Alaska Homeschooling Laws
Homeschooling families in Alaska have four different options under which they can legally homeschool:
Option 1: Homeschooling under the homeschool statute. This option allows families to homeschool their children at home as long as the parent or legal guardian provides the instruction. Families are not required to notify the state, to seek approval, perform testing, file forms. Parents and legal guardians are also not required to have a teaching license.
Option 2: Homeschooling with a private tutor. This option allows children to be homeschooled by a tutor who must be a state (Alaska) certified teacher.
Option 3: Homeschooling with school board approval. To homeschool under this option, you must obtain approval from the principal or school administrator of the school where the student is currently enrolled.
Option 4: Homeschooling as a religious private school. For this option, you must comply with the following requirements:
1. File a notice of enrollment
2. File the Exempt Religious & Other Private Schools Enrollment and School Calendar forms
3. Keep monthly attendance records
4. Keep permanent records.
5. File a corporal discipline policy
6. You cannot any state or federal funding
7. Comply with testing requirements
Learn more on the homeschool regulations in Alaska:
- The legal requirements to homeschool in Alaska
- Parents notice of the intention to homeschool
- Recordkeeping for homeschoolers in Alaska
- Requirements for Graduation in Alaska for homeschoolers
- Switching from homeschool to Public School
*This information is by no means intended as legal advice; its purpose is merely informational. It is each parent’s responsibility to get informed and understand the applicable homeschooling laws which regulate homeschooling in his or her state.
Requirements and Laws on Homeschooling in Alaska
Children between 7-16 years of age are subjected to compulsory education in Alaska;they should either enroll to a school or be homeschooled. For families who choose homeschooling, there are 4 ways from which they may choose the option that serves the student best.
1. Hiring a private tutor – the teacher must be certified to teach in Alaska
2. Having a homeschool program approved by the school board - parents are required to write to the principal or school administrator where the child is enrolled requesting to have their child excused to start homeschooling. The board’s approval shall mean that the educational experience is equivalent with the program served at the school.
3. Having a homeschool established under the statute – parents and legal guardians are allowed to homeschool their children. The law does not give specific rules to follow in establishing a homeschool, no notification is needed, approval or forms to be filed, notests or qualifications for those administering the instruction.
4. As a private school grounded on religion – this option requires guardians and parents to file a report with the superintendent of the local school every year before day 1 of homeschooling. The report proves the child is attending a private school. Parents are also required to complete forms on religious exemption, the school calendar form and other private school forms of enrollment. Keeping records on the child’s attendance is required for this method, having a corporal discipline policy filed and ensuring that the child complies with the testing requirements of the state. These records shall be permanent for future use.
Alaska Homeschool Allotment
What is the Alaska homeschool allotment?
The Alaska homeschool allotment is a fund specific to cater for children’s educational needs in Alaska. Homeschoolers are entitled to the fund and can be used to purchase instruction materials for use. Parents who have used their resources may use this fund to reimburse themselves.
Recordkeeping for Homeschoolers in Alaska
It is advisable to have the child’s records kept for future reference and the best method to use is having a homeschool portfolio that reflects accurately on the child’s progress, the instruction covered and how well the student is retaining the instruction. Parents may consider keeping the following:
· A homeschool transcript for students in high school
· Records of the student’s attendance
· The curriculum topics and subjects learned
· The workbooks and textbooks relied on during homeschooling
· The work undertaken by the student
· The standardized tests taken by the student and the results of those tests
· Documents showing that the instruction given is per the standards given by law
· Documents showing correspondence with officials of the schoolr
Requirements for Graduation in Alaska
Parents in Alaska determine the graduation requirements for their student and proceed to give a diploma that is considered valid and legal in Alaska. For the students considering college, a post-secondary institution or vocational school, parents are advised to look up on the entry requirements of the institutions and align their homeschool goals with those. It is also wise to look up the guidelines used in public school for comparison purposes on the common courses and tests taken by students in public school.
The chart below shows the comparison between graduation requirements in public school and homeschool in Alaska.
| Public/Private School | Homeschool | |
|---|---|---|
|
Diploma requirements in Alaska |
To receive a diploma in Alaska, 22.5 completed credits are required. |
Parents in Alaska have the liberty to determine if and when their student will graduate. They then proceed to award the high school diploma under their own terms. Institutions also give diplomas to students in private/online schools. |
| Testing requirements in Alaska | Students are also required to pass the 3 tests given as the high school qualifying exam to graduate in Alaska. |
There is no law in Alaska that compels or forces homeschoolers to undertake a test as a requirement in order to graduate high school. |
|
Alaska high school transcripts |
The transcripts include the name of the student, the standardized test scores, a credit history of courses with course titles, the totals of the credits, the grade per semester and the average grade for each semester. |
Parents in Alaska can create the homeschoolers’ transcripts which may include information they considered relevant to institutions the homeschoolers may intend to apply to. This may include schools, colleges, workplace organizations, or the military. |
|
High school course credits in Alaska |
Each student must attain · 4 English credits · 3.5 social studies credits · 3 math credits · 3 science credits · 0.5 health credits · 7 elective credits |
Some parents assign credits to individual courses. Parents decide when it is time for their student to graduate and proceed to create transcripts. |
|
Eligibility for GED in Alaska |
To apply for the GED test one has to be 18 years or older and one who has not received a high school diploma from either a private or a public high school.You must be 18 years old to test in Alaska. You can be 16 or 17 and take the GED test if you present a withdrawal slip from the last school you attended in Alaska, a legal emancipation document, or written permission from a parent or guardian before testing is allowed |
Homeschoolers in Alaska are eligible if the meet the same criteria as public school students. |
Homeschool High School Transcript Template
Track your homeschooler’s credits, courses, and accomplishments with this free homeschool high school transcript template.
Download the transcript template
Switching from Homeschooling to Public School in Alaska
Parents in Alaska who wish to return to public school must submit to the district superintendent a letter of termination. For better determination of which grade the child is working at, parents are advised to submit records of the student but the decision lies with the school principal. The eligibility of the assessments and standardized tests the child took is determined by individual schools. Upon registration, the child may be required to take additional placement tests.
Each school in Alaska applies different guidelines for grade placement and enrollment of students. You will find that some schools in Alaska let you register your child for the grade you wish him/her to attend while others require information on the student’s progress and the curriculum used during homeschooling. Other schools in Alaska will have your child take an assessment test to determine the appropriate grade level your child belongs in. Lernsys Homeschooling provides transcripts and curriculum records which include course average grade/final grade, quizzes/tests grades, lessons and topics covered, among other things.
Additional Resources Related to Homeschooling in Alaska
Have other questions about homeschooling in Alaska? You may find the following pages helpful.
