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Homeschooling: Parents must abide by state laws
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| Florida Law requires that all homeschool students follow state and district regulated requirements. Parents must register their students with the Columbia County School Board before starting to homeschool. JENNIFER CHASTEEN/Lake City Reporter |
Requirements include portfolios, evaluations and registration.
By JENNIFER CHASTEEN
jchasteen@lakecityreporter.com
n Second in a series
Considering that homeschooling in Florida was illegal 23 years ago, the homeschool movement has made rapid strides to be an acceptable alternative to public and private schooling methods. However there are times when potential homeschool parents and even seasoned homeschool parents become confused about what Florida law requires of them as home educators.
Assistant Superintendent of Columbia County Schools Lex Carswell states that approximately 85 percent of home-educated students in Columbia County abide by the law and fulfill the requirements each year. There is a small percentage however that does not follow requirements or use homeschooling to avoid already established problems.
“Our job as school educators is to work with all educators in the district and that includes home educators,” Carswell said. “One of our biggest concerns is the student who is pulled out of the public school system because of truancy problems. True home educators are dedicated, and there is no problem. It’s those parents that use homeschooling as a way to avoid truancy is the main problem.”
Debbie Martin, a local homeschooling mother of three, former elementary school teacher and volunteer for the Columbia County School District Truancy Board for homeschool truancy cases, agrees that dedication from the parent is key to
successfully home educating.
Martin has observed some cases where parents who have children in the public school system encounter problems and pull the children out of school. Martin says sometimes parents think that schooling at home will solve all their problems and often do so before preparing themselves and their child for a long-term commitment.
Martin stresses that parents should stop and take a breather, and then sit down and talk out their problems with the appropriate people concerned before making the decision to homeschool.
“If there is a problem that is persistent, the parent must be certain not to pull their kids out of school rashly,” explains Martin. “Look at the source of the problem. If the parent is making an emotional decision, as in they are angry with school personnel or another student it’s best that they take a step back, calm down and think it through.”
Martin also saw a small percentage of cases where the parents were unaware that they were required to keep records and proof of yearly progress.
“These parents were earnestly trying to help their child,” Martin said. “They did not know they needed to keep records or had to have their child evaluated each year.”
Parents are responsible for educating themselves on what the law requires of them, and there are resources available that help parents know what they need to do to fulfill the requirements.
President of the Florida Home Education Foundation and lobbyist for home education Brenda Dickenson says there are three things parents must do to be within Florida law concerning schooling at home.
First is to register each student with the superintendent of schools or with a private school that oversees homeschool students. Failing to do so is against the law and
the parents can be faced with truancy charges.
Secondly, state law requires parents to keep a yearly portfolio with samples of student’s work, a list of curriculum, reading materials and educational activities.
And thirdly, a student must be evaluated annually at the end of the school year. This can be a portfolio review by a certified teacher, standardized testing, evaluation by a psychologist (a good option for students with learning disabilities) or any other mutual arrangement made between parents and superintendent. Dickenson stressed that commitment from the parents is the most important factor in homeschooling and following the law.
Parents should preserve each child’s portfolio for two years and have the portfolio available for inspection by the superintendent upon a 15-day notice. A notification of termination is required if a student returns to public school or enrolls in a private school, moves from the district or completes high school. A diploma is not issued to homeschool students from the district school board.
According to Florida law, a parent is not required to have a valid Florida teaching certificate to home educate nor is the instruction required to be in the home or delivered by the parent. An informational packet with the current laws and district regulations are available at the Columbia County School Board Administrative Complex or call Mona Simmons at 755-8000.
If you are considering homeschooling or are currently homeschooling, FACE will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at the Lake City Skate Palace. All homeschool students can skate for free. Grace Church in Lake City hosts a monthly moms’ meeting called Homeschool Heartstrings at 7 p.m. the last Tuesday of each month. HEART will host a homeschooling seminar Saturday and on Aug. 2 at Grace Church. Tabernacle Baptist Church and Academy will host a homeschool curriculum sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 10.
Considering that homeschooling in Florida was illegal 23 years ago, the homeschool movement has made rapid strides to be an acceptable alternative to public and private schooling methods. However there are times when potential homeschool parents and even seasoned homeschool parents become confused about what Florida law requires of them as home educators.
Assistant Superintendent of Columbia County Schools Lex Carswell states that approximately 85 percent of home-educated students in Columbia County abide by the law and fulfill the requirements each year. There is a small percentage however that does not follow requirements or use homeschooling to avoid already established problems.
“Our job as school educators is to work with all educators in the district and that includes home educators,” Carswell said. “One of our biggest concerns is the student who is pulled out of the public school system because of truancy problems. True home educators are dedicated, and there is no problem. It’s those parents that use homeschooling as a way to avoid truancy is the main problem.”
Debbie Martin, a local homeschooling mother of three, former elementary school teacher and volunteer for the Columbia County School District Truancy Board for homeschool truancy cases, agrees that dedication from the parent is key to
successfully home educating.
Martin has observed some cases where parents who have children in the public school system encounter problems and pull the children out of school. Martin says sometimes parents think that schooling at home will solve all their problems and often do so before preparing themselves and their child for a long-term commitment.
Martin stresses that parents should stop and take a breather, and then sit down and talk out their problems with the appropriate people concerned before making the decision to homeschool.
“If there is a problem that is persistent, the parent must be certain not to pull their kids out of school rashly,” explains Martin. “Look at the source of the problem. If the parent is making an emotional decision, as in they are angry with school personnel or another student it’s best that they take a step back, calm down and think it through.”
Martin also saw a small percentage of cases where the parents were unaware that they were required to keep records and proof of yearly progress.
“These parents were earnestly trying to help their child,” Martin said. “They did not know they needed to keep records or had to have their child evaluated each year.”
Parents are responsible for educating themselves on what the law requires of them, and there are resources available that help parents know what they need to do to fulfill the requirements.
President of the Florida Home Education Foundation and lobbyist for home education Brenda Dickenson says there are three things parents must do to be within Florida law concerning schooling at home.
First is to register each student with the superintendent of schools or with a private school that oversees homeschool students. Failing to do so is against the law and
the parents can be faced with truancy charges.
Secondly, state law requires parents to keep a yearly portfolio with samples of student’s work, a list of curriculum, reading materials and educational activities.
And thirdly, a student must be evaluated annually at the end of the school year. This can be a portfolio review by a certified teacher, standardized testing, evaluation by a psychologist (a good option for students with learning disabilities) or any other mutual arrangement made between parents and superintendent. Dickenson stressed that commitment from the parents is the most important factor in homeschooling and following the law.
Parents should preserve each child’s portfolio for two years and have the portfolio available for inspection by the superintendent upon a 15-day notice. A notification of termination is required if a student returns to public school or enrolls in a private school, moves from the district or completes high school. A diploma is not issued to homeschool students from the district school board.
According to Florida law, a parent is not required to have a valid Florida teaching certificate to home educate nor is the instruction required to be in the home or delivered by the parent. An informational packet with the current laws and district regulations are available at the Columbia County School Board Administrative Complex or call Mona Simmons at 755-8000.
If you are considering homeschooling or are currently homeschooling, FACE will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at the Lake City Skate Palace. All homeschool students can skate for free. Grace Church in Lake City hosts a monthly moms’ meeting called Homeschool Heartstrings at 7 p.m. the last Tuesday of each month. HEART will host a homeschooling seminar Saturday and on Aug. 2 at Grace Church. Tabernacle Baptist Church and Academy will host a homeschool curriculum sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 10.
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