Anyone using HOD and homeschooling in New York State?

[Emilylou]

I would love to hear about using HOD in New York. How is reporting, testing?

What do you do about health requirement?

Anything else I would need to know. This will be my first year report, and no one in my large homeschool group has heard of HOD.

[inHistiming]

Lisa,

I am in NYS...this is our 2nd year homeschooling here after moving from FL in 2007. Are you looking to report for dc 5 for Kindergarten? If so, you don't actually have any requirements to meet (it states this in the regulations) you just have to report that you are homeschooling...and send in your IHIP and quarterly reports. You get to decide what you want to cover for the K year! Also, just so you know, required school age is 6 here so you wouldn't actually have to report at all if your child will not be 6 by December of 2009. My ds 5 (6 in June) will be starting K in the fall using LHFHG. As far as health goes, we have used the library for covering subjects such as fire safety, meal planning, hygiene, etc. We haven't had a problem. I hope that helps a bit...and I know there are at least a couple of others on the board who use HOD in NYS, so hopefully they'll chime in too.

[Emilylou]

Thanks inHistiming. I am looking to report my ds for next fall. He will be 6 and I will be reporting 1st grade. We are going to do BLHFHG. We are just finishing up LHFHG this year for Kindergarten. I didn't report anything this year.

I know when the kids get older they have to be tested in NY. I was looking for someone who has tested and used HOD. I know NY has stricter "rules" than other states, and I wanted to make sure I didn't have to cover something that isn't in one of the HOD programs.

Thanks again for your help.

[gracelikerain]

Hi,
I am in NY as well. I have been reporting since my oldest was 6. She is now 11. I never report until they are 6. We send our letter of intent in along with our 4th qtr. reports. Otherwise, I forget because they are due July 6th I think.. Then I prepare our IHIP & send it in sometime mid August. I put down whatever I intend on using for the school year. If I change my mind, so be it & that is ok. You don't have to tell them. It states this in the regulation manual. I start school in August as well. However, I send in my reports the same time each year. I picked the dates. first qtr. is Nov. 20th. 2nd qtr. is Feb. 20th. 3rd qtr. is April 15th & last qtr. is June 29th. You do not have to use the ones they may try to give you. For health I just put down whatever book I use that year. We have used Abeka health & library books too. Testing starts in 3rd grade then every other year with the year that you don't test you have an evaluation done. In the early grades I wrote my own evaluation for my dd. When they are of testing age then someone else needs to write an eval. I personally couldn't be bothered with that. With my next dd I just gave her a test. I do that now with both my dd's. I just test them every year. It is easier for me. My support group holds testing which I have done once. Now, I order the California Achievement test. It is inexpensive at around $25 & fast results. I order it online. It is very basic nothing that they won't learn from HOD. Homechoolers don't take the same tests as the kids in PS. Those tests they have to be taught stuff for. We take state tests that all kids take & gage the basics. Now, I don't know what happens when they get older though. The CAT web-site states that the parent can give the test as long as it is ok with the school district. I feel if they don't ask then I don't tell them who administered the test. God has given me the authority over my dc, not them. So, unless they outright ask me which they thankfully never have, I just tell them my dc have taken the CAT test & the results will be mailed shortly. I do have a friend who is a teacher & will give my dc the test if I need her too.
Hope that helps you some!
Do you belong to LEAH? They have upstate groups I think. Are you going to the convention? I forgot where it is. I live on Long Island so I go to that convention. Check out www.leah.org I think that is the site!

[Emilylou]

Thanks Gracelikerain~

Your information is great! Sounds like HOD covers everything I need, minus the health. I didn't know we take a different test than PS kids. I am going to the convention in Rochester NY this year. I am excited even though I know I am using HOD next year. I can't wait to just look at everything. I am a book junkie.

Thanks for passing on your knowledge to a "newbie".

[my2guys]

Lisa,
I just wanted to pop in and say "hi" since we're in upstate NY too. I don't have any info for you since we're just officially beginning this year, but I'm thankful you started this post b/c I've learned a lot too. We'll be doing LHFHG for K this year (Ben is a December birthday so he misses the reporting cutoff by a couple of weeks this year - thankfully ). Anyway, just wanted to say hello and nice to "meet" you.