Appendix B: Notification of a Home-based Education Program

A home-based education program is an educational program:

-that is provided to a student who has attained the age of 6 years but not attained the age of 18 years;
- that is started at the initiative of and is under the direction of the parents of the student; and,
- in which the student is receiving instruction at and from the home of the student.

Parents mean parents, guardians, or lawful custodians of a student between the ages of 6 and 17 inclusive.

Parents who elect to provide a home-based education program to a student of compulsory school age (ages 7 to 15 inclusive) are required to notify a registering authority on the present prescribed form before commencing their program.

Parents who are providing a home-based education program for a student aged 6, 16, or 17 (i.e. not of compulsory school age) are entitled to have their program registered with a registering authority.

A registering authority means either:

- the board of education of the school division in which the parents of the student are resident pursuant to The Education Act, 2005
- Saskatchewan Ministry of Education

No aspect of this notification is intended to diminish or to infringe on the right of parents to educate their children at and from their home in accordance with their conscientious beliefs, subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law that can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.
Conscientious beliefs mean sincerely-held religious or philosophical beliefs.

Parents shall provide notification of their intent to provide their children with a home-based education program:

- at least 30 days before commencing a new home-based education program in September of a given year, and in any event by August 15 of that year;

- at least 30 days before the oldest student on the program turns seven years of age;

- within 30 days of establishing residence in a new school division; or - at least 30 days before intending to withdraw a student of compulsory school age from a public school, separate school, fransaskois school, or registered independent school.

A registering authority may not refuse to register a home-based education program on the grounds that the parents failed to comply with one of the above 30-day requirements, where a reasonable attempt to comply was made.

Parents shall attach their written educational plan to their notification form.

Parents are required to complete only one notification form and one written educational plan for their home-based education program, no matter how many students are receiving instruction on the program. However, the registering authority will register each student on the program individually.

In the first instance, parents must notify the board of education of the school division in which they are resident of their intent to educate their children on a home-based education program. If parents send their notification form and written educational plan to Saskatchewan Ministry of Education, they must provide compelling reasons for doing so.

Please provide the name, gender, date of birth, last school each student attended, the year and the grade level completed.

Please provide the name, address, telephone number and email of the parent(s) who are responsible for and who are directing the home-based education program. In case of the two-parent families, either one parent or both parents may be responsible for the home-based education program.

The parent or parents who are responsible for and directing the home-based education program must lawfully have charge and custody of each student on the home-based education program. If applicable, explain any circumstances such as guardianship, separation, or divorce which relates to the charge and custody of the student(s) on the program.

We (or I) affirm that the above information is complete and correct. - We (or I) affirm that we (or I) accept the control, direction, and management of the home-based education program. - We (or I) affirm that we (or I) accept the responsibility for the education of the students on the home-based education program. - We (or I) affirm our intention to comply with the written educational plan that is attached to this notification form. - We (or I) understand that a false declaration represents grounds for not registering the home-based education program, or for suspending or cancelling the registration at some future date.

This notification is in compliance with the Act, Regulations and the policies and this home-based education program is hereby registered.

In accordance with subsection 26(2) of The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, you are advised that the information on this form is being collected solely for the purpose of the registration of your home-based education program. Personal information will not be disclosed except in compliance with the Act.