Christian Home Educators of KY Blog

  On Monday, May 14, 2018, a mother took her homeschool student to take her permit test. Unfortunately, the Pike County Circuit Clerk office stated that in order to allow the student to take the permit test, the Clerk’s office would need a letter from “the homeschool program” the student is enrolled in as proof she is homeschooled. Knowing this is not the procedure outlined by the Kentucky Department of Transportation, the family left. They communicated with CHEK on Tuesday evening about the incident. CHEK Board member Devonne Bolin called the Pike County Clerk’s office on Wednesday, May 16. After speaking with the clerk, who did reiterate that the homeschool family needed to bring a letter of proof before the student could take the test, Devonne explained the actual steps outlined by the KDT. Devonne also explained that independent home educators do not use a specific program from which they would be able to obtain a letter. The only letter homeschoolers submit is to th...

On Tuesday, I was in Frankfort, Kentucky with CHEK Board Members, a local support group leader, and our local affiliated attorney, A.C. Donahue, to meet with the Legislative Research Commission. The LRC has received a request from at least one legislator to review the homeschool laws of Kentucky and the surrounding states. While the LRC stated that they don’t have a particular agenda, it appears clear that this review of Kentucky homeschool law is related to House Bill 574 that Rep. Harris introduced earlier this year. As you remem ber, that bill would have dramatically changed the homeschool law in Kentucky. In their review of state law, the LRC reached out to CHEK and asked them to present information about homeschooling. CHEK in turn invited us to be involved in the meeting along with Mr. Donahue and a local homeschool leader. The meeting lasted nearly 3 hours and we all were able to provide plenty of information to give the LRC an accurate picture of the status of hom...

HB574 , an act relating to homeschool, was submitted to the House on February 27 by Representative Chris Harris , and is currently awaiting discussion in the House Education Committee. We have not seen a bill that so aggressively attacks our freedom to home educate in more than eight years. If this bill became law, it would drastically transform the face of private home education in Kentucky. It is CHEK’s stance that bills, such as these, are unnecessary and ultimately harmful to homeschoolers as they further increase the state's control of the education and upbringing of our children. CHEK is actively communicating our concerns to the House Education Committee. We encourage you to contact your legislators to let them know your concerns for HB 574 . If this pro posed bill became law, i t would: Create a legal definition of homeschool in Kentucky. Require parents to submit and affidavit to the Kentucky Department of Education, on an annual basis, verifying each child ...

CHEK is excited to announce the upcoming Homeschool Day at the Capitol in association with Christians at the Capitol on Friday, February 9, 2018.  With demolition of the old convention center it has made planning a bit difficult this year, but what is difficult for man is not a problem for God!  This year, all events will take place on the Capitol grounds .  Please, be sure to enter through the main entrance, or make your way there to pick up a packet, including a map of the Capitol grounds. Start the day off at 9AM in the Capitol building watching your State government at work, or take advantage of the self-guided tour with a downloadable audio recording of Chaplain, Lee Watts, educational home education tour. There are tickets available at the Capitol to sit in on both the House of Representative Chamber or the Senate Chamber.  Let your statesman know that your family will be there, and ask for a time to meet with them.  Also, your child may want to se...

Arguments I most often hear or read from people in favor of more government oversight of home schoolers come from a misunderstanding of two things.  Let’s see if we can get those cleared up. The first argument goes something like this: “Most home schoolers are doing a good job, but we both know that some parents take their kids out of school to ‘home school’ when they get in trouble or are about to fail a grade and then don’t school them.  Those kids are slipping through the cracks.  Surely, most home schoolers wouldn’t mind a little extra oversight if it would help locate those kids whose parents aren’t doing a good job.” No and yes. No, those are not home schoolers.  Those are truants.  There are already laws on the books in every state to fight truancy.  All the education personnel, law enforcement, and court designated workers have to do is use the truancy laws already in existence to prosecute those who are breaking compulsory ...

The purpose of CHEK has always been to preserve the freedom of private home educators as well as parental rights in Kentucky. CHEK opposed HB 58 in its original language. To protect private schools operating in homes, CHEK leadership met with legislators to discuss concerns. Reaching an agreement, we are very thankful the sponsor of the bill for amending the language to protect our private school status and to specify all that will be required of private educators at home is a scholarship report (report card). We have moved back to a neutral position. New Language: "Homeschool" which is not defined in Kentucky law, as we are a private school state was amended to "Private school at home". "Adhere to the same academic standards as other participants verified by submission of quarterly scholarship reports provided to the public school offering the extracurricular activity in which the student will participate" You can view the debate of this bil...

