Starting mid-year in California:

[MOMS]

This is only our 2nd year homeschooling~but a friend of ours has decided not to send their child back to school after Christmas break. They want to homeschool (no charters or umbrellas) but I'm not sure what advice to give them on starting mid year..... Their son has always been in a private Christian school, no public schools ever. Do they need to notify anyone right now & if so, who? Or do they just wait until the October affidavit?

[Theodore]

Better to be safe than sorry. Assume that the government is smart enough to realize a child is missing from the rolls of the private school, and that an affidavit is required before you can start homeschooling. There's still option #2 until October comes around again, which is to enroll in an umbrella school (generally for a modest fee, like $100-$150 to cover paperwork).
http://www.hslda.org/laws/default.asp?State=CA
http://www.home-school.com/groups/CA.html

[Kaye]

Hi, I'm new here, but I've been homeschooling in California for a couple years now.

If you look at the fine print about the filing of the affidavit in October, the 'consequence' for filing late is simply that you cannot receive federal funding. I would suggest she go ahead and file the affidavit even though it's late, just to be sure. As I understand it there is a chance they could come and ask her for the affidavit, as the private schools are required to keep a copy of it on site.

Better late this year then never.

[elliemaejune]