Home School Corner: PED Notification Deadline Approaching

Home School Corner

Because of the dramatic influx of families choosing to home-educate their children, rather than follow the public school online option due to COVID, the CWM thought a little "Home School Corner" might be helpful and encouraging, particularly for new-to-homeschool families! Every Thursday we hope to have a little post with tips, recommendations, encouragement, testimony, and resources for those in our body who are called to this form of discipleship in their homes. We hope you enjoy the new Home School Corner! --CWM Social Media Team

Hey, home school friends! Whether your new to this home school stuff or a seasoned veteran, it's time to notify the state of your intent to homeschool! (This does not apply to students following the public school online COVID plan; only for parents withdrawing or not entering their children in the public school system).

Since there are so many new home school families this year, remember: in the great state of New Mexico, parents are required to notify the state of the intent to home school either by August 1 or within 30 days of establishing a new home school. This includes any child, kindergarten and up (if they turn five before September 1). See more details about homeschooling requirements in New Mexico here. 

You can register online at the Public Education Department Website or you can print out a form to mail in (we recommend registering the letter and keep the receipt for your records, if you choose to mail your form).

PLEASE NOTE: on the form, you will see an place to "opt out" of the NM Statewide Unique Identifier. This is a numbering system the PED uses to track students in their system, including students who utilize part-time public school resources. I recommend choosing to opt out, because this system is pointless and potentially intrusive based on past fluctuations of PED policy. If you ever do decide to utilize public school resources (either partially or fully), you will be given a number then, so there is no need whatsoever to allow for the extra tracking measures before/until it's necessary. If your student has already been in the public school system, they already are already a part of the NM Statewide Unique ID system, and you can disregard this.

I was chatting this week with a lady from our church who was one of the pioneer home school mamas in New Mexico, back when they were fighting to make home schooling legal and recognized by the state. She's a grandma now, (nursing her very ill husband; you might pray for them!) and she is very active in her grandkids' education even now. Our conversation reminded me what a gift of God that we have, with the freedom to disciple our children at home in this way. We know not everyone has the vocation to home school, but we are so grateful for the way God has provided for those of us who are given this calling (and we do think it's a calling of the Lord!) The fact that we have freedom from extensive government oversight in New Mexico truly is a blessing from God. 

Don't forget to notify the state, and have a great home school year!