Now that the school year is over in many places there is a common question that I get asked. People want to know how to pull your child out of public school over the summer. Especially since the California Department of Education started pulling down the private school affidavit July 1st through September 30th. Well have no fear, it isn’t hard at all. Just take a deep breath and let’s get started. Just a note, the first step is not filing your California Private School Affidavit. If it is still up it is for the 2022-2023 school year.
Table of Contents
- Submit a withdrawal letter!
- What to do if asked for a completed PSA?
- What if they won’t provide the records?
Submit a withdrawal letter!
This is something that intimidates people but there really isn’t a lot to it. There are basically 3 things to include:
- Your student is transferring to “New School Name”
- Effective date (will not be returning for Fall 2023)
- Request a copy of all records to be sent to “address of school” and that it should be all records including health and disciplinary records.
That is all there is to it. Sign it and either take it in, email it to the proper person, or mail it in. Then between October 1st and October 15th just file your California Private School Affidavit. If you would like a sample to modify and submit, you should join my Patreon! It is included in the files I provide to members!
What to do if asked for a completed PSA?
Tell them no. Yes, I AM being serious. I don’t care when in the year they ask for a copy of the PSA, tell them no. The California Department of Education has provided public schools with a look up tool. All they need is to input the school’s name and it will verify that the school is registered. Also, you can’t file for the 2023-2024 school year until October 1st. And the California Department of Education Private Schools Department has personally emailed me that public schools should know better than to ask.
From the California Department of Education page:
” Affidavit Filing Period
The statutory filing period is October 1 through 15; however, the filing system remains open throughout the school year to accommodate new schools. Schools established between July 1 and September 30, shall wait to file an affidavit until the PSA filing period begins in October.”
What if they won’t provide the records?
First off, if your kids are elementary school ages the records don’t do all that much. You can just blow it off. But if you want them for any reason, they legally must give them to you. California law says that public schools must give the records to the new school. According to California Education Code section 33190, you are a private school even before you file the affidavit. Also, public schools accept Federal money. That then means under FERPA you are entitled to the records just as a parent.
Don’t let anyone push you around! You can totally do this, and the law says you can. This is really all it takes to pull your child out of public school over the summer. Seriously, you are starting on a fabulous journey for you, your children, and your family as a whole! Make sure you check out our Patreon and join our community!
You might also really like: Homeschooling in California: 10 Pros and Cons of Homeschooling You Need to Know
This post originally appeared over on HomeschoolHangout.xyz