Can I home school through middle school and still put her in public school for hi?

Question

I have decided to home school my daughter when she enters middle school because I think that those are the hardest years for a kid. If I do HS through 6th 7th and 8th grade, can I still put her into a local High school, What requirements would there be in order to register her and prove that she was school for the 3 year absene?

I will be home schooling in Texas, I was also planning on social activities like ballet and Karate. The reason I want to put her back into school is so that she can have her high school memories too, I just want to give her a good basis for when she enters high school.

also where do you buy textbooks, Any personal pointers on your experience?

Answer 1

Since you are considering homeschooling with the intention of it being temporary, you are at an advantage over those that find themselves in the difficult position of needing to return their children to the publicschool system when they really don't want to and find themselves having to scramble.
First stop is our good friend, www.hslda.org
There, you will find out exactly what is required for you to homeschool legally in your state. Each state is different, but in most, you do not go through the board of education first.
Then you will want to go to your state education agency and find out what the admissions policy is for homeschoolers entering the public schools. And make sure you find out if their rules are statewide, or if they leave the particulars up to each individual district within a state (that is the case where I live, what a mess!)
As a general guideline, you will probably be facing one of two scenarios. You can choose a state approved curriculum that transfers credit for credit back in to the public schools (usually their distance education program) and that will allow your daughter to walk in to 9th grade as a transfer student. OR, you can use your own curriculum or one of the many umbrella schools, or accredited programs, and your daughter will go through an admissions process that may involve standardized testing in math, language arts, history and science.
In some states, especially those that regulate homeschooling very strictly and require state approval of your curriculum, you will have no problems.
In other states that do not regulate so closely, like Texas, you will face testing if you do not choose the distance learning program.
But, having said all that, please check with hslda.org and your state education agency website for that particular information, so you will know exactly how you want to proceed to make the transition back to the PS as smooth for your family as possible.

PS one other note, when you check your state ed agency, please make sure to find out exactly what subjects Middle School children study in your state. For example, if you choose to teach history in chronological order, and you get through the middle ages, but in order to get in to the highschool your daughter will be tested on US history since reconstruction, you will be at a disadvantage. Same thing with science. Your daughter may be really good at IPC, but if she will be tested on earth science, you need to know that so you can choose her courses wisely.
best of luck to you.

Edit: since you are in Texas, contact the THSC (www.thsc.org) and talk to them about what you want to do and they will tell you how to go about making sure your daughter gets in to HS with the minimum amount of fuss. I am in Texas and I am also in the most strict district in the state when it comes to homeschool admissions, so hopefully you live elsewhere, lol

Answer 2

Of course you can. People do it all the time.

You'd have to check into the laws where you live. This can be done through regional homeschooling support groups and/or through http://www.hslda.org . The support group will also put you in contact with people in your area who did homeschool through middle school and sent their kids to school for high school. It'll give you an idea of what you need to do in terms of where you live.

Also, you could even consider contacting a district high school and ask what they would do with a student entering grade 9 after they'd been homeschooled. I would not do this until you were already homeschooling because there could be the attempt on their part to dissuade you from pulling your daughter from school in the first place.

Last of all, keep very good records of everything you do. Make sure her math and language arts skills are what they should be (or better). If there's some sort of prerequisite for other courses, keep on top of those, too. Keep a portfolio, or even scrapbook her middle school years, with work samples, pictures, test scores, etc.

Answer 3

It depends upon your state laws. Most likely there would be no problem.

If you're going to go to the trouble though, why put her back in school...if you really do it, you're going to find that you have a much better relationship and a much closer family, again why would you want to.

I hear this constantly about homeschooled kids: the actually talk to their parents, Think about, the gift of time together. Priceless.

If you're worried about socialization there are always homeschool groups in the community, there are dance lessons, bowling, soccer, art classes, parkdays. When you actually get involved with a hs group they often have activities.

It is total bunk that hs kids don't know how to socialize. Along with socializing with kids their own age, they are often around adults more often and interact well with people of all ages.

Answer 4

Good choice.
I had a very difficult time in one of my middle schools.
Shy girls are easy targets.

Most of how well They do depends on the overall staff at the school.

Our middle school is putting out kids who think sex is their right.

I work at a motel in the city next to our town, and have seen many of those kids out with young adults getting into serious trouble.

Some kids can do fine in this environment, but not all.
I find it is very important for the parent to decide early what approach to take.
Just stay an active parent and you will see it work well.

Yes many parents home school Through 8th, then register for h.s.
Just keep informed for when you need to start registering for h.s. If you do not get in early you may find they do not have room for another student.

You do need permission from the superintendent of your district unless you get on with a public on line school.

Answer 5

This isn't an answer, just encouragement. I would love to do something similar with my children when they get middle school.

Regarding textbooks and such, you might do some research into distance learning (Texas Virtual Academy and such). You might also look at E.D. Hirsch's books (What your 6th Grader Should Know) for ideas on primary texts, which would probably be at your local library.

Good Luck to you and your daughter!

Answer 6

Yes, those middle school years can be really brutal! Dr. James Dobson said years ago that he has seen MANY kids go into middle school just fine and come out totally destroyed.

You would not have to prove that your daughter was hs'ed for 3 years - she'd just have to take a test when you re-enroll her.

Good luck!

Answer 7

i was home schooled my 7 and 8th grade year then went to public school for my high school years. the hardest thing for me from going to home school to highschool was that i was used to being homeschooled and not being in a class room, or around so many kids its is posible that you do it but when your child gos back to school it will be difficult, not with the grades but with adjusting, you just have to go to the school she is in now and ask the princible for the papers, you will have to fill them out and the state will have to aprove them. then when she is old enough to go to high school she will have to take a placment test, then everthing from there is just like changing her from a school to a diffrent one. It aslo depends on if you are going to hire someone or if you are going to tech her your self. if you do it your self there are place online that give you the book that she would be useing in school. you should go to the middle school and get the names of the books, i belive that they have disks that you get get, its just like to the book. I wish you and her luck

Answer 8

Yes, you can.

You have to register with the Board of Education, and send them a letter of intent to homeschool. There are other requirements depending on your state, but you at least have to do that, and your daughter will have to take a standardized test every year.

All you have to do is register with the local high school when you want to put her back in.

Answer 9

You definitely need to contact a local public school and the National Home Schooling Association on this issue. I think that's a good idea, but Middle School will prepare her for High School. If you don't experience hell in Middle School, then there is no way you can handle High School because it can be just as bad. As far as requirements, you need to talk to the local High School and ask what they will require for her to enter in 3 years.

Answer 10

I have a brother who has homeschooled in high school.