Home Education

Welcome

The Home Education program at Chicopee Public Schools allows families to educate their child while adhering to state educational standards. Our team works with parents to review and approve their home education plans, ensuring they meet all necessary academic requirements. Parents have the flexibility to design and implement a curriculum that fits their child’s unique learning needs.

This website serves as your starting point for understanding and beginning the homeschooling process. As a parent or guardian, you play a central role in designing and delivering your child's education at home. You will be asked to submit a proposal outlining your personalized plan, which should include your chosen curriculum and content, schedules, instructor qualifications, materials and equipment, content requirements, learning expectations, required instructional hours, and assessment strategies. While Chicopee Public Schools supports your right to homeschool, please note that families are responsible for independently researching and implementing these components, as well as obtaining course credit requirements and maintaining graduation requirements as determined by your home education path. We’re here to help guide you through the necessary steps to get started.

Home Education Policy

Home Education Proposal Form

Home Education Checklist

Click HERE for a pdf version of the checklist.

For NEW Families to Chicopee Public Schools Home Education, Before submitting your Home Education Proposal, your student must first be registered with Chicopee Public Schools. Please note that registration is not the same as enrollment—this step is required for state reporting purposes, even if your child will not be attending a physical Chicopee Public School. COMING SOON - Link to online registration form

Research Curriculum and Content, then Set Schedule.

- Research curriculum and content relevant to age/grade to identify instruction materials. Your proposal should include, but is not limited to, English Language Arts (ELA), math, science, and social studies.
- Set a schedule - this would include when (days per week) and how often (hours per day/subject) for learning. Chicopee Public Schools requires only a summary of the instructional breakdown, which should meet or exceed the required 900 hours (Grade 1 -5) or 990 hours (Grade 6 - 12), rather than a detailed schedule.

Identify Graduation and Course Credit Needs, Expectations, and Required Hours.

- Chicopee Public Schools does not assign credits for courses completed through home education. Families are encouraged to maintain thorough records of their child’s academic progress. Additionally, Chicopee Public Schools does not issue diplomas for home education programs.

Identify the Competency and Qualifications of Instructors Who Will Be Teaching or Overseeing the Home Education of Your Students.

List Materials That Will Be Used to Fulfill the Child’s Academic Day.

- Chicopee Public Schools does not provide materials for parents who wish to home-educate their children. Parents are responsible for obtaining materials that align with their chosen curriculum such as workbooks, text books, online resources and equipment, and supplies.

Determine Methods of Assessments to Be Used to Ensure Educational Progress.

- Progress reports and assessments are required at least once a year during the renewal process or at the time of exit from home education. Parents may choose to submit reports more frequently if they wish.
- Chicopee Public Schools does not assess home-educated students; however, they are eligible to take the SATs. If interested, parents or guardians must register their child and cover any related costs and fees.

Complete the online Droplet Form here or by selecting the white box above labeled "Home Education Proposal Form."

- The approval process typically takes 2 - 4 weeks. If you have any questions during this time, please contact homeeducation@cpsge.org.
- Be sure to regularly check the email address you provided in the Droplet form for updates, including requests for corrections, approval notices, or possible rejections. If you don’t see any messages, be sure to check your Spam or Junk folder as well.
- Once approved, a confirmation letter will be sent via UPS and emailed to you, the school principal, and any other relevant offices. Please note that until the approval is finalized, any school absences will continue to be recorded as unexcused.

If you have any questions, please reach out to homeeducation@cpsge.org

Home Education FAQ

What Age or Grade Should I Consider for Home Education?

Massachusetts law requires that all children be enrolled in school or an approved home education program. If you're choosing to homeschool, your child should be enrolled in a home education plan between their 6th and 16th birthdays.

Does Chicopee Provide or Recommend a Curriculum?

Chicopee Public Schools does not provide or endorse a specific curriculum for home education. However, there are plenty of helpful online resources available. You're encouraged to explore options that best suit your child’s learning style and goals.

Are Materials Provided by Chicopee?

Since home education is family-directed, materials are not provided by the district. You’ll be responsible for selecting and obtaining resources that align with your chosen curriculum.

Does Chicopee Assign Credits or Award Diplomas?

Chicopee Public Schools does not issue credits for home education coursework or provide diplomas. As a parent or guardian, you’ll be responsible for maintaining records and deciding how to recognize your child's accomplishments.

What Subjects Should Be in My Home Education Plan?

Minimum requirements for each plan include core subjects: English Language Arts (ELA), math, science, and social studies. You can also include additional subjects that match your child’s interests and learning needs to fulfill the minimum required hours of 900 and 990 as it pertains to your student.

Does the School Department Offer Testing for My Child?

