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A letter is sent to the State Superintendent of Schools informing him that you are starting a private school. Write the letter on your school letterhead. Include the following information: Number of pupils, when the school starts, and number of school days. Do not send the "Application for Home Study Program" form.
Click here to print a Private School Notification Letter copy:
http://www.chefofriverregion.com/Louisiana Notification of Attendance in a Private School.doc
This notification regarding your school should be sent within thirty days (30) of the beginning of the school year. It is highly recommended that this notification be sent registered mail for verification of receipt. Mail to:
Louisiana Department of Education
Attn. Sue Millican
P.O. Box 94064
Baton Rouge, LA 70804
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 Registration under the Home Study Program
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The initial application must be made on a current application form within 15 days after the beginning of the home study program. First time applicants are automatically approved; they must enclose a copy of the birth certificate for each child. (A clear Xeroxed copy may be sent if the notary seal is readable. The Department of Education is not responsible for lost or damaged birth certificates.) Send the application by registered mail for verification of receipt to: SBESE-Approved Home Study Program, Louisiana Department of Education, P.O. Box 94064, Baton Rouge, LA 70804.
According to Department of Education's Home Study Guidelines, home study applications are approved by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, which meets monthly. Applications received by the second Monday of the month will be submitted for approval that month. Applications received after that day will be submitted to the BESE Board the following month. Click on this link for the packet of information and application www.doe.state.la.us/lde/eia/1650
| Withdraw my child from public school |
It is best to inform the principal of the school in writing that you are removing the child from school. Avoid meetings or phone calls. Tact is required in presenting a good Christian testimony especially if a school official is not familiar with the Home Study Law. If it is in the middle of the school year, returning the textbooks and other school materials may take place after the home study application or the private school letter has been mailed to the State Board of Education.
Click here to print a School Withdrawal Letter copy (it may take a few seconds to open): http://www.chefofriverregion.com/LA School Withdrawal Letter.pdf
If you are withdrawing from public school during the school year, and you will be operating a home study program, fill out this letter and mail it "CERTIFIED MAIL/RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED" to the principal of the public school your child is currently attending.
If you are withdrawing your child(ren) from a private school, we consider it a courtesy, good manners, to inform the principal there as well. You can take this opportunity also to request transcripts.
| Renew my application for the home study program each year |
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A renewal application must be made by the first of October of the school year, or within twelve months of the approval of the initial application. Renewal applications are approved when parents submit satisfactory evidence that their home school offered a sustained curriculum of a quality equal to that of the public schools at the same grade level. This can be done in one of four ways:
(1) Verification that the child has taken the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT), California Achievement Test (CAT) or another approved standardized test and has scored at or above his grade level or has progressed at a rate equal to one grade level for each year in home study. A clear copy of the test results attached to the Home Study Application is sufficient. Note that the same Home Study Application form is used for the initial application and for renewal applications.
(2) A written statement from a teacher certified to teach at the child's grade level stating that the child is being taught with a sustained curriculum of quality at least equal to that offered by public schools at that grade level, or in the case of children with mental or physical disabilities, a sustained curriculum at least equal to that offered by public schools to children with similar disabilities.
(3) Verification that the child took the State Basic Skills Test and scored at or above the state performance standard.
(4) A packet of materials may be presented including a complete outline of the subjects taught, list of books and materials used, copies of the student's work, test results, statements by third parties who have observed the child's progress, or any other evidence of the quality of the program being offered.
Most parents choose to send in a copy of their child's test results. Whichever option you choose, proofread for spelling and grammatical errors; and be sure that all required information is included.
| Renew for the Private School option |
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Send a letter according to the instructions given for the initial notification under the private school option, updating the information to reflect the new school year.
Information as found on Chef of Louisiana website FAQ's www.chefofla.org | | |
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