Homeschool World Forum

byHisgrace · User Joined: 07 Feb 2007 Posts: 5 Location: CA

My son will be turning 5 when we start homeschooling in September. We are in California, where the compulsory school age is 6. He will not turn 6 until fall 2008, our second year of homeschooling. Does anyone recommend joining HSLDA before the compulsory school age? I ask because technically he would be enrolled in kindergarten if he was in public school, and I wondered whether anyone has been contacted by a school district about a homeschooled child who is that age but not in school. Can anyone think of any other reason to join HSLDA early?

iamnettie · Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2007 4:12 pm Post subject:

For us, in Missouri, we do not have to notify anyone. Personally I want to join, but $$ is tight at the moment. I have 1 child who will be compulsory age this fall and 2 who are still under age. My plan in between now and when my middle child (who is now 2) gets compulsory age we will join. I saw you can do life time membership for $1000 and that is what we would do since we know we have at least 17 more years of home school left to get through all 3 of our kids. Just have to wait till I have the $1000 to do it.

Be interesting to see what others say about this issue.
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Theodore · Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2007 4:56 pm Post subject:

There is no real point in joining HSLDA when your child isn't mandatory school age yet. I assume you didn't enroll him in kindergarten and then pull him out?
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byHisgrace · User Joined: 07 Feb 2007 Posts: 5 Location: CA

No, I did not enroll him. He is currently in private preschool, but he has never been in the public school system.

Thank you for your insight. I kind of assumed there wouldn't be a reason, but I wanted to see what experienced homeschoolers thought.

Theodore · Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2007 5:21 pm Post subject:

Ok then. Some states set the mandatory age at x years old OR whenever the child is first enrolled in a school, but I just checked the California law and it seems that California just has a standard 6-18 years of age. So you should be fine.
_________________
The Farming Game - Software Edition for Mac and PC
The board game has sold over 350,000 copies worldwide, garnered many awards, is used by over 2,000 schools, and is used extensively by homeschoolers.

byHisgrace · User Joined: 07 Feb 2007 Posts: 5 Location: CA

Thanks. I think because I am an attorney, I am more cautious about these things. I also know that confrontations happen even when homeschooling parents are within their rights.

elliemaejune · Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2007 10:18 pm Post subject: Re: when to join HSLDA

Joylane · User Joined: 05 Jan 2007 Posts: 9

I recently joined HSLDA. I didn't join because I was in fear of needing them (though it is nice to know they are there). I joined because I have been homeschooling for a year and find their website to have wonderful information and their cause to be very important and dear to me. I guess I look at it as more of a donation to something I believe very strongly in.