Louisiana Homeschooling Laws

Requirements and Laws on Homeschooling in Louisiana

The requirements to homeschool in Louisiana depend on the option of homeschooling the parent chooses.

Approved Home Study Program

This option has several benefits and more regulations to be observed. The laws include:

· Submit the application to home school your child to the Department of Education in Louisiana either via certified mail or online. A certified copy of the child’s birth certificate must be attached with the application; not a photocopy.

· The application must reach the Board of Elementary and High School education in 15 days, counting from the day the program begun. It shall be renewed before 1^st October of every school year or after 12 months counting from the 1^st approval date, whichever is later.

· The homeschool will only be approved after proving that the instruction and the curriculum intended for use is equivalent to the instruction given in public schools.

· For students enrolled in a public school, parents are advised to provide a copy of the approval letter to the local school to avoid truancy complications.

· The application should be renewed after 12 months. Approval will be determined by the quality of instruction given. It should be equal to that given to public school students who are at the same grade.

· The required subjects must be included in the curriculum. The quality of instruction given should be equivalent to that offered in public schools and have specific subjects taught in the same grade as in public schools. For example, have the Declaration of Independence included in elementary school curriculum and the Federalist Papers in secondary school curriculum.

· Instruction should be given for 180 days every year.

· Unless you have a waiver for medical, religious or personal reasons, proof of meningococcal disease immunization must be given to the Board of Elementary and High School education when the child turns 11 years.

· Students who start homeschooling before the 10^th grade are eligible to apply for a Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS). Acceptance to this program is determined by the student’s ACT scores.

Complying with the rules benefits the student in several ways including:

· The student can buy or borrow textbooks from the board of the local school

· Diplomas awarded will be recognized by the state

· The student is allowed to take part in the extracurricular activities available in the public school or any other non-public school approved by the state

Homeschools Registered as non-public schools

The requirements under this method are: apply online and submit the form to the Department of Education of Louisiana. The application must provide information on the homeschool including the name of the school, the contact details of the individual in charge of the school and the number of students attending the program.

Students who were enrolled in public schools should be formally withdrawn via a letter within the first 10 days of homeschooling. The application should be renewed every year. No other information is needed to be submitted, and all other decisions regarding the operation of the homeschool, the student’s progress and keeping records are entirely up to the parent.

Additional requirements include:

1. Submit a written notice of enrollment to the public school the student was previously enrolled in.

The notice must be given within 10 days of beginning the homeschool program.

2. Provide instruction for 180 days every school year

3. Notice of attendance must be submitted every year

The parent must report the home-based private school cumulative attendance to the Department of Education in Louisiana every year by the 30^th day of the term.

4. Allow no grants from the state or federal governments

If you receive any state or federal grants whether directly or indirectly, the school may not count under this act.