Will you help explain this to me? (Homeschool stuff) (read more)?

Question

I went here to view Ohio laws: http://www.hslda.org/laws/default.asp?State=OH I already saw this before I started to get homeschooled. I just wanted to be sure me and my mom understood this right.

As long as I take the standerized test I am LEGAL? I am pretty sure that is what that chart says but please tell me if I am right.

I am a 7th grader.

Answer 1

Parent doing the teaching/supervising must have HS Diploma, GED or BA/BS degree

You must do annaul testing and send results to the school district.

The cirriculum and yearly hours must meet or exceed what they specify.

The testing must be a legitiamate standarized test administered by someone approved with a BA or BS degree, such as a school, a homeschool org or a private institution accredited.  You can use any test.  Stanford, Minnesota, NY Regents, any legitimate test.

Answer 2

To be legal, you would have to operate your homeschool for the required number of hours and cover the subjects the law mandates.  Your parent needs to have a high school diploma or GED, or if they do not have one of those they need to have test scores indicating an equivalent knowledge or work under someone with a BA degree until the student shows proficient test scores of the parent gets the diploma or GED.

You would also need to submit a report each year to the Superintendent indicating that you are being homeschooled.  Additionally, you would have to present standardized test scores OR a written narrative (essay/report) showing academic progress OR an approved alternate assessment.  This means that standardized test scores are NOT required-you could turn in your narrative each year.

Recordkeeping is not required, but would probably be beneficial (for your sake).

Answer 3

That is one option listed. Just make sure to file it every year.

I do this with my daughter (in Maine)

Answer 4

Not quite. According to the chart, you need to meet ALL the requirements set out by the state homeschool laws.

Legal Option:

Establish and operate a home school



Attendance:

900 hours per year

(I doubt anyone will check this, but if you want to get picky, you should be keeping a log of when you do school, and it should come out to 900 hours per school year.... Ridiculous, and I don't think anyone would check it, but that's what it requires)



Subjects:

Language, reading, spelling, writing, geography, history of the United States and Ohio, government, math, science, health, physical education, fine arts (including music), first aid, safety, and fire prevention

(You need to cover all of these subjects in your home schooling. Again, a log would be the way to keep track of these. This is the material the state expects you to be studying)

Qualifications:

High school diploma, GED, test scores showing high school equivalence, or work under a person with a baccalaureate degree until child’s test scores show proficiency or parent earns diploma or GED

(This basically means that in order to be your teacher, your parent has to have the equivelent of a high school education.)

Notice:

Submit an annual notice of intent to the local superintendent

(This means that EVERY YEAR you need to send a letter of intent to the school board informing them that you are homeschooling. A letter like this usually includes your name, address, age/grade, and a statement that you are continuing to be homeschooled)

Recordkeeping:

None

(You're not actually required to keep records, so the hour thing will be even harder for anyone to check up on. I would still strongly reccomend you keep a log of materials you use, books you read, and of course your transcript. These will be helpful for college. Some kind of portfolio will also give you an edge, but the state isn't requiring it.)

Testing:

Submit with renewal notification either: 1) standardized test scores, or 2) a written narrative showing satisfactory academic progress, or 3) an approved alternative assessment

(This means you have to periodically submit scores from some standardized test to show progress. It soesn't say how often, so you might want to call the school board or another homeschooler in the area and find out. Another option is to simply write a narrative that shows your progress, but that sounds a bit iffy and vague. You can use another evaluation method as well, but it has to be approved first.)

That should clear things up. If you're still not sure, call the school board, or better still, find a homeschool support group in your area and start networking and making contact there.

Answer 5

This is the short version of the long answer the other man gave.  Yes do the test.  Have someone who has a 4 year degree give it to you.  Any one who has has gone to college, and is a stay at home mom can do this.  Your mom could do it, but it looks better if someone else does it.

When you send the test in they will in turn send you the results. Take these to the school.  That along with your letter of intent to home school will be sufficient.  As for the hours simply state in the letter that you will be following the school calendar, and add a list of classes you will be taking, including p. e. .  That is all you need.