New :)
tinalayne
Hi everyone,
My name is Tina and I've been lurking for a couple weeks. I've
found so many of the posts sooo helpful- thanks to everyone here who
socompletely explain their positions and help open up great
discussions and learning!
I have 3 children- 2 girls, 15 and 13, and boy, 8. I'm married
luckily to a very open-minded man. While he admits that he doesn't
always understand or "get it" when I try new things or think the way
I do, he still goes along with me until he figures it out- and
usually agrees with me. :)
Anyhoo, my kids have been in public school, and we've dabbled in
homeschooling although traditional curriculum-based schooling didn't
last long for us. This past school year we pulled our son from PS
due to the crummy way the system and local administration treated
him and his disabilities (he's severely dyslexic, dysgraphic, has
ADHD, SID and is HS on top of all that.) We thought to traditionally
homeschool but he doesn't need or want that structure and silly
busywork, and I definitely didn't want to deal with it.
The girls have asked to stay in PS school, but I've made it clear to
them on many occasion that they do not have to choose that route. My
son expresses no wish to go back to PS, which we've assured him will
not happen.
Both dh and I went to public school from K to 12. He was parented
very strictly, yet very disfunctually. My parents were "almost"
unschoolers except for that damned PS crap. ;) Seriously, they did
pretty good- no curfews, no rules for the sake of rules, I made
choices for myself based on my needs and wants and not on what THEY
thought I needed or wanted. I could have used more privacy and
trust in that realm- I chalk that up to my brother being a drug
addict and that old saying "once burnt, twice shy". But dang, I'm
STILL ticked at him for putting me in that position and them for
thinking I'd be like him and not trusting me to know better or learn
from his mistake. Had it not been for that, I'd think they did
pretty well.
Anyhoo, I told myself as a teen that "when I grew up", I wouldnt
distrust my kids based on somebody else's behavior, and I'd give
them the privacy they deserved. They wouldn't feel stressed over
having to hide letters or notes from friends or a boyfriend, and
they would know I respected their intelligence and choices. So,
that's how we've raised the kids.
I am allowing them their choice to attend PS although they know I
personally wouldn't choose that route for myself. I
don't "homeschool" ds with curriculums and books. I don't push them
into anything I think they should like, and I don't force them to
give up things they do like just because I find no interest in it.
I still have hang-ups, too- I am realizing just how many, or how
much better I could do things by reading all of your posts and
advice to other newbies. :)
My biggest fear in letting go completely is based in the educational
realm. I know my son can learn as much- and MORE- without
textbooks. He has proven that fact. But, we're a military family;
we live on a military base with a school that he originally attended
right down the road, and they know we've pulled him
to "homeschool". They send letters expecting him to take the Fed
tests and the state assessments, they expect progress reports at the
end of the year about what he learned, examples of work he's
completed or projects he's created. They expect a written list of
curriculum and topics he will learn about this coming school year.
And it's all things that by state law they have a right to request
from me.
The year-end report is easy. I can gloss over the curriculum issue
by talking about what he learned and if necessary showing some
projects he does as a normal daily activity and just calling
it "school projects'. But, what do I do for next year? What do I
say for what we plan to teach to meet 3rd grade standards? And,
escpecially, what about these stupid tests?! I doubt he'd do well on
them if he was in PS either because of his learning differences, but
there I could push the issue in an IEP. What do I do since he is at
home? Have any of you run into any of these problems before? How
did you handle it?
Thanks so much for being here, understaning, and giving out advice
to all of us trying to be better parents and partners to our kids. :)
Tina Layne
Hawaii (dh-Jim, 15-Jaclyn, 13-Megan, 8-Ryan)
My name is Tina and I've been lurking for a couple weeks. I've
found so many of the posts sooo helpful- thanks to everyone here who
socompletely explain their positions and help open up great
discussions and learning!
I have 3 children- 2 girls, 15 and 13, and boy, 8. I'm married
luckily to a very open-minded man. While he admits that he doesn't
always understand or "get it" when I try new things or think the way
I do, he still goes along with me until he figures it out- and
usually agrees with me. :)
Anyhoo, my kids have been in public school, and we've dabbled in
homeschooling although traditional curriculum-based schooling didn't
last long for us. This past school year we pulled our son from PS
due to the crummy way the system and local administration treated
him and his disabilities (he's severely dyslexic, dysgraphic, has
ADHD, SID and is HS on top of all that.) We thought to traditionally
homeschool but he doesn't need or want that structure and silly
busywork, and I definitely didn't want to deal with it.
