy, lunchables type lunches EVERYDAY!), school dances for 11 year old children (sorry, too tight in our household LOL) and such. That is just a START of our grief!
Thank you all for your help! I am working on setting up their "learning" area with their new curriculum books and tools!
Brenda, where did you find out what you needed to do? I went on to the IL portion of the HSLDA and I cant find anything.
1bigfamily
09-25-2006, 10:12 PM
Brenda, where did you find out what you needed to do? I went on to the IL portion of the HSLDA and I cant find anything.
I looked at the HSLDA site and it appears that you are not required by law to provide anything to the schools, letter of intent or otherwise. I also states that if a school investigates you for truancy than you could file papers with them, purly voluntarily, to show that you are complying with law. the law there is only that you will teach in English and that you will teach the subjects that your child would recieve in a public school. I am not an attorney but that is what I interpret it to say when I read it. I know that here in Texas all you have to do is withdraw your student and say that you will be homeschooling. HTH
keegans_mommy
09-26-2006, 07:44 AM
Brian called the girls 2 schools and let them know they will not be back ever and the Principal basically drilled Brian and she didn't know the law! I have it printed out in front of me, and it's as plain as day. How come she doesn't know this?
Anyway, she tried to find out the whys and hows of what we were doing and then cried a river that they have a quota to make and if they lose a student it will be that much harder to make the quota of students passing. As if that matters to our personal situation. I don't care, all I care about it MY children and their future, not everybodies future. Cold, I know but MY family comes first, not the principals quota.
Claire's school hasn't called us back yet but we are anticipating them doing so with their "ammunition" of why we "can't" take her out. But I have the law backing me up right now so I am confident. I just hate confrontation! :banghead:
ustasmom
09-26-2006, 08:00 AM
I've been homeschooling since 1993 and living in Virginia since 1995. The homeschooling laws are very friendly. The extent of that courtesy, however, does differ from county to county. Some counties are great and some are quite snarky.
What county are you in?
Send your letter to the Superintendent of Schools, not the principal. It isn't his business, basically. You aren't responsible to him. All correspondence will be with the school board office.
keegans_mommy
09-26-2006, 08:31 AM
I've been homeschooling since 1993 and living in Virginia since 1995. The homeschooling laws are very friendly. The extent of that courtesy, however, does differ from county to county. Some counties are great and some are quite snarky.
What county are you in?
Send your letter to the Superintendent of Schools, not the principal. It isn't his business, basically. You aren't responsible to him. All correspondence will be with the school board office.
Nice to know there is somebody else in VA! We are in Fauquier County. I have had to send an e-mail to the superintendant to get the addy as it's not on the website :headscratch: so I am waiting :)
ustasmom
09-26-2006, 11:33 AM
I am in Shenandoah County. We used to live in Frederick County and Clarke County (just a couple miles from the Fauquier border). We operate under a religious exemption.
HSLDA is in Purcellville. $8 a month gets you legal insurance, basically. If, and I say if, you have any problems with the school board or Social Services, they will fight your battle for no fee. We know somebody that Prince (William, I think) county went after. They were not members of HSLDA and financially, the legal battle costs ruined them for years.
Loudoun County has an awesome library system. You should be able to use it where you are.
The HEAV convention is mid June. There is also a NoVA convention sometime in July.
keegans_mommy
09-26-2006, 02:16 PM
I am in Shenandoah County. We used to live in Frederick County and Clarke County (just a couple miles from the Fauquier border). We operate under a religious exemption.
HSLDA is in Purcellville. $8 a month gets you legal insurance, basically. If, and I say if, you have any problems with the school board or Social Services, they will fight your battle for no fee. We know somebody that Prince (William, I think) county went after. They were not members of HSLDA and financially, the legal battle costs ruined them for years.
Loudoun County has an awesome library system. You should be able to use it where you are.
The HEAV convention is mid June. There is also a NoVA convention sometime in July.
WOW! Thank you for this bit of information! I do hope I remember the conventions ;) I will tell my DH about the legal insurance! $8 a month sounds like a good idea ;) There are some mean people out there. :banghead:
annes_cottage
09-26-2006, 02:34 PM
Brian called the girls 2 schools and let them know they will not be back ever and the Principal basically drilled Brian and she didn't know the law! I have it printed out in front of me, and it's as plain as day. How come she doesn't know this?
Anyway, she tried to find out the whys and hows of what we were doing and then cried a river that they have a quota to make and if they lose a student it will be that much harder to make the quota of students passing. As if that matters to our personal situation. I don't care, all I care about it MY children and their future, not everybodies future. Cold, I know but MY family comes first, not the principals quota.
Claire's school hasn't called us back yet but we are anticipating them doing so with their "ammunition" of why we "can't" take her out. But I have the law backing me up right now so I am confident. I just hate confrontation! :banghead:
She basically nailed it right there for you mama!! That is why the public schools cannot and do not try to meet each child's individual needs....they are nothing more than a quota! Is that not sickening!!!! Ahhhh, burns me up!!!! :banghead:
Good for you having the law right there in front of you to read. I am sure she was not prepared for your ammo!!!!:thumbsup: :happyclap:
I am so glad you took this step for your children!! :hugs: :hugs: :hugs:
