Education, Citizenship and Youth
Schools in Manitoba
Home Schooling
If you choose to home school your child(ren), please contact the Home Schooling office at the address below. The office will be able to supply you with the Notification Package, plus other information that you will need.
John Shaw
Home Schooling Liaison Officer
Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth
Telephone: (204) 328-5408
Toll-Free: 1 866 550-4818
Fax: (204) 328-5404
Email: homeschooling@gov.mb.ca
Choosing to Educate Your Children at Home
In Manitoba, parents may choose to have their child(ren) educated in one of three ways:
- attendance at a public school
- attendance at a private school
- means of home schooling
If a parent chooses to home school students, the education program may be presented to students on an individual basis, or by having students grouped together, without the formal structure of a private school. The person(s) providing the education can be the parent(s), or someone whom the parents have selected to provide the education.
Curriculum Options for Home Schoolers
In terms of teaching curricula, parents may choose to follow one of three different routes:
- Independent Study Option
The Independent Study Option offers course materials and marking services for grades 7-12. Print based courses can be taken in two ways; by course materials set out in lesson-by-lesson format with marking services, or resource packages without marking services. Grade 7 and 8 courses are offered in Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science and Basic French. At the grade 9-12 level, additional options are available along with the core areas. For further information, call toll-free 1 800 465-9915.
- Christian-Based Curricula
There are a number of Christian-based curricula being used by home schooling parents (e.g., A Beka, Alpha-Omega, School of Tomorrow). Most programs are laid out in a lesson-by-lesson format. Some programs offer external marking services, while others do not. If you would like to discuss this option further, you may wish to contact the Home Schooling office, the Manitoba Association of Christian Home Schoolers, or Hearth Families Incorporated.
- Child Centered Instruction
Parents may also use a child-centered approach. In these cases, parents may elect to use print and non-print materials from a variety of sources. They may also supplement their teaching with a variety of personal experiences, and activities that occur at appropriate times during the child's education. Some parents who choose this method elect to use the curriculum guides available from the Manitoba Textbook Bureau. (Toll-free 1 800 305-5515). Parents wishing to follow this option may wish to contact the Home Schooling office, or the Manitoba Association for Schooling at Home.
| Home Schooling Office John Shaw, Liaison Officer |
|
|---|---|
| Rivers Office: Box 250 Rivers MB R0K 1X0 Telephone: (204) 328-5408 Toll-Free: 1 866 550-4818 Fax: (204) 328-5404 Email: homeschooling@gov.mb.ca |
Winnipeg Office: 507-1181 Portage Avenue Winnipeg MB R3G 0T3 Telephone: (204) 945-8138 Toll-Free: 1 800 282-8069 ext. 8138 Fax: (204) 948-2154 Email: homeschooling@gov.mb.ca |
| Other Provincial Support Contacts | |
| Manitoba Text Book Bureau Box 910, 130-1st Avenue West Souris MB R0K 2C0 Telephone: (204) 483-5040 Toll-Free: 1 866 771 6822 Fax: (204) 483-5041 Website: http://www.mtbb.mb.ca/ |
Independent Study Option (ISO) - grade 7-12 curriculum based courses |
| French Support Services Huguette Dandeneau, directrice Direction des ressources éducatives françaises Éducation, Citoyenneté et Jeunesse Manitoba 200, avenue de la Cathédrale, local 0140 Winnipeg (MB) R2H OH7 Tél. : 204 945-1342/8594 Téléc. : 204 945-0092 Courriel : dref@gov.mb.ca Site web : http://dref.mb.ca |
Instructional
Resources Unit Library Main Floor - 1181 Portage Avenue Winnipeg MB R3G 0T3 Telephone: (204) 945-7830 Toll Free: 1 800-282-8069 ext. 7830 Fax: (204) 945-8756 Website: http://libinfo.merlin.mb.ca |
| Manitoba Association of Christian Home Schools Inc. (MACHS) P.O. Box 283 St. Vital MB R2N 3X9 Telephone: (204) 256-5675 Email: info@machs.mb.ca Website: http://www.machs.mb.ca |
Hearth Families Incorporated Box 1555 Winkler MB R6W 4V4 Telephone: (204) 362-2455 Fax: (204) 331-3297 Email: hearthfamilies@yahoo.com Website: http://www.hearthfamilies.com |
| Manitoba Association
for Schooling at Home (MASH) PO Box 48022 RPO Lakewood Winnipeg MB R2J 4A3 Telephone: (204) 255-4712 Email: mashmichelle@gmail.com Website: http://www.theworldismyschool.com |
Manitoba Home Eductor's Association (MHEA) P.O. Box 427 Kleefeld MB R0A 0V0 Telephone: (204) 377-4808 Email: peladeau@mb.sympatico.ca |
Alberta Learning Resource Centre - rade 1-6 curriculum based courses |
|
Commonly Asked Questions About Specific Requirements
Do parents have the right to home school their children?
