A3394

An Act concerning home education programs and supplementing Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. By August 1 of each school year or within 14 days of beginning a home education program, a parent or guardian shall submit to the superintendent of the resident school district a letter registering the parent’s or guardian’s child in a home education program. The letter shall include:

(1) the name and age of the student participating in the home education program; and

(2) the name of the supervisor of the home education program responsible for providing instruction.

b. In addition to the letter submitted pursuant to subsection a. of this section, the parent or guardian shall submit a copy of the curriculum that will be utilized in the home education program, which shall be aligned with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards.

2. a. The supervisor of the home education program shall maintain for the student a portfolio of records and materials to demonstrate educational progress including, but not limited to, a student record that lists reading materials used, samples of writings, worksheets, workbooks, or creative materials used or developed by the student. The portfolio shall also include an annual written evaluation of the student’s educational progress as determined by a qualified evaluator, who may be a licensed psychologist or a certified school psychologist, a teacher or administrator of a public or nonpublic school in the State, or any other individual approved by the superintendent of the resident school district. The evaluator shall not be the student’s parent or guardian. The evaluation shall certify whether an appropriate education is occurring in the home education program.

b. The supervisor of the home education program shall annually submit the portfolio required pursuant to subsection a. of this section to the superintendent of the resident school district on or before June 30^th of each school year.

3. The superintendent of the resident school district shall approve a State-endorsed diploma for a student in a home education program who has met the requirements of this act and has documented the attainment of academic skills and knowledge equivalent to a high school education.

4. This act shall take effect in the first full school year next following the date of enactment.

STATEMENT

This bill requires parents or guardians who intend to home school their child to submit annually a letter to the superintendent of the school district in which the child resides, registering the child in a home education program. The letter is to include the name and age of the student participating in the home education program and the name of the supervisor of the home education program responsible for providing instruction. In addition to the letter, the parent is to also submit a copy of the curriculum that will be used. The curriculum is required to be aligned with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards.

In order to ensure the academic progress of students in home education programs, the supervisor of a home education program is required to maintain a student portfolio of records and materials, including a record that lists reading materials used, samples of writings, worksheets, workbooks, or creative materials used or developed by the student. The portfolio is also to include an annual written evaluation of the student’s educational progress as determined by a qualified evaluator. The evaluation is to certify whether an appropriate education is occurring in the home education program. The portfolio is to be annually submitted to the superintendent on or before June 30^th of each school year.

Finally, the bill authorizes the superintendent of the resident school district to approve a State-endorsed diploma for a student in a home education program who: has met the requirements of this bill; and has documented the attainment of academic skills and knowledge equivalent to a high school education.