I am going to begin home schooling...The school district wants an educational plan with the letter of intent..

Question

When they say educational plan, do they just want a list of the subjects i will be teaching him or do they need to know the materials i will be teaching him out of?

Answer 1

Reading the notes about "they want..."  "they say"... "they need'... gives me the creeps!  WHO are "They"???  They are other people just like you and me.  They are not in charge of my children.

So, go to HSLDA and learn about what you need to do.  The best policy is to give "them" only enough information to satisfy the legal requirements.

Then go about the business of raising your children according to your high standards.  Don't let any "they"s dictate more than they are allowed by law.  If "they" were doing things right in the first place WE wouldn't have realized such a huge responsibility to give our children a better chance than what "they" have been giving to them all along.

I didn't get the greatest education from the "theys" did you?

If "They" were always right then our children would not be introduced to all of the evils of this world by the time graduation rolls around.  If "They" had it all together then there would be no children passed to higher grades without knowing the material.  "They" would have taught them all to read, write and compute with full accuracy, clarity and proficiency.

Sorry... I'm soapboxing....

Anyway, find out from HSLDA what it is to tell the people at the school district.  Do it.  Move on.  And teach your children to the best of your ability to learn how to reach the best of their ability!

Answer 2

Our school district did the same thing when I withdrew my older son.  I just told them it wasn't required (in our state, it isn't).  You need to make sure you know what your state laws require.  Check with your state homeschool group or a local support group.  Don't give them any more info than is required by law, otherwise you're making it more difficult for the homeschoolers who follow you.

In Texas, you can mail in your withdrawal letter and never have to speak to the school "officials" - just keep your child home the day after you mail the letter (make sure you send it return-receipt requested, so you can verify they got it).  Your state may be different, so make sure you check the laws for your state.

Answer 3

They want both.  It is necessary so they know you are not just doing it because you are spoiling your son.  Also, you may need to administer certain state tests with a proctor.

Answer 4

I homeschool and the area I live in only requires a letter of intent.  If you are not sure exactly what to include call the school board and ask to speak to the person (or dept.) in charge of homeschooling issues.  They would be the one to ask so you can meet all the requirements in your letter.  Good luck and enjoy your homeschooling.

Answer 5

yes they will want to see the materials that you are going to use to home school so they can apporve them. I used to home school this way and it is much easier to use an online charter and not have to go through all of that.

Answer 6

Please, contact your local support group and ask them. You don't want to provide more than necessary to the school district, but you do want to provide enough to keep them off of your back. Like Jazzy said, in some states that means just the subjects you plan to teach, but in other states it MAY include the materials you plan to use.

It does not mean that you are stuck with that all year, it's just a foot in the door, so to speak. After you call them (asap,  of course) to verify what is needed, you might look here for some good examples of vague plans, that fulfill the needs.

http://learninks.org/livinglearning/home...

Answer 7

Find out exactly what you are required to give them by law. Give them no more than that.

Answer 8

It depends on what state you are in.  Check out your state's laws at http://www.hslda.org  or contact one of your state homeschooling organizations.  They are excellent resources for this type of info.

I would be leery of giving the school district more info than is required.

Best wishes!

Answer 9

What they want or say to you is irrelevant.  Just check the laws in your area.  See hslda.org for your state laws.  Don't bow to what the school wants only do what the law requires.

Answer 10

Where I live the letter of intent is optional; the law lists subjects we're required to 'teach' but they leave the materials and methods up to the parents.  Portfolio review is optional.  Most homeschoolers do not file the letter of intent and opt out of the portfolio review.

Like the others said, check your state laws and homeschooling support groups in your area.  Don't rely on what the school system tells you.  It's usually wrong. :)