The girls have asked to stay in PS school, but I've made it clear to
them on many occasion that they do not have to choose that route. My
son expresses no wish to go back to PS, which we've assured him will
not happen.
Both dh and I went to public school from K to 12. He was parented
very strictly, yet very disfunctually. My parents were "almost"
unschoolers except for that damned PS crap. ;) Seriously, they did
pretty good- no curfews, no rules for the sake of rules, I made
choices for myself based on my needs and wants and not on what THEY
thought I needed or wanted. I could have used more privacy and
trust in that realm- I chalk that up to my brother being a drug
addict and that old saying "once burnt, twice shy". But dang, I'm
STILL ticked at him for putting me in that position and them for
thinking I'd be like him and not trusting me to know better or learn
from his mistake. Had it not been for that, I'd think they did
pretty well.
Anyhoo, I told myself as a teen that "when I grew up", I wouldnt
distrust my kids based on somebody else's behavior, and I'd give
them the privacy they deserved. They wouldn't feel stressed over
having to hide letters or notes from friends or a boyfriend, and
they would know I respected their intelligence and choices. So,
that's how we've raised the kids.
I am allowing them their choice to attend PS although they know I
personally wouldn't choose that route for myself. I
don't "homeschool" ds with curriculums and books. I don't push them
into anything I think they should like, and I don't force them to
give up things they do like just because I find no interest in it.
I still have hang-ups, too- I am realizing just how many, or how
much better I could do things by reading all of your posts and
advice to other newbies. :)
My biggest fear in letting go completely is based in the educational
realm. I know my son can learn as much- and MORE- without
textbooks. He has proven that fact. But, we're a military family;
we live on a military base with a school that he originally attended
right down the road, and they know we've pulled him
to "homeschool". They send letters expecting him to take the Fed
tests and the state assessments, they expect progress reports at the
end of the year about what he learned, examples of work he's
completed or projects he's created. They expect a written list of
curriculum and topics he will learn about this coming school year.
And it's all things that by state law they have a right to request
from me.
The year-end report is easy. I can gloss over the curriculum issue
by talking about what he learned and if necessary showing some
projects he does as a normal daily activity and just calling
it "school projects'. But, what do I do for next year? What do I
say for what we plan to teach to meet 3rd grade standards? And,
escpecially, what about these stupid tests?! I doubt he'd do well on
them if he was in PS either because of his learning differences, but
there I could push the issue in an IEP. What do I do since he is at
home? Have any of you run into any of these problems before? How
did you handle it?
Thanks so much for being here, understaning, and giving out advice
to all of us trying to be better parents and partners to our kids. :)
Tina Layne
Hawaii (dh-Jim, 15-Jaclyn, 13-Megan, 8-Ryan)
Elissa Jill Cleaveland
And it's all things that by state law they have a right to request
from me.
Are you sure? My understanding is that the state itself determines the laws, I've never heard that living on base makes it so the military takes oversight of homeschoolers.
What state do you live in?
A Kindersher saychel iz oychet a saychel.
"A Child's wisdom is also wisdom." ~Yiddish Proverb
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
from me.
Are you sure? My understanding is that the state itself determines the laws, I've never heard that living on base makes it so the military takes oversight of homeschoolers.
What state do you live in?
A Kindersher saychel iz oychet a saychel.
"A Child's wisdom is also wisdom." ~Yiddish Proverb
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Deb
You might want to check with local homeschoolers as to how things
work where you are. In the synopses I've looked at online, there's
nothing that says the evaluation has to show grade level work - just
progress from year to year. The tests are only at the end of 3rd,
5th, 8th and 10th grade - so if they are requesting testing more
often, you can respectfully decline and choose an alternate option -
a written eval by a HI certified teacher (I'd bet there are some
homeschoolers who are also certified and do evals for people) or a
written eval by the parent which demonstrates progress (includes
assigments to be submitted but you can write the assignment after
the fact to match whatever it was he actually did!)
