Home Education Program

Mifflin County School District

HOME EDUCATION

Supervisor - the parent or guardian or such person having legal custody of the child or children who shall be responsible for the provision of instruction, provided that such person has a high school diploma or its equivalent.

Hearing Examiner - shall not be an officer, employee or agent of the Department of Education or of the school district or intermediate unit of residence of the child in the home education program.

Appropriate Education - a program consisting of instruction in the required subjects for the time required in Act 169 OF 1988 and in which the student demonstrates sustained progress.

Effective Date:
January 2, 2006

1. The name of the supervisor of the home education program who shall be responsible for the provision of instruction.
    
2. The name and age of each child who shall participate in the Home Education program.
    
3. The address and telephone number of the Home Education program site.
    
4. That such subjects as required by law are offered in the English language, including an outline of proposed education objectives by subject area. (Note: English as a Second Language students will only receive ESL services if the student is enrolled in the Mifflin County School District.)
    
5. Evidence that the child has been immunized and has received the health and medical services required for students of the child's age or grade level.

In the event of the Home Education program relocating to another school district, the supervisor must apply, by registered mail, to the Superintendent of the district in which s/he currently resides, requesting a letter of transfer for the Home Education program to the district to which the Home Education program is relocating. The letter of transfer must be filed by the supervisor of the Home Education program with the Superintendent of the new district of residence. The letter of transfer shall be issued no later than thirty (30) days after receipt of the registered mail request of the Home Education program supervisor.

At the elementary level, the following courses shall be taught: English (language arts), to include spelling, reading and writing; arithmetic (mathematics); science; geography; history of the United States and Pennsylvania; civics (social studies); safety education, including dangers and prevention of fires; health and physiology; physical education; music; and art.

At the secondary level, the following courses shall be taught: English, to include language, literature, speech and composition; science; geography; social studies, to include civics, world history, history of the United States and Pennsylvania; mathematics, to include general mathematics, algebra and geometry; art; music; physical education; and health and safety education, including regular and continuous instruction in the dangers and prevention of fires.

Such courses of study may include, at the discretion of the supervisor, economics; biology; chemistry; foreign languages; trigonometry; or other age appropriate courses as contained in Chapter 5 curriculum requirements of the State Board of Education.

The following minimum courses in grades 9 through 12 are established as a requirement for graduation in a Home Education program: four years of English; three years of mathematics; three years of science; three years of social studies; two years of arts and humanities.

In order to demonstrate that appropriate education is occurring, the supervisor shall provide and maintain on file the following documentation for each student enrolled in the Home Education program: a portfolio of records and materials. The portfolio shall consist of a log, made contemporaneously with the instruction, which designates by title the reading materials used, samples of any writings, worksheets, workbooks or creative materials used or developed by the student and in grades three, five and eight results of nationally normed standardized achievement tests in reading, language arts and mathematics or results of statewide tests administered in these grade levels. The supervisor shall ensure that the nationally normed standardized tests or the statewide tests not be administered by the child's parent or guardian.

1. A teacher or administrator who evaluates a portfolio at the elementary level shall have at least two (2) years of experience in grading any of the following subjects: English, to include spelling, reading, and writing; arithmetic; science; geography; history of the United States and Pennsylvania; and civics.
    
2. A teacher or administrator who evaluates a portfolio at the secondary level shall have at least two (2) years of experience in grading any of the following subjects: English, to include language, literature, speech, reading and composition; science, to include biology, chemistry and physics; geography; social studies, to include economics, civics, world history, history of the United States and Pennsylvania; foreign language; and mathematics, to include general mathematics, algebra, trigonometry, calculus and geometry.
    
3. An annual written evaluation of the student's educational process as determined by a licensed clinical or school psychologist or a teacher certified by the Commonwealth or by a nonpublic school teacher or administrator is required. The evaluation shall also be based on an interview of the child and a review of the portfolio and shall certify whether or not an appropriate education is occurring. At the request of the supervisor, persons with other qualifications may conduct the evaluation with the prior consent of the Superintendent. In no event shall the evaluator be the supervisor or their spouse.
    
4. Documentation required by this policy shall be provided to the school district Superintendent or designee at the conclusion of each school year. If the Superintendent or designee has a reasonable belief that, at any time during the school year, appropriate education may not be occurring in the Home Education program, s/he may require documentation pertaining to the portfolio, to be submitted to the district by certified mail (with return receipt requested) within fifteen (15) days, and the evaluation to be submitted within thirty (30) days.

If the Superintendent or designee determines, based on documentation, that appropriate education is not occurring, the Superintendent or designee shall send a letter to the supervisor that in his/her opinion appropriate education is not occurring in the Home Education program and shall return all documentation, specifying what aspect or aspects of the documentation are inadequate.

The supervisor of the program shall have twenty (20) days from the receipt of the certified letter to submit additional documentation demonstrating that appropriate education is taking place. If documentation is not submitted within that time, the Home Education program shall be out of compliance, and the student shall be promptly enrolled in the public or a nonpublic school.

