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Introduction & Background
When the Florida legislature approved the personalized education program (PEP), specific language was built in to the Florida Statutes to distinguish PEP laws from existing home education laws. Intentionally, those who rewrote the laws made sure that Florida home education would not be impacted when PEP programs were introduced.
As the result of this separation, the laws for PEP programs are completely different from the laws that discuss home education. Not only does each law appear in a different section of the Statutes, but the requirements are very different.
[Remember that PEP is the income-based state scholarship established two years ago, the one that provides financial reimbursement for educational products and services used to direct student education. Home Education is the term used to describe the oldest form of Florida homeschooling, the one that was legalized in 1985, requires a notice of intent, and is the most widely used across the state.]
As an example of the differences between the two programs, PEP students must be tested annually and test scores reported to the state, whereas home education students have no testing requirement at all.
There are other major differences in the requirements for these programs. Parents who take on the responsibility of student education are expected to know the requirements for the program they choose.
There are significant differences in the requirements for Home Education versus PEP. Parents who take on the responsibility of student education are expected to know the requirements for the program they choose.
Notice of Intent / Notice of Termination
One of the biggest differences between home education and PEP is the use of the notice of intent, which is required for Home Education students, but not for PEP. When students with an existing notice of intent begin using PEP, they no longer need the notice of intent any more. In fact, the notice of intent must be ended, and the student removed from Home Education altogether. This is accomplished by using the notice of termination, as seen here:
Home Education students require a notice of intent. PEP students do not; therefore, the notice of intent must be terminated for PEP students.
Florida students may not be enrolled in two forms of education at the same time. By continuing to have an active notice of intent, PEP students are effectively enrolled twice: once in home education and a second time in PEP. The notice of termination will correct this issue.
When home education families -- ones who already have a notice of intent on file with the superintendent - decide to use PEP, they must close out the home education program by filing a notice of termination.
Initial Frustrations No Longer Exist
We understand, particularly for new families, that homeschooling under PEP and home education may look similar from the outside. We also know that PEP programs are new, and it can take time for new information to become available and understood.
However, now in their second year, we know much more about PEP programs than we did before. We understand the procedural steps and how to remain in compliance, much more than we did last year at this time.
Parents Must Prioritize Legal Compliance
Now in year two, PEP families must understand more than just what is eligible for reimbursement and how to receive refunds for purchases. By now, PEP families should also understand, and urgently prioritize, satisfying all requirements for being a PEP family.
PEP families must understand more than just what is eligible for reimbursement, and how to receive refunds for purchases. They must meet other requirements, too.
Legal compliance is important for another reason, too: it avoids unnecessary work and frustration for district home education and superintendent offices. District offices are not supposed to track the enrollments of PEP students -- only the enrollments of Home Education students. It is up to families to notify their districts when they are no longer using Home Education. That is why home education families moving to PEP must remember to use the notice of termination for every PEP student leaving home education.
District offices do not track enrollments for PEP students, only for home education students. When home education students switch to PEP, a notice of termination must be filed for the student.
Missing Notice of Termination
We are aware that many PEP families are still showing as active in Florida home education. In meeting with your districts, they report hundreds of PEP students who are still showing as Home Education.
Remember that moving to PEP and forgetting to close out a home education program means the student is showing as active under home education, and still needing to fulfill the legal requirements for home education -- including the annual evaluation. This may explain why some families receive late evaluation or other alarming notices from districts. A district does not know a student has left Home Education until the parent submits a notice of termination.
The Solution is Easy
Fortunately, the solution is easy, and can be solved by submitting a notice of termination. Families moving to PEP must submit the notice of termination upon being approved for PEP. [Families staying in home education don't need to do anything.] When a family switches from home education to PEP, the notice of termination will immediately update the student's status, showing the student as no longer participating in home education.
A sample of a notice of termination can be found on our website. Submitting it to a district superintendent's office when switching to PEP will remove the student from the active home education roster, and exempt the student from meeting further home education legal requirements.
Where to Submit the Notice of Termination
The notice of termination should be dropped off, mailed, or emailed to the district home education office in the district in which a family resides. A list of district offices can be found HERE.
The Florida Homeschool Association exists to support, assist, and advocate for all Florida homeschoolers, regardless of method or type. But, we rely on families to read our guidance, follow the Statutes, and do their best to perform each step completely and in a timely way, to stay in compliance.
If you are aware of a PEP family, please share this article with them. It is important that PEP families remember to turn in a notice of termination, informing their districts that they are no longer using Home Education.
For further clarification, you may CONTACT US or join our free online community to ask questions.
If this guidance changes, as always, we will immediately let you know.
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