Bluewater District School Board ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE AP 6225-D Students Page 1

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1 Students Page 1 Procedure Title Home Schooling Date of Issue February 10, 1999 Related Policy Revision Dates March 30, 2005 October 20, 2010 November 14, 2012 Related Forms AF 6225 AF 6226 AF 6227 AF 6228 AF 6229 Review Date November 1, 2017 Originator Administrative Council References Education Act; Ministry of Education Policy/Program Memorandum No. 131; Review Note: Referenced in School Office Reference Manual Procedure: Rationale: The right of parents/guardians to educate their children in the home is respected by Bluewater District School Board and it recognizes the need to describe the expected working relationship and communication between staff of Bluewater District School Board and parents/guardians of home schooled children. It is the responsibility of the board to excuse children from attendance at school when home schooling is provided, in accordance with subsection 21(2), clause (a), of the Education Act. Where the board has reasonable grounds to be concerned that the instruction provided in the home may not be satisfactory, the board should investigate the matter. Procedure: Home Schooling Procedures Parents: 1. Parents should provide written notification to the school principal, where the student is currently attending or is eligible to attend of their decision to home school. 2. The notification should include the name, gender, date of birth, telephone number and address of each child who is receiving home schooling. The letter should be signed by the parent. (See sample on form AF 6225 Home Schooling Notification of Intent Letter ) 3. Notify the school principal of any change in address or telephone number. 4. Provide written notification each year prior to September 1st to the school principal in whose jurisdiction the child is eligible to attend, as evidence of provision of satisfactory instruction at home. The letter should contain the same information as that in the initial letter described above. 5. Parents/guardians are responsible for planning and implementing the home schooling program and for assessing and evaluating student achievement. The home schooling program should focus on the following:

2 Students Page 2 a plan for educating the child plans to ensure literacy and numeracy at developmentally appropriate levels plan for assessing the child s achievement 6. The home schooling parent has access to the student s OSR through the principal. 7. Parents/guardians are encouraged to retain an open working relationship with the school, in the best interest of the student(s). Principal: (See Appendix A: Flowchart of Responsibilities) 1. The principal will excuse the student from attendance at school, in accordance with subsection 21 (2), clause (a), of the Education Act, upon receipt of written notification. 2. The principal will accept annual written notification as evidence that satisfactory instruction is being provided. The annual notification letter will be filed in OSR. 3. The principal will provide a written excusal from school attendance as per the Education Act in the form of a letter of acknowledgment to the parents. (See sample letter provided on form 6226). Enclosed with the letter to the parent the principal will enclose a copy of Ministry Policy/Program Memorandum No The principal will ensure that an Ontario School Record is on file for the home schooled student. The OSR will be established in accordance with the OSR Guidelines. All correspondence is to be filed in the OSR. The OSR is to be transferred at age appropriate times (eg grade 8 to grade 9). 5. The principal will establish a part time register for students who are participating in school programs on a part time basis (e.g., music, French). 6. The principal may invite home schooled students to participate in school related activities as appropriate. 7. The principal will provide a complete list of home schooled students to the superintendent responsible for home schooling on form AF 6229 by September 30 each year. A copy of this list will be filed in the school file. The principal should continue to update this list throughout the school year and forward updates to the superintendent responsible for home schooling. System Special Education Lead Teacher (SSELT): 1. At principal s request, conduct investigation. (see section - Investigation of Home Schooling ) Attendance Counsellor: (See Appendix B: Flowchart of Responsibilities) 1. Receive form AF 6229 Home Schooling - Data Collection Form for each school from superintendent responsible for home schooling annually in October. 2. Assist in investigation as required. (see section - Investigation of Home Schooling ) Access to Resources Program and Assessment and Evaluation Assistance 1. The system special education lead teacher (SSELT) can be requested to assist parents with the home schooling program through the school principal. Ministry of Education Curriculum Material

