Email of the Day:
I just moved to WA and have a couple of questions.
1) Do I need to file a DOI letter for the remainder of this school year? Or Do I wait for the next school year?
2) The local school district (Peninsula School District) says this about homeschooling for high school credit: “The parent and student shall meet with the building principal or his/her designee to develop an agreed upon educational plan prior to the completion of home school credits. The principal has the right to deny home school credits completed without prior approval.” I am unsure as to what this means. It sounds, at first reading, that I need to meet with someone from the school to approve the credits for any high schoolers in my family that I am home educating. But that doesn’t make sense. Could you please shed some light on what this means? Thanks so much!
Answer:
1) The law gives you until the beginning of the next term, or 15 September, whichever comes first, so this late in the year, you don’t need to file.
2) That verbiage is for people who want to transfer into the public school, become full time public school students, and get a public school diploma. It’s not for homeschoolers.
The law says this about homeschoolers and their credit: “RCW 28A.200.020 states that parents who are causing their children to receive home-based instruction shall be subject only to those minimum state laws and regulations which are necessary in ensuring that a sufficient basic educational opportunity is provided to the children receiving such instruction. Therefore, all decisions relating to philosophy or doctrine, selection of books, teaching materials and curriculum, and methods, timing and place in the provision or EVALUATION of home-based instruction shall be the responsibility of the parent.”
Welcome to WA!
Warmly,
~Jen