Home School Evaluation Form – Grade Level – Pt II

The FL certified teacher did not put the grade level on my child’s annual educational evaluation sent to the county homeschool office. Is the grade level required to be determined and put on the annual evaluation sent to the county? NO, grade level is NOT required to be determined, NOT even by the county, much less is the homeschool student’s grade level required to be determined by an evaluator, and stated on the annual educational evaluation. Determining the student’s grade level does not really serve any purpose.

One reason grade level is NOT required to be determined, nor stated on the annual evaluation, is that many students progress more than 1 “grade level” in less than 12 months (1 year), and the annual evaluation is just that; an annual – every 12 months!

Stating a homeschool student’s grade level on the annual evaluation is NOT required by the Florida Home Education law. The FL State Dept. of Education, Independent Education and Parental Choice (Homeschool) department’s legal advisor told me this directly. He told me almost ALL the answers and information below in the post personally.

If a parent wants me to determine the grade level that their child is ready to move on to, I can and will, do it, though it is NOT required.

If the parent wants me to do a standardized, national norm referenced test with their child I certainly will do it, though it is NOT required. I do many tests with homeschool students, but most of the time the scores are kept for student records, not sent to the county for the evaluation.

If the parent wants to send the standardized, national norm referenced test scores to the county homeschool office for the annual evaluation required, I will certainly sign the test results with my FL State Dept. of Education certificate number and expiration date, and even send the test scores to the county personally, though it is NOT required, and almost never done. When I do tests with homeschool students I include the portfolio review, which almost all the parents ask me to attach to an email and send to the county homeschool office.

If a parent wants me to fill out a county form for the annual evaluation that is exactly what I do, though it is NOT required. It is completely the parent’s choice and I serve the parents.

Call, text or email me and I will be happy to give you the direct contact information for the FL State Dept. of Education, Independent Education and Parental Choice (Homeschool) office. CCTucker7@Gmail.com (786)525-3545 cell

The county accepted the annual evaluation that stated that my child has progressed and is ready to “continue instruction at the next level,” and the county never told us to have this evaluation done again, or change it in any way They told us to fill out an evaluation form and put the grade level and subjects studied on the evaluation form next year. They also recommended another FL certified teacher, and made it sound like the FL certified teacher we selected the first year did something wrong. If the evaluation without grade level and subject areas stated was accepted by the county, why is my child’s grade level and subject area required next year? IT IS NOT REQUIRED! The county accepted the annual evaluation stating that the child has progressed commensurate to their ability, and is ready to continue instruction at the NEXT level because that is exactly what is required to be determined, and is all that is required to be stated on the annual evaluation.

Many students do not finish everything in a book, workbook, class, etc. in the 12 months, and they are not required to “finish” everything to get the annual educational evaluation. Everyone is different and works at different rates of speed. This is just ONE reason that home education is WAY better than the “cookie cutter student” schools!

The teacher did not use the county evaluation form. The county said that the evaluation form is required, but the teacher said it is not required and that the county IS required to accept the evaluation letter she sent the county. Is this true? YES! A form is NOT required, by Florida state law! A form is NOT required to be filled out for the annual educational evaluation, The Letter of Intent, nor The Letter of Termination. Certain information IS required to be on the document that is sent to county, though it does not have to be a county form. The county forms ask for information that is not required by FL Home Education law.

The county expects homeschool parents to follow the laws and comply with the FL home education statutes, and we do follow the Florida state statutes for Home Education. We expect the county to FOLLOW the FL home education laws also!!

The FL certified teacher we chose to do the annual evaluation for our children said that my children did not have (for example) history and a foreign language work in their portfolios, and the teacher said that she would now report my child to the county as failing the annual evaluation because my children did not study all the courses that she said was required to be studied. My children are homeschool students. I sent the county the Letters of Intent to home educate them. Can the evaluator do that? There are no certain subjects required to be taught to homeschooled students. This is TRUE, by FL law. BUT, an evaluator can tell the county anything they want to tell the county about your children. And so can anyone else, for that matter. BUT, does the evaluator know the FL Home Education laws and homeschool requirements, and/or are they following the FL Home Education laws?

The above situation is ONE of the reasons we are careful to know the FL Home Education laws and requirements, and are very particular of who does our homeschool evaluations.

