MEMORANDUM - forsyth.k12.ga.us



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|• 1120 Dahlonega Highway • Cumming, Georgia 30040 • Telephone 770.887.2461 |

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2 MEMORANDUM

To: Home School Parents/Guardians

From: Sue Derison, Director of Information Systems

If you intend to home school your child(ren) for the 2011-2012 school year, please complete and submit the Declaration of Intent to Utilize a Home Study Program to the Information Systems Department by September 1 or within 30 days after establishing a home school program. It is also your responsibility to submit the Monthly Attendance Report form by the 10th of each month. The forms should be completed on line or mailed to:

Almon C. Hill Educational Center

1 Attn: Information Systems Department

136 Elm Street

Cumming, GA 30040

If you enroll your child(ren) in private school or public school or your child(ren) will no longer participate in a home school program in Forsyth County, please call (678) 947-0863, ext. 312252 or email homeschool@forsyth.K12.ga.us and provide us with your name, your student’s name, and the status of your child’s education.

On the Declaration of Intent form, fill in all data pertaining to your child(ren) – full name and date of birth. We realize that some of the information we are requesting (telephone number, email address, school district in which you live, and grade level) is not required by state law. However, the Forsyth County School System requests that the student’s grade level and school district be provided to complete a report for the Title I program which includes all students living in the county whether they are in public school, private school, or are home schooled. This department does not provide names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, or any other information from this form to any outside concern.

The attendance report should be completed and filed with this office by the 10th of the month for the previous calendar month. You have two options for submitting attendance reports: mailing to the address noted above or submitting electronically on our website at forsyth.k12.ga.us (go to “A-Z Index, select H, select Home School, and then select Web Based Attendance Report”).

If your child is under 16 years of age, the compulsory attendance applies and failure to submit monthly attendance reports may result in court referral.

Directions for completing Monthly Attendance Form:

• Complete [(name, address, city-state-zip, telephone number (optional), beginning date of home school program, ending date of home school program, days in month of, student name, signature of parent/guardian, date submitted and name of tutor (if applicable)].

• Enter information requested in each space.

• Beginning Date of Home School Program: enter the date on which you began home schooling your child.

• Ending Date of Home School Program: enter the date on which you expect to complete the required 180 days of schooling.

• Days Attended in Month of: enter the name of the month for which this report is being submitted.

• School Days Attended: enter an “X” in each space on each day school was held.

• Total # of School Days this Month: add up all the “X’s” and enter the total here.

• Total # of School Days Year to Date: enter the cumulative number of school days from the beginning date plus the number of days for month being submitted.

EXAMPLE:

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Student Name12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031   John “Jim” AdamsXXXX  XXX XX     XXXX XXXX  XXX 20 39 Thomas “Tom” AdamsXXXX  XXX XX     XXXX XXXX  XXX 20 39

REQUIREMENTS FOR HOME STUDY PROGRAMS

(O.C.G.A. § 20-2-690 ET SEQ.)

Every parent, guardian, or other person residing within this state having control or charge of any child or children between their sixth and sixteenth birthdays shall enroll and send such child or children to a public school, a private school or a home study program.

Parent or guardian must annually submit to the school system a Declaration of Intent to Utilize a Home Study Program by September 1 or within 30 days after the program is established. The local school system will provide a form upon request for this purpose to be returned to that office.

The Declaration must include the names and a of the students, the address where the program is located, and the dates of the school year.

Parents or guardians may teach only their own children. The teaching parent or guardian must have at least a high school diploma or equivalent GED certificate. If a tutor is employed, the tutor must have at least a high school diploma or equivalent GED certificate.

The Home Study Program must include but is not limited to instruction in reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science.

The school year must include the equivalent of 180 days of at least 4-1/2 hours of instruction per day unless the child is physically unable to comply with this requirement.

Monthly attendance reports must be submitted to the school system at the end of each month.

Students in Home Study Programs shall be subject to an appropriate nationally standardized testing program administered in consultation with a person trained in the administration and interpretation of norm-referenced tests. The student must be evaluated at least every three years beginning at the end of the third grade. Records of such tests shall be retained by the parent/guardian.

The home study program instructor shall write an annual progress assessment report in each required subject area for each student. These reports shall be retained for at least three years by parent/guardian.

Please note that Forsyth County School System does not monitor, evaluate or endorse any home school courses or services. Information regarding state requirements for curriculum or additional information about home school can be found at doe.k12.ga.us.

PUBLIC SCHOOL ENROLLMENT FOR HOME SCHOOL STUDENTS

In the event that you wish to enroll your child in public school after he/she has been in home school, please read the following:

Elementary and Middle School Students: Students requesting admission into the Forsyth County Elementary and Middle schools from non-accredited schools will be evaluated for grade placement based on the following criteria:

State and local board of education policy requirements relating to entrance into kindergarten or first grade.

Performance on standardized tests and/or instructional placement tests in language arts, mathematics, science and social studies.

Grade level placement and performance in the non-accredited school or program.

Chronological age verified by certified documents, physical size, social and emotional maturity levels of the particular student.

