Navigating the legal requirements for homeschooling in Massachusetts can be preplexing at first, but ultimately most homeschoolers find it to be relatively simple.
Oversight is handled at the local level, and cities and towns are allowed flexibility in how they manage it. That can be a positive for homeschoolers because it offers choice when it comes to things like method of evaluation.
It can also lead to confusion for those seeking black and white answers about what they need to do to get homeschool approval, and whether particular requests from schools are legal. Homeschoolers should acquaint themselves with the law. In Massachusetts that means reading GL Ch. 76, Sec. 1, as well as two court cases: Charles and Brunelle. Working in tandem, these provide guidelines for homeschool regulation in Massachusetts.
In a nutshell, Massachusetts recognizes the right of parents to homeschool but requires oversight in order to ensure the state interest in the education of its citizenry. In Charles, the court put limits on what the school may ask for from homeschooling families. Brunelle added clarity to one of the issues left open in Charles, that of home visits (the court found that they cannot be required as a condition for approval).
In practice, Massachusetts homeschoolers submit an education plan -- generally once a year -- which includes the four points specifically outlined in Charles: the proposed curriculum and length of school year including number of instructional hours, the competency of parents to teach the children, access to materials, and form of assessment. While that may at first sound daunting, many families find that a succinct plan works well.
In choosing which method of evaluation to use, consider your homeschooling style and what might work best for your family. Some find that submitting standardized test results is simple and easy. Others are uncomfortable with testing and prefer to choose one of the other two options, work samples or progress report. Whichever you choose, remember that only one form of assessment is required.
Massachusetts is an approval state, which means that sometimes school officials can come back and ask for more information than a family has provided. In such situations, most families find that legal help is unnecessary. Generally, families can handle things themselves, working with their local superintendent, principal, or school committee to expedite approval and continue homeschooling productively and happily.
When homeschoolers have questions, state organizations such as Advocates for Home Education in Massachusetts and Massachusetts Home Learning Association are available to help.
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