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LEGAL/LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
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ACROSS THE STATES
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Staying ahead for the new school year
It's time once again to think about getting ready for the new school year. There are courses to plan, books to buy, and (for those in California) private school affidavits to file. Because the filing deadline is in October, it is very easy to get busy with your lessons and field trips and forget to file the affidavit. So mark October 1 on your calendar with "affidavit filing due" in red ink. All affidavits must be filed by October 15.
If you have never filed a private school affidavit before and have questions after looking over the form, please call our legal department—we will be happy to assist you. If you have filed the affidavit before, you will notice that it has not changed since last year.
For those of you without Internet access, in September you will need to write to the California Department of Education (CDE) to request a copy of the affidavit:
Private Schools Affidavit
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Fourth Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
For those filing online, Home School Legal Defense Association has been told that the affidavit for the 2004–05 school year will not be available until mid-September. To file online, go to http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/ps/rq/.
A problem often encountered last year with online filing occurred when homeschoolers failed to complete both steps of the process. The first step is to complete the affidavit onscreen, then electronically submit it by clicking the "SUBMIT" button. Once you have done that, another version of the affidavit will be generated so you can complete the second step: print a copy (or two) of the affidavit, sign it on the signature page, and mail the signed copy to the CDE at the address above.
A signed copy is required because you are certifying under penalty of perjury that all the information is accurate and that you have complied with the requirement for criminal background checks on paid employees. (The criminal background check generally does not apply to homeschoolers, who do not typically have paid employees. However, if you have any questions as to whether this would apply to you, please call our legal department.)
We trust that God will bless your endeavors this year as you train up your children in the way they should go.
— by J. Michael Smith
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