HOME SCHOOLING
Parents/guardians who wish to have their children fulfill the compulsory school
attendance law through equivalent education by home schooling must comply with
the provisions of 20-A MRSA § 5001-A(3)(A)(4).
A. The student’s parent/guardian must provide a written notice of intent to
provide home instruction simultaneously to the Superintendent
of the school unit
in which the student resides and to the Commissioner of the Department of
Education within ten calendar days of the
beginning of home instruction. The
notice must contain the following information:
1. The name, signature and address of the student’s parent/guardian;
2. The name and age of the student;
3. The date the home instruction program will begin;
4. A statement of assurance that indicates the home instruction program will
provide at least 175 days annually of instruction and will
provide instruction
in: English and language arts, math, science, social studies, physical
education, health education, library skills, fine
arts, and, in at least one
grade from grade 6 to 12, Maine studies. At one grade level from grade 7 to 12,
the student will
demonstrate proficiency in the use of computers; and
5. A statement of assurance that indicates that the home instruction program
will include an annual assessment of the student’s academic
progress that
includes at least one of the forms of assessment described in 20-A MRSA §
5001-A(3)(A)(4)(b) and paragraph B
below.
B. On or before September 1 of each subsequent year of home instruction, the
student’s parent/guardian must file a letter with the
Superintendent of the
administrative unit in which the student resides and to the Commissioner stating
the intention to continue providing
home instruction and enclose a copy of one
of the following forms of annual assessment of the student’s academic progress:
1. A standardized achievement test administered through the administrative unit
in which the student resides or through other
arrangements approved by the
Commissioner. If the test is administered through the administrative unit in
which the student resides,
that administration must be agreed to by the
Superintendent/designee of the administrative unit prior to submission of the
written
notice of intent to provide home instruction;
2. A test developed by the Superintendent/designee of the administrative unit in
which the student resides appropriate to the student’s
home instruction program,
which must be agreed to by the Superintendent of the administrative unit prior
to submission of the written
notice of intent to provide home instruction;
3. A review and acceptance of the student’s progress by an identified individual
who holds a current Maine teacher’s certificate;
4. A review and acceptance of the student’s progress based on, but not limited
to, a presentation of an educational portfolio of the
student to a local area
home schooling support group whose membership for this purpose includes a
currently certified Maine
teacher or administrator; or
5. A review and acceptance of the student’s progress by a local advisory board
selected by the Superintendent of the administrative
unit in which the student
resides that includes one administrative unit employee and two home instruction
tutors. A “home instruction
tutor” means the parent/guardian or other person who
acts or will act as a primary teacher of the student in the home instruction
program. This provision must be agreed to by the Superintendent of the
administrative unit in which the student resides prior to
submission of the
written notice of intent to provide home instruction.
C. Dissemination of any information filed under 20-A MRSA § 5001-A(3)(A) (which
applies to alternatives to attendance at public day
school, including home
schooling) is governed by the provisions of 20-A MRSA § 6001 (dissemination of
information); the federal
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, 20 USC § 1232g (2002); and the federal Education for All Handicapped Children
Act
of 1975, 20 USC § 1401-1487 (2002), except that “directory information” as
defined by the federal Family Educational Rights
and Privacy Act (FERPA) is
confidential and is not subject to public disclosure unless the parent/guardian
specifically permits
disclosure in writing or a judge orders otherwise. Copies
of any information filed under 20-A MRSA § 5001-A(3)(A) must be
maintained by
the student’s parent/guardian until the home instruction program concludes. The
records must be made available to the
Commissioner upon request.
D. If the home instruction program is discontinued, students of compulsory
school age must be enrolled in a public school or an equivalent
instruction
alternative as provided for by law. The receiving school shall determine the
placement of the student. At the secondary level,
the principal of the receiving
school shall determine the value of the prior educational experience toward
meeting the standards of
Maine’s system of Learning Results.
The Board accepts no responsibility for the unit in the application, review,
approval, or oversight of home instruction programs except as provided for by
law or this policy .
Participation by home-schooled students in the public school program shall only
be permitted as described elsewhere in Board policy.
The Superintendent shall maintain a roster of all students eligible to attend
school within the school unit who are receiving equivalent instruction, as
provided in Department of Education rules.
Legal Reference: 20-A MRSA§ 5001-A(3)
Ch. 125 § 12.02, Ch. 130 (Me. Dept. of Ed. Rules)
Cross Reference: JEA – Compulsory Attendance Ages
IHBGA – Home Schooling—Participation in School Programs
IHBGB – Statement of Rights for Private School/ Home Schooling Students with
Disabilities
JGAB – Assignment of New Students to Classes and Grade Levels
DATE ADOPTED: July 1, 2003
REVISED: February 12, 2004