Check out Sandra Dodd's website on unschooling for info on how to
take tests without stressing testing. Also, there are several sites
(probably linked off Sandra's) that show samples of "curriculum"
plans that parents have submitted in places like NY and PA (which
are really law-bound as far as homeschooling).
It is doable. Since you're not overseas, you are under the local
laws - if you were overseas, I think you'd come under DoDDs regs
rather than that country's laws since you're on base.
--Deb
work where you are. In the synopses I've looked at online, there's
nothing that says the evaluation has to show grade level work - just
progress from year to year. The tests are only at the end of 3rd,
5th, 8th and 10th grade - so if they are requesting testing more
often, you can respectfully decline and choose an alternate option -
a written eval by a HI certified teacher (I'd bet there are some
homeschoolers who are also certified and do evals for people) or a
written eval by the parent which demonstrates progress (includes
assigments to be submitted but you can write the assignment after
the fact to match whatever it was he actually did!)
Check out Sandra Dodd's website on unschooling for info on how to
take tests without stressing testing. Also, there are several sites
(probably linked off Sandra's) that show samples of "curriculum"
plans that parents have submitted in places like NY and PA (which
are really law-bound as far as homeschooling).
It is doable. Since you're not overseas, you are under the local
laws - if you were overseas, I think you'd come under DoDDs regs
rather than that country's laws since you're on base.
--Deb
Tina Layne
Oh no no.. I wasn't clear enough- I'm sorry. It's not the MILITARY doing it.. it is the DoE via the local elementary school. What I meant was that we live on a military base near the school and the school is small because it only serves the base kids. Due to the small size of the school, they are very capable of following up on every case of homeschooling- and they do. Blah; I hate it.
Tina
Elissa Jill Cleaveland <MystikMomma@...> wrote:
And it's all things that by state law they have a right to request
from me.
Are you sure? My understanding is that the state itself determines the laws, I've never heard that living on base makes it so the military takes oversight of homeschoolers.
What state do you live in?
A Kindersher saychel iz oychet a saychel.
"A Child's wisdom is also wisdom." ~Yiddish Proverb
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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Tina
Elissa Jill Cleaveland <MystikMomma@...> wrote:
And it's all things that by state law they have a right to request
from me.
Are you sure? My understanding is that the state itself determines the laws, I've never heard that living on base makes it so the military takes oversight of homeschoolers.
What state do you live in?
A Kindersher saychel iz oychet a saychel.
"A Child's wisdom is also wisdom." ~Yiddish Proverb
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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---------------------------------
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Tina Layne
Thank you! I should have thought to check out Sandra's site. (duh! ;) ) I do know I can decline the STATE assessment- which I've already done this year with a bit of fight. We will continue to decline the state testing with no worries. Ds would be considered 3rd grade this coming year if he was in school so we will be running into the testing issue soon enough- I imagine we'll be getting our packet within the next couple months- school goes back July 27th.
the fact to match whatever it was he actually did!)<<
Good idea. I'm stressing over it beause I'm trying to be proactive and think I might have lost site of the forest, so to speak. This makes a lot of sense- I'm feeling a bit more relieved.. I'll definitely look for the sample curriculums others have used.
Thanks again
Tina
Deb <soggyboysmom@...> wrote:
You might want to check with local homeschoolers as to how things
work where you are. In the synopses I've looked at online, there's
nothing that says the evaluation has to show grade level work - just
progress from year to year. The tests are only at the end of 3rd,
5th, 8th and 10th grade - so if they are requesting testing more
often, you can respectfully decline and choose an alternate option -
a written eval by a HI certified teacher (I'd bet there are some
homeschoolers who are also certified and do evals for people) or a
written eval by the parent which demonstrates progress (includes
assigments to be submitted but you can write the assignment after
the fact to match whatever it was he actually did!)
Check out Sandra Dodd's website on unschooling for info on how to
take tests without stressing testing. Also, there are several sites
(probably linked off Sandra's) that show samples of "curriculum"
plans that parents have submitted in places like NY and PA (which
are really law-bound as far as homeschooling).
It is doable. Since you're not overseas, you are under the local
laws - if you were overseas, I think you'd come under DoDDs regs
rather than that country's laws since you're on base.
