Springfield Public Schools recognizes and respects the right of parents or guardians to educate their child/children at home in accordance with Massachusetts General Law Chapter 76, Section 1 and the 1987 SJC decision, Care and Protection of Charles.
Springfield Public Schools appreciates the personal and cultural uniqueness of each family and strives to ensure that the process by which school officials review and accept Home School Notification Forms is both lawful and equitable.
The Massachusetts General Law requires the Springfield Public Schools to determine that a Home School program meets the minimum standards established for public schools in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts prior to approving such a program.
Massachusetts’ compulsory attendance law provides that school age children between the ages of 6 and 16 must attend a recognized and/or approved school or be educated in some other way that is approved in advance by the local school district.
If you intend to home school your child/children, your child/children must be registered with the Springfield Public Schools. Register Your Student Here.
The parent/guardian must submit a written notification of the establishment of the home school program to the appropriate administrator. Notifications Forms will be reviewed the first and third weeks of the month. You will be contacted if the Home School program is accepted or if more information is required. Once a student’s Notification Form is accepted, Massachusetts law requires evidence of yearly academic progress along with annual notification including an updated educational plan that is required by June 30 for the next school year.
Notification Forms are available here: ENGLISH SPANISH ARABIC SOMALI SWAHILI VIETNAMESE NEPALI
Home School Process for Families Wishing to Home School
Step 1: Residency must be confirmed for all school-aged children in Springfield. If the students are presently registered in a Springfield Public School, you can move to step 2.
If a student is new to Springfield and not registered with the Springfield Public Schools, you will need to complete the Short Form registration form and supporting documents and submit to Student Assignment Services (SAS).
This can be done:
- By contacting Student Assignment Services (SAS) at 413-787-6959, or
- By going to Student Assignment Services (SAS) office located at 91 School Street, Springfield, MA.
Step 2: Complete the Home School Notification Form and provide all supporting documents and submit to the Office of Instruction (one form and supporting documents must be submitted for each child being Home Schooled).
The Notification Form and all supporting documents may be emailed to the Home School Office at [email protected] or mailed to:
Office of Instruction at Springfield Public Schools c/o Home School
1550 Main Street, 3rd Floor
Springfield, MA 01103.
Step 3: If the student has an IEP, contact Pupil Services/Special Education department at 413-787-7100 ext. 55632 for support.
Step 4: By June 30th of each year for each child, please email or mail evidence of annual academic progress for each child and complete an Annual Notification Form with supporting documents to the Home School Office.
Home School Office [email protected], or mail to:
Office of Instruction at Springfield Public Schools c/o Home School
1550 Main Street, 3rd Floor
Springfield, MA 01103.
Step 5: Upon review of the Annual Notification Form, you will be contacted by the Home School Office stating if your Home School program is accepted or if more information or additional documentation is needed.
Important Reminders:
1. It is important that you notify th6 Home School Office if you would like to withdraw your child from Home Schooling for any reasons including but not limited to:
*Relocation out of Springfield
*Re-enrolling in a Public, Private, or Charter School
*Completion of all grade level standards (Graduate of the Home School program)
2. Please contact Student Assignment Services (SAS) if you have had a change of address, please update with Student Assignment Services within 5 days of the move.
Additional Information
A student in grades 1-12 being educated in a home-based program within the Springfield Public Schools may have access to Special Education.
A student in grades 1-12 being educated in a home-based program within the Springfield does not have access to any Springfield Public School classes during the school day.
Home-educated students do not participate in state testing programs such as MCAS.
Springfield Public Schools are not responsible to supply textbooks or instructional materials to homeschooling students.
A student in grades 9-12 being educated in a home-based program within the Springfield Public Schools may have access organized sports teams if there is space available. Please contact Student Assignment Services (SAS) for information: 413-787-6595
If a work permit is needed for a student registered in a Home School Program, please contact Student Assignment Services: 413-787-6959.
A complete copy of the district's Home School policy is available here:
SPS Homeschooling Policy
Resources for Home Schooling
Link to the Massachusetts standards guides for families: https://www.doe.mass.edu/highstandards/default.html
MHLA-MA Home Learning https://www.mhla.org/networking-support/resources
https://www.thehomeschoolmom.com/local-support/
http://a2zhomeschooling.com/abc_homeschooling/homeschooling_a/
http://www.pearsonhomeschool.com/
https://www.education.com/
http://teachingtextbooks.com/
https://www.turtlediary.com/
https://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/regs.html
Alternative to Home Schooling
As an alternative to Home Schooling, the parent/guardian may want to consider one of the accredited virtual schools. If this alternative is chosen, there is no need to submit a Home School Notification Form.
TEC Connections Academy Commonwealth Virtual School, 774-315-5123,
https://www.connectionsacademy.com/massachusetts-virtual-school/
The Greater Commonwealth Virtual School, 413-475-3879,
https://www.gcvs.org
Springfield Public School Virtual Program, 413-750-2011,
https://springfieldvirtual.springfieldpublicschools.com