The District recognizes that families with students of compulsory attendance age may select alternative forms of education outside the traditional school setting, including private instruction.  In the event a child of compulsory attendance age, as defined by law, does not attend public school or an accredited nonpublic school, the applicable legal requirements for other forms of private instruction must be followed.

Unless otherwise exempted, the child must receive private instruction, which is instruction that uses a plan and a course of study in a setting other than a public or organized accredited nonpublic school.  Private instruction includes competent private instruction, which includes two options for delivery of instruction, and independent private instruction, which includes one option for delivery of instruction.

Competent private instruction is private instruction that is provided on a daily basis for at least one hundred forty-eight (148) days during a school year, to be met by attendance for at least thirty-seven (37) days each school quarter, and which results in the student making adequate progress.  Competent private instruction is provided by or under the supervision of a licensed practitioner or by other individuals identified in law.  Students receiving competent private instruction are eligible for dual enrollment into their resident school district.  Students receiving competent private instruction are also eligible for open enrollment into another school district.

A parent choosing competent private instruction for a student must notify the school district prior to the first day of school on forms provided by the school district.  The forms are available in the central administration office.  One copy of the completed forms will be kept by the school district and another copy will be forwarded to the area education agency.

Independent private instruction is private instruction that meets the following criteria:

1. is not accredited;
2. enrolls not more than four unrelated students;
3. does not charge tuition, fees or other remuneration for instruction;
4. provides private or religious-based instruction as its primary purpose;
5. provides enrolled students with instruction in mathematics, reading and language arts, science, and social studies;
6. provides, upon written request from the Superintendent of the school district in which the independent private instruction is provided or from the Director of the Department of Education, a report identifying the primary instructor, location, name of the authority responsible for the independent private instruction, and the names of the students enrolled;
7. is not a nonpublic school and does not provide competent private instruction as defined herein; and
8. is exempt from all state statutes and administrative rules applicable to a school, a school board or a school district, except as otherwise provided by law.

 

 

(June 22, 1981; April 17, 1989; June 15, 1992; July 7, 2003; February 21, 2011; July 9, 2012; January 19, 2015; October 21, 2019)

 

The board, recognizing alternatives to education outside the formal public school system, authorizes the establishment of a home school assistance program.  This program will assist students receiving competent private instruction by providing licensed employees of the school district to assist the parent, guardian or legal custodian in the education of the student.  Students registered for the home school assistance program will be counted in the basic enrollment.

The parent, guardian or legal custodian registering for the home school assistance program will agree to comply with the requirements established by the faculty of the program.

 

 

(February 21, 2011; July 9, 2012; January 19, 2015; October 21, 2019)

 

The parent, guardian, or custodian of a student receiving competent private instruction may also enroll the student in the school district.  The student is considered under dual enrollment. 

The parent, guardian, or custodian requesting dual enrollment for the student should notify the board secretary prior to the third Friday of September each year on forms provided by the school district.  On the form, they will indicate the extracurricular and academic activities in which the student is interested in participating.  The forms are available at the central administration office.

A dual enrollment student is eligible to participate in the school district’s extracurricular and academic activities in the same manner as other students enrolled in the school district.  The policies and administrative rules of the school district will apply to the dual enrollment students in the same manner as the other students enrolled the school district.  These policies and administrative rules will include, but not be limited to, athletic eligibility requirements, the good conduct rule, academic eligibility requirements, and payment of the fees required for participation.  After the student notifies the school district which activities in which they wish to participate, the school district will provide information regarding the specific programs.

A dual enrollment student whose parent, guardian, or custodian has chosen standardized testing as the form of the student’s annual assessment will not be responsible for the cost of the test or the administration of the test.

 

 

(February 21, 2011; July 9, 2012; January 19, 2015; October 21, 2019)

 

In accordance with this policy, students in grades nine through twelve may receive academic or career and technical education credits that count toward the graduation requirements set out by the board for courses successfully completed in post-secondary educational institutions.  Students and parents or guardians shall be made aware of the post-secondary instructional opportunities as part of the development of each student’s individual career and academic plan as required by law.  The superintendent or designee is responsible for developing the appropriate forms and procedures for implementing this policy and the following post-secondary educational opportunities.

