Will We Homeschool??? Big Last Minute Decision

There is a reason I just posted the last two blogs. Sometimes I write therapeutically or sometimes I plan on editing and posting later. Some stuff just falls through the cracks, but in this case I knew everything I am about to share would make a little more sense if you read about how and why we were sending our 5 (almost 6) year old to 1st grade instead of Kindergarten. Or how I was down to the final details of getting ready for school to start.

 I had both kids records turned in and paperwork filled out. They had all their physicals and I met with the administrative staff, it should have been all systems are go. That was until they told me there was a little problem with Z's records. It showed that he did not complete an accredited kindergarten program. I explained how he went to a learning academy and I homeschooled. I explained that he could read and write, add and subtract, and I offered to show him the youtube sensation where Z identifies the 50 states. Just kidding. I didn't, but I did talk about his academic skill level. The principal told me that he had no doubt that Z was ready, and confirmed that he is age appropriate, but it doesn't matter because that's the rule. Then he sent me the Ohio Revised Code which you can feel free to skip over, but I want people to see what I am up against here.



(3321.01 Compulsory school age - requirements for admission to kindergarten or first grade - pupil personnel services committee)
(A)
(1) As used in this chapter, "parent," "guardian," or "other person having charge or care of a child" means either parent unless the parents are separated or divorced or their marriage has been dissolved or annulled, in which case "parent" means the parent who is the residential parent and legal custodian of the child. If the child is in the legal or permanent custody of a person or government agency, "parent" means that person or government agency. When a child is a resident of a home, as defined in section 3313.64<https://legacy.hccanet.org/orc/3313.64> of the Revised Code, and the child's parent is not a resident of this state, "parent," "guardian," or "other person having charge or care of a child" means the head of the home.

A child between six and eighteen years of age is "of compulsory school age" for the purpose of sections 3321.01 to 3321.13<https://legacy.hccanet.org/orc/3321.13> of the Revised Code. A child under six years of age who has been enrolled in kindergarten also shall be considered "of compulsory school age" for the purpose of sections 3321.01 to 3321.13<https://legacy.hccanet.org/orc/3321.13> of the Revised Code unless at any time the child's parent or guardian, at the parent's or guardian's discretion and in consultation with the child's teacher and principal, formally withdraws the child from kindergarten. The compulsory school age of a child shall not commence until the beginning of the term of such schools, or other time in the school year fixed by the rules of the board of the district in which the child resides.

(2) No child shall be admitted to a kindergarten or a first grade of a public school in a district in which all children are admitted to kindergarten and the first grade in August or September unless the child is five or six years of age, respectively, by the thirtieth day of September of the year of admittance, or by the first day of a term or semester other than one beginning in August or September in school districts granting admittance at the beginning of such term or semester, unless the child has been recommended for early admittance in accordance with the district's acceleration policy adopted under section 3324.10<https://legacy.hccanet.org/orc/3324.10> of the Revised Code. A child who does not meet the age requirement for admittance to kindergarten or first grade shall be evaluated for early admittance upon referral by the child's parent or guardian, an educator employed by the district, a preschool educator who knows the child, or a pediatrician or psychologist who knows the child.

(B) As used in division (C) of this section, "successfully completed kindergarten" means that the child has completed the kindergarten requirements at one of the following:

(1) A public or chartered nonpublic school;
(2) A kindergarten class that is both of the following:
(a) Offered by a day-care provider licensed under Chapter 5104. of the Revised Code;
(b) If offered after July 1, 1991, is directly taught by a teacher who holds one of the following:
(i) A valid educator license issued under section 3319.22<https://legacy.hccanet.org/orc/3319.22> of the Revised Code;
(ii) A Montessori preprimary credential or age-appropriate diploma granted by the American Montessori society or the association Montessori internationale;
(iii) Certification determined under division (F) of this section to be equivalent to that described in division (B)(2)(b)(ii) of this section;
(iv) Certification for teachers in nontax-supported schools pursuant to section 3301.071<https://legacy.hccanet.org/orc/3301.071> of the Revised Code.


(C) Except as provided in division (A)(2) of this section, no school district shall admit to the first grade any child who has not successfully completed kindergarten.



I spent the weekend doing research and started considering pulling Z's enrollment and homeschooling him for the next year. I am not trying to make a huge issue out of nothing, but a lot of planning and forethought went into this on my end because the administration was misinformed when they suggested I registered  Z for 1st grade. There were 3 different staff members that I spoke with, and they knew he was homeschooled, we all thought we were on the same page, but apparently the guy who does enrollment thought differently. The principle and I exhausted every angle trying to figure out how to get around it and in the end they leave me no choice. Z has to be in Kindergarten, but I am not ready to settle for that and there a few reasons why.

1. It is a half day program and SJ is a full day so all three kids will be on different schedules.
2. This creates conflict with transportation and Ezie's nap routine.
3. I have worked hard to go over and above a kindergarten level curriculum with Z which means everything will be review for him.
4. Because of this, his first elementary school experience could potentially be more boring than challenging.
5. The principle and everyone that I've talked to at the school has been WONDERFUL to work with, but because it's a government program we have to do everything according to regulation rather than an individualized education opportunity. That  is where homeschooling would come in.

So in the past 4 days I have hit the ground running with research, phone calls, and emails regarding homeschooling in Ohio. There is a lot to learn, but I have been impressed with all the co-ops, support groups, and even subsidiary programs available in my own community.

It's not as simple as saying fine I'll teach him myself though. I want what is best for everyone in my family. I actually enjoy the idea of homeschooling, but everything costs money, which is a factor. I also worry about Z having ample amount of peer interaction. I have mentioned before about how extremely social and extraverted he is. Plus I really like the school he will go to and the principle did make a good case for their kindergarten curriculum. Lastly, even though Z is advanced academically sometimes he is all over the map behaviorally. AHHHHHH!

 I feel like my emotions suddenly took off through the emergency exit and now I'm just feeling alarmed. My mom gets a call from me 3 times a day hearing about how I am going to homeschool, or wait I might not. The CRAZIEST part of all of this is that it is because his birthday falls at a very awkward time. When your birthday happens around the beginning of school it complicates things. This would not be in issue whatsoever if he was born at the end of September. Ohio's cut off for Kindergarteners is that they have to be 5 by September 16th. I have blogged about this birthday thing a lot and let me tell ya, I had no idea back on September 4th of 2007 what that birthday would mean for our future.

September 4th is still one of the best days of my life though. 
I know whatever the outcome is it's going to be fine. God will direct our path and as always I am trusting his plan. Or trying to anyway. One things for sure Z is worth all this headache.