Home Education Frequently Asked Questions
Printable Home School FAQs Form
Definition and Responsibilities
Instruction
Evaluation
Non-attendance & Truancy
Interscholastic
Extracurricular Activities
Exceptional Student Education
Dual
Enrollment
Definition
and Responsibilities
1. What
is home education?
Section
1002.01, F.S., defines home education as the sequentially progressive
instruction of a student directed by his or her parent or guardian, in order to
satisfy the requirement for compulsory education as defined in Section 1002.20,
F.S. Current law does not prescribe
a curriculum or course of study for home education programs.
2. Who
can teach in a home education setting?
Any
parent who complies with the reporting, record keeping, and student evaluation
requirements specified in statutory law may conduct a home education program.
The parent is not required to be a certified teacher.
3. What
are the responsibilities of parents who establish a home education program?
As
required by Section 1002.41, F.S., to establish a home education program and
maintain compliance with the statute, a parent must:
a.
Send a written notice of intent to
the school district superintendent.
b.
Maintain a portfolio of records,
consisting of a log of educational activities, writings, worksheets, and creative
materials used or developed by the student
c.
Make the portfolio available for
inspection by the superintendent upon a 15-day notice. (The legislation does
not require the superintendent to inspect all portfolios.)
d. Provide an annual educational evaluation for the student’s educational process to the school district superintendent.
e. Preserve each student’s portfolio for two years.
f.
Submit a letter of termination upon
completion of the home education program or change of residence.
4. How
long has home education been a means of meeting the regular attendance
requirement in Florida?
The law creating Florida’s home education program became effective June 17, 1985.
5. What
is the distinction between a home education program and an umbrella/satellite
school?
A
home education program refers to a parent who has registered with the local
school district home education office and has agreed to comply with the home
education requirements as listed in Florida Statutes. An umbrella/satellite
school refers to a private school offering programs or services to home
schooling families.
6. Must a district’s packet of information regarding home education include a form letter for the registration and termination of home education program?
No.
School districts are not required to provide forms, although some districts do
so to facilitate processing of information.
7. Does
the school district have the authority to exceed the Florida Statutes with
local policies?
The
school district must abide by the home education guidelines as listed in Florida
Statutes. A district may not enact policies that would apply additional
guidelines to home education programs or that would make it more difficult for
students to participate in home education.
8. If
a home education parent employs a tutor to instruct his or her student, who is
responsible for the records?
If
the parent is participating in a home education program, as defined in the law,
the parent is responsible for all records.
9. What
happens to the records of a student who withdraws from a public school and
enters into home education?
Cumulative
records are retained by the school district, pursuant to local board policies.
10. How
do districts report transcripts to the Department of Education for home
education students who take courses at a public school?
Districts
may report this information using the number 0998. This will place home
education transcripts in a separate and unique category, identifiable from all
other students.
11. Do
parents have access to any state-appropriated funds for home education?
No.
There are no funds appropriated to a home education student.
12. Are
home education students eligible for Bright Futures Scholarships?
Yes.
Home education students may qualify for a scholarship through the Bright
Futures Scholarship Program if they are registered with their districts as home
education students during the 11th and 12th grades. The
Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program provides a Home Education Program
Packet, which conveys eligibility criteria specific to home education students,
including required college admission test scores, community service
documentation, district registration confirmation, and dates for financial aid
application deadlines. The Home Education Program packet is available from http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/ssfad/bf/
or by telephone, toll-free at 1-888-827-2004.
13. How
may a parent contact other parents who have chosen home education for their
children?
There
are home education support groups in every district. In addition to district
support groups, there are also statewide groups to support home educators.
Additional resources may be found by visiting the School Choice Website at http://www.fldoe.org/schools/school-choice/other-school-choice-options/home-edu/.
14. May
a parent implement a home education program for a 5-year old, even though
regular attendance begins at age 6?
Districts
are not required to accept a letter of intent for a 5-year old; however, some
districts have chosen to accept these letters. In that case, the home education
parent should maintain a portfolio, and the student will be evaluated in the
same manner as a student who is subject to regular attendance.
