Ok. I courteously provide all the required info for my notification each year. I write a cover letter to be professional and let them know the contents of my enclose documents. This year instead of sending in a form that basically just quotes the regs for assessment option #1 and makes a blank form where I write in my child’s name , test score and the test name, I included that information clearly in my cover letter. Having done this I received a letter saying I did not send my assessment report for my kids. Technically and legally I am not required to provide my information in any specific format so I was in compliance with the Ohio regulations. Now I am just plain annoyed that I have to contact them and explain that I did send the info to them. Evidently this was still not clear to them so I gave up and said ok what will you accept. I ave them two options. I even explained that the one form I could send that is basically just a different format of the info I already sent them was already accepted by another homeschooler in our district. Still I got well send it in and w will review it. Huh? If they already accepted that form for someone else then why not already state it was acceptable for me? And f they cannot point out where it states that the info must be provided in a specific format that they have the right to go beyond what the regs state and require something they decide they want? They also were confused by the fact that I sent in the same option for my assessment of both my kids. Last year I chose a portfolio assessment for one child and the test option for the other one. Since I did not do that this year i confused them and they assumed I still needed to send in a portfolio one again. Sigh… Well I tried to explain that what I gave them was exactly what would be sending them again but I guess they really need a pretty form that somehow looks official even though it really is he same things I already gave them. I am just speechless that I am having to deal with this. I fully expect the school districts to respect the Ohio regs and not try to abuse it. The regs are fairly clear cut. I now fully appreciate the reasons why I homeschool my kids. I wan them to be capable of using common sense and reasoning in their daily decisions. I think going though the school systems has softened people’s abilities to do so effectively. I think maybe my experience with this year’s notification is proving this to be the case. I kind of feel sad that people more and more seem to be so restrictive in their thinking and understanding. However it does make me more adamant about teaching my kids how to think and act wisely. I will wait and see if by re-submitting my assessment info in a different format it will be more easily understandable so I can get my excusal letter soon.

Filed under: Homeschool by Barbara
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