3 Students Page 3 Parents who are providing home schooling may obtain curriculum policy documents and curriculum support material through the Ministry of Education. (web site: Courses Offered Through the Independent Learning Centre (web site: 1. If a parent has notified the school of the intent to provide home schooling, the parent may enrol their child in secondary courses offered through the Independent Learning Centre (ILC). 2. To enrol a child being home schooled in ILC the parent must submit: (a) the enrolment form to ILC; (b) the written excusal from attendance provided by the school to the parents that acknowledges the parents intent to home school the child. 3. Parents may obtain information pertaining to course fees directly from the ILC. Students taking courses through the ILC are required to pay an administration fee for each course taken. Assessments/Tests: Parents who have given a school written notification of their intent to provide home schooling may request access to the resources outlined below: 1. Grades 3, 6, and 9, and/or the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (normally given to students in Grade 10), all of which are administered by the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) 2. Parents must contact their home school by September 30 of the school year in which the assessments/tests are being conducted for information about the dates, times and locations. 3. It is the responsibility of the parent to provide transportation to and from the site. The school will provide space for these children at the time and on the dates assessments/tests are being administered to the board s regular day school students. 4. The school will request sufficient assessment/test materials from the EQAO so that the children who are receiving home schooling can participate. 5. Schools will send assessment/test results to their homes. Note: The results of children who are receiving home schooling will not be included in school and board reports generated by the EQAO or the schools and boards. Support Services Offered by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care 1. Families in which children are receiving home schooling have access to Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care school health support and personal support services (and equipment) through the local community care access centres (CCAC s) of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Investigation of Home Schooling If the board has reasonable grounds to believe that the instruction being provided is not satisfactory, then an investigation should be initiated. Reasons for an Investigation refusal of a parent to notify the board in writing of the intent to provide home schooling a credible report of concern by a third party with respect to the instruction being provided in the home evidence that the child was removed from attendance at school because of ongoing conflicts with the school, not for the purpose of home schooling a history of absenteeism by the child prior to the parent notifying the board of their intent to provide home schooling.

4 Students Page 4 Guidelines for Conducting an Investigation 1. The principal, in consultation with the attendance counsellor, SSELT and area superintendent will determine when an investigation should be initiated. 2. If an investigation is to be conducted the principal will contact the parents and follow up with written documentation (see form AF 6227) 3. The SSELT through the principal will meet with the family. The parent will be requested to submit in writing information about the home schooling that focuses on the following: a plan for educating the child plans to ensure literacy and numeracy at developmentally appropriate levels plans for assessing the child s achievement (see form AF 6228) The principal will inform the Area Superintendent of the action taken. 4. If further information is required the administrator will call a team meeting, including the SSELT, attendance counsellor and consultation with the area superintendent. 5. If a decision cannot be made based on the investigation to determine if the child is receiving satisfactory instruction at home, further action may be taken in accordance with subsection 24(2) of the Education Act. (Inquiry by Provincial Attendance Counsellor.)

5 Students Page 5 Appendix A HOME SCHOOLING FLOWCHART OF RESPONSIBILITIES PRINCIPAL Acknowledge receipt of parent request for H.S. Collect data information about H.S. students annually OSR File Parent Letter Acknowledgement Letter Investigation Letter Investigation *discuss with Area SO *Notify parents *Contact SSELT Contact SSELT to assist with Program and A&E upon request Forward Data Form to superintendent responsible for home schooling Convene planning meeting if further action required Invite H.S. students to participate at school as appropriate Update H.S. Information throughout school year FORMS AF 6225 Home Schooling Notification of Intent Letter AF 6226 Home Schooling Acknowledgement to Parents AF 6229 Home Schooling Data Collection Form AF 6227 Home Schooling Initiation of an Investigation Form AF 6228 Home Schooling Information Gathering (Investigation)

6 Students Page 6 Appendix B HOME SCHOOLING FLOWCHART OF RESPONSIBILITIES ATTENDANCE COUNSELLOR Receive data information form from superintendent responsible for home schooling Investigation *discuss with principal Update H.S. information throughout school year Assist SSELT upon request Participate in team meeting if parents are non-compliant Notify provincial attendance counsellor if required Notify parents, through registered letter, of investigation by Provincial Attendance Counsellor FORMS AF 6229 Home Schooling Data Collection Form AF 6228 Home Schooling Information Gathering (Investigation)