Florida Homeschooling Laws
Families considering homeschooling their children may question the legality of homeschooling in Florida, wondering what is required to homeschool in Florida as well as the process of homeschooling. Florida allows homeschooling which is not a complex process.
Learn more on the homeschool regulations in Florida:
- The legal requirements to homeschool in Florida
- Parents notice of the intention to homeschool
- Recordkeeping for homeschoolers in Florida
- Requirements for Graduation in Florida 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 Florida
Florida law does not provide for specific parent credentials, the minimum level of education or bans on criminal record. The law does not provide for a list of subjects a student is required to cover nor does it provide for vaccination requirements for the students. However, parents are required to provide a sequential progressive instruction to the homeschooler as a requirement by the law. Parents may choose the following options to fulfill the requirement:
- Instruction to be given by the parent or legal guardian
- The child attends private or public school part time
- A tutor hired by the parent may give instruction
- A child may enroll in other correspondence courses
Transferring from Public School to Homeschool in Florida
Notice of Intent
Parents are required to file a notice of intent as the first step to homeschool. This notice is filed with the public school system by filing a form or submitting a letter with details of the children, including their identity, date of birth and the address of the children to the schools’ county superintendent. The intent should be filed within 30 days of beginning homeschool program and should be for any child who is 6 years or older. It is advised to deliver the letter or have it mailed via a certified mail to ensure it reaches the office on time. It does not matter when one should begin homeschooling, even in the middle of a term so long as the parent follows the process and the guidelines provided.
Recordkeeping for Homeschoolers in Florida
Parents in Florida are required to keep records of the progress of the students being homeschool and in specific, the educational activities undertaken, writings, creative materials and samples of workbook pages. The process has been made easy by the Lernsys homeschool program which provides printable versions of assessments and progress.
The records kept are not required to be submitted to the office of the county superintendent unless it is requested; the only requirement is that they are maintained for two years. Parents are to provide an educational evaluation every year to the superintendent to show the student’s progress which can include:
- An assessment by a psychologist approved by state
- An alternative evaluation method agreed between the superintendent and the parent
- A Florida teacher’s review that is certified of the student’s portfolio
- A state-normed test given by a teacher who is certified and at a center approved as a testing center
Requirements for Graduation in Florida
Parents in Florida determine the graduation requirements for their student and proceed to give a diploma that is considered valid and legal in Florida. 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 Florida.
| Public/Private School | Homeschool | |
|---|---|---|
|
Diploma requirements in Florida |
To receive a diploma in Florida, 24 completed credits are required and the student must have a grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. |
Parents in Florida 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 Florida | A graduate in Florida must take the grade 10 English Language, algebra 1 end-of-course test and the arts test. |
There is no law in Florida that compels or forces homeschoolers to undertake a test as a requirement in order to graduate high school. |
|
Florida 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 Florida 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 Florida |
Each student must attain 4 credits in English, 1 credit in physical education, 3 social studies credits, 3 credits in science, 4 credits in math, 8 elective credits, 1 course taken online and 1 fine and performing arts credit. |
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 Florida |
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 Florida 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 Florida
Parents in Florida 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 Florida applies different guidelines for grade placement and enrollment of students. You will find that some schools in Florida 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 Florida 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 Florida
Have other questions about homeschooling in Florida? You may find the following pages helpful.