Because home education is independently designed and led by families, Chicopee Public Schools does not administer tests or assessments for students in home education programs.

Can My Child Join Athletics or After-School Activities?

Absolutely! Home-educated students are welcome to participate in after-school activities and school events. For athletics, participation is at the discretion of the school athletic director. If your child is interested, simply check the box in the online Droplet form, and the Office of Athletics will reach out to you directly.

Is My Child Eligible for Special Education Services?

Yes. Be sure to indicate that your student requires special education services on your proposal form so the Office of Special Education can connect with you directly. Just check the box in the online Droplet form.

Is My Child Required to Take the MCAS or Other State Tests?

No, home-educated students are not required to take MCAS or other standardized assessments.

Can My Child Take the SATs?

Yes! While Chicopee Public Schools doesn’t administer the SATs for home-educated students, your child is eligible to register independently. You’ll be responsible for registration and any applicable fees.

How Often Are Progress Reports Needed?

You’ll need to submit a progress report at least once per year when renewing your home education plan or if exiting the program, however you are welcome to provide updates more frequently.

Do I Need to Submit a Daily or Weekly Schedule?

A full detailed daily or weekly schedule is not required, however if you choose to not include one, please include a summary of the planned instructional time in your proposal. This should meet or exceed the state’s requirements—900 hours for Grade 1 - 5 and 990 hours for Grade 6 - 12.

What should I do if my home education status changes during the school year (e.g., moving, enrolling in another program after being waitlisted)?

If your situation changes during the academic year—such as relocating or being accepted into another educational program—you must notify our office. Please submit a new Droplet form and select "Transfer/Age Out" as the proposal type. Additionally, please upload assessment samples that reflect the time period during which your student was approved for home education, up until the status change. This helps us properly close out your file and maintain accurate records.

What should I do if I want to take my child out of Home Education and have them go to a Chicopee Public School?

If you are ending your Home Education program and plan to have your child attend a Chicopee Public School, please complete a Droplet and select the option "Intending to re-enroll in CPS." After submitting the Droplet, you will also need to contact Central Enrollment at 413-594-3410, ext. 3, to enroll your student as soon as possible.

Massachusetts General Law Chapter 76, § 1

Home schooling is governed by General Laws chapter 76, § 1. For children of compulsory school age (6–16), home schooling requires advance approval by the district in which the child lives, under the policy that the school committee has adopted. Home schooling is provided by or at the direction of a child's parent, instead of enrolling the child in a public or private school; home schooling is not remote learning provided by a school district. The requirements that apply to public schools, such as educator licensing or structured learning time, do not apply to home schooling.

Each school committee in Massachusetts has a policy on approval of home schooling plans; details are available from the school district. The school district approves and provides oversight of home schooling, with a focus on whether "instruction in all the studies required by law equals in thoroughness and efficiency, and in the progress made therein, that in the public schools in the same town." See General Laws chapter 76, § 1.

Home schooling plans are reviewed and approved by the school district where the child resides. Charter schools, Commonwealth Virtual Schools, school choice districts, and vocational technical education programs do not approve home schooling plans. The Department does not approve home schooling plans or oversee school district policies regarding home schooling or review districts' decisions on home schooling proposals.

Parents planning to educate their child at home must notify the district in which they live as the first step in the approval process. Notification alone does not authorize a parent to begin home schooling. Removing a child of compulsory school age from school without an approved home schooling plan would cause the child to become truant.

Once the school district receives a parent's notification that they wish to educate their child at home, the district must provide the parent with the district's policy and process for approval of home schooling and ask the parent to submit the proposed home schooling plan. If the parent's notification includes the proposed plan, the district should still provide the parent with its policy and process for approval of home schooling plans and then proceed with its review of the proposed home schooling plan.

Upon receipt of a proposed home schooling plan, the school district evaluates it and then either approves it, requests modification or additional information, or disapproves the proposed plan. Districts typically review a proposed home schooling plan for the content, instructional materials, duration and frequency of instruction, methods of instruction, evaluation, and whether it enables the child to make adequate progress in the areas that Massachusetts identifies as essential. The school district must communicate its decision to the parent, preferably in writing, within a reasonable period after receipt of the parent's home schooling plan.

Under Massachusetts law, home-schooled students have a right to special education services. In addition, school districts are required to evaluate students suspected of having a disability and re-evaluate students eligible for special education services consistent with federal and state requirements. Please see the advisory for more information about the provision of special education and related services to home-schooled and privately educated students.

Home schooling is a private alternative to public school enrollment. Each school district may establish its own policy on whether to allow home-schooled students to participate in its programs. While not required, school districts have the discretion to allow home-schooled students to join district-provided courses, programs, or extracurricular activities, including athletics. This is a local decision, and DESE does not review those decisions.

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