Home schooling is becoming an increasingly common educational choice, with most experts estimating between 900,000 and 2,000,000 children being educated at home. Home schooling is legal in every state, although requirements vary widely. Once you have made the decision to home school your child or children, it is important to be well informed about the legal requirements in your state and to follow them carefully. If you do not keep accurate records, you could find yourself dealing with accusations of truancy.
Research
Step 1
Find out the legal requirements to home school in your state. The Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) website maintains a summary of legal requirements in every state. They break states down into four categories: no notice, low, medium and high regulation.
Step 2
Find your state on the map to determine whether you live in a state with high, medium, low or no regulation. Scroll down to the list of states and click on the link to your state.
Step 3
Click on the link for "legal analysis." This will open a PDF summary of the home school laws for your state.
Meet the Legal Requirements to Home School
Step 1
If you live in a state with no legal regulation of home schools, you can simply jump right in and begin teaching your child at home. However, if you live in a state with legal requirements, plan ahead to meet them. Many states require that home schooled children receive instruction for a certain number of days. To meet this requirement, you will need to keep track of every day that you teach school. Many home schooling parents simply put a check mark on a calendar for each school day, while others use a formal attendance calendar.
Step 2
If your state requires that certain subjects be taught, be sure to purchase or prepare curriculum in those subjects, and keep accurate records on what topics you cover. Some subject requirements, such as physical education, can be met through park district or private sports teams, gymnastic or swimming lessons, or other organized athletic programs.
Step 3
Standardized testing is a common requirement, especially in high regulation states. Contact the school district to find out when those tests are administered and what you need to do to have your child take them.
Tips and Warnings
- Connect with local home school groups for advice from experienced home school parents on how to meet the legal requirements in your area.
- If your state has legal requirements for home schooling, keep accurate and complete records of your school time and activities. Be sure to have these records organized in such a way that you could produce them at any time, should someone ask for proof that you are educating your children legally.
References
- "Absolute Beginner's Guide to Homeschooling;" Brad Miser; 2005
- "Homeschooling: Take A Deep Breath - You Can Do This!;" Terrie Lynn Bittner; 2004
