From the ECS State Policy Database Instructional Approaches--Homeschooling

This database is made possible by your state's fiscal support of the Education Commission of the States (ECS). Most entries are legislative, although rules/regulations and executive orders that make substantive changes are included. Every effort is made to collect the latest available version of policies; in some instances, recent changes might not be reflected. For expediency purposes minimal attention has been paid to style (capitalization, punctuation) and format. Please cite use of the database as: Education Commission of the States (ECS) State Policy Database, retrieved [date]. State Status/Date Level Summary ME SIGNED 07/2013 P-12 Eligibility for State Subsidy for Postsecondary Courses H.P. 53 Makes a student eligible to receive a state subsidy for postsecondary courses if the student is receiving home instruction in a program that meets requirements and the eligible institution: has space available for the student; has determined that the student ... More... TX Signed into law 06/2013 P-12 Summer Course Enrollment of Students Not Enrolled in District H.B. 2137 Requires a district, with exceptions, to permit a person eligible to attend school under statutory school age laws but who is not enrolled in the district to enroll in a summer school course on the same basis as a district student. Requires such person to sati... More... IA Signed into law 06/2013 P-12 Independent Private Instruction H.F. 215 - Division XII Adds a new subsection. Defines "Independent private instruction" as instruction that meets the following criteria: (1) Is not accredited. (2) Enrolls not more than four unrelated students. (3) Does not charge tuition, fees, or other remuneration for instructio... More... NC Signed into law 05/2013 P-12 Home Schools S.B. 189 Redefines homeschool from consisting of one or more households to no more than two households. http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2013/Bills/Senate/PDF/S189v2.pdf... More... ND Signed into law 05/2013 Postsec. Homeschool Student Eligibility for Scholarships H.B. 1291 Makes home schooled students eligible for North Dakota scholarships. http://www.legis.nd.gov/assembly/63-2013/documents/13-0109-05000.pdf?20130510113114... More... CO Signed into law 04/2013 P-12 Home School Students Participation In Activities H.B. 1095 Prohibits a district, school, or interscholastic organization or association from requiring a homeschooled student who is participating in an extracurricular activity at a school selected by the district to enroll in a course or complete course credits as a co... More... AR Signed into law 04/2013 P-12 Homeschool Study S.B. 1043 Requires the department of education to study the education and assistance provided to children who are unable to physically attend school on a regular basis due to a medical condition. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2013/2013R/Bills/SB1043.pdf... More... ND Signed into law 04/2013 P-12 Home Education S.B. 2329 Requires that while in grades four, six, eight, and ten, each child receiving home education take a standardized achievement test used by the school district in which the child resides; or, if requested by the parent, a nationally normed standardized achievem... More... NM Signed into law 04/2013 P-12 Home School Student Program Units S.B. 302 Allows for home schooled students to take one or more classes at public schools and for home schooled students to generate program units. Payment of the program units for home schooled students will be paid to the school district in which they are generated. E... More... NH Became law without governor's signature 06/2012 P-12 Educational Evaluation of Home Schooled Children H.B. 1571 Amends the educational evaluation procedures for home educated children and repeals the notice, hearing, and appeals procedures afforded to parents relative to the termination of a home education program. The bill also clarifies the school district's limited l... More... NH Adopted 06/2012 P-12 Home Education NH ADC Ed 315.01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 Provide standards for home education programs. They are being readopted at the request of the Home Education Advisory Council to make them consistent with RSA 193-A and add the new requirement from RSA 193:1,I(f)(2) to provide a certificate of completion for h... More... NH Adopted 06/2012 P-12 Home Education NH ADC Ed 315.01 - .18 Readopts rules at the request of the Home Education Advisory Council to make them consistent with RSA 193-A and add the new requirement to provide a certificate of completion for home education programs. Amends the due process hearing procedure.... More... GA Signed into law 05/2012 P-12 Attendance Records, Unexcused Absences H.B. 39 Requires that declarations of intent and attendance records for home study programs be submitted to the department of education rather than local school superintendents; authorizes department to provide for electronic submittal of such records. Provides that n... More... GA Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 Home Study Programs H.B. 706 - Home Study Programs Authorizes the department of education to permit parents to submit declaration of intent to use a home study program electronically. Provides that declarations of intent and attendance records for home study programs are submitted to the department of educatio... More... GA Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 