For students enrolling from a home school, proof that the requirements of O.C.G.A. 20-2-690 were met during the operation of the home school.

After reviewing the above criteria, the principal shall place the student in the appropriate grade level. A review of the placement will be conducted after six weeks to determine the final placement.

High School Students: Students entering from non-accredited schools will be granted probationary placement in courses based on entry interview and records from home study programs until course work can be validated. Courses shall be validated by taking the next sequenced course or by the student’s performance on a standardized and/or instructional placement tests. Credit for any course requiring a state-mandated End-of-Course Test (EOCT) will not be awarded unless the student has successfully passed the EOCT for that course.

If a student fails a sequenced course, the student is not eligible to take the validation test for the same course. Students are allowed to take a validation test only once. Students who fail a validation test are eligible to retake the course in summer school or to retake the course.

Courses requiring an EOCT may be validated by passing the EOCT in the subject. Failure to receive a passing score on the EOCT will result in the student retaking the entire course sequence.

Students may refer to to prepare for the validation test.

A schedule for examinations should be determined at the time of receipt of records. Examinations should be scheduled so that all credit can be validated within one calendar year of enrollment.

Courses validated shall be recorded as a grade of “P” for “Pass” or “F” for “Fail.” Courses validated are awarded credit, but will be excluded from the GPA calculation.

Home school students using curriculum and earning credits from institutions accredited by one of the following regional accrediting associations will be accepted without testing or performance validation:

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS, our accrediting agency, ),

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools,

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Northwest Association of Colleges and Schools

Western Association of Colleges and Schools, or

The Georgia Private School Accrediting Council (GAPSAC). A current list of fully accredited schools through the GAPSAC can be accessed at

Georgia Accrediting Commission,

Georgia Association of Christian Schools,

Association of Christian Schools International,

Accrediting Commission for Independent Study,

Southern Association of Independent Schools,

New England Association of Colleges and Schools.

Additional Information

Forsyth County School System Calendar

A copy of the school calendar is available on our website at forsyth.k12.ga.us.

Special Education Services

Your student may be eligible for Special Education Services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) through Forsyth County Schools. If you have questions concerning eligibility, please contact the office of Special Education at 770-887-2461, ext. 202324.

Driver’s License

The Teenage and Adult Driver Responsibility Act requires that a driver's license shall not be issued or shall be revoked for a period of one year if a student is 14-17 years old and has (1) dropped out of school or remained out of school for ten consecutive days; (2) accumulated ten or more unexcused absences during the current academic year; (3) accumulated ten or more unexcused absences during the previous academic year; or (4) has been found guilty by a disciplinary tribunal of committing one or more of the offenses listed as violations of the Teenage and Adult Driver Responsibility Act.

If you have a child who will be applying for a learner’s permit or a driver’s license, the child must have a signed and notarized copy of a Certificate of Attendance in order to obtain either a learner’s permit or a driver’s license. The Certificate of Attendance may be obtained from the Information Systems Office. Please call 678-947-0863 (ext 312252) or email homeschool@forsyth.K12.ga.us to schedule a time to pick up your Certificate of Attendance. A home school student must have all attendance records up-to-date at the time this Certificate of Attendance is requested, which means that all reports must be turned in to the Information Systems Department monthly and on time. Reports are required to be submitted by the 10th of each month for the preceding calendar month. Home school students must have attendance reports on file for 12 months or verifiable attendance from a public or a private school in accordance with the Teenage and Adult Driver Responsibility Act.

In addition to the Certificate of Attendance, a student must also submit an Alcohol and Drug Awareness Program (ADAP) card, which may be obtained by taking the free course provided by the Georgia State Patrol. Information about the course offerings may be found at dds..

Work Permits

Work Permits are located on the Georgia Department of Labor website at dol.state.ga.us under the heading of youth and labor. Fill out the required information, print the form, and have the employer fill out their portion. The Forsyth County School System's Student Support Department (contact Paula Atkins, 770-887-2461 ext 202340) or Information Systems Department (contact Chevi Green 678-947-0863 ext. 312252, Pam Gunn 678-947-0863 ext. 312211, or Andrea Wojciechowski 678-947-0863 ext. 312210) will issue a work permit when the home school student provides a birth certificate or picture ID and a completed form.

Selective Service System

A male student reaching the age of 18 is required by law to register with the Selective Service System. Failure to do so is a felony, punishable by a $250,000 fine and/or 5 years in prison. Registering through the Internet at enables an individual to be eligible for federal and state employment and student loans.

Georgia College & University Admission Requirement

Post secondary institutions establish their own requirements for admission which usually exceed the minimum subjects and testing requirements of the home study program. You should contact your child’s chosen post secondary institution for its admission requirements.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call 678-947-0863, ext. 312252 or email homeschool@forsyth.K12.ga.us. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.[pic]

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|Beginning Date of Home School |8/11/11 | |Ending Date of Home School |05/25/12 | |For School Year:|2011-2012 |

|Program: | | |Program: | | | | |

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