Instruction:
15. How can a parent provide “sequentially progressive instruction?”
There
are many methods a parent may use to direct a home education program. As
reflected in Florida Statute, a parent may:
a.
Instruct the student;
b.
Enroll the student in courses
part-time in a public or private school;
c.
Enroll the student online in the
Florida Virtual School;
d.
Enroll the student in correspondence
courses;
e.
Hire a tutor, or
f. Choose any other means that provides “sequentially progressive instruction” directed by the parent.
16. Are
parents required to have a Florida teaching certificate to home educate?
No.
A parent is not required to have a valid Florida teaching certificate to home
educate a student. Furthermore, the instruction is no longer required to take
place in the home nor must the parent be the person to deliver instruction.
17. Are
home education students bound by the required school hours that apply to public
school students?
No.
There are no specific hourly attendance requirements for students in a home
education program.
18. Do
home education students have the same opportunity as public and nonpublic
school students to enter a college of their choice?
Yes, depending on the student’s qualifications and the admission requirements of the postsecondary institution. In order to understand the specific admission requirements of a postsecondary institution, home educators should directly contact the admissions office of the institution in which they have an interest.
19. Do
school districts provide instructional materials to home education students?
There
is no requirement for districts to provide instructional materials to home
education students.
20. May
home education students enroll at specialized or magnet schools?
Yes.
Most districts have established a selection process for any student wishing to
attend a magnet school. A home education student would adhere to the same
process as a public school student.
21. May
home education parents dually enroll a home education student at a
postsecondary institution?
Yes. Home education students may enroll directly with the postsecondary institution pursuant to Section 1007.271(10)(a), F.S., or use the district’s interinstitutional articulation agreement. Contact the district home education contact for specific information about the local interinstitutional articulation agreement. If the home education student enrolls through the district’s interinstitutional articulation agreement as the basis for dual enrollment, the student is effectively enrolled in the district for the course(s) and the district may earn FTE and must provide instructional materials.
A home education student not using the district’s interinstitutional articulation agreement must provide proof of enrollment in the home education program and be responsible for instructional materials.
22. May
home education students participate in local district course offerings?
Although
there is no requirement to do so, some districts provide opportunities for home
education students to enroll in specified courses in district schools.
Districts may report FTE funding for home education students enrolled in
district courses.
23. What
type of diploma do home education students receive?
School
districts, adult high schools, and community colleges are not authorized to
award a regular high school diploma to home education students. However, a home
education student may take the General Educational Development (GED) test at an
education center and be awarded a Florida GED diploma if the student receives a
passing score. The toll free number for information pertaining to the GED is
1-877-352-4331.
24. Do
students who have been home educated have the option to return to public
school?
Yes.
Any student who is within the compulsory attendance age has the right to enroll
in a public school. Current district policies and Florida State Board of
Education Rule 6A-1.09941, govern the grade placement of home education
students.
25. How
does a home education student at the high school level transfer into a public
school when the previous course work is not awarded in the traditional manner?
State
Board Rule 6A-1.09941 establishes a uniform transfer of credit at the high
school level as follows: If the student does not possess an official transcript
or is a home education student, credits shall be validated through performance
during the first grading period.
26. May
a home education student attend summer school?
Home
education students may be allowed to attend summer school, if the district
offers summer school.
Evaluation:
27. What
does the annual educational evaluation include?
A student in a home education setting must be evaluated once a year to demonstrate educational progress at a level equivalent to his or her abilities. The parent/guardian selects the method of evaluation from those provided in Florida Statute, then files a copy of the evaluation annually in the superintendent’s office. The evaluation must consist of one of the following:
a. A Florida certified teacher chosen by the parent/guardian may evaluate the child’s progress based on the review of the portfolio and discussion with the student;
b.
The student may take any nationally
normed student achievement test administered by a certified teacher;
c.
The student may take a state student
assessment test used by the school district and administered by a certified
teacher, at a location and under testing conditions approved by the school
district;
d.
