Use this form at the beginning of the school year, or at any point prior to missing days for opt out educational activities to notify the school that your child will be participating in home school activities at the same time they are enrolled in public schools.
Used a version of this letter today and my son’s principal said it was brilliant.
Glad the principal enjoyed it. We thought it was a pretty brilliant strategy as well.
Can someone explain very simply…what is the additional benefit of using this letter? Does this make absences excused? If it doesn’t negate the 90% attendance rule, does it matter what the reason for absence is on 10% of days?
It sets up a potential defense to any truancy proceeding. Simple enough?
Seeing as how the only way you can be dual enrolled in the public schools and homeschools is if your child is a special needs student this is just a waste of paper. Honestly don’t take what the homeschoolers have worked so hard on and try to use it to your advantage. Tell the school you will be doing something educational but you aren’t homeschooling for 4 days a year. This won’t cover you in case of truancy because it has no legal standing. Opt out but do so through correct legal channels because this one is not. Spend some time learning about the legality of dual enrollment and homeschooling like you have opting out please.
You are sadly misinformed and simply do not understand how this process works. Please do not mislead people.
Maybe she is thinking of a program that would involve more than 10% absence from public school?
Doesn’t really matter what she is thinking of. She is mistaken in all her assumptions. I really tend to think she is a full time home school advocate who thinks this is somehow abusing home school rights. She is wrong and really not understanding what this is about.
Is this letter the only documentation that will be needed to verify co-enrollment in homeschool? Does the state need to receive any information on our homeschool environment if this is the strategy we use? I’d just be concerned about the school counting the homeschool/STAAR opt-out days against the child as an unexcused absence.Thanks for this wealth of information you’re providing us. You have no idea how comforting it is to know I won’t have to subject my child to all this testing nonsense when she’s in third grade.
The state does not regulate home schooling. It is important that you keep home school records in the event that your school attempts to pursue truancy charges. The letter is intended to dissuade the school from doing that. If a district is stubborn though, having your home school records will assist in defending any harassment by the school.
Your only truant if you have more than 18 days (10%) unexcused correct? 5 days straight is truant correct?
No, you are confusing 10% attendance for credit with truancy.
I brought this letter into my daughters school this morning and was told that there is no such thing as co enrollment, that my daughter had to either be enrolled at a public school or withdrawn and home schooled. That who ever created this letter picked out parts of the state law and made it sound good but its null and void. 🙁
Then ask the school to show you the law that says a student “had to either be enrolled at a public school or withdrawn and home schooled.” Then ask them the following questions:
1. So does this mean I am not allowed to teach my child reading, math, science and religion at home?
2. Why does Child Protective Services state that home schooling can include a blend of private and public school instruction?
3. What statutory authority exists for you to tell me that I am not allowed to instruct my child in the privacy of my own home as I see fit?
My grandson attends Cumberland Academy, a charter school here in Tyler, TX. Can we him opt-out for the period of the STAAR tests and home school him, or does he have to be enrolled in Tyler Independent School District?
Thank you in advance for your answer. Have a pleasant day.
Dorothy Kashata
You will need to review your contract. By choosing a charter school you give up certain rights. I cannot advise you about specific charter schools without reviewing their materials. Sorry.
Thank you for all this important info. Thank you for keeping us well informed legally.
In the letter it mentions “As the Texas Education Agency stated in its vision statement in the No Child Left Behind State Parent/Family Involvement Plan.”
How long will this No Child Left Behind State Parent/Family Involvement Plan be effective?
Legislators will not meet for session until January 2017 and President Obama repealed the No Child Left Behind Act in December 2015.
Does this repeal have any repercussions on Spring 2015 testing?
How about testing years going forward?
Why should children be subjected to these test. ( STARR ) If a child is passing all their required classes why test them and try to hold them back a grade. These test should be done away with all together. They are teaching around the education and basically what they need to know for testing only. What kind of education is that?
I see that this letter is from a few years ago. Could it still be used today?
Any limitations on letters are noted on the page. If the letter is still there, it can be used.