What state is the easiest for hs'ing?

[Pencil Pusher]

I'm in Tx, & I know we're high on the list, but is it easier somewhere else? Can we get a top 10 list?

In Tx, you have to use "bonafide" "curriculum designed to meet basic education goals of reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics and a study of good citizenship." That's it. No records, no reporting, no testing. And, as far as I know, no one actually has the authority to look at our "bonafide curriculum."

Anybody got it better? Just as good?

[Jeani]

The law in NJ states that “every parent, guardian or other person having custody and control of a child between six and 16 to ensure that such child regularly attends the public schools of the district or a day school in which there is given instruction equivalent to that provided in the public schools for children of similar grades and attainments or to receive equivalent instruction elsewhere than at school.”
There is no requirement to even notify anyone, though many people do. The schoolboard is not authorized to examine curriculum or monitor outcomes at all. And we like it this way! They don't even specify what "equivalent instruction" is. It's very hands off.

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

I'm in Tx, & I know we're high on the list, but is it easier somewhere else? Can we get a top 10 list?

In Tx, you have to use "bonafide" "curriculum designed to meet basic education goals of reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics and a study of good citizenship." That's it. No records, no reporting, no testing. And, as far as I know, no one actually has the authority to look at our "bonafide curriculum."

Anybody got it better? Just as good?

New Jersey. Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Or do, if you want to. Nobody Knows, Nobody Cares.

[Lolly]

We have 3 methods of homeschooling. The one we use is to operate as a satellite campus of a private school. Technically my children are in private school not home-schooled. We follow whatever the rules are for that school. My school, HomeLife Academy, requires that grades and attendance be reported twice a year. Those grades can be pass/fail, S/U, or letter grades. No testing required. For high school, you must complete certain courses to receive a diploma.

[WendyK]

I used to live in Connecticut. There were no requirements. It states some recommendations, but there are no regulations. You don't even have to send a notice of intent. The only thing one would have to do is officially withdraw their child from school, if they were attending school. There is no testing, and no record keeping.

So now I live in NY. WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :eek:

[JFS in IL]

Don't have to file anything or do anything. Parents are responsible for their kid's education according to Illinois law :-)

[Sasha]

Indiana is very easy to homeschool in. I have to let the DoE know that I intend to homeschool by the time my child is 7 and I have to teach a "comparable" curriculum for 180 days out of the year. No one checks to make sure that this takes place.

[Ohio12]

anywhere WARM so you can go outside!;)

[Mama Lynx]

I think Texas is as easy as it gets.

I'm currently in Michigan. Michigan state law actually mentions homeschooling:

A child is not required to attend a public school in the following cases:

(snip other cases)

(f) The child is being educated at the child's home, by his or her parent or legal guardian in an organized educational program in the subject areas of reading, spelling, mathematics, science, history, civics, literature, writing, and English grammar.

There is an attachment that further states (among other things):

• Intermediate and local school districts are responsible for interpreting and enforcing the Compulsory School Attendance Law.
• There are no minimum qualifications for teachers except that they must be the parents or legal guardians of the children


It further states that we are not entitled to services, but may enroll in noncore courses.

So no reporting, testing, etc. Pretty much as good as Texas :) However, I have heard that in the past, some trouble was made over the phrases "in the child's home" and "by his or her parent or legal guardian." I don't know the specifics, but I guess there was some weirdness about homeschoolers being able to "count" classes taken at a co-op, or taught by a tutor. :rolleyes:

[Pencil Pusher]

I don't know the specifics, but I guess there was some weirdness about homeschoolers being able to "count" classes taken at a co-op, or taught by a tutor. :rolleyes:

Ooh...or hs'ing at Starbucks? :eek:

[beansprouts]

Connecticut is very easy. There is a "recommended" notice of intent form that we are supposed to fill out, but it is not required by law. I have never done a thing.

