How to register as Home Schooled and regulations you’ll need to
know!
If you decide to declare your student as home schooled to enable him/her
to pursue SPAN full-time or pursue a combined program of SPAN and
home school courses, you will need to fill out an Indiana Dept of
Education form to establish your home school. The state will then issue
you a home school number. Also, you will need to get a complete
transcript from your student’s previous high school to verify work already
completed.
We have found the Indiana Department of Education’s website to be
essential for success: http://www.doe.state.in.us/sservices/homed.htm.
The following was copied from it:
“Indiana Home School Help Sheet
This document is provided upon request to all citizens interested in public and nonpublic
education. Any public or nonpublic educator having questions about home education may
contact the Indiana Department of Education.
Getting Started
· RESEARCH HOME EDUCATION:
Before you withdraw your child from a traditional school, learn all you can. Talk to other
home educators, read books about home education, learn about home school law in
Indiana, "comparison shop" for a curriculum for your school.
· WITHDRAW YOUR CHILD AND NOTIFY HIS OR HER CURRENT
PRINCIPAL, IN WRITING, OF YOUR DECISION
While the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) issues school numbers to all private
schools after they report their grade level enrollment data (often inaccurately referred to as
"registration") as required by Indiana law, You do not need a home school number prior to
withdrawing your child and beginning home instruction. However, you do need to let the
public school know why your child is no longer in attendance or he or she may be
considered truant.
· REQUEST A COPY OF YOUR CHILD'S PUBLIC SCHOOL RECORDS:
You are entitled to a copy of these public school records, both as a school administrator
and as the parent of a minor child, under state law and the federal Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Please note that this does not apply to private school
records.
· NOTIFY THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OF YOUR GRADE
LEVEL ENROLLMENT:
Indiana law requires all private school administrators, including home educators, to
notify the IDOE of their schools' grade level enrollments upon request of the State
Superintendent of Public Instruction (IC 20-8.1-3-24 (b)).
Eight to ten weeks after you return the completed enrollment report form, you will receive a
home school number and your local school superintendent will be notified that you have
created a home school. This report does not subject you to state or local regulation. It is
simply a way to account, as nearly as possible, for the enrollment of all school-age
children.”
As a parent, there are several requirements to follow under the home
school law. We have condensed the information as follows, but you can
find complete information available at the same website http://www.doe.
state.in.us/sservices/homed.htm.
Attendance -- You will need to keep written attendance records. Please
note that your local public school superintendent is entitled to view these
records, if they so choose. Your child must complete the mandatory 180
days per year. However, the rules do allow you to decide which days will
count and how long the day will last. This allows you maximum flexibility
and control. A teacher’s classroom attendance log purchased from your
local teacher supply seems to work well.
Proof of grades – It is a good idea to maintain the transcripts and
materials (all written tests, quizzes, and other supporting material,
including workbooks) to verify your child’s high school courses. In case
there should ever be a question about the completion of a course or a final
grade, a written record would support your position.
Core 40 curriculum -- Although home schoolers are not required by law
to follow a Core 40 curriculum, we strongly recommend that you do.
Following such a curriculum provides the best base for a solid education.
And failure to pursue the Core 40 may sabotage your child’s best chances
for scholarship opportunities and/ or transfer to other degree seeking
programs. As a home schooler, you do have the added flexibility to decide
whether your student would learn a topic best in an IUPUI class or
through a home school course, thus giving the best possible balance.
Community service – While not required, it is always preferable for
colleges to have well-rounded, contributing young adults to recruit. A
written log of your child’s community involvement adds to his resume and
contributes to their student profile. Combined with sports and hobbies,
these activities show your child’s inner strength and commitment, and can
be important on resumes for post-graduate schools or job opportunities.
About IUPUI SPAN Program-
If you decide to home school
you'll need to know this...
