Homeschoolers of Wyoming

Homeschoolersofwy.org is the official website of HOW, the Wyoming state homeschool organization.

Getting Started

New to homeschooling? You’re not alone and we are here to help!

To help you get started, we’ve outlined the following ten steps:

  1. Begin with prayer for guidance from God.
  2. Research the Wyoming home education law and its requirements.
  3. Sign up for our free mailing list.
  4. Join Homeschoolers of Wyoming (HOW).
  5. Connect with a local representative from your county.
  6. Consider membership in the National Center for Life and Liberty (NCLL) Homeschool Center and the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA).  HOW members receive a $20 discount on HSLDA membership.
  7. Research and select your core curriculum components.
  8. Visit your local library for books and magazines on home education.  Many libraries have a vertical file on home schooling.
  9. Attend the annual HOW state convention to hear speakers, meet other home educators, and discover educational resources.
  10. Notify your school district when the time is right for your family to start homeschooling.

Back-to-School — Notifying Your School District

(by Laurie Poch)
Once again Wyoming school districts are sending out a packet to homeschooling families insisting we must sign and return several different forms. Do we really have to do all that stuff?? NO!! What the district is asking for is NOT required by state law!

According to the Home School Legal Defense Association (from a letter previously sent by them to a school district):

Neither state nor federal law requires a home school family to return the ‘Non-public School Participation Form’ or the ‘Verification of Home School Participation’ form you sent them. While we appreciate your informing families of their opportunity to participate, it would be more helpful if you would be clearer about their legal obligations. In the future, I suggest you revise your form letter to state, ‘If you wish to participate in any public school services, please return these forms. If you have any questions about the forms, please feel free to contact us.

… Some families may choose to use your ‘Intent to Home School’ form, whereas others may use HSLDA’s ‘Wyoming Submission of Curriculum’ form which is available for our members on our website.  I am advising our member families that they are under no obligation to send in the ‘Non-public School Participation Form’ unless they wish to receive federal flow-through funds under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). I am furthermore advising our member families that they are under no obligation to return your ‘Verification of Home School Participation’ form. I assume that families that do wish to participate will choose to send in this form, however.

All we need to turn in is a simple letter of intent stating that we are homeschooling this year and you have a “curriculum.” A curriculum can be a scope and sequence, or a list of textbooks and publishers you are using.  Your letter of intent can be very simple (here’s a sample).  You can also use the form the school district sends or you can use the one provided by HSLDA.

It’s important to know what the Wyoming homeschool law says so you can’t be “railroaded” into doing something you don’t have to do. HSLDA recommends that you never provide more information than necessary. Remember you only need to report compulsory school age students.