The Duxbury Public Schools recognizes and respects the right of parents or guardians to educate their child(ren) at home, in accordance with Massachusetts General Law Chapter 76, Section 1 and the Charles Decision of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.

The School Committee appreciates each family's personal and cultural uniqueness and desires to ensure that the process by which school officials approve and review homeschool programs is both lawful and equitable. Therefore, the Duxbury Public Schools has established these home-school program procedures. The School Committee Policy IHBG

The Massachusetts General Law requires the School Committee to determine that a Home-School program meets the minimum standards established for public schools in the Commonwealth prior to approving such a program.

When a parent or guardian of a student between ages 6-16 wants to establish a home-based educational program for his/her child, the following procedures shall be followed in accordance with the law:

Prior to removing the child from public school:

The parent/guardian must submit written notification of the establishment of the home-based program to the Assistant Superintendent 14 days before the program is established and resubmit notification annually as long as the child or children are being educated in a home-based environment. Upon approval of the home school program, the parent/guardian must notify, in writing, their student’s school office with the intent to unenroll their student from said school, complete a withdrawal form from Duxbury Public Schools, and return any school-issued technology and materials.

The parent/guardian must certify in writing on the Home Education Application provided by the District below the name, age, and place of residence and the number of hours of attendance in each program.

The Assistant Superintendent or designee shall give the notice to produce records required by law if there is probable cause to believe the program does not comply with the law. Factors to be considered by the Assistant Superintendent or designee deciding whether or not to approve a home school proposal may be:

1.  The number of hours of instruction in the proposed curriculum;

2.  The competency of the parents to teach the children;

3.  The textbooks, workbooks, and other instructional aids to be used by the children and teaching manuals to be used by the parents;

4.  Periodic assessment of the children to ensure educational progress and the attainment of minimum standards.

A student being educated in a home-based program within the District may have access to public school activities of either a curricular or extracurricular nature upon availability and approval of the Superintendent.

Additional information:

• Home-educated students do not participate in state testing programs such as MCAS.

• Duxbury Public Schools is not responsible for supplying textbooks or instructional materials.

• Families must reapply each academic year.

• Under Massachusetts law, home-schooled students have the right to special education services. In addition, school districts must evaluate students suspected of having a disability and re-evaluate students eligible for special education services consistent with federal and state requirements.