Families elect to home-educate their children as an alternate form of compulsory education rather than enrolling in public or private elementary and secondary schools. According to the Office of Innovation and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education, parents choose homeschooling for one of three primary reasons: "concerns about the school environment; to provide religious or moral instruction; dissatisfaction with the academic instruction available at other schools." Homeschooling takes a variety of approaches, including individual instruction between child and parent, small groups of homeschooling families sharing instruction and resources, or online and distance education, says HomeSchooling.com.
The homeschooling liaison officer plays a critical role in communicating with homeschooling families. He is the primary contact within the state or the school district for processing the forms and paperwork for homeschooling families. The liaison also answers questions and guides the families in finding information about topics such as curriculum requirements, educational resources, progress evaluations and standardized testing. In some states, the home education contact bears the responsibility of approving individualized curriculum submitted by homeschooling families and verifying that the individual curriculum meets minimum requirements of instructional hours and subject matter, says HSLDA.org.
Forty of the U.S. states established their own requirements for homeschooling. There are no standard practices among the states, and each has its own degree of regulation and requirements. Some states require a minimum number of instructional hours per year, while others specify the subjects to include in curriculum planning. Others require little in the way of standard measures, leaving all decisions in the hands of the parents. Families need to consult their state department of education and the local school district or State Board of Education to determine the legal requirements for homeschooling and when to begin the process.
Curriculum standards for home education vary by state. Many states allow homeschooling families to plan their own education, while others require students to follow a mandated curriculum. The homeschooling liaison officers or school district contacts provide homeschooling families with information about curriculum and instruction standards and the minimum number of required annual instructional hours where required by law. The liaison also helps families identify approved materials and resources for instruction, including textbooks and lesson plans.
Depending upon the state, homeschooling liaisons evaluate the individualized instructional plans submitted by families. They also evaluate quarterly and annual student reports and assess student portfolios for educational progress. In states where the liaison does not perform the evaluations, she will provide the homeschooling educators with lists of approved state evaluators---usually certified teachers---or standardized testing options. The homeschooling liaison also bears a responsibility to the local school district or the state board of education in preparing reports for the school districts on the number of families and students engaged in home education and their academic progress.