But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as EAGLES they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint… Isaiah 40:31.

           

             

LEgal Aspect

Negotiations With School Administration:
Where Do We Draw the Line?

3) Evaluation Procedures

The two preceding articles enabled us to understand that internal school board regulations and policy do not have force of law. Article 15(4) of the Education Act dealing with home education in particular is to be interpreted in a parent-friendly manner. A child's parents are in a position to determine what is best for that child's education, including evaluation methods and procedures.

To start with, let us go back to Article 15(4) of the Québec Education Act:

15. The following students are exempt from compulsory school attendance:

A student who is provided at home, instruction and a learning experience, which, according to an evaluation made by or for the school board, are equivalent to what is provided at school.

In French, the text reads "by the school board or at its request", which would seem to give less leeway that the English text. When this becomes an issue, the French text prevails.

Evaluation: Who? What?

What exactly must be evaluated? The instruction given and the educational experience, or the actual learning taking place? Usually, school administrators will agree that the child’s progress is to be evaluated. However, some may also wish to "evaluate" the actual programme of study or resources being used. Some have asked to "evaluate" the parents' capability to actually teach! Still others insist that the child be present for in-school exams, from once to four times a year, sometimes at the parents' expense: from $15 to 40$ per exam per child! In light of this, exactly who should be evaluating the child? In order to answer this question, let us see more precisely what evaluation is.

The dictionary defines “evaluate” as:

To determine or fix the value of; to determine the significance, worth or condition of, by careful appraisal and study.

Therefore, it would seem obvious that an in-school exam is not the only way to determine the significance and value of a child's learning experience.

In-School Evaluation : What Can Be Done?

Just think about it for a minute: Is it sound pedagogical practice to impose upon a child to pass exams in an unfamiliar environment, surrounded by children he or she may not know, who's eyes curiously follow his or her every move? (My own son experienced this). Will that child be able to correctly follow guidelines given by a teacher that he or she is not familiar with and that probably uses a different terminology or sentence structure in giving explanations than that which the child is used to hearing at home? I remember when my daughter, eight years old at the time, burst into tears while doing a math exam (luckily, she was at home!). Try as she might, she just could not comprehend the drawings that were supposed to represent mathematical equations : it was up to her to find which ones! Funny thing was, neither could I -- I would have probably failed the evaluation intended for parents! :-)

One cannot measure home schooling methods and practices in light of the traditional school approach. Verbal and written instructions, coupled with the child's previous learning experience, his/her temperament, age, etc. are all factors that must be taken into consideration. Also, families doing multi-level, age-integrated studies, where children work on the same theme at the same time at their own level of learning, cannot go for the traditional evaluation route. Their children would be confronted with being evaluated on subject matter they might not have covered that particular year.

If, for your children, you do not mind having in-school evaluations done, it might be wise to consider the possible outcomes of such a procedure. Most home schooling parents are not interested in such a precedent being established. Experienced home schoolers and authors in North America are unanimous in saying that, once the door is open to compromise in school board/parent negotiations, there will always be families who will, in turn, find themselves disadvantaged. After all, there are as many ways to home school as there are families home schooling.

Ideally : A Portfolio Review

It is strongly recommended that a portfolio be prepared during the child's school year demonstrating progress in his/her learning experience. This would include samples of student work, educational field trips, family outings, etc. One mother (of several children) walked into the local school principal's office with two huge boxes packed with evidence! Take photographs, write a daily journal (older children can do this themselves), document everything you do as a family who is learning together. Anything your child does for the first time up until the skill is mastered is also part of his/her learning experience, including baking bread, doing laundry, planning the family garden, etc.

Standardized Testing : Very Much Appreciated

Several families avail themselves of a standardized testing service. These tests will indicate the child's level of achievement in comparison with other children his/her age across the country. They are also a helpful tool in assessing a child's strengths and weaknesses in certain areas, allowing parents to tailor their teaching programme according to that child's particular needs

Parents may contact www.wisechoiceeducationalservices.com for this type of testing, as well as more specialized testing for children with special needs.

A Credible Evaluation Procedure

If you wish to personally document evaluation results - just in case - it is advisable to hire the services of a third party, a Québec-certified teacher, outside the immediate family. This person will obviously be supportive of home schooling and will be able to put your child at ease in a testing situation done at home. The evaluation need not be a formal exam, especially in the lower grades, but a portfolio review. The teacher can then provide you with a letter for the school board certifying that your child has made progress during the school year.

If All This Doesn't Work...

What if school administration doesn't agree with your approach to your child's education, including evaluation procedures? The steps to take are the same as those outlined in the second article of this series dealing with school board negotiations.

It is worth repeating that Home School Legal Defence membership is a must, for your peace of mind and by solidarity to other home schoolers in Québec and across Canada. There is much work to be done with school boards who impose on parents their interpretation of "evaluation". In the past two years, HSDLA has had to intervene many times for its member-families with respect to this and, up until now, has been successful in its endeavours. Let's stick together and clearly let the school boards know that evaluation procedures, as part of a child's education, are also the parents' responsibility. 

Next "Youth Protection Services Intervention"

For other information on this topic :

ACPEQ’S position

See also :

Excerpts from Previous “Communiqués”

Curriculum Constraints in Québec: The Strangling of Religious Freedom

MELS Representation

What the Law Says... and What It Doesn't !

Two Concepts and Two Perspectives: School at Home vs Homeschooling