Yes. The rights and responsibilities of parents to home school their children are laid out in sections 260, 260.1, 262 of The Public Schools Act. See the summary of legislation.
Can any parent opt to home school?
Yes. This right also applies equally to legal guardians.
Can a child be home schooled by someone other than a parent?
Yes. The child may be educated by the parent(s), legal guardian(s), or by someone that the parents or guardians have selected to provide the education.
Do parents have to work through their divisional school board or neighbourhood school?
Although there is no legal requirement for parents to work through their divisional school board and/or neighbourhood school, it is suggested that parents contact both organizations and notify them of their intention to home school their child(ren).
Is funding available to parents to home school their children?
No. However, if a child is being home schooled for medical reasons, and if the parent(s) are able to supply a doctor's certificate indicating that the child must be home schooled for medical reasons, the Independent Study Program of the Department of Education, Citizenship and Youth will supply their course materials at no cost.
Can parents home school their children, but register them for some courses in the public school?
If the school agrees to this arrangement, this can happen. This sometimes occurs in cases where parents would like their child(ren) to receive special courses (e.g., Music, Physical Education, Computer Studies), or with courses where the parents feel that they cannot adequately teach the child (e.g., Physics, Senior Years Mathematics, a second language).
Does a home schooler have to use the Manitoba Program of Studies?
No. See the description of the three course options.
What are parent's responsibilities?
The major responsibilities of the parent are laid out in a Summary of Legislation Regarding Home Schooling.
Does a student have to write the Manitoba Department of Education, Citizenship and Youth provincial exams?
This is the decision of the home schooling parent(s). If they choose to have their child(ren) write these tests, they should make arrangements with their local school, well in advance of the time of writing the tests.
What formal reporting requirements are parents who home school required to make?
Parents are required to submit two Progress Reports per year: one at the end of January and one at the end of June. These report forms are included in the Notification Packages that are sent to all home schooling parents.
What factors are likely to lead to successful home schooling?
The most important factors are:
- Having a well thought out plan for the education of the child.
- Having adequate and appropriate teaching materials for each child. This may be done by purchasing programs that have already been developed (e.g., the Independent Study Options or correspondence courses). One of the Christian curricula, or a well thought out set of materials and activities used in a student-centered approach.
If I decide to re-register my child in the public school, who decides at what grade level they will be placed?
This decision is made by the receiving school. For this reason, it is recommended that parent(s) keep a collection of samples of the child's work over the time that they were being home schooled. (This is sometimes referred to as a portfolio).
Are there support groups available to parents who opt to home school?
Yes. Besides the provincial support groups, there are a number of local support groups that meet on a more informal basis. If you are interested in finding out if there is a local group in your area, contact one of the three support groups mentioned, or the Home Schooling office at Rivers.
Whom should I contact for more information about home schooling?
Your contact is the Home Schooling officer at Rivers.
About Home Schooling
When did home schooling become legal?
