Thinking about learning pods?

[Anonymous]

Might want to think again or make sure you stick to these guidelines:

http://marylandpublicschools.org/about/Documents/DSFSS/SSSP/HomeInstruct/HomeInstructionFAQ.pdf

9. What types of instruction may a home instruction program include?
As the provider of a home instruction program, the parent or guardian may choose to teach his or her child inside or outside of the home, and may also arrange for individualized instruction to be delivered by another person inside or outside of the home. Either way, the parent or guardian remains ultimately responsible for compliance with the home instruction regulations. The parent or guardian may utilize traditional curriculum, textbooks, unit studies, online courses, and other instructional materials or delivery methods chosen by the
parent or guardian that do not conflict with COMAR.
Some families may seek to utilize a co-op arrangement, in which a group of parents and guardians come together to provide instruction to all of their children in certain subjects or on certain days, either by dividing teaching duties among them or by collectively hiring a tutor. While this may be used to supplement a home instruction program, a co-op cannot provide regular daily instruction to an organized group of students who are not in the same family because this may constitute an unapproved nonpublic “school.” In that event, the Nonpublic
Revised: July 2020 3

Approval Branch of the Maryland State Department of Education may take action against the operator(s) of the co-op under COMAR 13A.09.09.

[Anonymous]

I'd estimate the odds of state or county action against unauthorized homeschooling right now as approximately 0.00000000%.

[Anonymous]

Aren’t these regs for parents who choose to homeschool rather than those engaging in DL or blended who choose to supplement with pods?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Might want to think again or make sure you stick to these guidelines:

http://marylandpublicschools.org/about/Documents/DSFSS/SSSP/HomeInstruct/HomeInstructionFAQ.pdf

9. What types of instruction may a home instruction program include?
As the provider of a home instruction program, the parent or guardian may choose to teach his or her child inside or outside of the home, and may also arrange for individualized instruction to be delivered by another person inside or outside of the home. Either way, the parent or guardian remains ultimately responsible for compliance with the home instruction regulations. The parent or guardian may utilize traditional curriculum, textbooks, unit studies, online courses, and other instructional materials or delivery methods chosen by the
parent or guardian that do not conflict with COMAR.
Some families may seek to utilize a co-op arrangement, in which a group of parents and guardians come together to provide instruction to all of their children in certain subjects or on certain days, either by dividing teaching duties among them or by collectively hiring a tutor. While this may be used to supplement a home instruction program, a co-op cannot provide regular daily instruction to an organized group of students who are not in the same family because this may constitute an unapproved nonpublic “school.” In that event, the Nonpublic
Revised: July 2020 3

Approval Branch of the Maryland State Department of Education may take action against the operator(s) of the co-op under COMAR 13A.09.09.

Which would be infinitely better than the "no-school" being offered by MoCo, so hard to see how the county could enforce the restriction.

[Anonymous]

I don’t know the odds, or the specifics but meant this as a psa. Personally, this is when I think they would crack down.

[Anonymous]

That's not a problem at all.

Call the "learning pod" a "child care pod". The pod is providing child care during the day, and the parents are providing the actual instruction in the evening after work.

No one reviewing your records needs to know what time of day the learning took place. They just look at a few samples of work per subject in the portfolio. No one interviews your child.

https://mdhsa.com/legal/comar/portfolio-review-faqs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd estimate the odds of state or county action against unauthorized homeschooling right now as approximately 0.00000000%.

100% agree. As long as we show good effort and our kids learn new material and are ready god the next grade I think we’ll be good.

[Anonymous]

Ready for... not ready God 🤦‍♀️

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That's not a problem at all.

Call the "learning pod" a "child care pod". The pod is providing child care during the day, and the parents are providing the actual instruction in the evening after work.

No one reviewing your records needs to know what time of day the learning took place. They just look at a few samples of work per subject in the portfolio. No one interviews your child.

https://mdhsa.com/legal/comar/portfolio-review-faqs

That does not get you out of the woods because then you’re just running an illegal daycare.

With the state needs to do is temporarily legalize learning pods or childcare for school age kids.