The first thing a home-schooling educator must provide is a letter of intent to teach the student at home. This is an annual statement of information about the student and details of the intended plan of instruction. The letter is filed with the school district by July 1 of each year.
A home educator must provide an Individualized Home Instruction Plan (IHIP) for each student. It tells the child's name, age and grade level. A syllabus and the materials to be used in each subject are listed. Students learning at home must study the subjects mandated in the Education Law. The name of the educator(s) are included as well as a statement that the student will meet educational requirements of Education Law Section 3205.
Each quarter a report must be filed by the home educator with the school authorities. It reports the number of instruction hours that were given during the quarter, the material covered for each subject listed in the IHIP and the grade achieved by the student. Should the instruction fall short of requirements, a written explanation is required.
When the fourth quarter report is filed, the home educator also files the annual year-end assessment. This includes the results of the assessment test the student has taken. Among the possible assessment tests the educator may choose are the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, the California Achievement Test and the Stanford Achievement Test. Students may be evaluated privately by persons deemed qualified to assess them in the statute of the Education Law.
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