According to the Empire Center for Public Policy, over the past 10 years, homeschool enrollment has increased by 178%. Last year, there were more than 50,000 homeschoolers across New York state with over 14,000 in New York City.
Families choose to homeschool for a variety of reasons, however, for one school district, the choice to homeschool has now become a legal matter after a superintendent has said she would not sign a letter that shows a student completed their homeschool education due to how their final assessment is administered.
Although she does have the legal right to do so, a homeschool parent in the district is concerned about the impact the new policy could have.
Andrea Denekamp has been homeschooling her son, Warren, since the pandemic, when she saw how he was being taught remotely.
“I had a really good look at what they were doing and some of the stuff online, even that they were sending home. And I wasn’t too thrilled with the perspectives they were teaching, or the quality or the content of the material, “ said Denekamp.
Denekamp has continued to homeschool her children ever since. But last August, she got a message from the Edmeston Central School District she wasn’t expecting.
Superintendent Christine Nichols informed parents they are no longer accepted administrators for the final assessment test. Nichols said that person needs to be state certified and not related to the student.
New York Homeschool Parents Concerned About New Policy
