The Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers
VaHomeschoolers.org
Your Resource. Your Voice. Your Association.
The Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers
VaHomeschoolers.org
Your Resource. Your Voice. Your Association.
Recently VaHomeschoolers has received queries from concerned homeschoolers in several counties about the curriculum description required by law to be submitted along with the annual Notice of Intent (NOI). (Code of Virginia,§22.1-254.1 B).
School divisions across the state have widely varying policies regarding the curriculum description. Some school divisions are currently ignoring this part of the law altogether, and are not asking parents to submit any curriculum description whatsoever. Many school divisions are currently accepting extremely brief, vague statements of parental philosophy or style as "descriptions of curriculum". At the other extreme, some school divisions have alarmed parents by asking for far more information than is required by law.
The school division cannot ask for more than the law requires or make judgment about the merits of your curriculum. At the same time, the school division is within its rights to determine whether you have actually written and submitted a "description of your curriculum."
If you live in a school division which has extremely lax policies regarding curriculum descriptions, be aware that these policies could change at any time, and be prepared to submit additional information as needed.
School divisions which ask for extremely detailed curriculum plans (e.g. "scope and sequence") or lengthy lists of books or textbooks are asking for more than is required under Virginia law. If you live in such a school division, please contact VaHomeschoolers to explore your options for resolving this situation. In some cases, a simple letter or phone call to the school division can resolve this problem in your favor, while in other cases, a direct meeting may be necessary.
If you need assistance with writing your "description of curriculum", here are some guidelines and examples which may be helpful:
Keep the definition of "curriculum" in mind. The American Heritage Dictionary online edition defines "curriculum" as "all the courses of study offered by an educational institution".
According to personal communications with the Virginia Department of Education, a typical "curriculum description" would include a list of courses to be studied and a brief summary of what is to be taught in each subject. Other veteran homeschoolers say that a bare minimum "curriculum description" would include a list of courses to be studied and a very brief description of the resources to be used.
A one-sentence declaration like "we will educate our children according to their interests" is a statement of parental style and educational approach. Most educators, lawmakers, policymakers, or courts of law would not consider such a sentence to be a "description of curriculum" without additional supporting information.
Not too short, but not too long. Your goal is to briefly describe the courses your child will be studying and give a brief overview of either the objectives of the courses or the resources you will be using. You're aiming for a statement which is longer than a sentence or two, but shorter than a page in length.
Extensive detail is neither necessary nor recommended; this is for informational purposes only. At the same time, you want to provide enough information so the administrator reading your statement believes that he is holding a "description of curriculum" in his hands.
For instance, here are some different ways to briefly describe a 2nd grade math curriculum:
Read standard curriculum descriptions for inspiration. Resources such as the Virginia Standards of Learning, World Book's "Typical Course of Study", homeschooling curriculum catalogs and websites, high school and college catalogs, etc. are full of useful words, phrases, and concepts that you can incorporate into your curriculum description. Many homeschooling books and websites give ideas for how to describe everyday activities in "educationese".
Describe, don't preach. A curriculum description is not the place for making personal statements about your political, religious, philosophical, educational, or parenting beliefs. Don't bother trying to convince your reader about the benefits of homeschooling or a particular homeschooling approach - just describe your curriculum.
Keep it personal. Read other families' curriculum descriptions for inspiration and guidance, but tailor your description to fit your family's individual circumstances. School divisions may take notice if numerous families copy from each other's curriculum descriptions.
Be honest and realistic. Don't say your child will be studying subjects or material that you have no intention of covering, or promise to cover more material than can reasonably be covered in a year.
Note: Regardless of which filing option you choose, parents do not have to include the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) in their curriculum description.
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