Legalize It

So, recently friends from Oregon, the Carolinas, and a new member on our Arkansas Unschoolers list had some questions about home schooling regulations in Arkansas. So I thought I would answer what I can and include some useful links, instead of responding to all the lists, etc.

First, I want to point out that homeschooling is legal in all fifty states.

In the state of Arkansas you do not have to be a certified teacher to homeschool.

Intent to homeschool must be turned into your district superintendent's office by August 16 The link to that form is here.
http://www.arkansased.org/about/pdf/schools/hs_waiver_intent_10-11_051810.pdf .

If it is your first year home schooling they require you to drop it off in person, every year thereafter you can mail it in.

State law requires that home school students in grades 3 through 9 test every year. Parents/legal guardians that are registered for the current school year will receive written notification of the test dates, times, and site. Testing for grades 3-9 will be held April 5-16, 2010.

As in public schools, parents have the right to wait to enroll their children in homeschool kindergarten.

You have the right to choose your child's curriculum. You have the right to learn as a family in the way that best serves your family's needs.

The link to the Arkansas Department of Education's Homeschooling Page is http://www.arkansased.org/about/schools/home.html

The Homeschooling Legal Defense Association has put together a pdf file summarizing the homeschooling laws in AR. It can be found here. http://www.hslda.org/laws/analysis/Arkansas.pdf

Arkansas has many support groups! here are e-mail lists and playdays for everyone from religious homeschoolers to unschoolers (whole life learners) . Google your preference!

In Northwest Arkansas there is a cooperative day program for homeschoolers that icludes fun classes and lots of social interaction. My kids took ballet, spansh, knitting, acting, literature, etc. It is called The Treehouse and the link is http://www.thetreehouse4kids.org/

If you are so inclined, there is more of a free school approach provided by the Headwaters Community in Red Star, Arkansas called The Headwaters School. I have enjoyed their Halloween gatherings and Junebug Jams for years. They offer two days a week of unstructured learning with amazing teachers who facilitate the kids own natural curiosity. their link is

http://headwaters-school.org/

I hope i have answered some of the questions you all have been asking! Also I would like to point out that Barnes and Noble, Hastings, Office Depot all give teacher discounts to homeschooling parents! Make a copy of your intent to homeschool and they will hook you up!

Please contact me if you have any tricky questions and we will sort them out!

OH! And my favorite home schooling magazine is Home Education Magazine. You can find them here

http://www.homeedmag.com/

They have a great getting started section, with a printable phamplet, and if you are new to or curious about homeschooling they will send you a complimentary issue!

Anyhow, happy learning!