Home Schooling

GUIDELINES FOR APPROVAL OF HOME EDUCATION PLANS

Caregivers must obtain approval for homeschooling through the district Curriculum and Instruction Office at the beginning of every school year for all children to be homeschooled who will be under the age of 6 years old as of December 31st of that school year.    The student(s) must remain in public school until the school district and the parents agree jointly to the home education plan and approval is therefore granted before removing their child or children from the public school and beginning the home education program or moving to a resident town with the intention of continuing or beginning homeschooling. 

To be considered for home education approval, submit the following to the North Middlesex Regional School District, Office of the Assistant Superintendent, 19 Main Street, Townsend, MA 01469.

1. Notice of Intent to begin (or continue) homeschooling
2. Proof of Residency in Ashby, Townsend, or Pepperell if new to the district or homeschooling in NMRSD. 
3. A Birth Certificate if new to the district or homeschooling in NMRSD. 
4. A detailed outline of the proposed curriculum, including subjects of instruction with grade-level objectives and a list of proposed textbooks, workbooks, and other instructional materials and aids;
5. A daily schedule of instruction showing times allotted for each subject. There must be at least 900 hours of instruction annually for grades 1-8 and 990 hours annually for grades 9-12, exclusive of lunch and recess time.
6. The method of assessment for each child(ren).
7. Academic background, life experience, and/or qualifications of those who will be instructing the child(ren), as they relate to the instructional program to be taught

In order to minimize any time delays, it is requested that caregivers submit this documentation by August 1st.

At the end of the year, the parents or guardians must provide evidence of each child’s progress. Parents or guardians have many options for how to show their child or children’s progress. Acceptable documentation includes standardized testing, a portfolio of dated samples of each child’s work for each content area, report cards, and/or progress reports.  This documentation must be received by June 30th