Home School - Linn Benton Lincoln Education Service District

Home School Basics

If you live in Linn, Benton or Lincoln County and make the decision to home school your child, Oregon Administrative Rule 581-021-0026 requires you to:

Provide one time, written notification of your intentions to home school to Linn Benton Lincoln Education Service District.

If a student is being home schooled, then parents must notify LBL ESD of their intention to home school. Home school is education provided in the home by the parent or guardian. Home school parents have the full responsibility for their student’s education, including all curriculum choices and record keeping. Each family may use whatever methods and curriculum they choose, but they must find and purchase their materials on their own. Students enrolled in an online public charter school, or physically attending a local private school do not need to enroll as home school students.
Your registration must be submitted within 10 days of withdrawing your child from public or private school. If your child has never attended school, you must notify us of your intentions to home school once the child is six years old. We will send you an acknowledgment letter to confirm your student’s home school enrollment and let you know when test results will be due.
Your child’s home school registration will remain active until you notify us of a change. Please contact our office before registering your student in public/private school, or if you are moving out of the Linn, Benton, or Lincoln county area. You can request a withdrawal from home school by phone, email, fax, or through our website. When you move, change school districts or register your student back into public or private school please inform us of this change.

Have your child tested at the completion of grades 3, 5, 8 and 10.

New home school students are not required to take the first test for a minimum of 18 months, if they have recently been withdrawn from public or private school. If your child completes the 3rd, 5th, 8th or 10th grade during this 18-month window of time, testing does not need to occur until the next required grade level. If the child never attended public or private school, the first test must be taken at the end of 3rd grade.
Parents are responsible for all testing arrangements and costs.
Home school students establishing eligibility for interscholastic activities (athletics, music, speech, etc) must test annually at the end of each school year (prior to Aug. 15th) because test scores are used to determine eligibility for the following year. Parents are responsible to keep and file their student test results for future reference.

Books, Curriculum & Diplomas

Oregon law does not specify any curriculum, course of study or teaching/learning schedule for home school students. Each family can choose and use whatever methods and curriculum works for them, but they must find and purchase their materials on their own.

Student Records & Privacy

LBL ESD does not disclose student information without parent or eligible student authorization or as provided by law. Please review the full student records policy.

Federal law requires education service districts to provide, upon request, access to directory information by a military recruiter or institution of higher education, unless the parent specifically requests that LBL ESD withhold this information. A high school student or the parents of the student may request that the student’s name, address, and telephone listing not be released. To make this request please use the check box on the registration form or contact our office at any time.

To request student records please use our Home School Records Request Form, available through our website or by calling our office. By Oregon law, both parents (whether married, separated, or divorced) have access to the records of a student who is under 18 unless the ESD is provided evidence that there is a court order, state statute or legally binding document relating to such matters as divorce, separation, or custody that specifically revokes these rights.

For High School Students

LBL ESD does not issue credits, transcripts or diplomas for home school students. Public school districts are not required to award credit for work completed at home. The acceptance by a local public school of high school credit earned while homeschooling is determined by local district board policy (OAR 581-021-0210). Please contact your local school or district with any questions.

Home schooled students aged 16-17 years are eligible to participate in GED classes and testing through the local community college with the proper authorization forms from LBL ESD. Please call at least one week in advance of when you need the completed form. Students age 18 years and above do not need authorization forms from LBL ESD.