Making Positive Connections With Homeschoolers

By Request...January 2000

Troubleshooting: Developing Policies to Address Common Problems

Three areas schools often stumble over when opening their doors to homeschoolers are the separation of church and state, performance requirements for participation in extracurricular activities, and questions about priority for enrollment in limited-space-available classes and activities (Brockett, 1995; Diegmueller, 1995). To avoid conflicts—and also to head off criticism from opponents of school—homeschool collaboration�schools are advised to develop policies that address each of these areas before they become problems.

Avoid conflicts over state support of religious activities: Many homeschooling parents choose Christian-based texts or other religious materials and curricula to teach their children. When providing educational services to these families, it is a good idea to have a policy in place which sets parameters for the program regarding the separation of church and state. One district's policy makes clear that, while homeschooled parents are free to choose their own curriculum, the school district "cannot be involved in teaching religious doctrine and cannot purchase materials, for instruction or resale, which are religious in nature" (Brockett, 1995).
Set standards for participation in extracurricular activities: A common criticism of allowing homeschoolers to participate in extracurricular activities, such as school athletics programs, is that homeschoolers aren't held to the same attendance and grade requirements as regularly enrolled students (Blum, 1996; Diegmueller, 1995). Some even fear that full-time students who don't meet the academic requirements to play on school teams will drop out, opting for homeschooling as a way to get around their low grades and remain on the team (Brockett, 1995). To avoid these kinds of situations, many schools have developed academic performance requirements for homeschoolers who want to take part in extracurricular activities (Blum, 1996). In order to participate, homeschoolers must be making satisfactory academic progress, which can be measured by standardized testing or through an evaluation plan agreed upon by both the parents and the school district (Brockett, 1995).
Develop a policy for enrollment in limited-space-available classes: If your school plans to allow homeschoolers to take classes part time, discuss how registration will work for popular classes that only accommodate a limited number of students. The state of Idaho, which offers "dual enrollment" in public schools for both private school students and homeschoolers, allows non-public school students to sign up for classes on a space-available basis: "If enrollment in a specific program reaches the maximum for the program, priority for enrollment shall be given to a student who is enrolled full-time in the public school" (Idaho Code 33-203).