HOME SCHOOLING—PARTICIPATION IN SCHOOL PROGRAMS
The School Board acknowledges the provisions for equivalent instruction under
Maine law. The Board further recognizes the Legislature’s statement “that the
term ‘equivalent’ is intended to mean meeting state standards for alternate or
other instruction and is not intended to mean the same as the education
delivered in the public school system.”
In addition, it is the intention of the Board to, “cooperate in the home
instruction of any child who resides in the school administrative unit to the
degree that the level of cooperation does not interfere with the
responsibilities to the students enrolled in the school’s regular programs.”
Furthermore, participation of students in such school programs shall be limited
to home-schooled students whose home instruction programs are in compliance with
applicable Maine law and Department of Education regulations.
In order to maintain an efficient and orderly school program, the Board directs
the Superintendent/designee to develop procedures, as appropriate, regarding the
availability of school system resources and services to home-schooled students
who would otherwise be eligible to attend school in the school unit. The
procedures shall be in accord with the following provisions.
I. PROVISION OF INFORMATION
At the request of the student or the student’s parent/guardian, this school unit
shall make available to home-schooled students, in a form determined by the
school, information regarding access to public school activities and attendance
at the school unit’s schools. This information must include:
A. Requirements regarding initial health and developmental
screening for motor skills, vision, hearing,
and immunization; and
B. Criteria for participation of home-schooled students in
curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular
activities.
II. PERMITTED PARTICIPATION
A. Participation in Regular Classes. Home instruction
students may enroll in specific, day-school
classes provided that the student’s
attendance is regular, the class is deemed to be age and grade
appropriate, and all prerequisite
course requirements are met. In addition, the following shall also
apply.
1. The student or the student’s
parent/guardian, on the student’s behalf, shall apply in writing to
and receive
written approval from the Superintendent/designee. Approval may not be
unreasonably
withheld.
2. The student shall demonstrate
prior satisfactory academic achievement consistent with school
unit policy
and procedures applicable to all students.
3. The student shall comply with
behavioral, disciplinary, attendance and other classroom rules
applicable to
all students. If a student fails to comply, the school may withhold credit or
terminate the
student’s participation.
4. Transportation must be provided by
the parent/guardian or student. However, the student may
use the same
transportation as all other students in the school unit as long as additional
expenses
are not
incurred and vehicle capacity is not exceeded.
5. The student shall complete all
assignments and tests as required of all students in the same class.
B. Course Auditing. Home instruction students may
audit a course(s) provided the following
conditions have been met.
1. The student or the student’s
parent/guardian, on behalf of the student, shall apply in writing to
and receive
written approval from the Superintendent/designee to audit a specific course or
courses.
Participation may not be unreasonably withheld.
2. The student agrees to meet
established behavioral, disciplinary, attendance and other classroom
rules
applicable to all students. If a student fails to comply, the school may
terminate
participation.
III. SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES
Special Education Services will be available to eligible special education
students in accordance with applicable federal and state laws and regulations.
IV. ADMISSION TO REGULAR PROGRAM/PLACEMENT
A student who has been receiving home-school instruction and who seeks admission
to the regular school program will be placed in a grade commensurate with the
level of the student’s academic achievement. Placement must be guided by the
following.
A. For students who transfer into school from an educational
program that is not required to meet the
standards of the system of Learning
Results, the principal of the receiving school shall determine
the value of the student’s prior
educational experience toward meeting these standards.
B. Appropriate school staff may make recommendations
concerning placement based on, but not
limited to, factors such as the
student’s completed curricula and record of achievement,
conferences with the student’s
parent/guardian, and administration of tests.
C. The final grade placement decision shall be made by the
principal. The principal’s decision may be
appealed to the Superintendent, whose
decision shall be final.
V. RE-ADMISSION TO THE SCHOOL PROGRAM
Placement of home-schooled students who wish to be readmitted to the school
program will be determined by the principal who shall consult with members of
the professional staff to the extent appropriate and, as deemed necessary, to
make a reasonable determination that the requisite academic standards have been
met, and collect from parents actual samples of coursework (e.g., homework,
papers, examinations). The principal may also direct that a test or tests be
administered to help determine the student’s progress toward meeting the content
standards of the Learning Results for the purpose of determining an appropriate
grade level. The decision of the principal may be appealed to the
Superintendent.