[GothicGyrl]

Florida--either:::

Enroll with the county you live in as a homeschooler and do either a standardized test (and it's your choice) or a portfolio review

OR
Enroll in an "umbrella" school and be left alone. :)

Guess which one I chose? ;)

[Krista in LA]

I do have to send a letter to the state DOE stating the number of children in my in-home private school and that we will have 180 days of school - but there is no necessary record keeping so I guess that doesn't even really matter.

[CynthiaOK]

Oklahoma - no reporting, no testing, no records. And, I believe, we are the only state with a constitutional right to homeschool.

[King Alfred Academy]

We have 3 methods of homeschooling. The one we use is to operate as a satellite campus of a private school. Technically my children are in private school not home-schooled. We follow whatever the rules are for that school. My school, HomeLife Academy, requires that grades and attendance be reported twice a year. Those grades can be pass/fail, S/U, or letter grades. No testing required. For high school, you must complete certain courses to receive a diploma.

TN here too, but looks like a good possibility we will be moving to CA in the fall. :eek: Not too excited about it with all of the "stuff" going on there. TN is pretty easy. ;)

[Excelsior! Academy]

Oklahoma. We don't have to give notice and there no requirements. No testing. No written notice. Nothing. Oh, and it is written into our state constitution. Our constitution says "other means of education." It was put in to include homeschooling.

[Amira]

There are no requirements in Idaho. Utah is easy too, you just need to send the district a letter each year telling them you're homeschooling.

[my2kidsmom]

MS is very easy....file a letter of intent and that's it. You don't even have to put what your are doing, just that you are going to teach your children.

[sdWTMer]

I agree with Texas.

[nutmeg]

Oregon is easy to work with.

- one time notification
- testing after 3rd, 5th, 8th, and 10th grades
- turn in testing results only if requested
- must score above 15th percentile

[elegantlion]

We are in Louisiana as well. The only thing I use my letter of intent for is obtaining discounts ;)

I've also homeschooled in Missouri as well, no notification, but the timekeeping was tedious for me.

I vote for Texas as being the easiest.

[Sandy in Indy]

Actually, in IN we're required to notify the DoE **if** asked by the state superintendent (sp???). So far, he hasn't phoned me to ask!

Otherwise, we have to keep attendance records for the required 180 days...but I've never had to show them to anyone.

[Kris]

We don't have many rules. You can notify the school district if you want to, but it's not required. 1000 hours per year, 600 in core subjects (math, science, language arts, etc.). That's it.

[Retrocutie]

Oklahoma - no reporting, no testing, no records. And, I believe, we are the only state with a constitutional right to homeschool.


Well, I'm jealous! :p

[gardenschooler]

We have 3 methods of homeschooling. The one we use is to operate as a satellite campus of a private school. Technically my children are in private school not home-schooled. We follow whatever the rules are for that school. My school, HomeLife Academy, requires that grades and attendance be reported twice a year. Those grades can be pass/fail, S/U, or letter grades. No testing required. For high school, you must complete certain courses to receive a diploma.

I've always found TN very easy. I pay my money (I think we pay $80/yr), click a few buttons, and I'm done. Nothing is ever questioned. I even send in copies of our test scores, make detailed lists of our curriculum and extra-curricular activities just because I'm strange that way. I want to hold myself accountable. I want to say, "Look at all we're doing, can I have a gold star?" But no one cares, lol.

I used to register through Gateway, and they didn't have the online grade reporting option. Making a list, copying it, and actually having to *mail* it was the only thing that bothered me! Now we're with HomeLife and I love being able to just do it online. It takes a couple of minutes twice a year. :D

I'm not altogether sure I entered the kids' grades from the first semester. Better check!

[sdWTMer]

Well dh's and two sons are card carrying Indians of the Muscogee Creek Tribe; maybe we'll move there and have it easy breezy!

[Mrs Mungo]

anywhere WARM so you can go outside!;)

True story:

The other day I put my kids' desks outside (we have school desks although we don't use them that often) and I sat outside in my bikini to work on my tan. :cool:

[Anne]

Another Don't Ask, Don't Tell state...

