Attorney at Law
Florida law protects and promotes parental rights, including your right to decide how your child is educated. This right also covers homeschooling your child, provided you meet the state’s requirements.
If you are considering homeschooling your child in Florida, it is important to understand what legal rights and responsibilities you can expect.
Your Homeschooling Rights
Beyond having the right to decide whether to homeschool your child, you have other important rights regarding your child’s education. These rights include the right to:
- Decide whether to start your child in a kindergarten program
- Enroll your child in homeschooling at any point during their education
- End your child’s homeschooling and re-enroll them in a public or private school
- File one annual evaluation each year on the anniversary of your notice of intent
- Select the method by which your program’s annual evaluation is completed
You also have the right to instruct other children in a homeschool setting or have another parent homeschool your child. The person doing this is considered to be a private tutor and must hold valid Florida teaching certificates for the courses they will be teaching.
If you are homeschooling your child, there is no requirement for you to hold any teaching certificate unless you plan to teach others’ children.
The 4 Legal Responsibilities of a Homeschooling Parent
If you intend to homeschool your child, you will have four basic responsibilities under Florida law. These responsibilities are as follows:
- Inform Your Local Superintendent
First, you must submit a letter of intent informing your district superintendent of your intention to homeschool your child within 30 days of starting your homeschool program. Your letter will need to be sent to your local district superintendent’s office and contain:
- The name of each participating child who is aged 6 to 16
- The birthdate of each participating child
- The address of the children
- Your or the other parent’s signature
You must notify the superintendent if any of your children will turn six years of age before February 1 of the school year in which you start homeschooling them.
You do not need to file a notice of intent if your child will turn six after February 1 of the current school year. Similarly, once your child turns 17 years of age, you no longer need to submit a letter of intent. If your child will turn 17 during the present school year, you should still submit a letter of intent.
- Keep a Portfolio
You will need to keep a log of your child’s educational activities as they occur, along with samples of writings, worksheets, and other materials used or evaluated in instructing your child. This documentation must be kept for two years and produced upon request by the superintendent.
- Conduct an Annual Evaluation
The law also requires you to submit an annual evaluation to your superintendent’s office on the anniversary date you submitted your notice of intent letter. There are various ways to complete this evaluation, and it is up to you to decide what method of evaluation should be used.
- Submit a Notice of Termination
Should you decide to place your child in a public or private school, or if you end your homeschooling program for any reason, a letter of termination is needed. This letter should contain the same information as your notice of intent and be mailed to the district superintendent’s office within 30 days of the homeschooling program’s termination.
Contact a Jacksonville Family Law Attorney for Help
Navigating Florida’s homeschooling laws is made easier with the assistance of a Jacksonville family lawyer from Tupper Law, P.A. Whether you intend to start homeschooling your child or have questions about your existing program, we can help.
We can also assist you if your district superintendent’s office appears to be making unreasonable or questionable demands of you and your program. Whatever your family law needs, contact Tupper Law, P.A. to speak with a seasoned and skilled family law attorney in Jacksonville today.