Georgia Homeschooling Laws
1. Ensure that the person instructing the child has the required qualifications
2. Submit a yearly declaration of intent to homeschool
3. Teach for the required number of days
4. Teach the required subjects
5. Complete annual progress reports
6. Test the student at least every three years after 3rd grade
This page provides information on the requirements on homeschooling in Georgia for families considering this option for their children. It also contains information on;
- Requirements to homeschool in Georgia
- The parent’s declaration of intent
- Record keeping for homeschoolers in Georgia
- Requirements for homeschool graduation in Georgia
- 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 Georgia
The laws in Georgia provide that for one to homeschool their child, they must fulfill the following requirements;
- Have an educational program of 5 subjects including English, Science, Language arts, Math, Reading or Social studies.
- A high school diploma for the parents or its equivalent
- A declaration of intent that includes the child’s identity, address of the home based school and the periods of homeschooling
- Give the declaration of intentby 1st September every year or in 30 days of establishing the homeschool.
- Have the child take standardized tests after completing 3 grades; every 3 years.
- Maintain assessment reports for not less than 3 years and submit assessment progress every year for every subject the student takes.
- Have the child undertake instruction for 180 days annually and 4.5 hours daily with an exemption to children who cannot comply due to physical issues.
Transferring from Public School to Homeschool in Georgia
Notice of Intent
Parents are obligated to file with the department of education in Georgia their declaration of intent to homeschool (NOI) which can either be done electronically, through mail, by fax or via email. It should have the particulars of the child including names, address, age, the homeschooling period and the location of the homeschool. The declaration should be given every year the parent intends to homeschool. Parents are required to have a hard copy of the form for it serves as the evidence of the home based school. It can also be used to obtain work permits, driver’s licenses/permits etc.
Parents whose children are in public school should consider a formal withdraw after submitting the declaration to ensure there are no truancy issues arising.
Recordkeeping for Homeschoolers in Georgia
A homeschool portfolio is important to keep for it proves to be useful while returning to public school, applying for college or future workplaces as well as the military. The things one should include in the portfolio;
- A report of the progress made for every year
- A record of the standardized tests taken and the results thereof
- A detailed high school transcript for students in high school
- Lernsys Homeschooling makes it easy to keep a summary of the curriculum used including grades, topics covered, quiz and test scores, teacher credentials, etc.
Requirements for Graduation in Georgia
Parents in Georgia determine the graduation requirements for their student and proceed to give a diploma that is considered valid and legal in Georgia. 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 Georgia.
| Public/Private School | Homeschool | |
|---|---|---|
|
Diploma requirements in Georgia |
To graduate, the student must complete 23 units to be awarded a diploma in Georgia. |
Parents in Georgia 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 Georgia | Georgia does not have requirements regarding testing to graduate. |
There is no law in Georgia that compels or forces homeschoolers to undertake a test as a requirement in order to graduate high school. |
|
Georgia 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 Georgia 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 Georgia |
It is a requirement to have 4 Math credits including algebra, 4 English credits, 3 Science credits, 3 CTAE credits or Latin/fine arts/ modern language, 4 Social studies credits and 4 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 Georgia |
Students who are 16 years and above are eligible to take the test which stands in for the high school diploma. They must not be admitted in a public school while taking the test. |
Homeschoolers in Georgia 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 Georgia
The reasons to go back to public school may vary from financial or personal issues to discovering the college the student prefers requires a diploma that is accredited. The state of Georgia does not provide for any laws or requirements for the switch but every school district has unique methods of assessing the student for subject and grade placement. Parents are required to consult with the local school district on the method they intend to use to validate the instruction they have been providing during the homeschool program. The local district will also take charge of the transfer of any credits completed in the course of the homeschool program.
Each school in Georgia applies different guidelines for grade placement and enrollment of students. You will find that some schools in Georgia 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 Georgia 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 Georgia
Have other questions about homeschooling in Georgia? You may find the following pages helpful.
