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Legislative Update
Thursday, August 2, 2007

Your Notice of Intent is due August 15. When preparing your form or letter, be alert to additional requirements for your "description of curriculum." The law has not changed, but there is some confusion about what to include for a "description of curriculum."

Virginia Beach evaluator Sarah Olbris, HEAV, and HSLDA attorney Scott Woodruff met with representatives of Virginia Beach City Public Schools and a city attorney on Wednesday to resolve excessive requirements for a "curriculum description" as well as other issues. The outcome for Virginia Beach homeschoolers was positive; however, until this is resolved with the Department of Education, we may see additional requirements imposed in many more school districts.







Virginia Beach Changes Its Requirements!
Virginia Beach homeschoolers can now send in a "description of curriculum" consistent with the requirements of the homeschool law. Parents can submit a list of subjects to be taught and textbook titles (or materials/methods in lieu of textbook titles) in order to comply with the law.

Background
In 2007, Virginia Beach homeschoolers received a letter from Denise White, Coordinator of Student Services for Virginia Beach City Public Schools, indicating she would no longer accept a list of books as a description of curriculum. Virginia Beach was one of two school divisions requiring a description of curriculum that went beyond the requirements of the Virginia Code. Last fall Greene County Public Schools also asked for a more detailed description.

And the law says...
The law requires a homeschooling parent who complies with §22.1-254.1 and files a Notice of Intent form (or writes a letter) to submit a curriculum description. Exception: Those using option #3, an approved correspondence course, are not required to provide a description of curriculum.

§22.1-254.1 (B). Any parent who elects to provide home instruction in lieu of school attendance shall annually notify the division superintendent in August of his intention to so instruct the child and provide a description of the curriculum to be followed for the coming year and evidence of having met one of the criteria for providing home instruction as required by subsection A. Effective July 1, 2000, parents electing to provide home instruction shall provide such annual notice no later than August 15.

Both Virginia Beach and Greene County incorrectly asked for a "course description" instead of a "curriculum description." Regrettably, their request was based on an incorrect 2006 revision of the Department of Education's homeschool handbook. The handbook incorrectly included an example of a "description of curriculum" that was really a course description.

What's the difference?
A curriculum description vs. a course description: What's the difference? As presented by Scott Woodruff to Virginia Beach officials, a curriculum description includes all the courses or subjects included in a plan of study. According to Merriam-Webster's online dictionary, a curriculum is described as "the courses offered by an educational institution; a set of courses constituting an area of specialization." The Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary defines curriculum as "the group of subjects studied in a school, college, etc.'

However, a course description includes content details of a particular subject. The law requires a "description of curriculum," not a course description. In a meeting with the Department of Education late last year, HEAV, HSLDA, and VaHomeschoolers appealed to the DOE to correct the inaccurate example in their handbook. So far, they have not corrected the error. We have scheduled another discussion next week.

State law does not require parents to teach any particular course content other than for option 4 (a), which includes the SOLs. The superintendent has no authority to judge the content of a course other than for option 4 (a); therefore, it is unnecessary for parents to prepare such a document and for superintendents to review the document.

Be Alert for Excessive Requests
Because of the inaccurate information published by the DOE, watch for requests for a description of curriculum that would include a broad overview of what the parent plans to teach with each course. We encourage parents to comply with the law and continue to provide a description of curriculum that includes the name of the subjects taught and the textbook titles. Do not supply more than the law requires. It could lead to additional requirements and oversight.

Reminders!
The deadline for your Notice of Intent form or letter notifying your superintendent that you intend to homeschool is Wednesday, August 15! We recommend you keep a photocopy of your form or letter and send it "return-receipt" to verify it has been received.

There is no deadline for religious exemption. If you send a letter to the school board, again, keep a copy of the letter and send it "return-receipt."

Certified teachers who comply with the certified tutor statute, §22.1-254 (A), do not have to submit proof of teacher certification each year as long as the certification is up-to-date. When your certification expires and you are re-certified, submit the new documentation for the superintendent's approval.

 

Yvonne Bunn, Homeschool Support





Yvonne Bunn, HEAV Director of Government Affairs
Home Educators Association of Virginia
phone: 804-278-9200