Delaware Homeschooling Laws
A popular name for homeschools in Delaware is non-public schools or TPS as they are also commonly referred to. There are several ways to homeschool from which families can choose the method that works best for them. This page provides information on the regulations and requirements to homeschool such as:
· Requirements to homeschool in Delaware
· Recordkeeping for homeschoolers in Delaware
· Requirements to graduate in Delaware
- 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 Delaware
The options available to families who choose to homeschool in Delaware include:
Option 1: Having a single-family homeschool. This includes having your child receive instruction in your home
Option 2: Having a multi-family homeschool. This option has families coming together to establish a common homeschool for their children, either at their homes or at a common facility.
For these two options, parents are required to:
· Register the homeschools with the Department of Education in Delaware.
· Submit an attendance report every year before 31st July.
· Submit an enrollment report every year. This should be done at the beginning of every year and not later than 5th of October.
Families who choose multi-family homeschool must appoint a representative who will act as the contact person with the Department of Education. The representative shall submit the reports on attendance of the students as well as the yearly enrollment for the school. There are no laws as to the parents’ qualifications to start a homeschool. For the students already enrolled in public schools or a private school, the parents must have the homeschool registered before transferring the child.
· The last option of homeschooling is having a single family homeschool that coordinates with the local school. This option requires:
1. Having the superintendent establish in writing that the student is receiving comprehensive instruction at home and the subjects provided for students by the state are covered in the appropriate manner for the student in the same grade.
2. Submit a report on attendance at the end of every school year, that is before July 31, to the department of education in the prescribed form.
3. The parents to report registration at the start of the school year to the department of education by filing a form provided by the department before October 5.
4. Having the student take the same subjects as those covered in public schools.
Recordkeeping for Homeschoolers in Delaware
Parents are not required by law to keep records of the child’s progress. A homeschool portfolio is important to keep for it proves to be useful when creating homeschool transcripts, returning to public or private school after homeschooling, applying to colleges, universities, and workplaces, as well as the military. Some of the things parents should include in the homeschool portfolio are: tests and quizzes taken, grades achieved, records on attendance, written assignments and any other information considered important. Lernsys Homeschooling provides transcripts and curriculum records which include course average grade/final grade, quizzes/tests grades, lessons and topics covered, among other things.
Requirements for Graduation in Delaware
Parents in Delaware determine the graduation requirements for their student and proceed to give a diploma that is considered valid and legal in Delaware. 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 Delaware.
| Public/Private School | Homeschool | |
|---|---|---|
|
Diploma requirements in Delaware |
To receive a diploma in Delaware, 24 completed credits. |
Parents in Delaware have the liberty to determine if and when their student will graduate. They then proceed to award the high school diploma to their own terms. Institutions also give diplomas to students in private/online schools. |
| Testing requirements in Delaware | Demonstrating Novice-high or higher proficiency level on a nationally recognized assessment of language proficiency, except English, in the skill areas of oral or signed expressive and receptive communication, reading and writing, that uses the levels of proficiency as identified by the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Language, or as approved for use by the Delaware Department of Education. |
There is no law in Delaware that compels or forces homeschoolers to undertake a test as a requirement in order to graduate high school. |
|
Delaware 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 Delaware 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 Delaware |
Each student must attain four (4) credits in English Language Arts, four (4) credits in Mathematics, three (3) credits in Science, three (3) credits in Social Studies, two (2) credits in a World Language, one (1) credit in Physical Education, one-half (1/2) credit in Health Education, three (3) credits in a Career Pathway, and three and one-half (3 ½) credits in elective courses. |
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 Delaware |
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. |
Homeschoolers in Delaware 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.
Switching from Homeschooling to Public School in Delaware
Parents in Delaware should contact the local school on the procedure to be followed before enrolling their child in a public school. The school decides the grade the child will be placed. A homeschool portfolio helps in this determination since the child’s records are well-kept and available for evaluation. Lernsys Homeschooling provides transcripts and curriculum records which include course average grade/final grade, quizzes/tests grades, lessons and topics covered, among other things.
Each school in Delaware applies different guidelines for grade placement and enrollment of students. You will find that some schools in Delaware 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 Delaware will have your child take an assessment test to determine the appropriate grade level your child belongs in.
Additional Resources Related to Homeschooling in Delaware
Have other questions about homeschooling in Delaware? You may find the following pages helpful.
