Home School Faq

Home Study Program: FAQ Who can operate a home study program? Parents or guardians can operate a home study program. Are there any qualifications required for the parent who teaches? Yes. A high school diploma or GED is needed. Can the parents or guardians employ someone else to teach? Yes. A tutor must hold a high school diploma or a GED. Do parents or tutors have to provide a copy of their qualifications to the DOE or superintendent? No. What is the first step in establishing a home study program? Within 30 days after establishing a home study program, and by September 1 annually thereafter, the parent must file a Declaration of Intent with the local school superintendent. What must be included in the Declaration of Intent? Only your child’s name, age, address of the home study program, and the dates of the school year. What if I am withdrawing my child from a public/private school? Contact the school. Notify them that you are placing your child in a home study program. Otherwise, after ten days of unexplained absences, your child will be considered truant. Obtain and file the Declaration of Intent with the county superintendent’s office. Are there other forms that must be submitted to the superintendent’s office? Yes. The monthly attendance form must be submitted at the close of each month. Where do I get the Declaration of Intent and the Attendance form? Declaration of Intent forms and attendance forms may be found online at www.heir.org or www.ghea.org . Is a home study program required by law to be operated within specified hours? No. The law only requires the program to operate the equivalent of 180 days or at least 4.5 (four and one-half) hours of instruction per day unless the child is physically unable to comply with this requirement. If I am withdrawing my child from a public/private school, will the days that my child has already attended school count towards the 180 day requirement? Yes. Does the law address curriculum requirements? Yes. The basic academic program shall provide instruction in reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science. Is the school system required to furnish curriculums, books or testing services for our home study program? No. Does the superintendent ‘approve’ our curriculum? No. Monitor our child’s progress? No. Monitor our testing program or student assessment process? No. Monitor our records or instruction time? No. What other requirements are mandated by the Georgia Home Study Law? Compulsory Attendance: Children ‘between their 6th and 16th birthdays’ must be enrolled and sent to a public, private, or home study program. Code Section 20-2-690.1 If a child is under 6 and has attended more than 20 days in a public school, then the child is subject to the compulsory attendance law. Code Section 20-2-150(C) Attendance records for children above the age of 16: Although not mandated, attendance records should continue to be submitted for students who will be requesting a Certificate of Attendance in order to obtain their instructional driver’s permit, driver’s license, or work permit. Standardized Testing: Children must take a national standardized test every three years beginning at the end of the third grade. Test scores must be retained for three years. Test scores are not required to be submitted to public school authorities. Code Section 20-2-690(c)(7) Progress Reports: Parent must write an annual progress report in each required subject area for each student and must retain the report for three years. Code Section 20-2-690(c)(8) Progress reports are not required to be submitted to school authorities. This is not legal advice. All information provided is from the Georgia Department of Education at www.doe.k12.ga.us, ; GHEA at www.ghea.org,; HEIR at www.heir.org