So you want to homeschool. How do you even do that? If you’re considering a mid-year switch to home education, we’ve got the inside scoop for you! Today on Home School Heartbeat, HSLDA President Mike Smith and staff attorney Tj Schmidt discuss what you need to do to legally start homeschooling.
Mike Smith:
Tj, last time you mentioned several reasons why parents might chose to begin homeschooling their children in the middle of the school year. Once they’ve made that decision, what steps do they need to take to legally withdraw their child from public school, and avoid any truancy issues?
Tj Schmidt:
Well, the first thing that I would suggest is that they contact HSLDA for help. We can walk them through their individual situation and help make a smooth transition from public school to home. Because each state is different, I would strongly urge a parent to become familiar with their state’s legal requirements to teach their children at home. If they require to notify either local or state officials of their decision, HSLDA has forms which a parent can use to satisfy all of those requirements. One of the most important things to do is ensure that your child is officially withdrawn from the public school system, so you don’t receive a truancy notice from local school officials when the child doesn’t show up at school. Some states begin these proceedings when a child has only three unexcused absences. Finally, HSLDA has several consultants available to help parents to decide what curriculum might fit their child and family.
Mike:
Well thanks, Tj, that’s essential information. And we encourage any parents considering homeschooling to contact us and learn about the legal support HSLDA can provide for your homeschool. Until next time, I’m Mike Smith.
