Why the large surge in overreach this week?
Today is the final day for schools to “count” students in order to keep as much funding as possible.
Today is “count day,” the day in which schools count the number of students they’re serving in the fall semester – a figure used to determine their funding for the first six months of the school year.
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Public School Overreach
After turning in my withdrawal letter to the school last week, I have received an email from doe.in.gov confirming my HomeSchool verification. I HAVE NOT personally filled out anything to register my homeschool. I am assuming that the school took it upon themselves to do so. Since it is not a requirement in the state of Indiana, I had no plan to register.
They had me sign a form that was only intended for high school students. My children are in elementary. I am aware this is a standard form that all (WYZ) County schools have parents sign. I just want schools to be informed that this form is not required by Indiana law unless you have a high school student. These forms should not even be given to schools that are not high schools. Public schools deal with enough paper work. They should not be forced to give out more paperwork than they need to. They work hard enough. (Our elementry school) is an AMAZING school and I applaud and appreciate all they have done for me and my family. I just want all of the staff aware that this extra paperwork is not required for elementary schools on Indiana.
The secretary called me asking how my son was doing with homeschooling. Then she said they are offering virtual school again for 2nd semester. I feel like I’m being checked up on, like I’m not to be trusted with my son’s education.
Sent notice of withdrawl for incoming 8th grade student. Vice Principal emailed form to fill out for “withdrawl to non-public, non-accredited school” that indicated withdrawl would not be processed until it was returned. Form states Indiana Code 20-33-2-28.6 which applies ONLY to high school student withdrawl.
My son was a student at (ABC) Elementary School. I had already planned to homeschool before all of the covid stuff happened. I used the withdraw form from IAHE website to withdraw him, but the school is telling me that I have to fill out and send in the form from the state which is a form for a high school student. My son has never been in or enrolled high school, he is special needs, he is 13, but he only finished 6th grade this past year. I decided on homeschooling because he was falling so far behind in school and having horrible behaviors, he absolutely thriving so much since being out of school! They have told me that if I don’t send in the high school form that they would have to contact tbe truant officer and that they didn’t want to do that. I took that as a threat and it made me really uncomfortable to try to defend myself as to why I didn’t feel it necessary to send in a form for a high school student. I don’t want to send the high school form in because I feel that it could possibly be used against me as being invalid since my son isn’t a high school student.
The school asked me to fill out and return a form for withdrawal for high school students. If I do not fill out the form it says they can notify the BMV so she will not be able to receive a drivers license when she is older. It also states that homeschool is not an appropriate curriculum even though they know that homeschool laws state there is no specific curriculum you have to follow. Along with stating that homeschooled students will not receive a diploma. This is an elementary school, my daughter is only seven years old, and I have already given them my withdrawal letter.
A week and a half ago the principal wouldn’t allow me to pick my son up from school. I had sent a notice of withdrawal and he then refused it and continued to mark my child absent until I came in to fill out forms. I went in 2 days after notification was submitted to retrieve my sons items and they enforced that I have to fill out the papers or he would still be a truant student. I informed them I was aware of the law and the state procedure as I’ve already withdrawn my daughter to homeschool her and I didn’t have to fill out anything but they kept coming at me telling me I had to.
When I called to tell them I was taking my kids out of homeschool the principal was like a car salesman trying to get me to stay with their school anyway he could. He even went as far as to lie and act like he knew both of my kids, which he has never officially met or talked to either child personally. He said how sweet they were, and how sad he was to see them go. Then when he realized I was serious he was trying to intimidate and scare me by saying I have to choose an accredited homeschool, he said, because some families just act like they’re homeschooling but do it for the money which I didn’t even know you got money for homeschool. I’m pretty sure we’re going to be having to pay a good amount of money, but we can’t really afford, but we are going to do anyways because my kids deserve a better education, and not to be indoctrinated by the government public schools. But he was just pretty much trying to insinuate that is what I was going to do & acting like I would be neglecting my kids. They have never been easy to work with and they don’t even try to help my daughter with special needs. They got the funding to give her the special help for it but then all they did was cut back her work so she wasn’t learning as much, and they still got their funding. This along with him treating me like I was at a timeshare and had to buy my part in the school because they “cared” so much, which was really just about the money, is why I am saying this report. As for accredited homeschool, I found out is not even possible unless it’s through public schooling. He was blatantly lying to me trying to get me to stay there. To me that is wrong and definitely over-reaching.
I was also asked to fill out the high school form for my son who just entered 7th grade. I told them no, that IN state law only requires that form for high school students which my son is not. I also informed them that the law states we MAY register our homeschool, not MUST. There is a difference. Lawyers & law makers choose words like this carefully for a reason. I also got a phone call reminding me of my options available through the school this year (virtual, hybrid, etc.). I reminded them that I’m well aware of my options as we considered them all very carefully before we enrolled for the year, but have since realized none of those options fit the needs of our family at this time. My son is also special needs so now I have the fun task of navigating the process for turning his IEP into an ISP & I’m far less well versed in that process than I am the one for transitioning to homeschool in general. Wish me luck with that one.
Help me. The Assistant Principal and Attendance Officer showed up at my home, unannounced Tuesday threatening me with the EXACT words of he must be registered with an accredited school and that as he’s a freshman this year, all of the education he’d receive via homeschooling by myself, as a right and choice as his parent would not be approved and should he go back next year my son would be e rolled as a freshman all over again bc all of the academic progress and work he’d done would not be accepted. My son would literally sacrifice and have to pay for a year of education and start all over again bc I chose to homeschool him. My son is 14, he’s had mono twice since December last year DCS the school district and the attendance officer are intimately aware of my sons case and have multiple documents from specialist and even Riley’s Children’s Hospital with test results of his condition. Due to this illness my son has deteriorated mentally and we’ve had to take him to the drs as he’s told us of depression. He was diagnosed with clinical depression and is on medication even to treat him. I joined as a member with iahe. I’ve done hours upon hours of research and I fit still gathering to prepare myself and my son for the correct way to approach our situation. I have MS and in July went into the hospital into Relapse. Our lives as we know it have been irrevocably affected. The school knows all of this. I sent my letter of intent as needed. I registered my homeschool with the iboe though it’s not needed. They showed up at my door UNANNOUNCED, with my and my cane snd sat on my couch and told me my two options were them, online “accredited public school” and verbatim said, homeschooling is not an option. My 14yr old would be a “drop out.” I can send you the email I sent them at midnight last night including their other staff and the principal himself. They threatened they’d be back at my door today if they didn’t get an answer. I told them everything in that email. I revealed call an hour ago from a staff member that did not identify themselves that my son’s teachers are reflecting concerns about his not being active in his assignments. Odd, they stopped all communication with he weeks ago after my letter of intent. Are they not aware their superiors are going door to door with idle threats to families? I was told I was the third of the fourth home they were headed to next. I’ve known the assistant principal personally fir the 25yrs. I coached him in high school as a mentor in Speech and Debate. He’s the one that “threatened” me in my home. I nearly called someone, the police, the board of education, I’ve not slept since they left my home; riddled with anxiety over my son’s health and future and being forced to decide between the two in a matter of hours. Help me.