Theoretically, you would just need to give the school district a notarized affidavit and a list of educational objectives, perhaps with a formal letter of withdrawal. Â You can see samples at www.askpauline.com. Â
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Here is what she says about starting mid-year http://home.comcast.net/~askpauline/hs/homeschoolaffidavit.html
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If you are taking your child out of school mid-school-year, you can file at any time. It's generally accepted that you can count the days/hours your child has attended school towards your 180 days (or 900/990 hours) of home education. You can begin home educating the day you file.Â
-- Note that a very few folks have had problems with truancy charges due to paperwork that remained incomplete for several days, so double-check you've got it all before submitting it. (My impression is that this happens only in situations where there is already some tension between the family and the district, and where truancy has been an issue in the past, and where the "unexcused absence" lasts more than three days.) Of course, if it is an emergency/safety situation, you'll probably want to keep your child home, file as soon as possible, and deal with any possible fallout later.
-- Note also that sometimes the office which processes the affidavit doesn't tell the school which your child has been attending that the child has withdrawn. To avoid confusion, and as a courtesy, you may wish to notify the school directly. You can do this by phone or in a letter. (If you are uncomfortable telling them you will be homeschooling, some suggest saying the child will be "privately educated".) Obviously if you are withdrawing from a private school you will want to notify them!