--Deb
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To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>> (includesassigments to be submitted but you can write the assignment after
the fact to match whatever it was he actually did!)<<
Good idea. I'm stressing over it beause I'm trying to be proactive and think I might have lost site of the forest, so to speak. This makes a lot of sense- I'm feeling a bit more relieved.. I'll definitely look for the sample curriculums others have used.
Thanks again
Tina
Deb <soggyboysmom@...> wrote:
You might want to check with local homeschoolers as to how things
work where you are. In the synopses I've looked at online, there's
nothing that says the evaluation has to show grade level work - just
progress from year to year. The tests are only at the end of 3rd,
5th, 8th and 10th grade - so if they are requesting testing more
often, you can respectfully decline and choose an alternate option -
a written eval by a HI certified teacher (I'd bet there are some
homeschoolers who are also certified and do evals for people) or a
written eval by the parent which demonstrates progress (includes
assigments to be submitted but you can write the assignment after
the fact to match whatever it was he actually did!)
Check out Sandra Dodd's website on unschooling for info on how to
take tests without stressing testing. Also, there are several sites
(probably linked off Sandra's) that show samples of "curriculum"
plans that parents have submitted in places like NY and PA (which
are really law-bound as far as homeschooling).
It is doable. Since you're not overseas, you are under the local
laws - if you were overseas, I think you'd come under DoDDs regs
rather than that country's laws since you're on base.
--Deb
SPONSORED LINKS
Secondary school education Graduate school education Home school education Graduate school education online High school education Chicago school education
---------------------------------
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Visit your group "unschoolingbasics" on the web.
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
jlh44music
> They send letters expecting him to take the Fed tests and thestate assessments, they expect progress reports at the end of the
year about what he learned, examples of work he's completed or
projects he's created. They expect a written list of curriculum and
topics he will learn about this coming school year. And it's all
things that by state law they have a right to request from me>>>
Welcome!
I found this site through nhen.org
http://www.hawaiihomeschoolassociation.org/
Make sure you're familiar with your state's particular
requirements. I found another yahoo group for my state (MA) that,
while they talk alot about curriculum, which I mostly pass over,
it's been VERY helpful in understanding what I need to do to satisfy
my state requirements (each one is different). There may be one for
your area. Also try to find other homeschoolers to find out what
they do, but be sure you fully understand what they CAN and CANNOT
ask for first (unschoolers are hard to find! There are NONE in my
town that I know of).
We're new too, I will be submitting my first narrative report this
year, I'm getting pretty creative, and also got some good
suggestions here as well as other places.
> The year-end report is easy. I can gloss over the curriculum issueby talking about what he learned and if necessary showing some
projects he does as a normal daily activity and just calling
it "school projects'. But, what do I do for next year? What do I
say for what we plan to teach to meet 3rd grade standards? And,
escpecially, what about these stupid tests?! I doubt he'd do well on
them if he was in PS either because of his learning differences, but
there I could push the issue in an IEP. What do I do since he is at
home? Have any of you run into any of these problems before? How
did you handle it?>
Again, be sure you fully understand your state's requirements
first! Find other homeschoolers who have submitted before for
suggestions (I didn't indicate in mine that we were "unschooling" as
they wouldn't get it, I just said we're homeschooling).
Read, read, read!
Jann
>kids. :)
> Thanks so much for being here, understaning, and giving out advice
> to all of us trying to be better parents and partners to our
>
> Tina Layne
> Hawaii (dh-Jim, 15-Jaclyn, 13-Megan, 8-Ryan)
>
[email protected]
Get a copy of the state law. Read it WELL. Understand it. If they
aren't following the law, point it out and tell them that you *are*
following the law and that they need to start worrying about the kids
in their direct care.
~Kelly
Kelly Lovejoy
Conference Coordinator
Live and Learn Unschooling Conference
http://liveandlearnconference.org
"The hardest problem for the brain is not learning, but forgetting. No
matter how hard we try, we can't deliberately forget something we have
learned, and that is catastrophic if we learn that we can't learn."