The student may be evaluated by a
psychologist holding a valid, active license pursuant to the provisions of
Section 490.003 (7) or (8), F.S.; or
e. The student may be evaluated with any other valid measurement tool as mutually agreed upon by the school superintendent of the district in which the student resides and the student’s parent/guardian.
28. What
requirements must be met by a teacher conducting an annual evaluation of a home
education student?
As
defined in Section 1002.41, F.S., a teacher who evaluates a home education
student must hold current certification in academic subjects at the elementary
or secondary level in the state of Florida. Of the five evaluation options
described in the law, three involve a certified teacher.
29. How
does a parent locate an evaluator for the annual evaluation?
Parents
may contact the local district home education office or a local parent group to
obtain the names of available evaluators.
30. Does
the home education student have the right to take standardized tests at the
local school district?
School
districts are required to provide state assessment tests, if the parent chooses
this option as a form of evaluation. School districts may offer standardized
tests to home education students.
31. May
a district set a deadline for the annual evaluation?
“Annually” is defined in Florida Statute as one year from the date of the letter of intent. However some home educators may choose to follow the requested deadline in order to follow the traditional school calendar.
32. What
is the appropriate recourse when a district does not receive an annual
evaluation on a home education student?
Section 1002.41, F.S., requires the parent to provide for an annual evaluation of the home education student. Failure to do so places the home education program in non-compliance and permits the superintendent, after notice to the parent, to terminate the program. Non-compliance with this requirement should trigger the district’s policy regarding non-compliance with compulsory school attendance.
33. What
is the definition of a portfolio?
Section 1002.41, F.S., defines a portfolio as “A log of educational activities which is made contemporaneously with the instruction and which designates by title any reading materials used and samples of any writings, worksheets, workbooks, or creative materials used or developed by the student.”
34. How
long must the portfolio be preserved?
The portfolio shall be preserved by the parent/guardian for two years and shall be made available for inspection by the superintendent, or the superintendent’s agent, upon a 15-day written notice. The superintendent, or the superintendent’s agent, is not required to inspect all portfolios.
35. May
a school district require that a home education student take the FCAT or other
statewide assessment in order to return to public school?
No.
36. May
a home education student use more than one of the methods listed in Section
1002.41, F.S., to satisfy the annual evaluation component?
No.
While a parent may utilize several methods to assess student progress in the
regular course of providing a home education program, for the purposes of
Section 1002.41, F.S., only one method may be selected and submitted to the
school district.
37. May
a home education student take the FCAT or other statewide assessments for
reasons other than fulfilling the evaluation requirement of Section 1002.41,
F.S.?
The
only statutory authority which permits home education students to take the FCAT
or other statewide assessments is the provision for use as the official annual
evaluation.
Nonattendance & Truancy:
38. Can
the parent of a student who has been found to exhibit a pattern of
nonattendance enroll that student in a home education program?
Yes.
However, at the time that a student who has been found to exhibit a pattern of
nonattendance is enrolled in a home education program, the home education
contact will:
a.
Provide the parent or guardian with
a copy of the home education law, Section 1002.41, F.S., and the accountability
requirements of the truancy law, Section 1003.26, F.S.; and
Refer the parent or guardian to a
home education review committee composed of members as specified in Section
1003.26, F.S.
39. How
will the home education contact know which students have been found to exhibit
a pattern of nonattendance?
When a school’s student study team determines that a student has been found to exhibit a pattern of nonattendance, the law requires that the principal of the school notify the superintendent of schools and the district home education contact. The home education contact is expected to maintain this information to verify whether a student who is being enrolled in a home education program has been found to exhibit a pattern of nonattendance.
40. What
are the accountability requirements for home education, once a student has been
found to exhibit a pattern of nonattendance?
The
parent must submit a portfolio, as defined by Section 1002.41, F.S., to be reviewed
by a home education review committee every 30 days until the committee
determines that the home education program is in compliance with Section
1003.26, F.S. The first portfolio review must occur within the first 30
calendar days of the establishment of the home education program.
41. Who
serves on the home education review committee?
