[blindkid] Homeschooling

[Penny Duffy]

Oh that was so interestering.
I am going going to save this in my "Great things Carlton says" folder
On Dec 11, 2011 9:00 PM, "Carlton Anne Cook Walker" <
attorneywalker at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I'm finally getting back onto this list, and I saw Denise's recent post
> about homeschooling.
>
> On the Federal level, there is no requirement for special educational
> resources to be provided to students who are  home schooled.  The IDEA
> guarantees a free, appropriate PUBLIC education.  In fact, even though
> services are required for students in private school, those students don't
> have a particular right to the services (lots of legal mumbo jumbo by the
> courts, but it can be tricky to nail down).
>
> Now, there are ways around this.
> * For example, some states (I believe Kansas in still one) consider each
> home school environment a charter school.  Charter schools are public
> schools, so children in Kansas who are home schooled should have full IDEA
> rights.
> * Some states, under state law, provide special education rights to
> children in private schools and/or home schools. This is done on a
> state-by-state basis, and you'll have to check your own state's policies on
> this matter.
> * Other states, like my own Pennsylvania, do not provide anything to home
> schooled students (private school students get some services, but ensuring
> sufficient services can be difficult).  The workaround here in PA is cyber
> charter schools.  Again, these are considered to be public schools.  With
> the cyber aspect, the curriculum is delivered via computer (which is
> provided by the cyber school) and the entire schooling is at no cost to the
> student.  I have not had any experience with cyber charter students who are
> blind/visually impaired, but I see no reason why such an option would not
> work.  In this cyber arrangement, parents would still have many of the
> advantages of home schooling and retain the services and access to
> equipment provided by the IDEA.
>
> Another consideration is access to textbooks and other equipment under
> Federal Quota funds.  Federal Quota requires that a student, "be enrolled
> in a formally organized public or private, nonprofit educational program of
> less than college level" http://www.aph.org/fedquotpgm/fedquota.htm
> The private, charter, and cyber charter options fill this requirement.
>  Pure homeschooling may or may not, depending on state law.  Thus, going
> the pure home schooling route could shut the student out of eligibility for
> Federal Quota funds.
>
>
> Please note that I am NOT pro- or anti-homeschooling.  I considered
> homeschooling myself, but I determined that it did not best meet the needs
> of my child or myself.  I know others for whom homeschooling has been
> terrific.  Just like an IEP, this decision needs to be made on a
> case-by-case basis.  I just wanted to provide some information that might
> be helpful in making the decision.
>
>
>
> Carlton
>
>
>
>
> --
> Carlton Anne Cook Walker
> Voice: 717-658-9894
> Twitter: braillemom
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