The need to home school began in the early days of settlement in Manitoba, when there were not enough people living in certain areas of the province to establish a school, but there was a desire by parents to have some degree of education for their children. This process was augmented early in the 20th century, with the establishment of the Correspondence Branch by the Department of Education, Citizenship and Youth.
How common is home schooling?
Until the late sixties the number of students being home schooled was minimal. It is only within the last few years that the number of parents opting to home school has risen. The number of students who are registered for home schooling is over 1,500. This represents only 0.5% of the students enrolled in the public system.
Why do some parents want their students to be educated at home?
A survey taken in Manitoba a few years ago indicated a number of reasons parents choose to educate their children at home include:
- the desire to follow a curriculum that was more closely aligned with what they would want their children to study. e.g., A Christian-based curriculum.
- a concern about the general environment in their childrens' school.
- the need to home school because the parents might be travelling a lot, or leaving the country for an extended period of time.
- the desire to provide a wider range of options, or a more enriched curriculum for their students.
Why don't some parents opt for home schooling?
Among the reasons parents may decide not to home school include:
- the huge time commitment that is involved;
- the feeling that they would not have the necessary skills to home school;
- satisfaction with the school, and curriculums that their children are following;
- the cost of home schooling;
What might students miss out on when they are home schooled?
- teachers who have a specialty area that they might not get at home (e.g., Physical Education, Music, Vocational Courses)
- the opportunity for interaction with a large number of students
- special services (e.g., Resource teachers, Reading Recovery)
What grade is the limit for home schooling?
Parents can choose to home school their child(ren) beginning in Kindergarten on through to the end of Senior 4 (Grade 12), although by law they are not required to register them until they reach the age of 7 years.
How do most parents teach the school subjects to their children?
Basically, there are three approaches that can be used (Independent Study Options, Christian curricula, or using a student-centred approach).
How much do parents pay for home schooling?
There is no charge for parents to register their students for home schooling.
The Alberta Learning Resource Centre (LRC) provides curriculum based learning resource materials for Grades 1-6 students. Textbooks can be ordered from the LRC or the Manitoba Text Book Bureau (MTBB). Prices may vary per subject and grade level. Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth: Distance Learning Unit - Indepedent Study Option (ISO) provides curriculum based courses for Grades 7-12 students. Course fees for Manitoba residents are $111 per course for grade 7 and 8 and $124 per course for grades 9-12. Some courses require additional resources and textbooks. The Distance Learning Unit will provide course materials to students (ages 7-15 years) who meet the course fee exemption.
How are home schooled children monitored?
Parents are required to submit two progress reports per year. Students for Independent Study Option courses receive evaluation reports from the department, and can use these reports for their evaluations. Most Christian-based curricula have a built in series of tests. In some cases, they are marked externally, while in other cases they are marked by the parents. Parents who develop their own curricula need to develop their own evaluation system.
How do home schooled children perform in the public school system after home schooling?
This depends on a variety of factors, including the individual skills of the student, how diligently parents have taught them, how hard the students work in school, etc.
Are there problems when home schooled children try to find a job, or take post-secondary training?
With regard to employment, the main problem occurs when a job requires specific courses or skills that the student has not taken in their home schooling. Decisions as to whether or not post-secondary institutions accept home school courses is up to the individual institutions. If parents choose to home school their children, they need to begin discussions with post-secondary institutions and future employers early in their children's education.
A Summary of Legislation Regarding Home Schooling
(a) the name and birth date of each pupil in the school;
(b) the name of the school or school division each child would otherwise attend; and
(c) an outline of the education program and grade level for each pupil.
(a) the child is in regular attendance at a private school, as defined in the Education Administration Act; or
(b) the field representative certifies that in his opinion the child is currently receiving a standard of education at home or elsewhere equivalent to that provided in a public school; or
(c) the child is unable to attend school by reason of sickness or other unavoidable cause or is excluded from attendance under subsection 261 (2); or
(d) the child has attained the full age of 15 years and has obtained a certificate excusing his attendance signed by the parent/guardian and the school division.
