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State Laws and Regulations - Connecticut
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Welcome to homeschooling in Connecticut! We encourage you to discuss the laws and regulations regarding home education with other homeschoolers who live in your state, and especially with those who are knowledgeable about the homeschooling climate in your local community.
Homeschooling laws and regulations vary from state to state; there is no federal authority for all laws and regulations which can affect homeschooling.
Each parent who chooses to homeschool their children in Connecticut takes on a responsibility to familiarize themselves with the specific laws and regulations which affect homeschooling families in their state.
There are many good resources for help, beginning with the homeschool support groups, organizations, listservs, websites and helpful individuals. To find out more visit the Support Groups section of this web site.
Please Note: This is not intended to be legal advice and is distributed for informational purposes only. For more information about the laws and regulations in this state please contact a state or local support group.
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Connecticut State Legislature
Connecticut Homeschool Network, Inc.
Compulsory attendance between the ages of 7 and under 16
Teacher certification required - No
State required subjects or courses - Instruction equivalent to public schools
Required number of hours per day per year - At least 180 days a year
Connecticut Regulations
In 1990 the state revised the "Guidelines" that govern the oversight of homeschools. In simple terms you fill in a Notice of Intent Form (submitted to the local school department) which just commits you to teach the required subjects, however you please, using whatever curriculum you desire. You are required to do a portfolio review in the spring to demonstrate that you have been teaching. That's all. The practice of this system has been pretty fair as well. While some towns have made extra requests in connection with the portfolio review, these are not necessary and need not be honored.
Connecticut Homeschooling Guidelines
Policy on Home Instruction of Children
The State Board of Education acknowledges the right of parents to instruct their children at home as an alternative to public school attendance; and advises local and regional boards of education, where such child would otherwise be attending public school, to acknowledge home instruction when the parent or person having control of a child between the ages of 7 and 16 is able to show that the child is receiving equivalent instruction in the studies taught in the public schools.
Statutory Reference: 10-184 and 10-220
Pertinent Law and Information
C.G.S. Section 10-184
Duties of parents.
All parents and those who have the care of children shall bring them up in some lawful and honest employment and instruct them or cause them to be instructed in reading, writing, spelling, English grammar, geography, arithmetic and United States history and citizenship, including a study of the town, state and federal governments. Each parent or other person having control of a child seven years of age and over and under sixteen years of age shall cause such child to attend a public day school regularly during the hours and terms the public school in the district wherein such child resides is in session or while the school is in session in which provision for the instruction of such child is made according to law, unless the parent or persons having control of such child is able to show that the child is elsewhere receiving equivalent instruction in the studies taught in the public schools.
C.G.S. Section 10-220
"...shall cause each child seven years of age and over and under sixteen living in the school district to attend school In accordance with the provisions of Section 10-1 84
Outline of Recommended Home Instruction Procedures
Parents are recommended to file with the superintendent of schools in the town in which they reside a state Department of Education developed notice of intent form which provides basic information about the program to be provided to their child. A notice of Intent will be effective for up to one school year.
2. Filing must occur within ten days of the start of the home instruction program.
3. The school district will receive the notice of Intent, check it for completeness and keep it as part of the district's permanent records. A complete form will be one which provides basic program information including name of teacher, subjects to be taught and days of instruction, and the teacher's method of assessment.
4. A parent, by filing a notice of intent, acknowledges full responsibility for the education of their child in accordance with the requirements of state law. Receipt of a notice of intent in no way constitutes approval by a school district of the content or effectiveness of a program of home instruction.
5. If a parent fails to file a notice of Intent or files an incomplete form then a certified letter shall be sent to the parent requesting compliance within ten days.
6. An annual portfolio review will be held with the parents and school officials to determine if instruction in the required courses has been given.
7. Any continued refusal by the parent to comply with the reasonable request of the school district for completion and filing of the notice of intent, or to participate in an annual portfolio review may cause the child to be considered truant.
8. A school district should not accept nor require a notice of intent for any child younger than seven years or older than sixteen years.
9. The school district shall provide a copy of the completed notice of intent to the Bureau of Curriculum and Professional Development, State Department of Education.
From R. Shavloy
Connecticut Homeschooling Notice of Intent Form
NOTICE OF INTENT
INSTRUCTION OF STUDENT AT HOME
NAME OF STUDENT: DATE OF BIRTH:
ADDRESS: TELEPHONE #:
NAME(S) OF TEACHER(S):
ADDRESS: TELEPHONE #:
THE SUBJECTS TO BE TAUGHT ARE: (YES) (NO)
(REQUIRED)
READING
WRITING
SPELLING
ENGLISH GRAMMAR
GEOGRAPHY
ARITHMETIC
U. S. HISTORY
CITIZENSHIP (INCLUDING A STUDY OF TOWN, STATE, AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS (RECOMMENDED)
SCIENCE
(OTHER)
TOTAL NUMBER OF DAYS SCHEDULED FOR INSTRUCTION:
TEACHER'S METHODS OF ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT PROGRESS:
AN ANNUAL PORTFOLIO REVIEW WILL BE HELD ON OR ABOUT:
--------------(new page)--------------
NOTICE OF INTENT
INSTRUCTION OF STUDENT AT HOME
PAGE 2
I ACKNOWLEDGE AND ACCEPT FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE EDUCATION OF MY CHILD IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF STATE LAW.
PARENTS Date
I ONLY ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF THIS FORM AND RENDER NO OPINION AS TO THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THE PLANNED PROGRAM.
SUPERINTENDENT Date:
We normally specify: a portfolio date of June 1, 199x, 180+ days of instruction, a mix of tests, written reviews, and other examinations (for the methods of assessment), and indicate a simple YES for the subjects to be taught. This document can be obtained from your local school district, the state Department of Education, or you can use this form, just format it using the Arial or Helvetica font.
(Note - This particular section is interpreted differently by different people. I have been in contact with parents who have filed the letters of intent every year and have never been subjected to any type of portfolio review. Further, they have never been asked to schedule one at the time of the letter of intent being filed so this maybe up to the Superintendent as to how he/she may want to handle the situation)
There is no mandatory testing or curriculum approval.
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