ORS 339.035: Teaching by private teacher, parent or guardian; rules.

(1) As used in this section, “education service district” means the education service district that contains the school district of which the child is a resident. (2) When a child is taught or is withdrawn from a public school to be taught by a parent, legal guardian or private teacher, as provided in ORS 339.030, the parent, legal guardian or private teacher must notify the education service district in writing. In addition, when a child who is taught by a parent, legal guardian or private teacher moves to a new education service district, the parent, legal guardian or private teacher shall notify the new education service district in writing. The education service district shall acknowledge receipt of any notification in writing. (3) Children being taught as provided in subsection (2) of this section shall be examined at grades 3, 5, 8 and 10 in accordance with the following procedures: (a) The State Board of Education shall adopt by rule a list of approved comprehensive examinations that are readily available. (b)(A) The parent or legal guardian shall select an examination from the approved list and arrange to have the examination administered to the child by a qualified neutral person, as defined by rule by the State Board of Education. (B) If the child was withdrawn from public school, the first examination shall be administered to the child at least 18 months after the date on which the child was withdrawn from public school. (C) If the child never attended public or private school, the first examination shall be administered to the child prior to the end of grade three. (c) The person administering the examination shall: (A) Score the examination; and (B) Report the results of the examination to the parent or legal guardian. (d) Upon request of the superintendent of the education service district, the parent or legal guardian shall submit the results of the examination to the education service district. (4)(a) If the composite test score of the child places the child below the 15th percentile based on national norms, the child shall be given an additional examination within one year of when the first examination was administered. (b) If the composite test score of the child on the second examination shows a declining score, then the child shall be given an additional examination within one year of when the second examination was administered and the superintendent of the education service district may: (A) Allow the child to continue to be taught by a parent, legal guardian or private teacher; or (B) Place the education of the child under the supervision of a person holding a teaching license who is selected by the parent or legal guardian at the expense of the parent or legal guardian. If the composite test score of the child continues to show a declining score, the superintendent of the education service district may: (i) Allow the child to continue under the educational supervision of a licensed teacher selected by the parent or legal guardian and require that the child be given an additional examination within one year of when the last examination was administered; (ii) Allow the child to be taught by a parent, legal guardian or private teacher and require that the child be given an additional examination within one year of when the last examination was administered; or (iii) Order the parent or legal guardian to send the child to school for a period not to exceed 12 consecutive months as determined by the superintendent. (c) If the parent or legal guardian of the child does not consent to placing the education of the child under the supervision of a licensed teacher who is selected by the parent or legal guardian, then the superintendent of the education service district may order the child to return to school for a period not to exceed 12 consecutive months as determined by the superintendent. (d) If the composite test score of the child on an examination is equal to or greater than the percentile score on the prior test, the child may be taught by a parent, legal guardian or private teacher and for the next examination be examined pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection or subsection (3) of this section. (5)(a) Notwithstanding the examination requirements of subsections (3) and (4) of this section, the parent or legal guardian of a child with a disability who has an individualized education program and is receiving special education and related services through the school district or who is being educated in accordance with a privately developed plan shall be evaluated for satisfactory educational progress according to the recommendations of the program or plan. (b) The parent or legal guardian of a child with a disability who was evaluated by service providers selected by the parent or legal guardian based on a privately developed plan shall submit a report of such evaluation to the education service district in lieu of the examination results required by subsections (3) and (4) of this section. (c) A child with a disability described in this subsection may not be subject to the examination requirements of subsections (3) and (4) of this section unless the examination is recommended in the program or plan in effect for the child. [1985 c.579 §2; 1989 c.619 §4; 1999 c.717 §1a; 2007 c.70 §95; 2013 c.1 §33]