Home Education Policy

Haverhill Public Schools Home Education Policy (FY24)

The Haverhill School Committee recognizes and respects the right of parents or guardians to educate their child(ren) at home. The School Committee appreciates the personal and cultural uniqueness of each family and desires to ensure that the process by which school officials approve and review home education programs is both lawful and equitable. Therefore, the School Committee establishes this home education policy.

Parent(s) or guardian(s) planning to undertake a home education program for their child(ren) between their sixth and sixteenth birthday shall inform Haverhill Public Schools by completing and submitting the Notice of Intent to Pursue a Program of Home Education form prior to commencing a home education program. Homeschooling your child is an extensive and comprehensive undertaking that requires curriculum and assessment research to best educate your child. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has created guides for Massachusetts learning standards that should be used as you develop your child’s curriculum.

Home education programs will be considered in an equitable, objective, and timely manner. Factors that may be considered by the district in deciding whether or not to approve a home educational proposal are:

• The academic background, life experience and/or qualifications of those who will be instructing the child(ren), as they relate to the educational program. This information will not be used to deny any application.
• An overview of the educational program that is to include subjects and instructional materials. In order to meet the specific educational needs of their child(ren), parent(s) or guardian(s) may adjust the material to achieve the goals of the educational program without further notification to the Superintendent’s designee’s office.
• A statement concerning instructional hours that will be followed.

Following completion of each school year, parent(s) or guardian(s) shall submit assessment documentation to Dianne Connolly at the Family Resource Center, 45 Fountain Street, Haverhill, MA 01830 by June 30th and notify the district by by completing the Notice of Intent to Pursue a Program of Home Education form if the home education program is to continue the next year. Assessment methods corresponding to the type of educational program being followed may include one or more of the following:

• Completing the HPS Homeschool Evaluation Form.
• Daily logs, journals, progress report, portfolios, or dated work samples
• An independent report made by someone acceptable to both the Superintendent and parent(s) or guardian(s)
• Standardized test results
• Consultations with the Superintendent’s designee or appropriate school principal
• Any other method agreed to by both the district and home educator(s)

A student being educated in a home-based program within the district shall be allowed to participate in activities of an extra-curricular nature with the approval of the responsible school principal. Arrangements for such participation are to be in accordance with continue generally accepted local and state policies governing such programs i.e., athletics, M.I.A.A. regulations, etc.

Beginning a Home Education Program During the School Year

Should the process of initiating a home education program occur during the school year, the parent(s) or guardian(s) shall inform the Superintendent’s designee as soon as possible before the student is removed from school. The parent(s) or guardian(s) should then complete and submit to the district the Notice of Intent to Pursue a Program of Home Education form in accordance with Massachusetts Annotated Laws ch.76,§1. This application should be sent to Dianne Connolly at the Family Resource Center, 45 Fountain Street, Haverhill, MA 01830.

Approval Confirmation Notices confirming approval of home education programs (initial and continuing) will be sent out as soon as possible. When questions concerning a home education program are not resolved via phone or e-mail contact, a parent/administrative meeting may be scheduled.