Whether you have been home-schooling your child for a long period of time or for just a short time, at some point, you may be faced with the possibility of your child entering or re-entering public schools. Some families need another source of income; some find increasing difficulty of home-schooling students in the upper grades. For still other families, the child wants to be in the local school with his or her peers. Whatever the reason, it is a good idea to know what to expect.
Step 1
Contact the local school system. Check to see if there are any requirements for home-schooled children entering the system. Schools may ask for information such as past schools attended and request records from those schools. Some school systems will also require a standardized achievement test to determine appropriate grade placement. Schools will also ask for documentation such as a birth certificate, and proof of immunizations.
Step 2
Talk with your children. Discuss any concerns that they might have and a seek out answers to their questions. Both parents of other school children nearby and the schools are good resources for any questions that arise. Be positive about the change and discuss the new opportunities that being in school will provide.
Step 3
Visit the school. Contact the school that your child will be attending, and ask if there is a good time for you and your child to see the school. Sometimes it will need to be after school hours, but being able to take a look around can help both you and your child become comfortable with the environment. This is also a good time to ask any questions that you or your child might have about the school.
Step 4
Prepare your students for any testing that's required. If the school will give a standardized test to check for placement, make sure your kids are comfortable with test-taking procedures. If they aren't used to timed, standardized tests, schedule a similar test for practice, or look for online practice tests that they can take.
Step 5
When students are high school-aged, make sure that they can receive high school credits for the work done at home. Documentation and evidence of the curriculum used will be key to a successful transition to a public high school at this age. Know what the high school graduation requirements for your state are. Most states have these available on their department of education websites. Contact a high school guidance counselor to go over the documentation you have.
