Day 16 - Follow Your State's Rules

by Chante
(IN)

Every year I hear I hear about the laws in different states as new home schooling Mamas check and double check that they are compliant with their state's laws on home schooling.

Here in Indiana the law is that home schools operate like private schools. As long as we provide our children an education, we're okay. We have to keep attendance records to show to the state superintendent as proof of our home schooling.

A Hoosier home schooled child does not have to officially start home schooling until they will be 7 at the start of the school year. If they happen to start earlier that's okay too. Once they start, however, the child needs to continue education until age 18. If the child graduates earlier (which is common with home school children), that's okay as well. We have to be in school for as long as public school children are (180 days), but there are no restrictions on exactly what curriculum we can use in those 180 days.

To meet these requirements, I just use Homeschool Tracker's free basic program to keep track of our attendance. Things are, thankfully, very laid back in Indiana.

In talking with a home schooling Mom, I was told about the history of education in Indiana. The reason for our laid back structure is due to our location. Back in the day, the farmers needed their children to help out on the farms. School was secondary to bringing in the harvest. As such, laws were made to reflect this. The tradition continued since no one say a need to change the stats quo.

I for one am thankful for the bread basket of America that we live in. I can enjoy the freedoms of home schooling with little restriction. I wonder if that's why I feel the urge to buy some land and open up a farm. Perhaps there's a tinge of wanting to pay homage to the heritage of this state.