I was "surfing the web" with my very computer literate daughter over a year ago. I asked her what would she like to look for and learn about on the net. Her answer was a resounding "How to build a homeschooling website!" I went pale and asked if there was anything less daunting she could think of and...well...here is the beginning of beautiful compromise!
Our family loves Links! I'm sure you have figured that out by now. As well as the fact that we home educate our children. I knew that I wanted to homeschool from the time I was eighteen years old. I had met a family that had moved to NJ from out of state and was greatly impressed by their children. I was a youth group counselor at the time and I had occasion to speak the young people in our group regularly. Well suffice to say that the two teen-agers were the most articulate, kind and confident kids in our group. I asked the parents what they had done differently since BOTH of the kids were equally enjoyable to be around. Their answer was that their children were homeschooled. The rest is history.
My husband and I decided that we would "try it" and home school for as long as it was working out well for the children. We have three children now Alexandra 11, Matthew 9 and Cassie 5 years old. They are all home educated. I am proud to say that each is thriving in individual academic, physical and spiritual areas of their lives--not necessarily in that order.
It is our family's desire to encourage and support other people who are homeschooling. I have been a local support group leader, conference speaker and 'comforter'. But by no means does anyone ever get to be an "expert" at this. Each individual child within a family grows and adds to the dynamic of home education in a way that breaks every cookie cutter mold invented.
If you are contemplating homeschooling I encourage you to try it. You will grow in ways you never imagained possible. Our family was recently interviewed for a television morning show. My daughter's response to "what do you like the most about homeschooling" is a blessing; "I like that I get to develop a special relationship with my parents and grand-parents. We get to know each other well." Amen, Alexandra, Amen!
Wake-up Call! It all began over a year ago when a mother in a local Homeschooling Support Network received a booklet entitled "Homeschooling in NJ". She has been home educating her children for years and had never received this booklet before when she notified her school board of her intention to homeschool. **Please note that you do not have to notify the local, county or state Board of Education. It is a courtesy for you to notify them before or if they contact you. You will then only need to provide them with the scope and sequence of your curriculum. Make sure all your correspondence is done in writing and sent return receipt requested for your own security.
This document is riddled with mis-information, policies and initiatives based on wishful thinking, certainly not the law.
The basis for much of the real policy in NJ for home educators is found in the State vs. Massa decision and a statute concerning "compulsary education". This clearly states that Homeschooling is legal. Homeschooling in NJ is defined under the part of the statute that covers "receiving equivalent education other than public school".
In NJ you must provide "equivalent" education and it is the courts which decides academic equivalency not the school board, the local principal, Superintendant or even State Board of Education. The "burden of proof" falls to the State to show that equivalent instruction is not being provided. My experience with parents who are homeschooling is that they far exceed the standards of "academic equivalency". I'm talking about "throw the case out of court" because of how well they have exceeded the academic equivalency standards!
Parents do not need to notify the school board that a home education program is being conducted. Parents are fully complying with the law by providing an education for their children that is equivalent. No public school official needs to know, review or approve of it to make it so.
Parents determine the schedule by which their children are to be educated. Tailoring the instruction to best meet the needs of their children's learning styles and interests is part of the beauty of home education. If like us you are not "morning people" you can homeschool in the late morning and early afternoon. If like some of my friends you like to get alot done before lunch or even breakfast....Go for it!
New Jersey State law does not require any evaluations or testing by parents as set forth in these "guidelines" from the Board of Ed. Read my lips...in NJ you do NOT have let the school system test or evaluate your homeschooled children.
All of the key provisions set forth in "Homeschooling in New Jersey" are contrary to state and federal law and therefore unenforceable. HSLDA in a letter sent to the Commissioner of Education states "No policy or guidelines established by the Department of Education or a local school district have the force of law which must be followed by parent conducting home education programs. Accordingly, we are advising our families in New Jersey that they may disregard the guidelines and need not abide by any policies developed by local school districts in response to receiving these guidelines."--Dewitt T. Black, III Esq. from HSLDA.
It is my very real concern that a new family beginning to homeschool or those not well versed in the law will be intimidated to follow the mandates set forth. A group of other home educators and myself have begun gathering information to counteract these erroneous "guidelines". We will be making available a booklet that answers these points and gives accurate guidelines for home educating families in New Jersey.
We will also be posting legislative issues and initiatives that would in any way impede our rights and responsibilies as Home Educating Parents.
Please feel free to contact me at the email address lilydawn@msn.com
We have only just begun to develop this website homepage!! Please bookmark us and visit us frequently over the next weeks as we will be growing and linking, linking, linking. There will be many updates frequently.