IHBG
SHUTESBURY SCHOOL COMMITTEE
HOME SCHOOLING
The Massachusetts General Law requires the School Committee to determine that a Home Schooling program meets with the minimum standards established for public schools in the Commonwealth prior to approving such a program.
The Shutesbury School Committee recognizes the right of parents and guardians to educate their child(ren) at home. The School Committee appreciates the personal and cultural uniqueness of each family and desires to ensure that the process by which school officials approve and review home education programs is both lawful and equitable. Therefore, the School Committee establishes this home education policy.
When a parent or guardian of a student below the age of 16 wants to establish a home-based educational program for their child, the following procedures shall be followed in accordance with the law:
Prior to removing the child from public school:
The parent/guardian must submit written notification of establishment of the home-based program to the appropriate administrator 14 days before the program is established, and resubmit notification on an annual basis as long as the child or children are being educated in a home-based environment.
The parent/guardian must certify in writing, on a form provided by the District, the name, age, place of residence, and number of hours of attendance of each child in the program.
The Superintendent shall give the notice to produce records required by law if there is probable cause to believe the program is not in compliance with the law. Factors to be considered by the Superintendent or School Committee in deciding whether or not to approve a home education proposal may be:
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The proposed curriculum and the number of hours of instruction in each of the proposed subjects.
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The competency of the parents/guardian to teach the children,
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The textbooks, workbooks and other instructional aids to be used by the children and the lesson plans and teaching manuals to be used by the parents/guardian.
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Periodic standardized testing of the children to ensure educational progress and the attainment of minimum standards.
A student being educated in a home-based program within the District may have access to public school activities of either a curricular or extracurricular nature upon approval of the Superintendent.*
SOURCE: MASC - Updated 2023
LEGAL REFS.: M.G.L. 69:1D; 76:1, Care and Protection of Charles
Care and Protections of Charles - MASS. Supreme Judicial Court 399 Mass. 324 (1987)
*Note: The highlighted final paragraph is an option for the district, not a requirement.
12/18/25: Updated MASC policy reviewed and edited by Shutesbury School Committee
1/20/26: Policy reviewed by Shutesbury Policy Committee
2/12/26 First Read by Shutesbury School Committee
3/19/26:Second Read, First Vote by Shutesbury School Committee
4/16/26: Final Vote by Shutesbury School Committee