Post by Jacinta on Oct 20, 2007 16:04:33 GMT -5
One of the most frequent questions that I get is from people wanting to know how to get started on homeschooling. Florida is a very homeschool friendly state.
You can easily pull your child/ren out of the school system and register them as homeschoolers. All you need to do is send in a letter of intent ( flhomeschoolers.proboards67.com/index.cgi?board=faq&action=display&thread=1186082508 ) to the local school board. Call up the school to find out where you have to mail it. As soon as you have mailed it your children are officially homeschoolers. Keep a copy for your records. The complete overview of what you need is ( flhomeschoolers.proboards67.com/index.cgi?board=faq&action=display&thread=1186082508).
You will have to have your child evaluated annually to make sure they are advancing ( flhomeschoolers.proboards67.com/index.cgi?board=forms&action=display&thread=1176086692 ). This allows the state to be sure you are homeschooling. Usually you pay a certified teacher (average $40) to do this. They can either do a standardized test or review the portfolio to evaluate, whichever the parent and evaluator choose. There are other options for evaluations. You can find that information here.
Many people consider the following to be other options for homeschoolers.
The second option is to enroll them in a private or umbrella school. They are officially registered with the state as private school students. You should be sure the umbrella school is legitimate. ( flhomeschoolers.proboards67.com/index.cgi?board=forms&action=display&thread=1191097642) While you are usually not required by an umbrella school to maintain a portfolio or evaluations – it is still recommended. This will protect you in case there is ever a question on the school. There are also mandatory attendance issues, health forms, and immunization record requirements under this method. I was notified that there are discussions in the FL legislature to require FCAT testing under these schools.
Many more families are turning to virtual public schools. Your child is still required to perform as a public school student, but from the comfort (and supervision) of your home PC. Your children will maintain the public school status but will be using the school's instructions online. Some of these programs are free when your child has been a public school student for at least one year. Here are a few from the FL Dept of Education ( www.fldoe.org/ ) website: Florida Virtual Academy ( www.flva.org/ ) and Connections Academy ( www.connectionsacademy.com/ ). Please note however – that when you are dealing with a virtual school there may be requirements that I am not aware of.
You can easily pull your child/ren out of the school system and register them as homeschoolers. All you need to do is send in a letter of intent ( flhomeschoolers.proboards67.com/index.cgi?board=faq&action=display&thread=1186082508 ) to the local school board. Call up the school to find out where you have to mail it. As soon as you have mailed it your children are officially homeschoolers. Keep a copy for your records. The complete overview of what you need is ( flhomeschoolers.proboards67.com/index.cgi?board=faq&action=display&thread=1186082508).
You will have to have your child evaluated annually to make sure they are advancing ( flhomeschoolers.proboards67.com/index.cgi?board=forms&action=display&thread=1176086692 ). This allows the state to be sure you are homeschooling. Usually you pay a certified teacher (average $40) to do this. They can either do a standardized test or review the portfolio to evaluate, whichever the parent and evaluator choose. There are other options for evaluations. You can find that information here.
Many people consider the following to be other options for homeschoolers.
The second option is to enroll them in a private or umbrella school. They are officially registered with the state as private school students. You should be sure the umbrella school is legitimate. ( flhomeschoolers.proboards67.com/index.cgi?board=forms&action=display&thread=1191097642) While you are usually not required by an umbrella school to maintain a portfolio or evaluations – it is still recommended. This will protect you in case there is ever a question on the school. There are also mandatory attendance issues, health forms, and immunization record requirements under this method. I was notified that there are discussions in the FL legislature to require FCAT testing under these schools.
Many more families are turning to virtual public schools. Your child is still required to perform as a public school student, but from the comfort (and supervision) of your home PC. Your children will maintain the public school status but will be using the school's instructions online. Some of these programs are free when your child has been a public school student for at least one year. Here are a few from the FL Dept of Education ( www.fldoe.org/ ) website: Florida Virtual Academy ( www.flva.org/ ) and Connections Academy ( www.connectionsacademy.com/ ). Please note however – that when you are dealing with a virtual school there may be requirements that I am not aware of.