Hickman County Board of Education Descriptor Term: Descriptor Code: Issued Date: 6.202 01/04/21 Home Schools Rescinds: Issued: 6.202 10/01/18 1 A "home school" is a school conducted or directed by parent or parents or legal guardian or guardians 2 for their own children. Home schools which teach K-12 where the parents are associated with an 3 organization that conducts church-related schools (as defined by §49-50-801) which are supervised by 4 such organization and which administer standardized achievement tests at the same time tests are given 5 in their regular day schools are exempt from the following provisions, but must follow procedures 6 issued by the State Department of Education. 1 7 A parent wishing to conduct a home school shall meet the following requirements:² 8 1. Provide annual notice to the director of schools before the commencement of each school 9 year of the intent to conduct a home school; 10 11 2. Submit to the director of schools the name, number, age, grade level of children involved, 12 location of the school, curriculum to be offered, proposed hours of instruction, qualifications 13 of the parent/teacher, whether a college preparatory or general course of education will be 14 taught in grades 9-12, and a description of the courses to be taught each year; 15 16 3. Maintain attendance records, subject to inspection of the local director of schools; 17 18 4. Submit attendance records to the director of schools at the end of each school year; 19 20 5. Provide instruction for at least four (4) hours per day for the same number of instructional 21 days as are required by state law for public schools; 22 23 6. Possess a high school diploma, GED, or HiSET;4 24 25 7. Cooperate in the administration to home school students of appropriate tests by the 26 Commissioner of Education, his/her designee or by a professional testing service; 27 28 8. Take action according to state law if home school student falls behind appropriate grade 29 level; 30 31 9. Submit proof to the director of schools that the home school student has been vaccinated as 32 required by law;5 33 34 10. Submit proof to the director of schools that other health services and examinations as 35 required by law have been received by the home school student; and 36 Version Date: June 14, 2021 Home Schools 6.202 1 11. In the event of illness or inadequacy of the home school parent-teacher to teach a specific 2 subject, employ a tutor having the same qualifications as required of parent/teacher. 3 If one or more of these requirements are not met, the Board authorizes the director of schools to take 4 formal action to bring the child into compliance with the Compulsory Attendance Law (until the child 5 has reached age 17), either in the home school or in a public, private or church-related school. 6 It shall be the policy of this Board that public school facilities shall be available for home school 7 instruction only when all of the following conditions exist: 8 1. Special needs courses are being taught which require services unavailable to the home school 9 student; 10 11 2. These services cannot be provided through any means other than the public schools; 12 13 3. Requests for services are made known by the home school parent when notice is given to the 14 director of schools of the intent to conduct a home school; 15 16 4. The director of schools investigates request and make recommendations to the Board; 17 18 5. No overcrowding, additional expenses, including providing transportation, or other special 19 situations which interfere with the normal operation of the school system shall be incurred; 20 and 21 22 6. Approval by the Board on a case-by-case basis. 23 The director of schools, through the attendance supervisor, shall have the attendance records of the 24 home school inspected at least two (2) times each school year in order to provide assistance in 25 implementing the Compulsory Attendance Law. 26 Student Performance 6 27 28 If a home school student falls more than one (1) year behind his appropriate grade level in his/her 29 comprehensive test score for two (2) consecutive tests, and if a certified teacher who would have 30 taught the child at his/her grade level determines through appropriate means that the student is not 31 learning disabled, the director of schools shall require the parents to enroll the child in a public, private 32 or church-related school. Legal References Cross References Page 2 of 3 Home Schools 6.202 1. TCA 49-50-801(a) Compulsory Attendance Ages 6.201 2. TCA 49-6-3050(b) 3. TCA 49-6-3004(a) 4. Public Acts of 2021, Chapter No. 493 5. TCA 49-6-5001 6. TCA 49-6-3050(b)(6) Page 3 of 3 ## Table 1 | | Hickman County Board of | Education | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | Descriptor Term: Home Schools | Descriptor Code: 6.202 | Issued Date: 01/04/21 | | | | Rescinds: 6.202 | Issued: 10/01/18 |