VI. USE OF SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS AND LIBRARY BOOKS
Subject to availability, a student receiving home instruction may use school
textbooks, if the number of particular copies is sufficient, and library books
owned by the school unit, subject to the following conditions.
A. The use does not disrupt regular student, staff or special
program functions.
B. The student’s sign-out period for a library book is the
same as that applicable to regularly enrolled
students.
C. The student may sign out a textbook for a period not to
exceed one school year.
D. The parent/guardian and student agree to reimburse the
school unit for lost, unreturned or
damaged library books and textbooks
and for consumable supplies used.
VII. USE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT
A student receiving home-school instruction may use public school facilities and
equipment on the same basis as regularly enrolled students if the following
conditions are met.
A. The use does not disrupt regular school activities.
B. The use is approved by the school principal in accordance
with established school policy.
C. The use does not create additional expense to the school
unit.
D. The use is directly related to the student’s academic
program.
E. The use of potentially hazardous areas, such as shops,
laboratories, and gymnasiums, is supervised
by a qualified employee of the school
unit, approved and assigned by the Superintendent.
VIII. MAINE EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT
If a parent of a student in an equivalent instruction program requests to have
the student participate in the Maine Educational Assessment (MEA), such request
must be granted. Participation in such examinations must be in compliance with
all rules and procedures governing testing conditions in the school unit.
IX. PARTICIPATION IN CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Students receiving home-school instruction may participate in co-curricular
activities such as field trips, assemblies, and academically-related fairs
provided:
A. Prior written permission is obtained from both the
parent/guardian and the principal; and
B. The student has agreed to meet established behavioral,
disciplinary, attendance, and other rules
applicable to all students.
X. PARTICIPATION IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Students receiving home-school instruction are eligible to try out for
extracurricular activities sponsored by the school unit, provided the student
applies in writing and the following requirements are satisfied.
A. The student agrees to abide by equivalent rules of
participation as are applicable to regularly
enrolled students participating in
the activity and provides evidence that the rules of participation
are being met.
B. The student complies with the same physical examination,
immunization, insurance, age, and
semester eligibility requirements as
regularly enrolled students participating in the activity. All
required documentation must be made
available upon request by the school unit. The school
principal is authorized to collect
from the student’s parent/guardian actual samples of coursework
(e.g., homework, examinations, etc.)
as he/she deems necessary in order to make the
determination that the necessary
academic standards have been met.
C. The student meets equivalent academic standards as those
established for regularly enrolled
students participating in the
activity and provides evidence that the academic standards are being
met.
D. The student abides by the same transportation policy as
regularly enrolled students participating in
the activity.
XI. STANDARDS FOR PARTICIPATION WHEN TUITION PAYMENT TO ANOTHER UNIT IS REQUIRED
If and when the school unit does not provide academic instruction for specific
grade levels, the following applies for students enrolled in an approved program
of equivalent instruction.
A. Class participation. The home-schooled student or the
student’s parent/guardian shall request
authorization from the resident local
school unit to apply to another school unit for permission to
participate in classes or activities
in that other school unit.
B. Tuition payment. Tuition payments for home-schooled
student participation in a local school unit,
including attendance at an applied
technology center or an applied technology region other than the
applicant’s resident district is the
responsibility of the home-schooled student, the student’s
parent/guardian, or the student’s
resident school administrative unit, in accordance with school unit
policy. Participation may not be
unreasonably withheld.
C. Participation eligibility. A tuitioned, home-schooled
student is subject to the rules relating to
eligibility for participation in
co-curricular or extracurricular activities as may apply at the receiving
school unit.
D. Interscholastic activities. A tuitioned, home-schooled
student attending classes in more than one
receiving school unit is not eligible
for participation in interscholastic activities at any local school
unit.
XII. APPEALS
Appeals from administration and application of the Board policy are heard by the
Board, whose decision is final and binding. Appeals that question the Board
policy compliance with legal requirements must be made to the Commissioner,
whose decision is final and binding.
Legal Reference: 20-A MRSA §§ 5001-A(3), 5021-5025
Ch. 127, 130 (Me. Dept. of Ed. Rules)
Cross Reference: IHBG – Home Schooling
IHBGB – Statement of Rights for Private School/ Home Schooling Students with
Disabilities
Date Adopted: July 1, 2003
Revised: February 5, 2004