Home Education Programs Policy

The Massachusetts General Law requires the School Committee to determine that a Home Schooling program meet with the minimum standards established for public schools in the Commonwealth prior to approving such a program.

 

When a parent or guardian of a student below the age of 16 wants to establish a home-based educational program for his/her child, the following procedures shall be followed in accordance with the law:

 

Prior to removing the child from public school:

 

The parent/guardian must submit written notification of establishment of the home-based program to the appropriate administrator before the program is established, and resubmit notification on an annual basis as long as the child or children are being educated in a home-based environment.

 

The parent/guardian must certify in writing the name, age, place of residence, and number of hours of attendance of each child in the program.

 

The Superintendent shall give the notice to produce records required by law if there is probable cause to believe the program is not in compliance with the law.  Factors to be considered by the Superintendent or School Committee in deciding whether or not to approve a home education proposal may be:

• The proposed curriculum and the number of hours of instruction in each of the proposed subjects.
• The competency of those teaching the children,
• The textbooks, workbooks and other instructional aids to be used by the children and the lesson plans and teaching manuals to be used by the parents.
• Periodic standardized testing of the children to ensure educational progress and the attainment of minimum standards.

 

Home Education Students Participating on Interscholastic Athletic Teams

Policy for home educated students to participate on interscholastic athletic teams in the Chicopee Public Schools:

1. The Educational Plan for the home-educated student has been approved by the Superintendent or his/her designee.
2. The Principal has determined appropriate high school grade level placement for each home-educated student in conjunction with chronological age and educational plan.
3. The student resides in Chicopee.
4. The Principal is satisfied that the student meets the guidelines for athletic participation required for all other students as defined by School Committee policy and as defined in the current MIAA Blue Book.  This should include, but not be limited to, those rules governing transfers, academic eligibility, age requirements, and the number of consecutive seasons of athletic eligibility beyond grade eight.
5. MIAA and School Committee policy requirements relative to academic eligibility must be reviewed by the Principal at the same time that all other student athletes are to be certified as academically eligible.
6. A home-educated student will be assigned to the school in which attendance zone they reside for the purpose of athletic participation.
7. If the Principal determines that all eligibility standards detailed above have been met, the Principal may declare the student immediately eligible to participate in interscholastic competition.  The rights, privileges, and responsibilities associated with all other student athletes attending MIAA member schools will apply to home educated students who have satisfied the requirements above.