[blindkid] Homeschooling

[Brandy W]

Hi, You just gave the most perfect information! I'm going to save this to 
share with others as it is hard to give this information with out going on 
forever. There are a few other ways to get services, but they take a lot of 
advocating and only work in some states. The yahoo group is just 
blindhomeschooler. Don' add the S.

Bran



"When we treat children's play as seriously as it deserves, we are helping 
them feel the joy that's to be found in the creative spirit. It's the things 
we play with and the people who help us play that make a great difference in 
our lives."
- Fred Rogers

Brandy Wojcik
Discovery Toys Educational Consultant and Team Leader
www.playtoachieve.com
(512) 689-5045

Looking for team members nation wide!
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Carlton Anne Cook Walker" <attorneywalker at gmail.com>
To: <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, December 11, 2011 7:58 PM
Subject: [blindkid] Homeschooling


> 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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