Overview
Homeschooling as an Option to Public School Education
Parents who wish to homeschool their child(ren) are asked to contact their local public school district central office for information on local requirements and to provide notice of their intention to homeschool.
As "best practice" it is suggested that homeschooling parents:
- contact the superintendent's office in their local school district to learn how the district prefers notification of the intention to homeschool be provided;
- create a plan for the educational process as required by law in C.G.S. chapter 168 Section 10-184;
- review the information on the Connecticut Core Standards.page which provides parents with expectations of what a student should know and be able to do at each grade level. Aligning instruction with these standards and competencies will ensure a smoother transition should the child return to public school;
- understand that although there is no barrier to returning a child to public school at any time, a district is not required to award graduation credit for work completed during homeschooling in grades 9 - 12 in accordance with C.G.S. Chapter 170 Section 10-221a;
- keep a log of attendance which reflects days and hours of instruction; and
- maintain a portfolio for each child which contains samples of activities, assignments, projects and assessments, as well as a log of books and materials used. Include results of any national assessments.
Homeschooling and High School Diplomas
The Connecticut State Department of Education does not accredit online or homeschooling institutions and therefore neither recognizes credits nor credentials earned through these educational processes. Students wishing to re-enroll in K-12 in the high school grades (9, 10, 11 or 12) are not guaranteed graduation credit for learning accomplished during homeschooling. A local school district is not required to award graduation credit for work completed during homeschooling in grades 9 -12 in accordance with C.G.S. Chapter 170 Section 10-221a.
The route to an official high school diploma for a homeschooled individual is to take and pass the GED® Test.
Information regarding test requirements and processes may be found on the GED webpages of the Department of Education website, or by contacting the GED office at GED@ct.gov.
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