This is not legal advice. As someone who lives in a state that is highly regulated, I cannot emphasize enough the need for you to advocate for yourself and make a point to know your state laws. While the school district will most likely provide you with a printed copy of the laws and regulations for home schooling, a local home schooling group can be a valuable asset when it comes to navigating your way through the system.
According to Oregon state law, children are exempt from the compulsory attendance law if they are being educated in the home by a parent or legal guardian. Parents must follow the following regulations in order to home school legally:
A parent must notify their education service district within 10 days when a child is being home schooled (or withdrawn from public school to be home schooled.) If a family moves in the middle of the year, the parent must notify the new education service district within 10 days. This notice does not need to be filed annually. It must include the child’s and parent’s names and addresses, the child’s birth date, and the name of the school the child has attended. (If he/she has never attended school, then name the school district in which the child resides. The education service district must acknowledge receipt of the letter of intent within 90 days.
Compulsory Attendance: Children are under the compulsory attendance law if they turn 7 before September 1st and they must attend school until 18 years of age.
Required Days of Instruction: None
Required Subjects: None
Teacher Qualifications: None
Standardized Testing: Parents must choose between 5 standardized tests approved of by the Board of Education and the test must be administered by a qualified and ‘neutral’ person. The test must be given in the 3rd, 5th, 8th and 10th grades. Testing must be done by August 15th.
If the child was withdrawn from public school, testing must occur within 18 months of having been withdrawn.
The person administering the test shall score it and report the results to the parents or legal guardian(s). The scores only have to be given to the educational service district if they are requested.
If the composite score is lower than the 15th percentile, the child must be retested again within one year. If the child scores again below the 15th percentile, parents have another year to retest again. If the child scores a third time, below the 15th percentile, the educational service district may put the child under the educational direction of a certified teacher at the expense of the parents.
Helpful Resources:
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