In August, I received a call from the Superintendent of the Haines Borough School District (HBSD). The Alaska Department of Education (AKDOE) was evaluating average yearly progress (AYP) for schools around the state for No Child Left Behind, and they had a problem with Aly’s enrollment status.
When we began unschooling Aly on the homestead, we did so under the umbrella of the Haines High School Correspondence Program. We listed Aly’s educational goals each semester, and evaluated her progress in meeting them. The school awarded credit, and offered a generous stipend for educational materials. In return, the school counted Aly as a portion of one student toward enrollment goals. We liked the arrangement, and it worked well until AKDOE tightened some of the rules. HBSD changed the arrangement to ensure they remained in compliance, which resulted in less freedom for Aly, more reporting, and more work for the HBSD faculty. After careful consideration we withdrew Aly from HBSD and continued her education alone, as allowed by state law. Continue reading