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Yukon

Parents wishing to homeschool a child in the Yukon must send a registration to the Aurora Virtual School (AVS). The AVC is responsible for registering, and supporting home education programs in the Yukon. The parent must provide an education plan outlining learning activities, curriculum and learning materials, and school board resources which the parent intends to utilize in the program. The education plan must receive approval. Students are expected to take the Yukon Foundation Skills Assessments in grade 4 and 7. Students may receive credit for the courses they complete at home, home educated students are also eligible to write the grade 12 departmental exams and receive a graduation diploma.

Notice:

Section 31 of the Education Act requires parents to register children of compulsory age which they intent to home educate. Registration is conducted by the Aurora Virtual School (AVS). The AVS Home Education Guidelines state that parents must register any child they intend to home educate. The Registration Form must be completed and sent to the Aurora Virtual School. Parents must register, re-register, or withdraw their students by May 15th each year. Families choosing to home educate partway through the school must send in the paperwork at least two weeks prior to beginning the home education program.

Qualifications:

An educational plan must be provided along with the registration. The Aurora Virtual School’s Home Education Guidelines specify that the plan must include an outline of education program & learning activities which must follow the British Columbia curriculum learning outcomes (also followed by Yukon schools). The plan must also address the requirements outlined in the Education Act section 30.2 or listed in the Home Education Regulation:

List of textbooks & materials to be used
List of resources managed by the School Board which the applicant may wish to access
If the plan includes using equipment or facilities of a local school, include a proposed schedule for the use of the equipment.

The education plan can include cross-enrollment allowing the student to take some courses at either a local school, or the plan may utilize distance learning opportunities.

The educational plan must include a detailed one-year plan, and a brief, more general two year plan for the student’s education. If major changes are made to the education plan, the AVS should be notified.

The education plan must be submitted by September 15th of each year.

Approval

If the education plan does not meet the requirements of the Education Act, an explanation will be given outlining why the plan was not approved. Recommendations for remedying the proposal will be provided.

Once the plan is approved, the parent will be promptly notified.

Days or Hours:

None

Subjects:

None

Bookkeeping:

The Home Education Guidelines instruct parents to regularly assess their students and to maintain a portfolio of student work. A portfolio should include: evaluations, activities, notes, work samples, grading rubrics, and the dates on which tests and activities were completed.

Assessments:

Home educated students are expected to take the Yukon Foundation Skills Assessments in grade 4 and 7. Exemptions from these exams must be approved by Yukon Education following discussion with AVS. The exams are to inform students and instructors of strengths and weaknesses in the areas of reading, writing and numeracy.

Students intending to graduate high school must write 5 BC provincial exams. These will be taken at the conclusion of Grade 10 Language Arts, Grade 10 Mathematics, Grade 10 Science, grade 10 Social studies, and grade 11/12 English/Communications.

At the request of a home educator, home educated students have the option of participating in assessments including Early Years Evaluation, District Assessment of Reading, School Wide Writes and other assessments similar to those offered to public school students.

Services Available:

Materials, Equipment & Facilities

Depending on availability, home educated students may access facilities, equipment and materials owned by a local school as part of their education plan. A fee may be required for use of these resources.

Financial Support

Parents may be reimbursed up to $1,200 per child each for qualifying costs. Qualifying expenses include resource materials, workbooks, equipment, entrance fees for field trips and other costs directly associated with meeting goals outlined in the education plan. For a complete listing of accepted costs see page 13 of the Home Education Handbook.

Tutoring

The AVS offers tutoring support for home educated students.

Students with Disabilities

Parents home educating students with disabilities are responsible for meeting those needs. AVS has a school-based team which will help in the areas of assisting with resource procurement, discussing individualized student needs, and may make referrals to the Student Support Services branch of Yukon Education. The AVS school-based team also meets regularly to provide advice and assistance in planning for a student with special needs.

Cross – Enrollment

Home educated students may attend classes offered by a local school so long as there is a place available in the course. Parents should make a written application for cross-enrollment to the AVS and meet with the local school officials to discuss availability of the course. Proper steps for applying, and determining the placement of the student should be followed.

Access to Activities

Home educated students who are cross-enrolled in a local school may make direct requests to participate in activities such as field trips, sports teams, clubs, and extracurricular events. Students who are not cross-enrolled should make their requests to the ACV who will arrange for the student to participate in extracurriculars at a local school. Participation will depend upon the parent’s ability to arrange transportation, the ability to demonstrate that the activity is relevant to the approved home education plan, and that participation will not limit the participation of the school’s full-time students.

Achievement Testing

Achievement testing may be provided by the Department if the parent makes a written request or demonstrates a need for testing.

Distributed Learning

Online learning opportunities are available for all Yukon students. Students should first access the courses available online through the AVS. If the AVS does not offer the desired course, the AVS will facilitate enrollment with a partner distance learning school which would fulfill Yukon Education standards.

Some fees for home educated students accessing DL courses are covered by Yukon Education. For grades 1-7, four core courses will be covered. For grades 8-12 up to two concurrent DL courses will be covered. With approval, students who have demonstrated success with DL courses may take up to two additional courses per semester.

Yukon

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