A look at home schooling laws in Florida

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The thought of the legalities involved with homeschooling often changes a parent's mind about making the choice before they have even really considered it. While some states are more particular and rigorous in their standards, the laws to which Florida Homeschooler's must adhere to are really quite simple.

To begin homeschooling your child in the state of Florida all you have to do is submit a letter of intent to the district school superintendent of the county in which you reside. You can find this address in the phone book, by looking up your local school district online or contacting a local school for the information. The letter should be in writing and contain the names, addresses and birthdates for all of the children you wish to enroll in your home education program along with your signature. You must submit the letter of intent within 30 days of starting your home school program. You must also submit a letter to the superintendent withen 30 days of terminating your home education program if you wish do so at any time.

The next step to abiding to Florida law is to maintain a portfolio of records and materials while home educating your child. The portfolio must contain a log of educational activities that is made contemporaneously with the instruction and that designates by title any reading materials used. It should also include samples of any writings, worksheets, workbooks, or creative materials used or developed by the student. There are many planners and tools available these days to help assist home educators in doing this with ease. You should keep this portfolio for a minimum of 2 years and have it available for inspection by the superintendent within 15 days of written notice should it be deemed necessary.

Finally, you must provide an annual educational evaluation for your child. The evaluation should document your child's demonstration of educational progress at a level proportionate with his or her ability. You as the parent may decide on the method of evaluation from the available choices then must submit a copy of the evaluation annually with the district school superintendent's office. You may have the evaluation done in one of the following manners:

Select a teacher with a valid regular Florida certificate to teach academic subjects at the elementary or secondary level. The teacher should evaluate your child's progress by reviewing their portfolio and having a discussion with them;
Your child can take any nationally normed student achievement test administered by a certified teacher; Your child can take a state student assessment test used by the school district and administered by a certified teacher at a location and under testing conditions approved by the district; Your child may be evaluated by a psychologist holding a valid active license; or Your child may be evaluated with any other valid measurement tool as mutually agreed upon by you and the district superintendent.

Some common misconceptions when regarding home school law in the state of Florida is that you must have a teaching certificate to teach your own child and that you must keep attendance. While these are requirements in some states, neither is true for the state of Florida. Another misconception made by many people is that once you choose to home school your child you forfeit certain extracurricular and scholarship opportunities for them. The state of Florida requires that home educated students be permitted to participate in interscholastic extracurricular student activities in their district and that they are eligible to participate in the Bright Futures Scholarship Program. A final misconception is that home educated children are not available to use some of the same services offered to public school students. The Florida law states that they may receiving testing and evaluation services at diagnostic and resource centers.

Now you may be wondering how your choice to home school may affect your child's college education in the state of Florida. All home education students may participate in dual enrollment programs, are eligible for admission to community colleges and are eligible for admission to state universities in accordance with the policies and guidelines of the board of governors.

It is my hope that you have been able to easily find the answer to any question regarding the Florida home education laws in this article. For, after all, the legalities of a situation should never scare a person away from having a choice.