How to unenroll your child from public school if you decide to homeschool instead of doing Covid-19 school at home

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT AND THEN SOME...

After not making a blog post for over a year, I am back with my second post in a week, but strange times calls for strange behavior, right?  Anyway, due to murmurings I am hearing on the homeschool boards I thought this was in order.  Many people need to know what to expect when they decide to homeschool. They need to know what the first step is and they are getting tons of misinformation when they call the school.  

I have done the research, and you can find specific state information on several homeschool legal websites, but I found some inconsistencies, and dug further.  The rules are as follows: 

There is no real notification required, as in you can just decide to homeschool and start homeschooling in Idaho, Texas, Oklahoma, Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, New Jersey, Alaska, Iowa, and Michigan.  In some of these states, you can opt to work more closely with the schools, or enroll under private schools, but it is not required. 

You need to notify the school board in the following states periodically. (Some yearly, some when you start and/or when you move)/They are Connecticut, Montana, California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Nebraska, Kansas, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, and Delaware. Be sure to familiarize yourself with what is required. Some have number of days requirements. Some have curriculum requirements. Some have teacher education requirements. Some require students be taught in English. 

States where you may need permission / curriculum approval: Washington, Wyoming, Oregon, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, West Virginia, 

North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Florida. These states require registration forms. They may require immunization. They tend to require you to at least register as a private school which isn't as bad as it sounds but still requires a bit of paperwork. There will be hour and curriculum requirements, and teachers/parents may need certification. 

Hardest states to homeschool in are Vermont, Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania while it is difficult, it is not impossible. You have to be very familiar with the requirements of your state. You may need to fill out your yearly plan in advance and have it approved. You may need to fill our yearly and quarterly reports and have them approved. Testing is required, and there may be restrictions on who can be in your home. 

*Regardless of the rules, it might be a good idea to un-enroll your child from the actual school so that you don't get reported as truant. This is however, where parents tend to get into trouble or misled by the school.  

Slick moves schools are pulling: 

• telling you that you need approval when you do not
• asking you what your curriculum is
• telling you that there are rules for what curriculum you can use

What they may be trying to tell you:

• You may not be able to re-enroll your kids the next year if you don't use certain curriculum.

If you plan to re-enroll after COVID: 

• Use something measurable
• Take standardized tests at the end of the school year.