NEW MEXICO
The "Home School Data Report"—What You Need to Know
This past fall a new form, entitled "Home School Data Report," was circulated by the New Mexico State Board of Education. The form requested that each home schooler complete it with the following information: proof of high school diploma, immunization report, and student social security number.
The home school law does require home schoolers to maintain immunization records and provide them to the school district. The other two items, however, are not required by law.
While the New Mexico home school law does require the teaching parent to possess a high school diploma or GED, it does not specifically require submission of a copy of the diploma. HSLDA advises its member families that the home school law does not require them to supply a copy of their diploma and we will support any family's refusal to submit the high school diploma or GED documentation. Some families have provided the school district with a notarized statement that the teaching parent possesses a minimum of a high school diploma or GED. However, general compliance with such requests tends to result in efforts to amend the home school law to require production of the documents.
Home schoolers frequently receive requests for their students' social security numbers. Many school districts use the social security number as the student's identification number for record keeping, and must request the number for this purpose. Use of the social security number is not mandatory, and the school district may not legally require the number to be produced.
Should a member family encounter difficulties with any school official regarding these issues, they should contact the HSLDA legal department.
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