How to Homeschool in Minnesota

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Minnesota's education system can be a pretty confusing network of rules and regulations. However, this article can help clear things up and lay out the process of homeschooling your child for you. In this article you will find the following:

An overview of Minnesota homeschool laws
An introduction to homeschool groups in Minnesota
A description of how Moving Beyond the Page can help you get started

* This page does not contain legal advice and is not an endorsement of any homeschool groups listed. (see disclaimer)

Minnesota Homeschool Laws

Minnesota may seem like it has many complicated rules for homeschooling, but the laws are quite simple.

You must turn in a Full Report to your child's resident school superintendent
Your child must take an achievement test each year and document it to superintendent
Your curriculum must cover reading, writing, literature, fine arts, mathematics, science, social studies, geography, government, health, and physical education

Full Report
This initial report simply states that you are enrolling your child in homeschool. It must be filled out and sent in by October 1st of the first year your child is homeschooled. This report is only filled out once!
Along with the Full Report you will need to turn in an immunization form. You may receive a form from your child's school district but you can also download a copy of the form at the link. This form will also be submitted again when your child is starting their 7th grade year of homeschooling.
Finally, Minnesota requires that you keep documentation of your teachings of required curriculum. This can include, class schedules, copies of instructional materials, and descriptions of the methods you use to assess your child's achievements.

Immunization Form

Achievement Test
The achievement tests MUST be taken every year by your child. The test must also meet Minnesota's requirements and be agreed upon by your child's superintendent. Two recommended state tests are:

The Iowa Test of Basic Skills
Stanford Achievement Test

Documentation/proof that your child has taken these tests each academic year will need to be kept in case the state requests to see them.
For more information and a list of other achievement tests you can visit the link.

Achievement Tests

Ongoing Requirements

Every year you need to fill out a Letter of Intent to Continue Homeschooling, and send it to your child's resident superintendent. This simply states that you wish to continue homeschooling your child that year.

Homeschool Groups in Minnesota

Homeschooling your children is a daunting task, but there are many groups and organizations in Minnesota to help you out. Here are some organizations you may want to look into.

Eclectic Community of Homeschooling Opportunities in Minnesota (ECHO-MN)

http://www.echo-mn.org/

This Homeschool group focuses on providing support and information to homeschool children of all ages. Even has an online support group via a yahoo communication group.

Home Educated Youth (HEY)

http://www.homeeducatedyouth.com/

HEY is a homeschooling support group for both parents and children. They are especially helpful with new homeschoolers to the community. HEY provides monthly parent meetings, field trip opportunities, and social events for children to attend. They also offer a reference library to all homeschoolers, from which you can check out books, videos and games that can help teach your curriculum. (There is a small membership fee)

Minnesota Homeschoolers Alliance

http://homeschoolers.org/

This statewide organization provided information and support to homeschooling parents and children. They help to bring a family friendly approach to your child learning, as well as provide information on other support groups that may fit you and your child best.

Northland CORE

http://www.northlandcore.com/

Northland CORE is a homeschool support group that is based in northern Minnesota. They provide assistance in teaching as well as emotional assistance in homeschooling. They understand that homeschooling can be difficult and want to provide parents and students a place to connect with other families. Northland CORE also holds events that are open to both members and nonmembers, check out their website for more information.

If you would like to recommend a new link or let us know about a problem with an existing link, please contact us

NOTE: You can find a wealth of local and state groups offering homeschooling advice and support on sites such as Facebook and Yahoo Groups. You can search by city or county, religious preference, homeschooling philosophy, and more. You will need a free account on these sites to join one of their groups.

A Homeschool Curriculum for Minnesota

Beyond the Page is a homeschool curriculum that exceeds the requirements for homeschooling in the state of Minnesota. All of the Beyond the Page packages cover science, social studies, and language arts, and we offer a range of math programs as well. The Minnesota legal requirements are only a starting point, and our curriculum utilizes a range of educational strategies that are designed to foster a love of learning in children including:

Hands-on activities,
Differentiated options, and
Independent projects.

Beyond the Page encourages critical thinking and creativity while encouraging your child's unique learning style like no other curriculum on the market. If your child is a hands-on learner, a gifted learner, or a creative free-thinker, then you should look into Beyond the Page for your child.

Choose an age level to continue:

Age 4-5

Age 5-7

Age 6-8

Age 7-9

Age 8-10

Age 9-11

Age 10-12

Age 11-13

Age 12-14

Disclaimers

Any information about the laws in your state is provided to help you understand your legal requirements to homeschool in your state. It should by no means be interpreted as legal advice. This information was not compiled by a lawyer. It is your responsibility to interpret and understand the laws that you will be homeschooling under. If you have questions, you should seek the advice of a lawyer that operates in your state.

Beyond the Page does not endorse any of the homeschool groups that are included in these pages. They are provided only for your benefit. You should research any group to ensure that they align with your family's goals and philosophies.