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Homeschooling in Georgia
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We just found out we are moving to Georgia. Please help. wE have never homeschooled in the US at all and we have been overseas for 5.5 years!
From what I understand I have to give notice to the local school district, do standardized tests every 3 years (though I dont ‘have to give the test results to anyone) and keep attandance records?
Any help is greta thanks.
You are right. Testing begins in 3rd grade, you just keep the results on file. You have to fill out a Letter of Intent to Homeschool by the end of August and send in monthly attendance reports…it’s that easy!
More accurately, the Letter of Intent should be filed by within 30 days of implementing a home study program and by September 1 annually thereafter. Sorry!!
You also need to write an annual progress assessment for each subject and retain the info for 3 years.
This is the GA link for requirements:
http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/askdoe.aspx?PageReq=ASKHome
Well, perhaps you’ll move to the North-eastern side, north of Atlanta and be near Sonya herself! I live in N.Ga., at the foot of the mountains.
Heather covered it all. I do recommend you get your forms via the Georgia Homeschool Education Assoc. (GHEA) site, as some county school districts routinely ask for extra information not required by law. Ga. has very lenient laws and we want to keep it that way. There are pockets of vibrant HS’ling activity around the state.
Hope your move is safe!
Rachel
We are Northwest. I didn’t know that I could get forms form the GHEA. I remember this year when I got my packet to fill out my Letter of Intent, I was pretty mad to see something in there asking for me to send in any information I had about any h’schooling family who has a special needs child, and to give details of the need!! Thankfully, I knew enough to know it was bunk and that I didn’t have to comply. They can be tricky!
Geewiz…that’s bad. Yes, the gov’t. tries any way possible to get info. on us as more info. = more power.
The worst I’ve had is asking for a “name” of my “school” and my children’s b-days, which they can’t ask.
Rachel
What? My county form has that on the Letter of Intent…oops. I’ve been giving them that info yearly. I guess I need to download the GHEA forms!!!
Here’s what should be on the Declaration of Intent Form from GHEA:
- The Georgia law is clear regarding the information that is to be reported: name and ages of children between 6 and 16 years of age as applicable under the compulsory attendance law; address of home study program; statement of 12 month period to be considered the school year; attendance. The other information such as Special Education line is not mandatory.
Rachel
Thanks Rachel! I was just snooping on that website. Which test do you administer? I am testing my 3rd grader for the 1st time this year and I see the CAT which I have heard good things about, but there is also a PASS test just for homeschoolers which is not timed that I’ve never heard of.
I am sorry to hijack this thread!!
Heather,
last year my son had his 3rd year test, too. Since they’re aren’t accustomed to testing and strict time frames, I went for the PASS test from Hewitt. I was pleased and will do the same for my dd this year; it being her first standardized test, too. It is unconventional in it’s results; I think more accurate, actually. It takes a broader sweep of students across the schooling world, if memory serves.
I’ve also decided to give it to my son again this year, with some mom-enforced timing, for comparison purposes and do the same for my dd next year also, 2 years in a row, so I can see a comparison using the same test with the both of them. After that, in their 6th year, I’ll use a conventional test.
GHEA did inform me that if you happen to put your child back into the school system between now and your child’s 6th year, they won’t recognize the testing, though the state of Ga. does for homeschooling testing purposes. So be sure you are pretty positive that ya’ll are good on the next 3 years of being at-home.
HTH, Rachel
I’m not in Georgia, but we’ve seen this kind of thing in Ohio, too, where a school district will send out its own forms and ask for information that the state law regarding homeschooling does not require. There are a lot of “fishing expeditions” going on across the nation, and it can set a precedent in a state if parents unknowingly comply with the school districts’ wishes. When it comes time to review exisiting laws (or some group or elected official wants to make it more difficult to homeschool by changing laws), requirements are often written into proposed new laws based on the fact that some school districts are already attempting to impose them.
This is a big reason why I and other homeschooling families often recommend joining the Home School Legal Defense Association. Even if you don’t become a member, you can subscribe to their newsletter and search their site for a lot of helpful information, including an analysis of your state’s homeschooling regulations. HSLDA usually cautions against filling out forms supplied by local school districts unless your state law requires it. (I don’t know if any states do operate this way.) They strongly suggest using forms supplied through your state homeschool associations or through HSLDA’s website. These closely follow the laws for each state and do not ask for any additional information.
HTH,
Sue
Thanks ladies. I just wanted to make sure it really was that easy. My oldest will be 3rd grade so that information is helpful. I hope to find a good homeschool group, but will wait until we find a house.
It was our third choice and I am not too fond of the south but I do love the warm weather and Georgia is beautiful that is for sure. We already know several families at our next location and are looking foreword to getting there!
FYI, We have a couple Georgia CM homeschool groups listed on our events page. http://simplycharlottemason.com/events/
We had our heart set on Arizona (too set), but Georgia is really growing on me! I saw a few houses that had 2-3 acres and I could have an amazing garden. The shade trees in the back look so calming and beautiful! I really could see us laying in the shade in the back, even on warmer days. Ohh and I could hang the laundry outside and it will actually dry! My oldest is almost old enough to mow and so he will be super excited about that.
Another positive side the high where we are going is suppose to be 87 today! We are at 50 here! I have a lot of clothes to go thorugh and get rid of and all in all I am excited. Hubby is still getting there. He lived in Georgia for 4 years and vowed to NEVER go back! Ha ha too bad God is in controll. We know a few famlies there already and have a potential church.
We will be in southern Georgia. So, we can easily visit Florida. We have been dreaming of going to this “shark tooth” beach in Florida for years! Now hopefully we can!
As I said hubby is still a bit upset about it but I really am excited to have grass and shade trees, something we would not have in Arizona. I grew up in the mid-west and aside from the last 5.5 years here in England I never lived any where else. This will be new and exciting!
I really am getting excited now. It just took a little getting use to the idea!
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