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Home Schooling

Dedham Public Schools follows Massachusetts General Law regarding home education and is committed to ensuring that all students receive an appropriate and comprehensive education. 

Families choosing to educate their children at home must submit a Home School Plan for review and approval. They should start by contacting Executive Assistant Janet Griffin.  Once complete, forms should be submitted to:  jgriffin@dedham.k12.ma.us

Plans are reviewed and approved by the Assistant Superintendent of Teaching & Learning, Dr. Heather Smith.

The Massachusetts General Law requires the Dedham School Committee to determine that a Home Schooling program meet with the minimum standards established for public schools in the Commonwealth prior to approving such a program.

When a parent or guardian of a student below the age of 16 wants to establish a home-based educational program for his/her 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:
1.  The proposed curriculum and the number of hours of instruction in each of the proposed subjects.
2.  The competency of the parents to teach the children,
3.  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.
4.  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.