Kentucky is a private school state, meaning there are no "homeschool" laws on the books! Yes, you read that right! Pioneer homeschool leaders were wise to think ahead 25 years ago when the case of private church schools and homeschooling arose. Hang in here with me for just a minute and you will understand the connection between this statement and the forms. Your homeschool is a private school that operates in your home, the exact same as the local parochial or private church schools. Have you heard the phrase, "There is strength in numbers", or "A three cord strand cannot be broken"? We fall under private school laws. Of course, the 4th amendment gives us right to privacy in our home (yea!). Many people do not understand this about our Kentucky laws, and this was the perfect opportunity to interject. Now about the forms, federal law requires that the state send every (yep, you guessed it) private school these forms; if they do not get a response t...

Join us for Homeschool Day at the Capitol Friday, February 10, 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. This event coincides with Christians at the Capital  at the Convention Center from 12:30-3:30 Hosted by God and Country Ministry      Christian Home Educators of Kentucky invites homeschool families to join us in the lobby of the Capitol Building between 9:00 and 10:30 a.m. EST, Friday, February 10th.  Every fifteen minutes a new guided tour will begin; the tour will last approximately thirty minutes. Children will enjoy keeping their eye out for sixteen items in the Capitol, when they receive their I Spy cards in the lobby. Kentucky history, state government, and the history of home education in Kentucky, are all topics that will be presented on the tour.  At 10:30, there will be a photo opportunity with the Lt. Governor, Jenean Hampton, and possibly the Governor, Matt Bevin in the rotunda.  We encourage everyone to contact the office of the...

We have received a personal invitation from Cody Patterson, Communications Director for Lt Gov Hampton, to attend the launching of the brand new contest for Kentucky High School students promoting entrepreneurial skills. What: Kick Off of Entrepreneurial Contest for KY HS students When:  Monday, Aug. 29, 2016, 10:00 - 11:00 am Where: Rotunda of the Capitol in Frankfort, KY The website with all the information is almost ready to be live, but below are a few details of the contest. Students will submit a written business plan, with an opportunity to do a “pitch.”  Two winners will be chosen from each of five regions, with ten competing in the final competition for the top 2 to 3 spots.  Currently, $80,000 in prizes have been donated, with fundraising still ongoing.  Prize money will be able to be used for scholarship to a Kentucky college or university or to actually launch the business. It’s exciting to see the Lt Governor and her f...

The time of year will be quickly approaching to notify your school district of your private school!  This is the first step in creating an official private school in your home.  We receive many questions about this step, and encourage you to read the following information, including eight of the most common questions with answers. Here is a sample copy of the  Letter of Notification .  You can see that  KRS 159.160  states, “The reports shall be made within the two weeks of the beginning of each school year.”  So, if your school begins on Monday, August 3, your letter needs to arrive at the office of the Superintendent by Friday, August 14, the end of the second school week.  You can find the address and name of the Superintendent in this  Kentucky School Directory .  This is a 2021 directory.   You can also look at your district's website. .   As in the past, CHEK recommends that ...

Every summer, we see more school districts send out packets, many times encouraging you to fill out the forms included in place of your letter of notification.  CHEK advises all parents to send your letter of notification within the first two weeks of school in your district, as outlined in the law and Best Practice Document.  Here are two concerns we have with many of these packets. Request for information is overreaching.                                             The Letter of Notification requires:    Parent’s names   Address of location of school    Name of school, child’s name and age              Recent packets sent by districts have asked for one or more of the following:                            ...

QOD: Are there any private high schools in the area that allow homeschoolers to play on their sport teams? CHEK Answers: There is a Christian homeschool athletic team; you can find out more at Home for His Glory. http://homeforhisglory.com Suggestion: Try contacting a local private school to see if they allow homeschool students to participate on their teams. Homeschools are considered private schools in Kentucky. For CHEK's official position on homeschoolers at sports participation in public schools visit here:  http://chek.wildapricot.org/Discussion_forum/769348 To ask questions, get support, and more, visit www.CHEK.org   

Event takes place right here on Facebook in this event! Join WAHM's (Work at Home Mom) from around the Kentuckiana area as they share what they do, how they do it, and manage their homeschooling life! When?  Monday, May 30, 2016, 7 PM Where? Facebook Just sign in to your Facebook and join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/kentuckyhomeschooling/ Then you can join our FREE event:  https://www.facebook.com/events/1695071087426776/

So You’ve Decided to Homeschool! Now what? D.Bradley Here is some direction for those of you who have decided to home educate, but you don’t know where to start. 1. Start with your kids This is going to be a boring and fruitless endeavor if you don’t have any kids to educate. If you do, take a look at them.   Not one of those motherly bruise-inventories or an investigation into what they’ve been eating by inspecting the corners of their mouths, but a good, quiet observation of them.   Think about what they’re like, what their gifts and talents are, what they enjoy, what they don’t.   Who are they?   (We know you’ve asked this question of yourself before, like after the deafening crash at the supermarket or after you found the harmonica-shaped hole in the living room wall, but we don’t mean it that way now.)   Who is this little person? Fact: every child is different, and no single approach is best for all kids. But that’s what’s great ...