homeschooling

[Guest guest]

, I think it depends on local law (in the U.S., it would be a

matter of state law). Illinois (my state) has very liberal

homeschooling laws: a homeschool family is considered a private

school, and as long as they teach, in English, the subjects required

by the state they are pretty much left alone. Other states have

various requirements, including registration, record keeping,

curriculum oversight by a certified teacher, testing, and so forth.

The Homeschool Legal Defense Association would be a good place to

find out whether the kind of arrangement you described (one family

homeschooling another family's child) is legal in their specific

location.

As far as whether this arrangement would work out as a practical

matter, I think it could, depending on the homeschooling family, the

child in question, and the curriculum. I think homeschooling can

work very well for a child with OCD, because homeschooling is very

low stress and flexible, and it is very easy to reinforce therapy at

home. Subjects can be taught in a way that is optimal for each

child's learning style, and at a pace suitable for his or her

endurance level.

As you know, I homeschool my 11yo (with OCD) and it has been very

successful for this particular child. My 15yo (with TS) attends a

public high school. As you can see, we believe that it depends on

the child, on the family, and on the alternatives available locally.

I'd be happy to answer any other questions about homeschooling and

OCD, although after just two years I'm hardly an expert yet!