CT CHEER

CT C.H.E.E.R.
CT Cooperative of Home Educators East of the River

NHELD Documentation of NOI Abuses

NATIONAL HOME EDUCATION LEGAL DEFENSE LLC.
Tel.: (860) 354-3590
www.nheld.com
Fax: (860) 354-9360

FACT SHEET - 2006

Recent Problems from September, 2005 through March 1, 2006

1. Harwinton - Family withdraws children from school. Parents told to sign Notice of Intent. DCF sent to investigate, reviews children's curriculum, tests children, tells parents they must file NOI or children will be truant. NHELD talks to DCF supervisor and supervisor says case will be unsubstantiated.

2. Waterbury - Parents withdraw child from school. School district tells parents to sign NOI. Parents decline. DCF sent to investigate. Threats of truancy.

3. Cromwell - Child was withdrawn from the public school district. School district continued to keep the child "on the attendance records" until and unless the parents agreed to sign the Notice of Intent form. Threat of DCF and truancy.

4. Putnam - Family trying to house a mentally retarded adult seeks DMR authorization. Family is homeschooling five children. DMR reports family to DCF because DMR is "concerned" about the homeschooling. DCF inspects the home, reviews curriculum, tells family they must file NOI and attend portfolio review.

5. Stonington - DCF left business card at home. Follow-up visit. Social worker says family is "required" to file notice of intent, attend a portfolio review, and do whatever the local public school district wants the parents to do.

6. Norwalk - Family withdraws child from public school. School calls and tells family they must meet with the principal to discuss curriculum and to "go through the approved course of study" with him. When family questions this "requirement", school says "this is the procedure that everyone has always followed." School calls back to say that it is the principal's "understanding that when you withdraw [the child] you have to withdraw him to somewhere. To a school. And you would have to make your intention known to the current principal of what, how, you were going to school him." School again requests a meeting with family. Family declines meeting. School sends letter to family saying, "It is critical that we receive your letter of intention…or we are bound by the State of Connecticut to file for truancy."

7. Naugatuck - School District sends letter to family stating, "The Connecticut Department of Education mandates in §10-184 that you must file a notice of intent for home school instruction for your daughter…with the superintendent of the school district."

8. Hebron - Family withdraws child from school. School district refuses to let the family retrieve the child's personal belongings from school unless and until the family signs the Notice of Intent form.

9. Middletown - School district's truancy officer contacts family after family files a letter withdrawing children from school in previous year. Truancy officer informed family that family "did not file a letter for this year." Truancy officer said, "The law is that [the family] needed to file a letter [of withdrawal] every year." Truancy officer also told the family to fill out the Notice of Intent form, even if it is a hand written form. Family had to fill out a new form withdrawing children from school again.

10. West Haven - Private school tells family that the family "needs to register" with the public school system in order to homeschool after withdrawing from the private school. Private school says it is the school's "obligation and responsibility to report [the family] to DCF if [the family] does not do this." DCF is sent to investigate family. Family "swears under oath" in juvenile court that they are home schooling, explained the curriculum and methods of instruction.

11. Middletown - Truant officer shows up at family's home. Family withdrew the children from the public school system in 2004 and has been homeschooling since that time. In 2005 truant officer told the family that each year they have to withdraw the children from school and sign a Notice of Intent form. Family withdrew the children from school again.

12. Killingly - Parent withdraws child from public school. School tells parent she must file a Notice of Intent form and the school district must be assured that the child is receiving instruction equivalent to that which he received in the school district. School says if the parent does not comply, school will report the family to DCF.

13. Trumbull - Family disputes special education with public school system over 11 year old boy with severe anxiety. At PPT meeting, public school tells parent that they are to bring the child to the school and if he won't go inside the building, he is to stay in the car in the school parking lot with the mother for six hours (the entire school day) and do busy work, every day of the week. If he goes into the school but has to throw up or stay on the toilet, he will be allowed to do so all day if necessary. He will not be given any new educational instruction until and unless he is in the classroom. The parents reject the school's plan and withdraw the child to homeschool. Child's previous absences were all medically excused. Public school reports family to DCF for truancy and educational neglect. DCF shows up at the family's home and immediately informs family that they are "not qualified" to teach the child at home and that DCF must still conduct investigation of the family even though DCF worker has in her possession attendance record of the child showing that all absences were "excused".