When it is Time to Go from Public School to Home School

Making the wrong moves or saying the wrong thing can cause a headache on your part when it is time to pull your kids out of public school to homeschool. To avoid some of the mistakes I made, follow this simple plan.

1. When the decision to homeschool has been made, if you plan to leave your kids in the school system to the end of the term, or the school year, say nothing to the teachers, or administrators. You could always choose to withdraw them without saying anything at all but that could land you in trouble with the truant officer, tell them, but at the last possible moment.

I had to put up with arguments with teachers who felt my decision to homeschool was an insult to their abilities as well as having a child scrutinized in an attempt to have her labeled ADHD as well as having her minor speech impediment suddenly become a big deal. These things occurred in an attempt to have keep here tied to the school for "special services".

2. Unless you are taking your child out of school immediately, use the time you have left to prepare to homeschool your child by reading everything you can get your hands on from homeschool magazines, to learning styles, and different types of home schooling curriculum's. Other homeschoolers are also an excellent source of information, but you will soon find that there are as many ways to homeschool as there are homeschoolers, and you will want to chart your own path.

Personally, in the 3 months I had from the time I decided to homeschool, to the time the school year ended, I had consumed about 20 books on homeschooling, learning, and teaching.

3. Asses your child yourself: Use private non intrusive ways to have your child tested for ADHD, dyslexia, other learning problems or speech impediments.

I had people experienced in ADHD simply speak to my child and give me their opinion. What they told me was that my child probably did not have ADHD, but she did mimic me who they suspected did have ADHD. As far as her speech impediment was concerned they gave suggestions to help her get rid of them, and within 1 year there was no sign of it left.

4. Fill out the appropriate homeschool forms and submit them at the appropriate time. You can get this information from other homeschoolers or online.

I found out what the requirements were through Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) which gives links to local homeschool groups and required forms.

5. Finally, when the time comes, ask the school for information to officially withdraw the child from the school and the school system. Failure to do this will surely have the Truant officer knocking at your door. This goes back to point 1. Although it is less stressful while your child is finishing the term or the school year to say nothing, it suddenly becomes very stressfully once it looks as if they are truant.

Previously, I did not know that filling out a withdrawal form was necessary, nor did any homeschool advice I'd received told me that such a thing existed. My oldest child's teacher told me about it after I had successfully convinced her that homeschooling was the best thing for my children and that educating them at home had. You should be able to do this in the schools office, but remember to wait until the day you are withdrawing them from school.