As parents’ rights to educate their children at home are based upon sincerely held religious or philosophical beliefs, the written education plan should contain the philosophical approach of the home-based education program. The philosophical approach provides the foundation for the program that will influence all other aspects of the program.
The intent of a written education plan is for a parent to demonstrate that there is a positive and constructive approach to the education of the pupil in the home-based education program. The written education plan and the home-based educator’s educational practice should reflect a genuine commitment to the philosophical approach of their home-based education program.
A written education plan shall:
- not be inconsistent with the Goals of Education for Saskatchewan; and,
- not be inappropriate for the age and ability of the home-based learner for whom the program is intended.
Although a home-based educator has the freedom to structure his or her written education plan in accordance with the philosophical approach of the program, the plan must contain a statement or a description of:
- the reason for and the philosophical approach of the proposed home-based education program;
- a minimum of three broad annual goals in each of the four areas of study for each home-based learner – English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies.
- the means of assessing and recording the educational progress of the home-based learner in the program pursuant to the Annual Progress Report
- the services that the home-based educator intends to access from the services provided to home-based learners by the board of education according to the regulations and policies.
The home-based educator shall have the option to, but is not compelled to, provide broad annual goals in other subjects, including health education, arts education and physical education.
Home-based educators may choose to have only one written education plan for their home-based education programs when two or more home-based learners are receiving instruction on home-based education programs. Although the philosophical approach of the home-based education programs will generally be common to all home-based learners on the programs, with due allowance for younger home-based learners on home-based education programs, the three broad annual goals in each area of study and the means of assessing and recording the educational progress shall be specific to each home-based learner on their program.
Although the Goals of Education for Saskatchewan are intended to accommodate both the aspirations of all parents for their children and the needs and abilities of all students enrolled in schools, a home-based education program:
Written education plans shall provide sufficient information for the registering authority to determine that the plan is not inconsistent with the Goals of Education for Saskatchewan and not inappropriate for the age and ability of the home-based learner on the program.