Register with county or umbrella school?

[Caroline Brooks]

I am trying to decide which way I should go with unschooling within the law - my options are registering with county- which then I have to have an"evaluater" speak with my children once a year, which I don't agree with, & then they send letter to school board saying the child is on level for his age, or use the Florida Unschoolers umbrella school. Can anyone offer advice? I am leaning towards the umbrella school after using the evaluater the last 3 years. I think it is my God given right to bring up my children the way I believe to be right & I shouldn't have to report to anyone or have my kids "evaluated". Do most unschoolers use umbrella schools? Florida Unschoolers is considered a private school, so I have to provide a birth certificate for each child & then report attendance quarterly, but thats it by law. Thanks for any input.

[Sandra Dodd]

-=- I think it is my God given right to bring up my children the way I believe to be right & I shouldn't have to report to anyone or have my kids "evaluated". -=-

God would need to make you the leader of your own country and give you some land that's not in anyone else's jurisdiction, though, to make that workable.

When people say things like that, I can feel the fervor of the thought, but those same people probably don't believe child abusers should have the right to beat and lock kids up, or sell them, or make sex films of them. So the same laws that inconvenience and frustrate good parents sometimes are saving lives other times, when kids are lucky.

Most unschoolers don't have a reason for umbrella schools, but in states such as Florida where it's helpful, it can be way easier than a separate registration and paperwork, and it might be a way to meet some other people too!

There are Florida groups and lists here you might look into, and ask them what the local advantages are:

http://sandradodd.com/world

[Caroline Brooks]

Excellent point about the law.

Sandra Dodd said:

-=- I think it is my God given right to bring up my children the way I believe to be right & I shouldn't have to report to anyone or have my kids "evaluated". -=-

God would need to make you the leader of your own country and give you some land that's not in anyone else's jurisdiction, though, to make that workable.

When people say things like that, I can feel the fervor of the thought, but those same people probably don't believe child abusers should have the right to beat and lock kids up, or sell them, or make sex films of them. So the same laws that inconvenience and frustrate good parents sometimes are saving lives other times, when kids are lucky.

Most unschoolers don't have a reason for umbrella schools, but in states such as Florida where it's helpful, it can be way easier than a separate registration and paperwork, and it might be a way to meet some other people too!

There are Florida groups and lists here you might look into, and ask them what the local advantages are:

http://sandradodd.com/world

[Laura N]

After going the evaluation route for two years, I decided to sign up with Florida Unschoolers because I decided that was more in line with my personal unschooling philosophy. The reasons I've heard for *not* going that route are 1. you are no longer counted as a homeschooler, so it might make it seem like there are fewer homeschoolers in your county and the state and 2. It means having to file your vaccine records.

I decided that for my family it was more important to be free of county intrusion into how we homeschool, and for vaccine records, Nance will accept a statement of your preferences and does not immediately require proof that you filed an exemption with the county. Of course, that could change if the county changed their requirements of private schools.

There's a Florida Unschoolers page here in this network if you'd like to ask your question over there!