Rhode Island Homeschooling Laws
The laws regulating homeschools in Rhode Island are the Gen. Laws 16-19-2. Families who choose to homeschool must observe the following guidelines.
1. File a notice of intention to homeschool and be approved to homeschool.
Parents must submit their notice of intention to homeschool to the committee of the local school in their district. The notice should include a statement affirming that instruction in the mandatory subjects shall be provided and for the required amount of time as well as you will keep attendance records. HSLDA members can access the standard form to be used as the notice of intent.
2. Provide instruction for the mandatory subjects.
The subjects that must be included in the homeschool are writing, arithmetic, geography, reading, physical education, US history, Rhode Island History, principles of American government or civics.
3. Teach for the required amount of time.
Instruction in the homeschool should be provided for the same amount of time as in public schools. The required time is 180 days in a school year.
4. Maintain attendance records.
Maintain attendance records of the student which shall be submitted to the committee of the school at the end of every academic year.
5. Evaluate any other requirements from the local district
Committees from local schools in a district adopt policies which may require additional information to homeschool. After filing the notice of intention to homeschool the committee may reach out if there are additional requirements you need to fulfill.
Homeschooling in Rhodes Island is approved by the committee of the local school in the child’s district. This makes the program unique compared to other states. This page provides information on homeschool laws and the legal procedure to do so including:
· Requirements to Homeschool in Rhode Island
· Notice of Intention to Homeschool
· Recordkeeping for Homeschoolers in Rhode Island
· Requirements for Graduation
· 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 Rhode Island
Most homeschooling laws are made at the district level. The laws that apply to the whole state include:
· Having every child between 6-17 years subjected to compulsory education.
· Include the mandatory subjects in the curriculum which includes: reading, geography, writing, arithmetic, US history, Rhode Island history and the principles of American Government.
· Providing instruction for the required amount of time; that is 180 days in a school year.
· Provide instruction thoroughly and efficiently in English language.
· Maintain attendance register of the child in the homeschool and submit the records to the district school at the end of the year.
It is the responsibility of the parent to inquire from the local district on any additional requirements there may be in his/her district.
Notice of Intent to Homeschool in Rhode Island
Parents should notify their local school of their intention to homeschool. The notice must include the name, grade level and age of every student who wish to be enrolled in the homeschool. One may attach the curriculum they intend to use and a declaration that they will observe all the state laws as well as local laws regarding homeschooling.
Each district’s contact is available at the website of education’s department in Rhode Island. Samples of notices are available at the website of guild of home teachers in Rhode Island. Parents are advised to wait until their homeschool is approved to withdraw the student from a public school to avoid truancy complications in the transition period.
Recordkeeping for Homeschoolers in Rhode Island
Parents are required to maintain records on the child’s attendance and submit the records to the local school in their district after every school year. It is up to the parent to inquire regarding additional records that may be required by specific districts such as end of year report and have them ready by the required time.
It is beneficial to create a homeschool portfolio which assists when creating homeschool transcripts, returning to public or private school after homeschooling, applying to colleges, universities, and workplaces, as well as the military. It serves as a keepsake for treasured moments spent with your child and keeping track of the child’s achievements and activities carried out in the homeschool as well as capturing the educational adventures at home. Some of the things parents may consider keeping in the portfolio are:
· The student’s written work throughout the years
· Reports on the child’s academic progress as well as report cards
· Lesson plans and the curriculum used
· Standardized tests taken by the student and the results
Requirements for Graduation in Rhode Island
Parents decide the requirements their homeschool students should meet to graduate. It is a good idea to research on the qualifications to join college or any post-secondary organization the student may be interest in such as the test scores, course work and extracurricular activities to align the homeschool goals with those. This will inform the parent’s decision on what to teach and what to include in the transcripts. Parents should also look into the graduation policies and requirements for public school students for comparison with the homeschool requirements. Parents may award high school diplomas to students they deem to have fulfilled the graduation requirements.
The chart below shows the comparison between graduation requirements in public school and homeschool in Rhode Island.
| Public/Private School | Homeschool | |
|---|---|---|
|
Diploma requirements in Rhode Island |
To receive a diploma in Rhode Island, a minimum of 20 credit courses must be completed. The courses include Math, Social Studies, Science, Language Arts, and 6 electives which may include Physical Education and Health, the Arts, Technology, and Foreign Language. |
Parents in Rhode Island have the liberty to determine when their student will graduate. They then proceed to award the high school diploma under their own terms. |
| Testing requirements in Rhode Island | Completion of one performance-based diploma assessment (Graduation Portfolio, Student Exhibitions, Senior Project and/or a Capstone Product) |
There is no law in Rhode Island that compels or forces homeschoolers to undertake a test as a requirement in order to graduate high school. |
|
Rhode Island high school transcripts |
Students can choose to contact their school or use E-transcript system to submit a duplicate of the student’s transcript to the college they wish to join. Unless prices are offset, there is a reasonable charge. |
Parents in Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island |
The following course credits must be completed by the student: 3 Sciences including Chemistry and Biology, career and tech instruction or Physics, 3 Math including Geometry, Algebra 1 and 2,and Statistics Probability, 3.5 Social Studies(History of the world, the US, Geography, Economics and Government and Citizenship), Language Arts, Physical education, Art and 7 electives. |
Many parents in Rhode Island choose to specify or assign academic credits to the courses taken during the homeschooling period as this may aid during the transcript creation process. |
|
Eligibility for GED in Rhode Island |
In Rhode Island, GED testing is available only to state residents 18 years old or older. 16 or 17-year-old applicants may also qualify if they meet additional requirements. There's no requirement to first attend a GED preparatory course or pass a practice test |
Homeschoolers in Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island
Families who choose to transfer their child to a public school should notify the committee of the local school in their district of their intention to enroll the child to a public school. Every district has different policies and procedures on enrolling new students and grade placement. Some schools may ask the parent the grade they wish their child to be placed while other school may subject the student to a placement test which determines the appropriate grade for the child.
Lernsys Homeschooling makes it easy to keep a summary of the curriculum used including grades, topics covered, quiz and test scores, teacher credentials, etc.
Additional Resources Related to Homeschooling in Rhode Island
Have other questions about homeschooling in Rhode Island? You may find the following pages helpful.
