How Do I Remove My Child From the School System?

You, as a parent, have the option of providing satisfactory instruction for your child at home any time that you so choose. If your child is in attendance at a publicly funded school at the present time, you are obligated when you remove your child from school, to give an indication to the school authorities that you will be home educating your child.

As of June 17, 2002 a new document from the Ministry of Education called Policy/Program Memorandum (PPM) No. 131 was published. We advise you to read this document on the Ministry's website and OFTP's reaction to it as it sets new ground rules and expectations for school boards in their dealings with parents who choose to home educate their child in Ontario. PPM No. 131 includes an Appendix B: Sample Letter Indicating Notification of Intent to Provide Home Schooling. Homeschooling parents can print a copy of this letter, complete it and send it to the local school board notifying them that you will be homeschooling your child.

What Do I Do If My Child Has Never Been In School?

If your child has never been registered in a school, the Ontario Education Act does not require you to inform the school board of your intention to keep your child at home. Your options are as follows:

1) continue to homeschool without notifying the local school board
2) continue to homeschool knowing even though you have chosen not to send in a notification you may become known by your local board. The school board will likely forward a form for you to complete, requesting the names, ages and gender of your school aged children as well as a place on the form for you to sign, indicating you are responsible for the education of your children. The decision to comply with this request rests with the individual family.
3) voluntarily send the letter off to your local school board without being asked