~Frank Smith
-----Original Message-----
From: Tina Layne <tinalayne@...>
Oh no no.. I wasn't clear enough- I'm sorry. It's not the MILITARY
doing it..
it is the DoE via the local elementary school. What I meant was that
we live on
a military base near the school and the school is small because it only
serves
the base kids. Due to the small size of the school, they are very
capable of
following up on every case of homeschooling- and they do. Blah; I hate
it.
aren't following the law, point it out and tell them that you *are*
following the law and that they need to start worrying about the kids
in their direct care.
~Kelly
Kelly Lovejoy
Conference Coordinator
Live and Learn Unschooling Conference
http://liveandlearnconference.org
"The hardest problem for the brain is not learning, but forgetting. No
matter how hard we try, we can't deliberately forget something we have
learned, and that is catastrophic if we learn that we can't learn."
~Frank Smith
-----Original Message-----
From: Tina Layne <tinalayne@...>
Oh no no.. I wasn't clear enough- I'm sorry. It's not the MILITARY
doing it..
it is the DoE via the local elementary school. What I meant was that
we live on
a military base near the school and the school is small because it only
serves
the base kids. Due to the small size of the school, they are very
capable of
following up on every case of homeschooling- and they do. Blah; I hate
it.
[email protected]
-----Original Message-----
From: tinalayne <tinalayne@...>
My biggest fear in letting go completely is based in the educational
realm. I know my son can learn as much- and MORE- without
textbooks. He has proven that fact. But, we're a military family;
we live on a military base with a school that he originally attended
right down the road, and they know we've pulled him
to "homeschool". They send letters expecting him to take the Fed
tests and the state assessments, they expect progress reports at the
end of the year about what he learned, examples of work he's
completed or projects he's created. They expect a written list of
curriculum and topics he will learn about this coming school year.
And it's all things that by state law they have a right to request
from me.
-=-=-=-=-=-
Not exactly. This is from the NHEN site on Hawaii:
Homeschoolers must file a notice of intent with the principal of the
local public school. No approval is needed. The required "written
record of the planned curriculum" is not ordinarily shared with the
school. An annual progress report is required; progress may be shown
through testing, evaluation by a certified teacher, or parent-written
report providing statements of progress in each subject area and
samples of the student's work. Standardized test scores are normally
required in grades 3, 6, 8, and 10, but there are provisions for
alternatives to standardized testing.
-=-=-=-=
The year-end report is easy. I can gloss over the curriculum issue
by talking about what he learned and if necessary showing some
projects he does as a normal daily activity and just calling
it "school projects'. But, what do I do for next year? What do I
say for what we plan to teach to meet 3rd grade standards? And,
escpecially, what about these stupid tests?! I doubt he'd do well on
them if he was in PS either because of his learning differences, but
there I could push the issue in an IEP. What do I do since he is at
home? Have any of you run into any of these problems before? How
did you handle it?
-=-==--
I'd find some local state unschoolers and find out how they deal with
this.
-=-=-=-=-=-
Here's the link for NHEN's military info:
http://www.nhen.org/nhen/pov/military/default.asp?id=202
~Kelly
From: tinalayne <tinalayne@...>
My biggest fear in letting go completely is based in the educational
realm. I know my son can learn as much- and MORE- without
textbooks. He has proven that fact. But, we're a military family;
we live on a military base with a school that he originally attended
right down the road, and they know we've pulled him
to "homeschool". They send letters expecting him to take the Fed
tests and the state assessments, they expect progress reports at the
end of the year about what he learned, examples of work he's
completed or projects he's created. They expect a written list of
curriculum and topics he will learn about this coming school year.
And it's all things that by state law they have a right to request
from me.
-=-=-=-=-=-
Not exactly. This is from the NHEN site on Hawaii:
Homeschoolers must file a notice of intent with the principal of the
local public school. No approval is needed. The required "written
record of the planned curriculum" is not ordinarily shared with the
school. An annual progress report is required; progress may be shown
through testing, evaluation by a certified teacher, or parent-written
report providing statements of progress in each subject area and
samples of the student's work. Standardized test scores are normally
required in grades 3, 6, 8, and 10, but there are provisions for
alternatives to standardized testing.
