Homeschooling for a few months?

[LauraLoo]

I need to know if there is any way that I could home school for a few months to finish out this school year.

Currently ds is in PS kindergarten. We haven't been thrilled and I was contemplating homeschooling as an option for next year. However, today dh was laid off from his job - not a complete surprise as we've been anticipating this for 6 months. Our home has been on the market since Oct. so that we can move to a state where dh will have a more stable job. Now that he has lost his job, we need to get aggressive on selling our home by lowering the price.

My concern is that if we were to sell our home in the next 30 - 60 days, ds wouldn't be able to finish out the school year at his currrent school and I have a strong feeling that it would be hard to transition him into another PS kindergarten for only a month or so after moving cross country. Too many significant life changes. Academically, he could handle first grade work right now. I'm afraid that the school would not advance him into first grade if he were to leave with a couple of months left in the school year and he'd have to repeat kindergarten again.

So - would there be any way that if we were to sell our home that I could immediately sign up to homeschool, or doesn't it work this quickly? Do homeschooling requirements vary from state to state?

ANY and all advice would be greatly appreciated. It's a little stressful here at the moment! TIA!

[Dakota's Mom]

This totally depends on where you are moving to. You need to check out the laws of the state you're going to. If you were here in Jersey there would be no problem. But other states you would have to jump through all kinds of hoops and it might not be worth it. As far as moving across country and going to a new school. Many kids accept this change quite well. Depends on your child.

Kathi

[LauraLoo]

Thanks -- Ds transitions hard and even though he is excited about the prospect of moving, to move and then immediately go to a new school will be too much for him.

We'll be moving to MI -- I know that the homeschooling laws are pretty good there from what I hear, but have no idea where to find information online......any suggestions?

[Dakota's Mom]

Compulsory School Age
"age of 6 to the child’s 16th birthday"

Michigan Legal Home Schooling Options: 1 2

Option: 1

Legal Option:
Establish and operate a home education program

Attendance:
None

Subjects:
Reading, spelling, mathematics, science, history, civics, literature, writing, and English grammar

Qualifications:
None

Notice:
None

Recordkeeping:
None

Testing:
None



Option: 2
Legal Option:
Operate a home school as a nonpublic school

Attendance:
None

Subjects:
Must be "comparable to those taught in the public schools"

Qualifications:
Teacher certification (unless claiming a religious exemption)

Notice:
Submit, to the department of education and the local superintendent, at start of each school year a statement of enrollment

Recordkeeping:
Maintain records of enrollment, courses of study, and qualifications of teachers (must be submitted to the Department of Education upon request)

Testing:
None

Here are the laws in Michigan. Sounds like you're good to go. No requirements at all if you "Establish and operate a home education program". New Jersey is the same way, no requirements at all. So you could keep him home for the rest of kindergarten and then put him in first grade next year.

Kathi

[LauraLoo]

Thanks, Kathi! This is a huge relief!