Homeschooling in Nova Scotia is fairly easy. All children ages 5 to 16 (re Amendment to Education Act Regulations, Section 3(1)) must be registered by September 20th of the coming school year (although if you’re starting mid-year this doesn’t apply). Registration must include:
in the case of previous public school experience, the last grade level attained; in the case of previous home education experience, the program level of achievement and estimated equivalent public school grade level; and identification of the proposed home education program” (Regulations Section 39 (2))
You may send in a letter to register with the required information, or fill out the Registration form offered by the Department of Education on their website (see link on the right sidebar). If you are registering your child for the first time, the Ministry will demand a copy of your child’s birth certificate, so you may want to include one with your registration.
In the Regulations, reference is only made to providing your children with an “educational program”. There are no stipulations as to what the “educational program” must be and can be whatever you feel is appropriate to give your child a well-rounded education. This gives you complete freedom to choose whatever materials (religious or secular) you want and to design your own program that meets your child’s needs.
In addition, homeschoolers are required to submit a report to the D.O.E. each June, “in a manner consistent with the type of program provided and which accurately reflects the child’s progress” (Regulations, Section 40). There is a form you can use for the report, or you can make your own. We make things easy by putting our registration for the following year in the envelope with our June report and then we only have to think about the requirements once a year.
Love, Luck &
Laughter,
