INTRODUCTION
So you’ve made the decision: you’re going to start homeschooling. Now what? Shouldn’t there be a list somewhere so new homeschoolers know what the heck they’re supposed to do now?
Yes, there should be. This is it.
Read on for a comprehensive list of the steps new homeschoolers need to take in Minnesota.
Oh, and congratulations! In the coming months, the way you think about education, your kids, and your life is going to change. And chances are, you’re going to love it.
FIRST FORMAL STEPS
These first formal steps are the paperwork of the process. They’re not part of the homeschooling process, but thankfully, they don’t need to be especially complicated either.
1 SUBMITTING YOUR FIRST LETTER OF INTENT
Once you’ve decided to homeschool, your first action item is to file a letter of intent with your local public school district’s superintendent. You can find a form that meets all the legal requirements for this letter here. The form requires your name and address, the names and birthdates of the children you intend to homeschool, and the provider and location of the standardized test you intend for your child to take for that school year. Note that timing matters here—you have 15 days after your child stops attending school to submit the letter of intent.
2 SUBMITTING THE IMMUNIZATION RECORD OR EXEMPTION FORM
Along with the initial letter of intent, you will also submit an immunization record [LINK], or a conscientious exemption form [LINK]. Unlike the letter of intent, you will only submit this record initially and then in your child’s 7th grade year (or only initially, if you submit a conscientious exemption).
3 SELECTING A STANDARDIZED TEST
The letter of intent will require one data point that you may not have considered yet: the standardized test. Minnesota requires all students to take a standardized test each year. Several tests meet that requirement and you can read about and find where to sign up for them [HERE].
The good news is that this is the only significant homeschooling decision that you need to make in the first few weeks after you begin homeschooling, so once you have this out of the way, pat yourself on the back and let yourself slow down on the coming decisions. In other words… deschool.
SUBSTANTIVE STEPS
With the first procedural stuff taken care of, it’s time to set out into real uncharted territory. It may seem overwhelming at first to try to make some of these first choices, but fear not: guidance is available at every step of the way. Also, every homeschooler’s approach is a work in progress. We all try things, then evaluate and adjust as we go. You’ll be in good company.
4 DESCHOOLING
Deschooling is not mandatory when you initially start homeschooling, but in most cases it’s a good idea. What is deschooling? It’s decompressing. It’s taking some time after withdrawing from school before you start up whatever comes next. And it sets your family up for success. When your child’s brain (and yours) is used to traditional schooling, it can take a while to sort through all the assumptions and habits that go with that approach and decide which ones to keep. And once you allow yourself to take the foot off the gas, you can start figuring out which homeschool style is right for you.
5 SELECTING A HOMESCHOOL STYLE OR CURRICULUM
At this stage, you might not have even heard of a lot of the established homeschooling methods [LINK] or curricula out there. Don’t worry, that’s normal, and deschooling has probably helped you start getting a sense of what approach is most in tune with your child’s learning style and your family’s priorities. Or you may find the parts of each that you like most and end up with your own, tailor-made approach to homeschooling. Just remember—whatever choice you make at the start, what’s best for your family is going to evolve over time, so give yourself some grace with this decision.
6 FINDING YOUR PEOPLE
When you’ve only just taken the plunge into homeschooling, it’s really nice to have a friend or three that can offer answers, wisdom, and sympathy. But where can you find these new friends? Check out the homeschool co-ops in your area. Learn about events and classes. Connect online. Get some leads on all of these methods [HERE]. Friends can be the best part of homeschooling.
ONGOING FORMAL STEPS
If you’ve got momentum on the above steps, great! You officially have no big “getting started with homeschooling” tasks looming over you. The following items don’t need to be at the front of your brain going forward, they are just the annual (or less) bureaucratic hoops to hop through when the time comes.
7 SUBMITTING AN ANNUAL LETTER OF INTENT
Minnesota requires homeschoolers to file a letter of intent every year that they continue homeschooling, by October 1 of each school year. If you move, you will also need to notify your old district and submit a new letter to the new one.
8 SUBMITTING UPDATED IMMUNIZATION RECORD
If your child begins homeschooling before 7th grade, you must submit either an updated immunization record [LINK] or a conscientious exemption form [LINK] when the child reaches the equivalent of 7th grade.
9 TAKING AN ANNUAL STANDARDIZED TEST
Whatever your feelings about it, the state requires your child to take a standardized test every year.
ITEMS FOR THE BACKBURNER
These last two items come with a jumbo disclaimer: if you go the next month or two without being aware they exist, nothing bad will happen. So if your brain is done with this article for now, you have my permission to close the tab and not re-open it for at least a few months. These items are really just things to have floating in the back of your mind somewhere. With that understood, here they are:
10 KEEP RECORDS
You might do this anyway. But somewhere, you should have records of what your child has spent time doing. Major projects, topics they’ve covered, educational books they’ve read, all that good stuff. If you are following a curriculum pretty closely, a good chunk of this step has been done for you already.
There are three reasons to keep records: one, it’s satisfying to look back on what you’ve accomplished. Two, colleges will want evidence that a prospective student (i.e., your child) has spent time with various subject matters. And three, to fulfill step #11:
11 COVER ALL THE EDUCATIONAL BASES
Minnesota requires students who are not in taught in an accredited school to maintain records demonstrating instruction in each of the following subject areas:
- Basic communication skills including reading and writing, literature, and fine arts
- Math and science
- Social studies including history, geography, economics, government, and citizenship
- Health and physical education
That may seem like a daunting list, but rein that thought in for a moment. Think about it: if you came up with your own list, it would probably include most or all of these items. Go back over it and check for yourself! Most formal curriculums already meet this requirement anyway, so this list most likely changes nothing or very little about what you were going to do anyway.
If you have questions about what this law even means and how it could affect homeschool parents, read on here [LINK]. But for now, you’re most likely already doing what the state wants to make sure you’re doing.
CONCLUSION
…And that’s it. Once you have checked each of these items off your list, you can reassure yourself that you’ve jumped through all the homeschooling hoops. Now go get back to the stuff that excites you!