This is the time of year when homeschooling moms are typing up curriculum lists, buying books, writing outlines, finishing up assessments, and filling out the form to homeschool their kids next year. I have been doing that for 28 years! And although my last kid graduated this year, I am still filling out paperwork for my granddaughter.
With that in mind, I was pleasantly shocked to discover that this week, the Ohio Legislature has changed the rules! Starting next year, we will no longer be tied to the drudgery of all that paperwork.
What happened?
From the 1990s until this week, homeschoolers had to notify their superintendent on their intent to homeschool their own children. Instructions on how to do this are here.
But on July 4, 2023, Governor Mike DeWine signed into law House Bill 33. This gives more freedom to homeschoolers and reduces many of the issues that plagued families and school districts for years. Under the old law, homeschoolers were excused from school attendance. Now homeschoolers are exempt! It’s an important distinction.
Under the old law, parents had to notify their intent to homeschool (a) by the first week of the start of the public school the child would attend in the school district of residence, (b) within one week of the date on which the child began to reside in the district, or (c) within one week from the child’s withdrawal from a school.
This could be problematic because schools start on different dates all over Ohio. Under the new law, parents have to notify by August 30 OR within 5 days of their intent to homeschool. This is super easy to remember and comply with.
What does this mean for parents?
Plenty! – for NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
Starting next school year, you no longer have to fill out reams of paper and give a lot of intrusive information. All that is required to give is (1) the parent’s name and address, (2) the child’s name, and (3) an assurance that the child will receive education in the required subject areas. THAT’s IT!!!! Here’s a form that I based on the HSLDA form for you to download and print.
You also don’t have to turn in any assessments. That’s right! No more mandatory testing or portfolio reviews.
For this year, you still need to follow the instructions here. You also need to send in the new form because the new law goes into effect in October and you are going for an exemption now, not an excusal. By sending it in with your paperwork this year, you are ahead of the requirements. But looking ahead it will just be the new form that needs to be turned in.
There are no requirements for teachers either! No magical 900 hours of instruction is required either.
On a Personal Note:
It’s ironic to me that after 28 years of homeschooling for my family, this new law comes into place one month after graduating my last child. But I am so relieved that it will be easier for my grandchildren – the ones I have and future grandchildren.
I was of the generation that knew people who had gone to jail for trying to homeschool their children. It’s amazing to me that this has finally come to pass and I hope future homeschooling moms will be grateful for the hard-fought freedom on homeschool that has come their way.
Ohio is now one of the easiest states for parents to homeschool in. Well- done!
[…] First please know that homeschooling is legal in all 50 states. However, each state has different requirements. The first thing practical thing you have to do to legally homeschool in your state is to find out what those requirements are and meet them. You can see an overview here. I wrote specifically about Ohio regulations here. […]