According
to Section 1003.26, F.S., the home education review committee is to be composed
of the school district contact for home education and at least two home
educators selected by the parent from a list of eligible home education
parents maintained by the district. Eligible home education parents are those
who have conducted a home education program for at least three years and who
have indicated a willingness to serve on a home education review committee.
42. How
does the school district home education contact develop a list of eligible home
educators?
The
home education contact may wish to send a letter to all parents who have
conducted a home education program for at least three years, inviting them to
submit their names as possible candidates for a home education review
committee. The list will be made up of those parents who indicate a willingness
to serve on such a committee.
43. What
will happen if the home education review committee determines that the home
education program is in compliance with the statute?
Once
the committee determines that the home education program is in compliance, the
parent will no longer be required to submit a portfolio to the home education
review committee. The parent will be required to comply with the requirements
of a home education program pursuant to Section 1002.41, F.S., as is any parent
involved in a home education program.
44. What
will happen if the parent of a student who has been found to exhibit a pattern
of nonattendance, and who has been enrolled in home education, fails to provide
a portfolio for review by the committee?
The
committee shall notify the superintendent of schools who shall then terminate
the home education program and require the parent to enroll the student in an
attendance option provided under Section 1002.41, F.S., within three days.
Failure of a parent or guardian to enroll a student in an attendance option
after termination of a home education program shall constitute non-compliance
with the compulsory attendance requirement and may result in criminal
prosecution of the parent under Section1003.27(2), F.S.
45. How long should the home education contact keep a student’s name on the list of students who have been found to exhibit a pattern of nonattendance?
If
a student was placed on the list more than 90 days prior to the parent
enrolling the student in a home education program, the home education contact
should check with the school to determine if the student is still considered to
be at-risk for nonattendance
46. How can I get more information about truancy and driver’s licenses for home education students?
You
may contact the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles at (850) 922-9000.
47. May
a home education student be automatically dropped at the age of 16?
No. The family must notify the school district if
the student wishes to terminate the home education program. Section 1003.21,
F.S. requires that students terminating enrollment at age 16 must be notified
that their earning power is likely to be reduced. It is in the best interest of
the student for the district to maintain home education records until the
completion of high school.
48. Which
member of district personnel is responsible for processing waivers for
employment of home education students?
School
districts are not required to process waivers for employment of home education
students except to confirm, with a release for information from the parent,
that the student is enrolled in home education.
Interscholastic Extracurricular
Activities:
49. How is the term “extracurricular activity” defined by the law?
An “extracurricular activity” is defined as “any school-authorized or education-related activity occurring during or outside the regular instructional day, Section 1006.15, F.S.” This definition was added to the Act to make it clear that any activity outside of classroom activities and instruction should be considered extracurricular.
For example, some school districts had excluded home education students from musical clubs and ensembles by stating that the performance groups were part of curricular instruction and outside of the realm of extracurricular activities. The 1997 amendment clarifies that a district may not define “extracurricular” in such a narrow way. District policies that apply a more narrow interpretation of “extracurricular,” and exclude students on this basis, are contrary to the law and legislative intent. Activities outside of classroom instruction are generally defined as extracurricular and open to home education students.
50. May home education students participate in “interscholastic extracurricular activities” offered at public schools?
Yes. To participate in “inter-scholastic extracurricular activities”, Section 1006.15 F.S., requires that home education students be given the same opportunity as public school students. The law prohibits any requirements that would make participation less accessible for home education students and creates a broad definition of “interscholastic extracurricular activities” that covers any activity occurring during or outside the regular school day. However, the law does allow for home education students to develop an agreement to participate in “interscholastic extracurricular activities” at a non- public school.
51. Is there a difference between an “extracurricular activity” and an “interscholastic- extracurricular activity?”
No.
The terms are used interchangeably.
52. What
grade levels are allowed to participate in interscholastic extracurricular
activities?
Section
1006.15, F.S., primarily addresses students in grades 9-12 but does not
prohibit students in lower grades from participation. The by-laws of the
governing organization regulate which students, and under what circumstances
those students, may participate in the interscholastic extracurricular
activity.