Concurrent Enrollment

The board may, in its discretion, enter into a contractual agreement with a community college to provide courses for eligible students in grades nine through twelve when comparable courses are not offered by the school district.  Notice of the availability of the concurrent enrollment program shall be included in the school district’s registration handbook, and the handbook shall identify which courses, if successfully completed, generate post-secondary credit.  Students shall not be charged tuition for concurrent enrollment courses and shall not be required to reimburse the school district for tuition if they do not successfully complete a course. Students or their parents or guardians may be required to pay a fee consistent with the school district’s established textbook policy and other materials for the concurrent enrollment course to the extent permitted by law.  Students or their parents or guardians may also be required to provide their own transportation to and from concurrent enrollment courses to the extent permitted by law.  However, transportation shall be the responsibility of the school district for any contracted course that is used to meet school district accreditation requirements.

Students who successfully complete a concurrent enrollment course, as determined by the postsecondary institution, shall receive postsecondary credit in accordance with the institution's policies and high school credit that will be reflected on their high school transcript.  The superintendent or designee shall grant to a student who successfully completes a concurrent enrollment course a unit of high school graduation credit for every unit of high school level instruction successfully completed.

Post-Secondary Enrollment Option

Students in grades nine and ten who the school district has identified as talented and gifted students and eligible students in grades eleven and twelve may utilize the Post-Secondary Enrollment Option (“PSEO”) program.  Students are eligible to take post-secondary educational courses if they meet all of the requirements outlined in this policy and as required by the post-secondary educational institution and if the student has obtained the approval of the superintendent and/or designee.  Eligible students wishing to participate in the post-secondary educational courses shall apply to the eligible post-secondary educational institution.

To qualify, a course must be a nonsectarian, credit-bearing course that leads to a degree.  A course is not eligible for the PSEO program if a comparable course if offered by the school district.  In addition, courses at a community college with which the school district has a concurrent enrollment agreement are not eligible for the PSEO program.  Students shall not be charged for tuition, textbooks, materials or fees related to a PSEO course with the exception of equipment that becomes the property of the student.

The school district shall reimburse the post-secondary institution for tuition and other expenses for each PSEO course up to $250.  Students who successfully complete a PSEO course, as determined by the post-secondary institution, shall receive post-secondary credit and high school credit.  The superintendent or designee shall grant to a student who successfully completes a PSEO course a unit of high school graduation credit for every unit of high school level instruction successfully completed.  Students may not enroll on a full-time basis to any post-secondary institution through the PSEO program.

Transportation to and from the post-secondary institution is the responsibility of the student or parent or legal guardian of the student enrolled in a PSEO course.  Eligible students may take up to seven hours of post-secondary credit during the summer months and receive high school credit upon successful completion of a post-secondary course.  However, the student or student’s parent or legal guardian is responsible for all costs associated with courses taken during the summer.

Students who fail a PSEO course and fail to receive credit are required to reimburse the school district for all costs directly related to the course up to the $250 reimbursement maximum.  Prior to registering, students under the age of eighteen are required to have a parent or guardian sign a form indicating that the parent is responsible for the costs of the course should the student fail the course and fail to receive credit.  Reimbursement waivers may be granted by the board if sufficient verification is provided to show that the student was unable to complete the course for reasons outside the student’s control, including but not limited to, physical incapacity, a death in the student’s immediate family or a move out of the school district.

If a student is unable to demonstrate proficiency or the school district or accredited nonpublic school determines that the course unit completed by the student does not meet the school district’s standards, the superintendent shall provide in writing to the student’s parent or guardian the reason for the denial of credit.

 

 

(February 21, 2011; July 9, 2012; January 19, 2015; October 21, 2019)