Kent schools briefly

Schools budget to be unveiled next week

The Kent School District Board of Directors on Wednesday will hear its first reading of the district’s $257 million 2008-2009 budget.

This year’s budget represents an increase of approximately 2.2 percent over last year’s $251 million spending plan.

Due to skyrocketing transportation, food and utilities costs as well as state-mandated salary and benefit increases and limits on revenue increase, the district was forced to make up a $2.6 million budget for the coming year.

The meeting starts 7 p.m. at the Administration Center, 12033 S.E. 256th St.

A public hearing on the budget will he held during the board’s Aug. 27 meeting.

Homeschool filing deadline approaching

Parents looking to homeschool their youngsters in the coming school year have just more than a month to state their intentions.

State law requires that parents who intend to homeschool their children must file a declaration of intent with their home school district by Sept. 15.

The declaration must include the name and age of the child, specify whether a certificated person will be supervising the instruction and must be written in a format prescribed by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Home-based instruction must be provided by a parent who is instructing his or her children only. In addition, one of the following four requirements must be satisfied:

• The student is supervised by a certificated teacher. There must be a minimum of an average of one-hour contact per week with the student being supervised by the teacher.

• The parent has either earned 45 college level quarter credit hours or the equivalent in semester hours.

• The parent has completed a parent qualifying course in home-based instruction at a post-secondary institution or a vocational-technical institute.

• The parent has been deemed qualified by the superintendent of the district in which the student lives.

For more information, visit www.k12.wa.us or www.washhomeschool.org.