Home Schooling - Procedure

1.1 The Durham District School Board recognizes the right of parents/guardians to provide "satisfactory instruction" at home or elsewhere as specified by the Ministry of Education Policy/Program Memorandum #131 issued June 17, 2002, and as included in the Education Act, July 1995; Section 21(2). Maintenance of "satisfactory instruction" is mandatory and will be further assured by direction from the Ministry of Education & Training if the need arises.

1.2 When the Durham District School Board is informed or has reason to believe that a family is home schooling, the Board shall send:

• a copy of this Procedure;
• a copy of the Sample Letter Indicating Intent to Provide Home Schooling (Attachment #2).

1.3 The Superintendent of Education/Area or a designate shall:

• be responsible for the initial contact with the family and the providing of the package outlined in Section 1.2. 

2.1 On the Notification of Home School Letter the parents or guardians are requested to provide their name, address and phone number, the name and date of birth of school aged children and the home school the children would attend. Parents will sign the Letter and return it to the Area Superintendent’s office at the Board. (See sample letter attachment #2)

2.2 Upon receipt of Letter of Intent to Provide Home Schooling, the Superintendent of Education\Area or designate will notify the parent, principal and social worker/attendance counselor confirming parent intent to home school the student. (see attachment #3)

2.3 At this point schools remove student from the register.

2.4 Superintendent of Education\Area or designate will maintain a list annually of all students who are being Home Schooled.

2.5 In the case when the Letter of Intent to Provide Home Schooling has not been received within a week of the parent’s verbal notification and the student is absent, then the principal must notify the Superintendent of Education/Area or designate. The Superintendent of Education/Area or designate will contact the parent and forward the Sample Letter of Intent to Provide Home Schooling (Attachment #2). The Superintendent of Education/Area or designate will document date of call and number of days the child is absent and the reason for the absence. (Attachment # 5). The principal waits for direction from the Superintendent of Education/Area or designate to remove student from roll.

3.1 The Superintendent of Education\Area or designate may have reason to inquire further into cases when they have reason to believe that satisfactory instruction is not occurring in order to ensure that the needs of children are being met.

Examples include the following:

• parents do not submit or refuse to submit a Letter of Intent to Provide Home Schooling;
• credible evidence exists that satisfactory instruction is not occurring;
• a child is suddenly withdrawn from school to be home schooled and there is reason to believe that home schooling is not the reason for the withdrawal.

In such cases, the Superintendent of Education\Area or designate will request the parent to submit a Plan for the Child’s Education in Home Schooling (see attachment 4). If the form is not submitted, then the Superintendent of Education/Area or designate may request a meeting at the Board with the parent to discuss the situation and concerns. The parent could be referred to one of the provincial home schooling organizations which can support.

If the Board is unable to resolve the situation at the local level, the Superintendent of Education\Area or 
designate will request the Provincial School Attendance Counselor to inquire into the case under s.24(2) of 
the Education Act.