School Withdrawal Steps
Withdrawing from Public School:
Before withdrawing your child from public school there are four important steps to follow. If the appropriate steps are not followed, the school will most likely assume that your child is truant.
First, familiarize yourself with Illinois laws that apply to homeschools:
Second, write a letter to withdraw your child from the public school. See sample withdrawal letters:
Letter of Transfer From Public School to Private Homeschool
Letter of Withdrawal From Public School
Print at least two copies of your letter, one for the school’s permanent records and one for your own permanent records.
Third, deliver the letter to your child’s school in one of these three ways:
Go to the post office and mail the letter “return receipt requested.”
Fax the letter.
Hand deliver both copies of the letter to the school and ask the secretary or principal of the school to sign and date your copy of the letter to acknowledge receipt of the letter.
If you mail or fax your letter, staple the receipt to your letter copy for your records. The receipt proves that the school received your letter. If the school loses your paperwork, you will be able to prove your official transfer.
Please note that verbally telling a teacher/secretary/principal of your intent to homeschool is not generally seen as officially withdrawing your child from school. If the school does not receive written notification from you, you run the risk of being reported to the truancy officer.
Fourth, on your homeschool letterhead, request a “certified copy” of your child’s records and mail it to your child’s school “return receipt requested” as above. This letter must be written within 14 days of your child’s withdrawal. See our sample letter. Staple the receipt to your copy of the letter.
Questions:
What if I have already withdrawn my child from public school without following these steps?
If you withdrew your child in the spring and plan to resume schooling at home in the fall, the above withdrawal procedure can be completed over the summer.
If your child’s withdrawal took place during the school year, you should send a letter as soon as possible.
What if I am contacted by the school?
After completing these steps, you may still be contacted by the school in writing, by phone, or in person at your home. If officials call, politely ask them to put their questions in writing so that you can respond in writing. This way both parties will have a written record, and will also afford you time to plan your response.
If a truant officer or police officers come to your home, assert your fourth amendment rights and do not let them in without a signed search warrant.
If the school sends you forms to fill out, keep in mind that they are all voluntary. We do not recommend that you complete them.
What if I am withdrawing my child from a private school?
Illinois law does not require any action on the part of parents when withdrawing their children from a private or parochial school. That being said, it is wise to give some sort of written notification to the private school, even to simply state that the child will be attending a different private school. Many private schools will notify public schools if notice of enrollment elsewhere is not received.