Editor’s note: This is the second of a multi-part series analyzing the latest version of the school re-opening guidelines.

Maybe the uncertainty of school opening in the Fall is causing you to look at options other than your regular old public schools. Maybe you're unhappy with their results. Maybe your child has some issues -- possibly not their fault -- with them. Now might be the time to start looking into home schooling.

Parents who are used to their children being away for six or more hours a day might be thinking to themselves that as much as they care about their children's performance, they simply don't have 30 hours to spend teaching them. You might be surprised at how little time it takes. Well behaved children almost teach themselves. OK, that might be an overstatement, but it's not a full-time job.

The legal requirements are not that complex:

1. Notify the local Education Service District (ESD) of intent to home school (ESD Homeschool Websites) within 10 days of withdrawing from public or private school.
2. Coordinate with Home School Tester(s) to assess student growth at the end of grade levels 3, 5, 8, and 10 (testing begins 18 months after notification)
3. Submit test results to local ESD when requested

The law requires that students who are home schooled be tested. The rules for testing are governed by administrative rule and they aren't very complicated.

You don't have to be a teacher. You don't have to have a college degree. If you're reading this article, you've already proven that you're smart enough to get the job done.




--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-08-01 23:24:46

Last Update: 2020-08-02 18:49:53