Dear Leaders,

Report on the DOE meeting and the TAP:

Some of you veteran home education leaders may have already had to help implement the new legislation at the local level. It may seem that I have not been helping, but I have been responding to those of you who have contacted me directly. I have mainly been working with the Dept. of Ed. (DOE). Every year after the legislative session ends, DOE sends out Technical Assistance Papers (TAP) to the school districts to interpret all new legislation. During the summer months, DOE worked on a TAP to send out on this issue. I had the opportunity to assist in the drafting of the Q&A document which has now been distributed to all District Home Education Contacts.

On September 12, 2000, I attended the statewide meeting of District Home Education Contacts, hosted by DOE, in Orlando. I was able to participate in discussions, individually as well as during the formal meeting, to help these district people understand the intent of the legislation. DOE was careful to follow the law as they discussed the various questions that arose on this issue during the day. DOE was also careful to explain that the new legislation was not to be applied to students who register in a home education program WITHOUT a history of non-attendance. They emphasized that the Home Education Review Committee was to adhere strictly to the requirements of s.232.0201(1)(b)(1), the portfolio section of the home education law. DOE advised the home education contacts that, in reviewing the portfolio of a child who has had a pattern of non-attendance, they were not to judge the quality or contents; rather they were to simply check the portfolio to ascertain if the parent was complying with the law, no more and no less. By the end of the meeting, those district home education contacts who came with questions, or their own ideas about how to implement this law, understood their role was limited. They were simply to establish a list of home education parent volunteers, set up the review meetings, and measure the portfolio by a checklist of required items. If the parent failed to provided a portfolio which met the requirements of the home education law, then the home education program would be terminated, and the child would have to be enrolled in another option in s. 232.02.

At this meeting, the DOE distributed a draft of the TAP. I have been waiting for them to finalizes changes so that I could send this out to you. Here is the information which has been given to the district home education contact . I am pasting it below because I have so much trouble with leaders opening an attachment from me.

DOE Technical Assistance Paper for CS for CS for CS for SBs 852, 2 and 46

1. Can the parent of a child who has been found to exhibit a pattern of nonattendance enroll that child in a home education program? Yes. However, at the time that a child who has been found to exhibit a pattern of nonattendance is enrolled in a home education program, the home education contact will: provide the parent or guardian with a copy of the home education law, s. 232.0201 F.S. and the accountability requirements of the truancy law, s. 232.17(f)(1) F.S. refer the parent or guardian to a home education review committee composed of members as specified in s. 232.17(f)(1)F.S.

2. How will the home education contact know which students have been found to exhibit a pattern of nonattendance? When a school's child study team determines that a child has been found to exhibit a pattern of nonattendance, the law requires that the principal of the school notify the superintendent of schools and the district home education contact. The home education contact is expected to maintain this information to verify whether a child who is being enrolled in a home education program has been found to exhibit a pattern of nonattendance.

3. What are the accountability requirements for home education once a child has been found to exhibit a pattern of nonattendance? The parent must submit a portfolio, as defined by s. 232.0201, F. S. to be reviewed by a home education review committee every 30 days until the committee determines that the home education program is in compliance with s.232.0201(1)(b),F.S. The first portfolio review must occur within the first 30 calendar days of the establishment of the home education program.

4. Who serves on the home education review committee? According to s. 232.17(f)(1), F.S., the home education review committee is to be composed of the school district contact for home education and at least 2 home educators selected by the parent from a list of eligible home education parents maintained by the district. Eligible home education parents are those who have conducted a home education program for at least 3 years and who have indicated a willingness to serve on a home education review committee.

5. How does the school district home education contact develop a list of eligible home educators? The home education contact may wish to send a letter to all parents who have conducted a home education program for at least 3 years, inviting them to submit their names as possible candidates for a home education review committee. The list will be made up of those parents who indicate a willingness to serve on such a committee.

6. What will happen if the home education review committee determines that the home education program is in compliance with the statute? Once the committee determines that the home education program is in compliance, the parent will no longer be required to submit a portfolio to the home education review committee. The parent will be required to comply with the requirements of a home education program pursuant to s. 232.0201, F.S. as is any parent involved in a home education program.

7. What constitutes a portfolio? According to. s.232.0201(1)(b) F.S., the portfolio shall consist of: (1) a log of educational activities which is made contemporaneously with the instruction and which designates by title any reading materials used and (2) samples of any writings, worksheets, workbooks, or creative materials used or developed by the student.

8. What will happen if the parent of a child who has been found to exhibit a pattern of nonattendance, and who has been enrolled in home education, fails to provide a portfolio for review by the committee? The committee shall notify the superintendent of schools who shall then terminate the home education program and require the parent to enroll the child in an attendance option provided under s. 232.02(1),(2),(3), or (5) F.S. within three days. Failure of a parent or guardian to enroll a child in an attendance option after termination of a home education program shall constitute non-compliance with the compulsory attendance requirement and may result in criminal prosecution of the parent under s. 232.12(2) F.S..

9. When can a child whose home education program has been terminated under the truancy law, be re-enrolled in a home education program? The parent or guardian shall not be eligible to re-enroll the child for 180 calendar days.

10. How long should the home education contact keep a child's name on the list of children who have been found to exhibit a pattern of nonattendance? If a child was placed on the list more than 90 days prior to the parent enrolling the child in a home education program, the Home Education contact should check with the school to determine if the child is still considered to be at-risk for nonattendance. END

What should your role as home education leaders be in implementing this legislation? It is important that you, as home education leaders, take the lead in finding home education volunteers to serve on this committee. First, we do not want to add another job to the district home education contacts. They are already talking about needing money to oversee these parents who register students with patterns of non-attendance in a home education program. If home educators help make their job easier by volunteering for these committees, we may keep those comments about needing funds to a minimum. Having had this discussion about money, I emphasized that these parents - who register their students with a pattern of nonattendance - are not home educators until they are released by the Home Education Review Committee; the oversight provided by the district is a result of unexcused absences from the public school and should be handled with funds designated for truancy.

Another reason that home education leaders need to help is that this is the first time that we have had a way to connect with parents new to home education who may need some help to become successful. We can plug them into our network and assist them in their efforts. In the past, we would not have had any way to know about them or contact them, since the school district could not release their names.

Already there are several counties that have reported students with a pattern of non-attendance who have been registered in home education this year. These committees are going to need to be up and running almost immediately. Could you can help the district home education contact find volunteers from your group if you have not already done so? I am attaching a letter from Judy Ransom, a group leader in Bay Co. which may be of help to you in recruiting volunteers. I am also attaching a sample Home Education Review Checklist. This is not required only a suggestion for keeping the Committee on track.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

Brenda Dickinson