HOMESCHOOLED CHILDREN
This section includes:
Legal Requirements for Homeschooling In British Columbia
Parents who elect the homeschooling option must provide each child with an "educational program" (School Act, section 12).
Parents must register homeschooled children by September 30 each year with:
(a) any public school in the school district where the parent resides, or
(b) Distance Education or the Regional Correspondence School that serves that school district or,
(c) an independent school located in the province.
Parents choosing to homeschool their children, but failing to register them as homeschooled, commit an offence.
Registration of Homeschooled Children
Independent school authorities that decide to register homeschooled learners must comply with ISA, Section 10 and Ministry policies. The authority may set a fee for the registration of a homeschooled child.
Responsibilities to Registered Homeschooled Children
The independent school:
- Must offer, free of charge, the evaluation and assessment services normally offered to the students at that independent school.
- May loan educational resource materials that are used by the students of that independent school, which the school believes are sufficient to enable the learner to pursue his or her educational program. The school may require a deposit for the loan of such instructional material.
The parent and/or homeschooled child is free to accept or reject the evaluation/assessment services or the loan of learning resource materials that have been offered by the school.
The school has no authority to approve or supervise the education program of a registered homeschooled child.
Investigations Regarding Homeschooled Children
Anyone who believes that a homeschooled child is not registered, or is registered, but is not receiving an educational program, may report this belief to the Superintendent of Schools in the school district in which the child resides. No action lies against the person making such a report, unless the report is made maliciously (School Act, section 14).
The Superintendent shall investigate or cause the complaint to be investigated. In the event that the Superintendent determines that the child is not registered, or is registered but not receiving an educational program, and the parent refuses to comply with the law, the Superintendent shall take such action as is required by the orders of the Minister. If, in the opinion of the Superintendent, a child needs protection, the assistance of the Ministry for Children and Family Development will be sought.
