* For Parents *
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the requirements to homeschool a child in the state of Oregon?
Oregon Homeschooling laws require parents to do three things when homeschooling their child. First, file a one-time Notice of Intent (NOI) to homeschool form to your local Education Service District (ESD). Second, your student must be tested in grades 3, 5, 8, and 10. Lastly, address any disabilities by having your child evaluated (optional).
How does dual-enrollment within my district work?
Oregon is unique because it is one of only ten “all-inclusive” states in America. Among other things, this means that homeschooled students in Oregon are allowed to participate in public school activities even though they are primarily homeschooled. The legal statute that allows for this is § ORS 339.460
It states that “Oregon School districts must allow homeschool students access to public school interscholastic activities. Such activities include but are not limited to athletics, music, speech, and other related activities.”
Many homeschoolers along with their friends attend 2-3 classes of choice at their local public schools. These classes can includechoir, orchestra, band, art, STEM, Spanish classes, lunch break etc. If interested, please contact your home district to see what is available to you.
Why do people choose to homeschool?
The answers to this question are limitless, but the U.S. Department of Education has listed the top findings to its surveys as the following reasons:
- A concern about the environment of other schools, such as safety, drugs, or negative peer pressure
- A desire to provide religious/moral instruction
- A dissatisfaction with the academic instruction at other schools
- A desire to provide a nontraditional approach to child’s education
- Child has a physical or mental health problem
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Parent and Family Involvement in Education Survey of the National Household Education Surveys Program (NHES), 2012.
Is my child required to be immunized?
Our team leaves the child’s health responsibility in the hands of the parents. How and when your child is immunized is a decision to be made between you as parents, and your child’s physician. However, please note that in the event of any outbreak of a preventable disease, all inadequately vaccinated children (if applicable) will be asked to remain at home until the local clinical outbreak status has been removed.
Why isn’t kindergarten offered?
We are very motivated to get a kindergarten age group implemented for the 2020-2021 school year. It is just a bit tricky for us this first year, because the majority of kindergarteners have limited reading abilities. When we do offer a kindergarten age group, we want to do it right. Kindergarten is such a foundational year, and we would want to offer a much smaller teacher to child ratio for that grade (1:5). It is definitely in our future plans.
How often will I need to volunteer?
Please plan to help in your child’s classroom at least one day a month. Two days a month, is also appreciated.
Are younger siblings welcome in class?
Absolutely! Learning can begin at any age and we love seeing our three-year-olds sing the ABC’s and counting to twenty because they have been around during their older sibling’s lesson times. That is one of the many benefits of homeschooling, and we enthusiastically encourage it. Please remember that the same behavioral rules apply to our tiny “visitors” as they do to their older siblings. There will be times your younger child needs a break; feel free to excuse yourself. We appreciate your cooperation.
Will my child have the same schedule as his/her peers that attend public school?
Yes! We follow the same attendance schedule as the Lake Oswego School District. Your child will have the same holidays, and teacher prep days off as their public-school counterparts do.
Inclement weather policy
We follow the local school district’s lead when determining if it is a snow day.