Homeschool World Forum

We live in Fiji and plan to be here for at least five more years. We would like to begin homeschool our kids in January, 2009. I cannot find any information online, nor from various homeschooling organizations with answers to my specific questions. I am hoping somone here can help.

We are CA residents, but if and when we go back to the US, we most likely will not reside in CA. We do have a permanent address there although we are not homeowners in CA and do not pay taxes there.

My question is do I have to report my attendance, tests and any other documentation to the state of CA? Can't I just form my own school and keep all of my records as proof of homeschooling incase I need them in the future? I plan to use Calvert School curriculum which is based in MD I believe. I did contact Calvert School and they suggested I contact the state of CA, which I have, but of course I have not received any answers.

I know two families homeschooling here. One lady I know does not report to any state as she is married to a Fijian citizen and does not plan on leaving Fiji. The other lady I know is reporting to SC but she's lived here for 10 years (or longer) I believe. I just don't know who to contact or where to begin finding the information. There seems to be very little useful information on the net on homeschooling overseas.

Any help anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

You may still have an address in CA, but have you officially moved your residence to Fiji for the duration? If so, the law is a little complicated - on one hand, the receiving nation's laws apply for most things, but on the other hand, the sending nation gets jurisdiction for all in-house issues (involving only Americans), which includes homeschooling. Since state and federal jurisdictions end at the border, however, you're basically in limbo - the host nation (Fiji) can't prosecute you over an non-criminal (in the US) offense, but the US can't prosecute you either in Fiji.

Just FYI - if Fiji law were to apply here, mandatory school attendance age is 6-15. But I doubt anyone is going to bother you as long as you're using Calvert, it's internationally accredited.

Thank you. Yes, it does seem complicated, which is why I've been confused regarding what to do.

Do you know whom in CA I would contact? Would it be the local school district from the county we moved from, where we still have an address? Really, the only mail we get there now is junk mail, everything else comes here. And bills (like credit cards) have both addresses, so I guess we are living in limbo.

Thank you for your reply.

Hi guys,

We have moved to Fiji about a year and a half ago and I am starting to homeschool this year. I am trying to figure out which jurisdiction I fall since I am a resident of Fiji now and which laws I am supposed to follow. Any info would be helpful. We moved from California.

Thank you,

Irina

Hi Irene, I am moving to fiji in a bit less than a year and wondered what you had decided on for homeschool? My daughter will be 12 and 8 th grade.
Thanks Caroline