What do I do now? Now that I want to remove my child(ren) from public
education.
Every August and September as school approaches, the IAHE receives dozens
of calls regarding the procedure for withdrawing students from public schools
and notifying appropriate authorities of the intent to home educate. In
response the IAHE offers the following suggestions:
1. If a child has been enrolled in public school, it is necessary to first
notify Gaylon Nettles, the State Attendance Officer. The only information
required is the number of students in each grade plus the name and address
of the school. This is the same information that is requested by the State
for private or any non-public school. It is suggested that you use your
own discretion in giving them more information, such as the name of students
or birth dates. Mr. Nettles can be reached at 317-232-9111 or 1-800-833-2199.
(It may be helpful to know that Mr. Nettles has been supportive and encouraging
to parents that have talked to him about home education.)
2. Next, it is necessary to advise the school in writing of your plans to
home educate your child. You need to inform them that your are registered
with the state thus alleviating any pressure for the school to be responsible
for you. It is appropriate to request that your child's records reflect
this transfer to your private school. It this is not done in writing the
school has no way to close the child's record, and when he doesn't show
up at school and no other school requests the records, the child appears
to be truant. Always keep a copy of any correspondence with regard to your
home school and always make your correspondence as official and professional
as possible -- type the letter and be sure the grammar and letter forms
are correct.
3. If the local school corporation has additional paperwork that they "require"
to be filled out by parents, you are again encouraged to use your own discretion
in providing information to the school. Private schools are only to furnish
upon request of the state superintendent, the number of children attending
in each grade level. you are not required to submit to home visits without
a valid search warrant that has been signed by a judge. In fact, we, like
the Home School Legal Defense Association, strongly discourage home visits.
As Mike Farris says in his book, Home Schooling and the Law," to us
this is a very serious issue. Home schooling is private education: the ability
of a public official to demand entry into a home is an unspeakable invasion
of privacy ... These are home searches, not home visits: (HSLDA, Virginia,
1990, p.135-136).
Mike Farris believes home visits to be unconstitutional for two reasons:
1) They violate Establishment Clause and 2) they are unconstitutional searches
(when done without a valid warrant.) He concludes, "I have never heard
of a situation when a public school official ha obtained a search warrant
to conduct a home 'visit.' No court should ever issue a search warrant because
of one's home schooling" (HSLDA, p. 140).
The IAHE does suggest that you be cooperative as possible in your contacts
with the school, remembering that they do have a legal responsibility to
insure that your child is receiving an "equivalent" education.
If you are asked, it is appropriate for you to go to the school for a conference
to discuss your educational plans and goals, and for you to provide general
information about your home school. We strongly urge that both parents be
involved in any discussion with the school.
4. And lastly, be confident in your dealings with school officials. It is
legal to choose to home school your children in Indiana. You don't need
to be fearful or act as if you are engaging in an "underground"
activity. Home education is an excellent schooling choice. All research
supports the success of home schoolers across the country, and in a day
when many schools are failing morally and academically, not to mention the
area of physical safety, you have every right to be confident, as a caring
parent, that you have made the right decision for your child.
Also recognize that the government has been ordained by God to be ministers
for good, and most officials are trying to do a good job. Many educators
do not know much about the potential of home education. Whenever you have
an encounter with the officials, you have an excellent opportunity to educate
them as to the benefits of home education, and in this way pave the way
for other home educators in the future. And always remember: "Whatever
you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for man; knowing
that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ
whom you serve." (Colossians 3:23-24)