Need Advice in NM

by Heather Seilheimer
(Roswell NM)

My son is in the 8th grade and has always been in public school. He's never had a problem in any school he has ever attended and we've moved quite a bit the last 3 years. We recently moved to New Mexico and he has been at his current school for 3 weeks. This is a very bad school and he was in 2 fights in 5 days, (kids fighting him). He was suspended for fighting back so I pulled him from the school and decided to try to home school him. He is able to obtain a zone exemption to go to a different school but its so far away it will cost me $150 in gas each month to drop him off and pick him up.

My question is: New Mexico has very lax laws on home schooling. We are only required to show a calendar of his work, to prove he schooled for 180 days but not required to do testing or show his academic scores. My question is, will he be able to enroll in high school next year and home school for 8th grade the rest of this year? I've ordered him the required books for this year and plan to start him on Monday. I just want to be sure that if he home schools this year and I take him to register next year at the high school that they won't say, "Where's the proof that he learned what he needed thru the year."

I hope someone can help because I can't find the answer anywhere and not sure who else to ask.

Thanks in advance,
Heather

Reply to Need Advice in NM:

I have never had to pull my children from the public school (nor enter them), so if anyone out there living in New Mexico has advice for Heather, please reply here.

Heather, have you contacted the Public Education Department in New Mexico? Here is their website: http://ped.state.nm.us/ped/index.html Every state is different, they may go so far as to test him or enroll him no questions asked. This site may also be helpful: www.hslda.org

Make sure you also file the necessary forms with New Mexico for homeschooling, otherwise he will be considered truant.

Wish I could be of more help, but maybe someone out there has been down that road and would be willing to share. All the best to you.