-=-=-=-=
The year-end report is easy. I can gloss over the curriculum issue
by talking about what he learned and if necessary showing some
projects he does as a normal daily activity and just calling
it "school projects'. But, what do I do for next year? What do I
say for what we plan to teach to meet 3rd grade standards? And,
escpecially, what about these stupid tests?! I doubt he'd do well on
them if he was in PS either because of his learning differences, but
there I could push the issue in an IEP. What do I do since he is at
home? Have any of you run into any of these problems before? How
did you handle it?
-=-==--
I'd find some local state unschoolers and find out how they deal with
this.
-=-=-=-=-=-
Here's the link for NHEN's military info:
http://www.nhen.org/nhen/pov/military/default.asp?id=202
~Kelly
Tina Layne
Thanks!
Correct, and we have done this with no problems outside of the eye rolling that I chose to ignore. :)
<The required "written
record of the planned curriculum" is not ordinarily shared with the
school.>
Not ordinarily, but I have checked with some hs groups here, and it is perfectly acceptable for the school to ask, and it's expected that we do hand over this info when asked. If it said NEVER shared then I wouldn't even consider it. Of course, no where did I read today as I researched that I had to AGREE to share the info.
report providing statements of progress in each subject area and
samples of the student's work.>
This is the end of the year stuff which I've already completed- turned it in today with no problems. (One issue off my mind at least)
alternatives to standardized testing.>
So long as the alternatives include written reporting by me, I can handle that. I do know a lot of hs'ers in this school district who have told me they were told their alternative was a slower paced or no-timed test in the SPED classroom.
I know for a fact he is learning so much more than he ever would inside school and this school district is so crummy anyway, I'd have to ignore my kids to do worse than them.. no wait, I'd be doing EXACTLY what the school district has done. Grrr...
On an upnote my middle dd came around- she said she tried ps this year, she cured her curiosity and she is not interested in it. Woo!
I did. They said they've been ignoring the school district. A couple said they hadn't been contacted and so they just haven't filed any reports or done any testing whatsoever. One mom said she had been contacted by the school, which happens to be the same school my son would be going to. She said she lied and told them she was using a particular curriculum and her child isn't test-age yet, but figured she'd have to make her dd do the tests, but she hadn't thought that far yet.
I need to find a few more for a better balance of ideas, but there aren't that many I fear.
Tina
Layne Family Blog:
http://threekeys.blogspot.com/
---------------------------------
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>Homeschoolers must file a notice of intent with the principal of thelocal public school. No approval is needed. >
Correct, and we have done this with no problems outside of the eye rolling that I chose to ignore. :)
<The required "written
record of the planned curriculum" is not ordinarily shared with the
school.>
Not ordinarily, but I have checked with some hs groups here, and it is perfectly acceptable for the school to ask, and it's expected that we do hand over this info when asked. If it said NEVER shared then I wouldn't even consider it. Of course, no where did I read today as I researched that I had to AGREE to share the info.
> An annual progress report is required; progress may be shownthrough testing, evaluation by a certified teacher, or parent-written
report providing statements of progress in each subject area and
samples of the student's work.>
This is the end of the year stuff which I've already completed- turned it in today with no problems. (One issue off my mind at least)
> Standardized test scores are normallyrequired in grades 3, 6, 8, and 10, but there are provisions for
alternatives to standardized testing.>
So long as the alternatives include written reporting by me, I can handle that. I do know a lot of hs'ers in this school district who have told me they were told their alternative was a slower paced or no-timed test in the SPED classroom.
I know for a fact he is learning so much more than he ever would inside school and this school district is so crummy anyway, I'd have to ignore my kids to do worse than them.. no wait, I'd be doing EXACTLY what the school district has done. Grrr...
On an upnote my middle dd came around- she said she tried ps this year, she cured her curiosity and she is not interested in it. Woo!
>I'd find some local state unschoolers and find out how they deal withthis.>
I did. They said they've been ignoring the school district. A couple said they hadn't been contacted and so they just haven't filed any reports or done any testing whatsoever. One mom said she had been contacted by the school, which happens to be the same school my son would be going to. She said she lied and told them she was using a particular curriculum and her child isn't test-age yet, but figured she'd have to make her dd do the tests, but she hadn't thought that far yet.
I need to find a few more for a better balance of ideas, but there aren't that many I fear.
Tina
Layne Family Blog:
http://threekeys.blogspot.com/
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