Anne

[Mrs. Readsalot]

I have found homeschooling to be very easy in Maryland. A delightful lady from the board of Education comes to my house twice a year. I now consider her a friend and she fully supports our homeschooling. She is very complilentary of what we do.

[Susan in IL]

Illinois.

No reporting.
No testing.
No filing.
No record keeping.
No anything.
We are private schools according to the state code.

[Closeacademy]

Indiana

We only have to keep track of that 180 days and no one is allowed to ask to see. We are supposed to give equivellent instruction but are exempt from that becuase we are private schools.

We can also teach other people's children and I know several families who run day schools out of their homes.

Great state to homeschool but I would rather be teaching my kids on the beach in Hawaii.:)

[KristineIN]

Actually, in IN we're required to notify the DoE **if** asked by the state superintendent (sp???). So far, he hasn't phoned me to ask!

Otherwise, we have to keep attendance records for the required 180 days...but I've never had to show them to anyone.


Yep, I've never notified anyone.

Kristine

[Jenny in Atl]

In GA, we do have a little paper work, but it's so easy. File a DOI, send in a monthly Att sheet, make a little summary at the end of the year, and give a standardized test every three years starting in 3rd grade. Neither the summary nor the tests are for anyone's eyes but the family's. I think the hardest is remembering to send in the Att sheet. Really a very friendly hs state.

[K-FL]

If you do reg. w/the local school board (1x deal) & keep current w/your yearly evaluations, you can take advantage of anything the public school offers. Think Tim Tebow bills up in other states. It 's not only sports, but band, art, chemistry or whatever class you want to take. Also, we have dual-enrollment for dc past the 9th grade at free tuition/fees (you do have to buy books) to get them further, faster. :o)

[LaMere Academy]

CT was the best.
No regulation at all. If child is in school, you just have to withdraw in writing and that's it.
It was wonderful.
I'm in FL now and you either have to reg. w/ the state and deal with testing or portfolio review OR join a "private" school. I chose the private school route.

[finding_sanctuary]

In KS you register as a private school and agree to meet for a number of hours/days "substantially equivalent" to public schools (meaning 186 days, or 1116 classroom hours).
That's it. No requirements for subjects, testing, instruction location, or anything else. From the sounds of it, we've got it pretty good here.

[whitestavern]

CT is SO easy...no reporting, no meetings, no NOI needed, nothing. I'm going to have to stay here til my kids are ready for college!!

[Sue G in PA]

PA is ridiculous (well, not as ridicuous as CA :eek:). I can't stand that my MD friends can basically do what they want while I have to file this blankety blank affidavit, outline my plans/goals for the district, have my dc get their "yearly" physical, have them tested, abide by the state's subject guidelines, etc. It's all a pain in the you-know-what. I don't like that PA has such control over my children's education, but I am very thankful we don't live in CA! If I could move...I'd move to NJ...many of our hs friends who live there say it is just soooo nice, the lack of involvement the state has in their affairs. Oh, only good thing about PA is that I don't have to register an intent to hs until the dc are 9 (3rd grade) or even enroll them in ps.

[KidsHappen]

Texas, Utah, Nevada, Florida, Wisconsin, Oklahoma and TN. Oklahoma is the only state that was easier than Texas with no requirements what-so-ever. Utah, Nevada, and Wisconsin require that you register but not much else. I found Florida to be the most difficult because we went with the portfolio review by a certified teacher. TN can be difficult at the high school level if you don't go with an umbrella school. If you are not with an umbrella school you must have at least a BA to home school at the high school level. Otherwise you just register with the local school district and report attendence. Still one of the more requirements than most of the places I have lived.

[KidsHappen]

:)

[Barb F. PA in AZ]

Affidavit of intent, nothing thereafter. Breath of fresh air after PA. There is so much I miss about that state but the nonsense homeschooling law is not part of it.

Barb