Procedure 2.1.20 Home Schooling
Approved: March 4, 2003
Revised: June 15, 2021
Procedures
ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS
Notification by a parent to the Board of the intention to provide home schooling shall be accepted.
A Superintendent of Education of the Board shall be designated to monitor home schooling.
Parents who are providing home schooling shall be given a copy of this procedure to ensure they are aware of their obligations and the obligations of the Board as well as the resources available to them.
The Board is under no obligation to provide resources or space to parents who choose to provide home schooling except as outlined in this procedure where parents indicate their wish to have their children take part in appropriate EQAO assessment and/or testing.
The Board will investigate home schooling only if there is just cause to do so as outlined in this policy.
If required, the Board may request that the Provincial Attendance Counsellor conduct an inquiry into a home schooling situation to ensure a child is receiving satisfactory instruction and follow up on any recommendations which result from that inquiry.
Schools may only register students who are being home schooled for the portion of the day they are actually in attendance at the school.
In this document, parent(s) refers to parent(s) and guardian(s).
The sections and subsections of the Education Act that are relevant to this memorandum are listed in(Appendix A).
Procedures for Parents
Parents who decide to provide home schooling for their child(ren) should notify the School Board oftheir intent in writing.
Parents should provide the name, gender, grade, and date of birth of each child who is receiving home schooling. Parents shall also provide the telephone number, e-mail address, and address of the home. The letter should be signed by the parent(s) (Appendix B).
If any contact information changes, parents should notify the School Board of the changes.If parents decide to continue to provide home schooling in subsequent years, they should give notification each year in writing prior to September 1 to the School Board. The letter should contain the same information as that in the initial letter described above.
Board Investigations of Home Schooling
Reasons for an Investigation
The following is a list of some of the reasons that may give cause to investigate a particular instance of home schooling:
Guidelines for Conducting an Investigation
- refusal of a parent to notify the Board in writing of the intent to provide home
- a credible report of concern by a third party with respect to the instruction being provided in the home.
- evidence that the child was removed from attendance at school because of ongoing conflicts with the school, not for the purpose of home
- a history of absenteeism by the child prior to the parent's notifying the Board of the intent to provide home
Guidelines for Conducting an Investigation
Consideration will be given to the fact that the methodology, materials, schedules, and assessment techniques used by parents who provide home schooling may differ from those used by educators in the school system. For example, the parent may not be following the Ontario curriculum, using standard classroom practices in the home, or teaching within the standard school day or school year.
Determining whether instruction is satisfactory will focus on the following:
- a plan for educating the
- plans to ensure literacy and numeracy at developmentally appropriate
- plans for assessing the child's
In conducting an investigation, the appropriate Superintendent of Education may meet with the family. For a guide to discussion see “Guide for the Discussion” (Appendix D).
At the discretion of the Superintendent of Education, the parents may be asked to provide a written submission with information on the home schooling being provided. See “Gathering Information in and Investigation” (Appendix E).
When the Superintendent of Education is conducting the investigation, a member of a recognized support group for parents who provide home schooling may be present. These support groups include the Ontario Federation of Teaching Parents, the Ontario Christian Home Educators' Connection, the Home School Legal Defence Association of Canada, and the Catholic Home Schoolers' Association – Ontario.
When the Superintendent of Education is unable to determine from the investigation whether the child is receiving satisfactory instruction, in accordance with subsection 24(2) and/or section 30(7) ofthe Education Act further action may be taken. The Superintendent of Education may request that the Provincial School Attendance Counsellor inquire into the case.
Before requesting an inquiry by the Provincial School Attendance Counsellor, the appropriate Superintendent of Education shall:
- take appropriate steps to determine whether the child is receiving satisfactory
- retain documentation of its communication with the parents, including copies of written communication, notes on telephone calls and other verbal communication, a record of the types of communication (e.g., telephone call, registered letter), and a record of the number of attempts to
- retain documentation on the nature of the information and material provided by the parent in response to the Board's investigation.
- prepare a factual summary of its investigation, including a conclusion, which will be forwarded to the Provincial School Attendance
Inquiries by the Provincial School Attendance Counsellor
Upon request from a Board the Provincial School Attendance Counsellor shall inquire into the case under subsection 24(2) of the Education Act.
The Provincial School Attendance Counsellor will appoint an inquiry officer to conduct the inquiry.
If the inquiry determines that the child is not receiving satisfactory instruction and the Provincial School Attendance Counsellor orders that the child attend school, appropriate action shall be taken by the Superintendent of Education to ensure school attendance.
Resources for Parents Providing Home Schooling
Assessments and Tests for students in Grades 3, 6, and 9, and/or the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (normally given to students in Grade 10) administered by the Education Quality and Accountability Office.
Parents providing home schooling who wish their child(ren) to participate in any of the above assessments and/or tests must contact the School Board by September 30th of the year in which the assessments/tests are being conducted for information about the dates, times, and locations.
Parents providing home schooling who wish their child(ren) to participate in any of the above assessments and/or tests must contact the School Board by September 30th of the year in which the assessments/tests are being conducted for information about the dates, times, and locations.
No fees will be charged by the Board or by the EQAO.
Space shall be provided for these children at a local school at the time and on the dates when assessments/tests are being administered to the Board's regular day school students.
The school will request sufficient assessment/test materials from the EQAO so that the children who are receiving home schooling can participate.
The Superintendent of Education or the school will also inform the parent of the date, time, and location of the assessment/test.
It is the responsibility of the parent to provide transportation for the child to and from the site.
The EQAO will send the results of children who are receiving home schooling to the school where they participated in the assessment/test. Schools will send these children's results directly to the children's homes.
The results of children who are receiving home schooling will not be included in school and Board reports generated by the EQAO or by the schools and Boards.
Courses Offered Through the Independent Learning Centre
A parent who wishes to enroll a child of compulsory school age in courses offered through the Independent Learning Centre (ILC) may do so, provided that the parent has notified the School Board of the intent to provide home schooling.
Inquiries by the Provincial School Attendance Counsellor
Upon request from a Board the Provincial School Attendance Counsellor shall inquire into the case under subsection 24(2) of the Education Act.
The Provincial School Attendance Counsellor will appoint an inquiry officer to conduct the inquiry.
If the inquiry determines that the child is not receiving satisfactory instruction and the Provincial School Attendance Counsellor orders that the child attend school, appropriate action shall be taken by the Superintendent of Education to ensure school attendance.
Related Policy
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR)
Sections 7.2.5 Ontario Schools, Kindergarten to Grade 12: Policy and Program Requirements, 2011 (OS) will also apply to students enrolled in an Ontario secondary school, other than mature students(as defined in OS), who are entering secondary school after having received home schooling.
Funding for Part-Time Attendance
The Ministry of Education provides funding to Boards for students who attend school on a part-time basis. The per-pupil grants are prorated according to the amount of time the student is in attendance at the school.
Enrolment Registers
A school will not record a child who is receiving home schooling on a full-time basis in the enrolment register for full-time day school students.
If a student is receiving some instruction at a school operated by a Board, the student's enrolment forthis instruction will be recorded in the appropriate register.
Appendices
Appendix A: Relevant Sections of the Education Act
Appendix B: Notification of Intent to Provide Home Schooling
Appendix C: Letter in Response to Parent’s Notification
Appendix D: Guide for the Discussion
Appendix E: Gathering Information in an Investigation
References
Education Act
PPM 131