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Need advice re: using public school services & submitting a letter of assurance
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Our dd7 has been formally diagnosed by an OT w/ SPD. In the past she has received OT which was covered by our insurance until a year ago when the OT stopped taking our insurance. Now that we have moved and our church does not provide insurance, I was looking at the option of dd receiving OT through the public school system (because our taxes pay for this even though our dc are homeschooled). I had a meeting with the special needs director for the local school system on Tuesday. She was very nice and informative and assured me our dd qualified to receive these services through the school at no charge. I filled out forms of consent for her to be evaluated as well as listing out her individual “quirks” and needs. Today I received a packet in the mail consisting of copies of the forms I filled out, a letter stating dd is eligible for OT, and a blank “Homeschooling Letter of Assurance”. Also in the packet was a pre-paid envelope, so I am to fill out this letter of assurance and mail it back.
The letter of assurance is as follows:
We, ______, choose to home school our child/children _________________. We submit this letter as a written statement of assurance that a curriculum consisting of books, workbooks, or other written materials designed to meet the basic educational goals of reading, spelling, grammar, math, and a course in good citizenship is being pursued in a bona fide manner. We understand as home schooling parents that we must reasonably cooperate with any reasonable inquirty from an attendance officer. We will begin homeschooling our child/children on ________(Date)______.
I know that TX has very lax homeschooling laws. We aren’t required to submit documentation of intent to homeschool nor are we required to present proof of lessons or a child’s portfolio. We are not required to test. In four years of homeschooling, I have never been up to a public school to “assure” anyone that we are doing what we’re supposed to be doing.
I am wondering if filling out and submitting this letter is a good idea. I don’t want my children in anyone’s “system”, for obvious reasons. I don’t mind signing my name to a paper declaring that our children are having their “basic educational goals of reading, spelling, grammer, math and a course in good citizenship” met, but I do have a problem with “cooperating with any reasonable inquiry from an attendance officer”. I have a huge problem with a truancy officer knocking on my door, unannounced, and asking for proof that we homeschool.
I want to give dd these services, as she greatly needs them, but at what cost? Have any of you ever experienced this? If so, how do we proceed? Should I call the special needs director and ask if it is required for me to submit this letter before dd can receive OT?
Thanks,
Lindsey
I don’t have any experience with the public school system but contacting HSLDA might alleviate your concerns.
I have read their summarization of homeschool laws in TX and cannot find anything regarding my question. I hoped perhaps someone might have used the school system in the past for OT, speech therapy, dyslexia help, etc. and what how you navigated through the red tape.
I agree that contacting HSLDA would be a good idea. Since you aren’t required by state law in TX to notify or test or any thing, then why should you have to fill out that form? Do you have the right to get the services and refuse to fill out that form? If you do not legally have to fill it out and turn it in, then I wouldn’t. But, find out what your legal rights are before confronting the school so that you will be confident and have the knowledge to (hopefully) refuse the form. Hope that was helpful.
Lindsey, do make a call to Hslda before signing the form. Hslda employees are the most helpful in these situations. I’m sorry for the insurance situation, but I would prayerfully consider what the trade off could be to receive the free services your taxes pay for.
Blessings, Christie
We are not members of HSLDA; never really thought about it actually. It never occured to us, living in one of the most homeschool-friendly states, that we would ever need legal advice. Will they talk to me without my being a member?
Yes, Christie, it is unfortunate that our church does not provide health insurance for its staff. They pay well, but not well enough for us to afford the almost $1000/mo that it would take to purchase private insurance. Thankfully, we have never needed insurance, except for this with dd. We keep a funded savings account for any emergencies such as broken limbs that might come up, but thankfully none have. We are looking into Samaritan Ministries as an option, but I’ll have to speak to them more before signing up. I’m not sure they’ll cover OT or not.
I am not in TX but in a state with a lot more regulation (MA). From my own experience I know HSLDA recommended not using school system services. I do have friends who have used them with no problems but at least around here it really just depends who you end up dealing with and what their attitude is. While what they are asking you to fill out is very minor compared to what we have to do every year, my main concern would be the line about cooperating with attendance officers. It is very vague and open to interpretation. Could you cross it out and still sign?
Nebby
I think you do have to be a member of HSLDA to seek legal advice from them. Even though your state has very little regulation it might be a wise investment – we get the HSLDA magazine where it lists numbers of call from various states and they do get lots of calls for help from Texas…
Nebby has a good idea if you must go through with it. Just make sure you keep a copy of your form with the crossed-out line for yourself or see if you can get help WITHOUT returning that form.
Another option would be to just pay out of pocket for a monthly OT session and see if they will teach you to “homeschool” the other sessions – I know that with my sister (Downs Syndrome) – a LONG time ago when she was a tiny thing, they would come to our house and do things with her, but we were expected to reenact these activities on a frequent basis for the OT to even work.
Lindsey, Hslda is worth the cost no doubt. I can only personally say that I would not sign the form or take any services. I would rather research and do at home therapies if unable to afford it privately. The trade off just isn’t worth it in my opinion. There are always strings.
Agree w/ everyone! Do not sign!! HSLDA is worth it! Even though your state may be lax, what about the rest of the government? Or even social services coming, not for homeschooling in general, but someone saying something against you and your family!
Hope you find answers!
I absolutely agree with looking into HSLDA first. Not signing the form would be the obvious ideal option. For me though, if it came down to it, I would sign. Lindsey, from what I know of you from your posts, you are obviously a loving and committed mother who is actively homeschooling her children. What is the worst that would happen if they did a visit? They would learn that you are a loving and committed mother who is actively homeschooling her children. What’s the worst that would happen if your daughter doesn’t get OT?
Just thought I would give a different perspective. Take care,
Rachel
Thank you, ladies! I don’t have much time this morning to write. What I am going to do first is call the special needs director and find out if I am required to sign the form at all. If not, I have no problems proceeding. If so, well, that’s another matter entirely. I have gone over HSLDA’s site with a fine-tooth comb as well as contacting our personal attorney for advice. As far as I can tell, I am allowed to draft my own letter of assurance and also that the line about cooperating with the attendance officer is not legal. So I will let everyone know what I come up with after I speak to her and our attorney calls back.
There are cases of good, loving homeschooling moms having horrible experiences with the system. You can read about some of the cases at HSLDA’s website. I’m not trying to scare you, but simply to caution you.
I agree that I wouldn’t sign the form – I’d get what information I could from HSLDA. If you do have to do an assurance letter, I’d write my own – something along the lines of this. (But If I could get it looked at by a lawyer, even better.)
We, ______, choose to home school our child/children _________________. We submit this letter as a written statement of assurance that we are meeting the requirements for homeschooling set out by the State of Texas.
I would also try to find the money to belong to HSLDA. (We aren’t – but plan to soon….)
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