From the Utah State Board of Education:
Parents shall annually submit a signed affidavit to the school age child’s school district of residence stating that the child will attend home school and will receive instruction in the subjects the State Board of Education requires and for the same length of time minors are required to be taught in public schools, as determined by the State Board of Education rules. The form of the affidavit is not specified in the statute, so a school district might provide a form to parents, but a school district that requires a specific form or format for the affidavit is exceeding the requirements of the statute.
A school district that requires additional information (beyond minimum information needed to identify the parents and child, e.g. parent’s name, child’s name, address) or adds prerequisites to the process for exemption as described in the statute is exceeding the bounds of its authority.
Boards excusing minors from attendance as provided by the statute shall issue a certificate stating that the minor is excused from attendance during the time specified on the certificate. While there is no statutory requirement for a time line for issuing the certificate, as a matter of good practice, certificates should be issued in a timely manner.
The district has no authority or responsibility relative to any of the above. In fact, the curriculum, assessment, selection of home school instruction, and the time and place of instruction are all the parent’s sole responsibility. |