What's the process of being a homeschooler?

<p>That's probaly not a word, but w/e. Anyway so my mom wants me to be homeschooled this year so how does the process go like is it.. going to the school.. telling them my son blah blah is going to be homeschooled.. withdraw my application and my records then what? Or is it something completely different and please tell me your state too..I'm in NJ btw</p>

<p>It is different in every state. I have no idea how it is done in NJ. In Oregon parents just notify the school district and then follow state laws concerning homeschool testing, etc.</p>

<p>I just went to the Home School Legal Defense site and saw that New Jersey doesn't require testing nor do I need to notify the district.. lucky me.
<a href="http://www.hslda.org/laws/analysis/New_Jersey.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.hslda.org/laws/analysis/New_Jersey.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>But the laws do say my homeschooling education must be equivalent to public schools. I don't understand how the state can verify this? Especially since you are not even required to send a curriculum to your district in NJ.</p>

<p>Most college websites have a standard list of "required courses" (eg, 4 years of math, 2 of language, 4 of english, etc.) if you can't find it anywhere else, go to a NJ state university website and see what the basic unit requirements are for highschool.</p>

<p>GA is really clever, we don't mind the easiness, but we have to laugh. THe only requirement is attendance sheets.</p>

<p>Yeah, I know the required courses, I just am curious how are is the state going to know that I'm doing these courses? Do I just mail them to my district? (W/ my attendance sheets of course)</p>

<p>I don't see anything in there showing that you must send anything to the district. What it appears to me is that you should have some kind of personal records showing what you have studied, just in case the school district should try to take you to court. If you plan to go to college, you will want to keep good records anyway, so this should not require anything beyond what you would be doing anyway. Just keep a weekly or daily record of what you study, including a list of texts and other materials used, outside activities, etc. You may want to take a standardized test just for your own records, but that wouldn't be required.</p>

<p>A good idea might be to find a homeschool organization in NJ, where you could ask questions of experienced homeschoolers there. You may be able to find one online through yahoogroups. I know our state has at least two groups there. Experienced homeschoolers would probably know just exactly what you need to do to keep out of trouble. Not being from NJ I just don't know the details.</p>

<p>for me (CA) i just went to my current school and told them. they basically did everything for us, and oneday after school my mom called me to tell me that the process is done. so i went to the district the next day and it began. (sorry not much help :D)</p>

<p>Lol.. your scaring me a little, I know you don't have any evidence or knowledge of this stuff, but there should only be very small chance the district would try to take me to court right? </p>

<p>Thanks for the help also.</p>

<p>court? eh, i don't think so.</p>

<p>because public schools get more money according to the number of students, they do lots of things to scare you. mine, they told me i won't be able to continue the choir (which i could, according to the DISTRICT), that i was an idiot, etc....(okay, i exaggerated)</p>

<p>by 'equivalent to school ed', you basically have to do a bit of math, english, science, social studies, p.e. or others everyday. you can go faster, of course.</p>

<p>oh yeah, about the schools knowing that you worked on stuff:</p>

<p>i have these log sheets that the district provides. in each boxes of the week you have to record what you did, acadmeically, for each subjects. i'm on a once-a-month bases, so i go to the district once a month to give them my work. (it's like proving you did work.)</p>

<p>i don't know about your state, though..</p>

<p>In my state, nothing but attendance is required.</p>

<p>And ditto to the person who said that schools try to scare you out of homeschooling. Our schools did everything they could to stop us...none of it worked ;)</p>

<p>I started homeschooling in Nevada (even though im not there anymore). All we had to do was sign a waiver and show them what courses I was going to take. We didn't have to take attendance or keep a record or anything. I think if you go to about.com and search "homeschool laws", they'll show you a map of the U.S. and tell you how lenient or severe your state is with their home school laws.</p>

<p>Sorry, AzN! I didn't mean to scare you. I think the chances of the district taking you to court are extremely remote. I just meant that it appears, from the site you posted, that you would not be required to show any proof to the district UNLESS they took you to court. Which they most likely would NOT do. It appears that they usually do not try to verify that you are receiving an "equivalent education."</p>

<p>Oh ok.. so if I withdraw from my school and my parents come with me and tell the guidance counselors that I'll be homeschooled then the process should be done right. Since there doesn't seem to be many requirements from my state concerning homeschooling.
I want to say again thanks for all the replies guys. IMO I think CC's homeschooling community while isn't huge as others is made up of very kind, informative people.</p>

<p>yeah!! :D we are all loving, caring home-schoolers</p>

<p>Yeah, I doubt NJ would take you to court, it is a danger in NY for some areas (like the one we used to live in) where homeschoolers to the school board are like the Jew's to Hitler. But yeah, if you have good documented stuff and make it clear that their threats don't scare you (even if they do) they tend to leave you alone. I think we were in a rare area though, so don't worry too much!!!</p>

<p><em>hugs</em></p>

<p>One last question guys..
usually with withdrawals does the guidance counselor do all the work, or do I need like all my teachers to sign it as well?</p>

<p>Your teachers shouldn't need to sign anything. Usually it is just the counselor or office that takes care of it. You may want to inform your teachers, just to be polite, and say goodbye to any you especially liked.</p>