We know and support a growing number of families who are homeschooling with disabilities. If you’re just beginning the journey (or exploring the possibility), here are some legalities and procedures to know.
Homeschooling with disabilities in Kansas
Kansas has no additional requirements for homeschooling children with special needs.
The same steps apply for getting a homeschool started. You must officially register your homeschool with the state department of education and formally withdraw from the current school, if applicable.
(See our templates for writing a withdrawal letter here.)
What if my child has an Individualized Education Program (IEP)?
Many experts, including the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), advise homeschoolers to be a little more detailed in documentation when taking a child who has an IEP out of school.
When your child is formally un-enrolled from the former school and officially enrolled in your homeschool, the IEP is no longer in effect.
If you want, you can state that in your withdrawal letter. It could just say “The IEP signed on _______ (date) is no longer applicable to ___________ (child’s name) . __________ (Child’s name) is now enrolled in _________(name of your school) on ________, YEAR.”
At any time, you can rewrite an IEP for your homeschool. It can include whatever goals you wish: physical, academic, life skills, spiritual, communication, social, etc.
We also highly recommend homeschoolers of special needs children to join HSLDA. They can also advise you on the legal aspects of an IEP. (And when you join MPE, you can get a $15 discount off your annual HSLDA membership!)
Homeschooling with disabilities in Missouri
Missouri also has no additional legal requirements for homeschooling a child with special needs. You can read the steps to starting a homeschool in Missouri here, including three requirements:
- Tracking your child’s work samples
- Keeping a record of periodic assessments
- Documenting 1,000 hours of instruction during your set school term
What if my child has an Individualized Education Program (IEP)?
The Families for Home Education in Missouri (FHE) explains that parents in Missouri must revoke consent for IEP services in writing, when removing their child from the current school.
According to IDEA 2009 revisions, the school must then provide you with written notice about their intentions for your child.
You can see FHE’s sample IEP release letter here.
Resources for those homeschooling with disabilities
Take heart – you have many resources available in your journey!
- In the Kansas City area, you can find many special needs resources that homeschoolers know and recommend.
One of them is PossAbilities, a pediatric therapy clinic run by Jean Wetherilt. Jean is our struggling learners coordinator, a veteran homeschool mom, and an occupational therapist. (She also helps coordinate the special needs track for our annual homeschool conference.)
- We also have a list of seven resources for homeschooling kids with dyslexia.
Wendy Hanson, an MPE member, is responsible for starting one of the resources on this list: a Facebook support group. You can read more about her story here.
- On a national level, you can also find help with HSLDA’s tips on homeschooling children with special needs.
We have updated this blog post, originally published in December 2020, for timeliness and detail.
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