The Board shall provide for a proper hearing by a duly qualified and impartial hearing examiner within thirty (30) days. The examiner shall render a decision within fifteen (15) days of the hearing except that s/he may require the establishment of a remedial education plan mutually agreed to by the Superintendent and supervisor of the Home Education program which shall continue the Home Education Program. The decision of the examiner may be appealed by either the supervisor or the Superintendent, to the Secretary of Education or Commonwealth Court.

If the hearing examiner finds that the documentation does not indicate that appropriate education is taking place in the Home Education program, the Home Education program shall be out of compliance, and the student shall be promptly enrolled in a public or nonpublic school.

In the event the home education student enrolls in an approved private school, the supervisor must notify the Superintendent of the district in which s/he currently resides within twenty (20) days.

In the event the home education program site is relocating to another school district within this Commonwealth during the course of the public school term or prior to the opening of the public school term in the fall, the supervisor of the home education program must apply, by registered mail, thirty (30) days prior to the relocation, to the Superintendent of the district in which s/he currently resides, requesting a letter of transfer for the home education program to the district to which the home education program is relocating.

The current Superintendent of residence must issue the letter of transfer thirty (30) days after receipt of the registered mail request of the home education program supervisor.

Students may return to the instructional program of the Mifflin County School District by re-enrolling according to the procedures of the district.

The supervisor of a home education student who has been identified as needing special education services pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), must have a certified special education teacher or licensed clinical or certified school psychologist’s approval of the home education program. This requirement does not apply to students who have been identified as gifted or talented.

If the supervisor of the home education student believes the child is disabled and in need of special education services, but has not been evaluated, the school district in which you reside is required to evaluate the child, without charge, when such a request is made in writing. The district must hold a multi-disciplinary evaluation meeting with the home education supervisor to explain the results of the evaluation.

If special education services are desired, the home education supervisor may enroll the child in the public school to receive a free, appropriate public education, or may ask the school district to provide service(s). However, the school district is not obligated to provide special education services if the child is not enrolled in the public school.

The district shall, at the written request of the Supervisor, lend to the Home Education program copies of the school district's planned courses, textbooks, and other curriculum materials appropriate to the student's age and grade level, if available.

Home education students may elect to participate in the extracurricular and athletic programs of the Mifflin County School District (MCSD) according to the following procedures.

Home education students electing to participate in extracurricular and athletic programs are required to abide by all guidelines and regulations as determined by the administration and approved by the Superintendent of Schools. Said guidelines and regulations will include, at a minimum, the following requirements for home education students:

1. 1. Regular academic and attendance eligibility regulations that are the same as that required of the students within the Mifflin County School District and in accordance with PIAA regulations.
    

2. Each student shall be required to follow the rules of the team/activity and the school, the policies of the Mifflin County School District, and the rules and regulations of the PIAA.
    

3. Transportation to and from the schools for home education students shall be the sole responsibility and expense of home education students.
     

4. Home education students shall come to school buildings solely for the purpose of participation in the programs and will leave the school building and property when the program or event is completed, except to the extent of time when the public is generally admitted to school district property or buildings.
     

5. Compliance with directions and requirements of all teachers, coaches or administrators involved with the programs.
     

6. Generally, home education students may participate in only programs that are offered at their grade level, and in the attendance area school in which they would attend, if they were enrolled in the MCSD. However, home education students may participate in programs, offered at other school buildings that are open to any MCSD students, regardless of attendance area.
     

7. Home education students are subject to the same eligibility and try-out criteria as other students who compete for membership on teams or intend to participate in any extra curricular activities.
     

8. Home education students must pay for participation in extracurricular events if this requirement is made of students participating in the regular education program.
     

9. A home schooled student requesting to participate in an interscholastic sport or extracurricular activity shall provide, in advance of said participation, evidence of required immunizations and other medical tests as required by law for students attending public schools.
     

10. A home schooled student participating in an interscholastic activity or another extracurricular activity held at his/her school, which begins during regular daily school hours, shall report directly to the main office or other designated area and sign-in. If the activity concludes prior to the closing hour for the main office or designated area at which s/he signed-in, s/he shall sign-out at the same location. The home schooled student shall not delay in his/her travel within the school.

Any student who participates in a home education program pursuant to Section 1327.1 of the Pennsylvania Public School Code may not participate in academic coursework in the Mifflin County School District unless officially enrolled in the appropriate school, as per designated attendance area according to place of residence of the home education student.

Any student who participates in a Home Education Program pursuant to Section 1327.1 of the Pennsylvania Public School Code will not receive a diploma from Mifflin County School District or be deemed to have graduated from the Mifflin County School District. Any student who transfers from a Home Education Program as a senior must complete a minimum of one (1) full school year in the Mifflin County School District, in addition to meeting all other curriculum requirements, in order to receive a Mifflin County School District diploma.

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