1002.41 Home education programs.—
…
(c) The parent shall provide for an annual educational evaluation in which is documented the student’s demonstration of educational progress at a level commensurate with her or his ability. The parent shall select the method of evaluation and shall file a copy of the evaluation annually with the district school superintendent’s office in the county in which the student resides. The annual educational evaluation shall consist of one of the following:
…

The person at the county homeschool office said that I have to bring my child’s portfolio into the county office once a month to be evaluated if I take my daughter out of the county school and homeschool her. Is this true? The county district superintendent, or the representative thereof, may send a homeschool parent a written 15 day notice to bring their homeschool child’s portfolio in to the county office for review anytime they want to, but that would be one time in a year, if ever! Most homeschool parents (home education program directors) never, ever are notified to come into the county office for anything!

The county district Superintendent, or the representative thereof, can send a 15 day written notice to homeschool parents, for whatever reason they like, at whatever time they like, for the homeschool parents’ to bring their children’s homeschool portfolio into the county district office

The person at the county homeschool office said I had to get a county approved curriculum if I am going to homeschool my child. Is this true? NOT true at all! The lady at the homeschool office said it would be really expensive. Another reason why homeschooling is WAY better than the “cookie cutter factory schools,” you may use whatever curriculum you choose to use homeschooling. You may make up your own curriculum if you like. Many parents do, and they are extremely better than the “school’s,” especially for their child!

Some county district personnel have told parents that they must sign up their child with Florida Virtual School to homeschool. NOT true! And I have been told by parents that they have been convinced, or coerced to sign up their child with FLVS as a “homebound” student, not a homeschooled student and not sending the Letter of Intent to home educate to the county. This is a possibility, and a huge mistake because if the child is NOT a homeschool student (Letter of Intent/Registered), and is a “homebound student, then the FCAT IS required for the homebound student, as also are all the Sunshine State Standards, the certain subject areas, etc.

The Florida Virtual School sent me a letter that clearly sounds like I am required to sign up my homeschool child through the county to take the FCAT for the annual educational evaluation. Is this true? NO, the homeschool student does not ever have to take the FCAT, ever! It is true that FLVS has sent letters like this to homeschooled parents.

The person at the county homeschool office said I had to hire a FL certified teacher to give my daughter a state standardized test to register her with the online school program. Is this true? NO! No test is required for the annual evaluation for a homeschool student ever. It is an option, and the parents make the choice of which option to do with their children. Most parents have the portfolio review for the annual evaluation, even when they give a standardized test to their children. The tests can be given for the homeschool student’s records and transcripts, for college prep, etc. while the portfolio review, evaluation letters, are sent to the county for the annual evaluations required annually.

FL ss. 1002.41 Home education programs.—
The annual educational evaluation shall consist of ONE of the following:
1. A teacher selected by the parent shall evaluate the student’s educational progress upon review of the portfolio and discussion with the student. Such teacher shall hold a valid regular Florida certificate to teach academic subjects at the elementary or secondary level;
2. The student shall take any nationally normed student achievement test administered by a certified teacher;
3. The student shall take a state student assessment test used by the school district and administered by a certified teacher, at a location and under testing conditions approved by the school district;
4. The student shall be evaluated by an individual holding a valid, active license pursuant to the provisions of s. 490.003(7) or (8); or
5. The student shall be evaluated with any other valid measurement tool as mutually agreed upon by the district school superintendent of the district in which the student resides and the student’s parent.

Why did the FL certified teacher, that did my child’s annual evaluation, write a 3 page report on my child’s homeschool work and activities, and attach it to the county evaluation form sent to the county? The form already had everything required for the annual evaluation – my child’s name, date of birth, and mailing address, as well as their FL St. Dept. certificate number and expiration date. Does this have anything to do with why the the FL certified teacher charged me $60 for a portfolio review for the annual educational evaluation?

I do Annual Educational Evaluations & Standardized Testing for homeschool students quickly and economically. I am a Florida State Dept. of Education certified teacher & I am a homeschooling parent. For True & simple answers about homeschooling in Florida (like-TEST NOT REQUIRED), email me, or text/call me anytime: CCTucker7@Gmail.com OR call my cell (786)525-3545 – Charles C. Tucker

http://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2010/1002.41

The teacher did not use the county evaluation form for the annual evaluation. The county said that the county evaluation form is required, but the teacher said it is not required and that the county IS required to accept the evaluation letter she sent to the county. Is this true? YES! A form is NOT required, by Florida state law! A form is NOT required to be filled out for the annual educational evaluation, The Letter of Intent, nor The Letter of Termination. Certain information IS required to be on the document that is sent to county, though it does not have to be a county form. The county forms ask for information that is not required by FL Home Education law.