For example, Section 1006.20, F.S., designated the Florida High School Activities Association as the governing organization for athletics. For the purpose of athletics, the Association defines “high school” as grades 6-12. If athletics are offered in a grade 6-8 school that is governed by this Association, the athletic program must be made available upon request to home education students at that grade level. Section 1006.15, F.S., states that public schools may not belong to any governing organization that discriminates against an eligible home education student.
53. What
if the extracurricular activity requires a class to be taken in order to
participate?
If a class is required in order to take part in the extracurricular activity, such as band class during the day in order to take part in the school’s marching band, the district must afford the home education student the opportunity to enroll for that class, pursuant to Section 1006.15(5), F.S.
54. Do
districts receive any funding when home education students participate in extra-curricular
activities?
No,
unless the home education student enrolls in a class required to participate in
the extracurricular activity. The district may report that student for FTE purposes.
Additionally, home education students may be required to pay any of the fees or
costs that are required of all participating students.
55. May
a district develop policies that restrict the access of home education students
to extracurricular activities?
No.
Districts may establish policies for participation that apply to all students,
such as evidence of required immunizations, medical clearance for sports
activities, auditions and class participation. However, the district may not
enact policies that would apply different standards to home education students
or make it more difficult for them to participate.
56. Must
home education students who participate in extracurricular activities offered
at public schools comply with school entry immunization requirements?
Yes.
If the home education student is participating in extracurricular activities
under Section 1006.15, F.S., the student must meet the same immunization
requirements as students attending any non-home education program.
57. How
are grade point average requirements applied to extracurricular activities?
In order to participate in extracurricular activities, a home education student must have the required 2.0 or better grade point average in academic courses. This applies to both public and home education students. The law allows for a method of evaluation of the student’s progress to be agreed upon by the parent and the principal. The evaluation may be based on a teacher’s review of the student’s work, grades earned through correspondence or at a postsecondary school, standardized test scores, or other method as allowed by Section 1002.41, F.S.
58. How
does the district determine at which school the home education student may
participate in extracurricular activities?
The
home education student must meet the same residency requirements as other
students to participate in extracurricular activities.
6
Dual Enrollment:
65. Does
a home education student have to receive permission from the school district to
participate in dual enrollment on the community college campus?
No. College and state universities often request
proof of registration from the home education student. That information can be
obtained from the local school district home education coordinator.
66. What
is the school district required to do for home education students who have an
articulation agreement with the community college or a state university?
The
school district must provide the community college or state university with
proof that a student is enrolled in a home education program pursuant to s.
1002.41 F.S.
67. May
home education students take dual enrollment courses at district high schools?
Yes. Districts that have a part-time enrollment
policy may enroll home education students in the school district and receive
FTE for the student. This is a local decision that is articulated in the
district pupil progression plan.
68. Does
a community college have to provide instructional materials /textbooks for home
education students?
No. The law specifically states that a community
college is not prohibited from providing dual enrollment materials/books to
home education students if the college is providing materials/books to other
public or private students in dual enrollment pursuant to s. 1007.271(17), F.S.
69. Is
the school district responsible for the transportation of a home education
student to a dual enrollment course?
No.
70. Is
a home education student limited to the same course options as a public school
student?
Home
school students are limited to the dual enrollment courses and programs offered
by institutions for that term.
71. Should community colleges report course grades to the student’s school district?
No. The school district has no record-keeping
responsibility for home educated students.
72. Is
there a minimum age or grade level required of a home education student for
participation in dual enrollment?
The
minimum age and the maximum years allowed for dual enrollment should be
outlined in the local articulation agreement.
73. Is
there a minimum GPA for home education students to participate in dual
enrollment?
No.
74. Are
home education students and postsecondary institutions required to develop an
articulation agreement?
Yes.
Postsecondary institutions must provide an articulation agreement for home
education students to clarify responsibilities, identify registration
timelines, and coordinate procedures for efficient program implementation.
75. Does
the District Interinstitutional Articulation Agreement apply to home education
students?
No.
Home education students are not subject to the provisions set forth by the
district agreement.
