Unschooling/UCing in GA?

[lia_joy]

My family is considering a move to the atlanta area, possibly as soon as the next couple of months (depending on DH finding a job)  We have 3 kids and are currently unschooling. I hear that WI (where we currently live) is one of the best/easiest places to homeschool as there are not strict regulations, so I figured I better check on that to find out if we'll be facing extra challenges.  Do any of you Unschool in GA? what are your experiences?

I also am about 7 weeks pregnant, and plan to birth unassisted (as I have for my other kids) unless something comes up that leads me to feel professional help is warranted... so if the move happens in the next couple months, I may be birthing in GA as well.  which leads to my next 2 questions: will I be hassled trying to get a birth certificate for a UC in georgia? and if I do feel the need to hire professional help, will I find many options for midwives in the atlanta area?

Thanks for any input you've got,

Lia

[Lula's Mom]

Homeschooling (or unschooling) in GA is very easy IMO. This might be helpful.  You have to fill out a form to register your intent to homeschool, and they'll send you back a letter that says they got it, along with a year's worth of monthly "attendance sheets'.  On these you mark an X on each day you want to have counted, and send it in at the completion of the month.  Some counties, you can fax it in.  You do this through the year until you have accumulated 180 X marks- er, days of attendance.  As long as you send in the sheets, you will not have contact with them.  Sometimes I forget for a couple of months in a row, and they send me a letter reminding me.

There's also a requirement that you do a standardized test every 3 years starting in 3rd grade.  But you don't have to send in the scores (or otherwise prove that you did it, I guess, though you'd want to have it if there was ever a reason for them to ask you.)

I have UC'd (and UP'd) in 2 counties in metro Atlanta, and not had any trouble getting the birth certificate.  This website has the forms that we filled out and took in to the office of vital records for each county.  

Good luck with your move!

eta: yes, there are several homebirth and hospital midwives practicing in the Atlanta area, if you need them. 

Edited by Lula's Mom - 10/24/11 at 8:20pm

[lia_joy]

Awsome! thank you so much for all the helpful information.   It's really good to know that if we do end up moving while I'm pregnant we won't have a lot of extra stuff to deal with (like social services or something) because we were unprepared for how our parenting might be viewed... Where ever we end up, we'll no doubt be the hippie freaks next door, but at least we know where we stand with legalities :)