Administration and Enforcement of Compulsory Attendance Laws H.B. 706 - Administration and Enforcement of Compulsory Attendance Laws Clarifies that responsibility for administration and enforcement of compulsory attendance laws is the duty of the state department of education as well as local systems (previous legislation referred only to duty of local systems). Places responsibility for r... More... VA Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 Home Instruction of Children; Limits Required Description of Curriculum H.B. 1208 Requires that the description of the curriculum, which a parent electing to provide home instruction to his child in lieu of school attendance must submit to the school division superintendent, shall be limited to a list of subjects to be studied during the co... More... NM Signed into law 02/2012 P-12 Home School Student Participation in Extracurricular Activities H.B. 129 Redefines the home school student activities program unit for funding purposes. Expands the definition from athletic activities to co-curricular and extracurricular activities. http://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/12%20Regular/bills/house/HB0129.pdf... More... TN Signed into law 06/2011 P-12 Home Schools H.B. 1631 Requires a parent who home schools a child to possess a high school diploma or GED. Defines home school "home school" as a school conducted or directed by a parent or parents or legal guardian or guardians for their own children. Allows public school facilitie... More... MS Signed into law 03/2011 P-12 Grade-Assignment Testing H.B. 636 Requires homeschooled students to be tested prior to transfer into a public school district for grade-assignment purposes. http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2011/pdf/HB/0600-0699/HB0636SG.pdf... More... LA Signed into law 06/2010 P-12 Postsec. Community College Homeschool Diplomas S.B. 798 A high school diploma awarded by a home study program approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education will be deemed by all public postsecondary educational institutions, all state departments, agencies, boards, and commissions, and all other... More... LA Signed into law 06/2010 P-12 Home-schooled Students and Interscholastic Athletics H.B. 303 Allows home-schooled students to participate in high school interscholastic athletics. Provides definitions, eligibility requirements, and guidelines and conditions for participation. http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=722510... More... GA Vetoed 06/2010 P-12 Compulsory School Attendance S.B. 239 - Section 2 Requires a parent whose child is of compulsory school age and who becomes a new resident of a local school system to enroll his/her child in a public or private school within 15 days of such new residency (or by the start date of school if such new residency o... More... UT Signed into law 03/2010 P-12 Private and Homeschool Student Participation in Extracurricular Activities S.B. 66 Provides that a minor enrolled in a private school or a home school is eligible to participate in extracurricular activities at a public school whose district boundaries the student's parent resides within or from which the student withdrew. Provides a private... More... VA Signed into law 02/2010 P-12 Homebound Instructional Services H.B. 257 Requires the Board of Education to amend its regulations establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia as they relate to homebound instructional services to include that homebound instruction shall be made available to students based on a c... More... OH Signed into law 07/2009 P-12 No Home-Based Charter Schools H.B. 1 - Section 265.50.80 Specifies that no community school (charter school) that began operation after May 1, 2005 may be operated from a home. Page 2833 of 3120: http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/BillText128/128_HB_1_EN_N.pdf... More... KY Adopted 07/2009 Postsec. Scholarship Eligibility for Homeschooled Students 11 KAR 18:010 Provides a definition of "home school" and prescribes initial application procedures for home school students to participate in the Robert C Byrd Honors Scholarship Program. http://www.lrc.ky.gov/kar/011/018/010.htm... More... MO Signed into law 07/2009 P-12 Compulsory Age S.B. 291--School Flex Program Act established school flex program allowing eligible students in 11th and 12th grades to attend school a minimum of two instructional hours per school day within their school district; pursue a timely graduation; provide evidence of college or technical caree... More... ND Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 Parental Qualification for Homeschooling H.B. 1400 - Sec. 28, Home Education Parents may supervise home education if the parent holds a high school diploma or a general educational development (GED) diploma. Previous policy required baccalaureate degree and licensed or approved to teach by the education standards and practices board an... More... GA Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 High School Honors Program S.B. 210 Includes home schooled students among those students eligible to participate in the high school honors program during the summer months. http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2009_10/pdf/sb210.pdf... More... WA Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 Homeschooling H.B. 1288 Exempts the annual parental declaration of intent to home school from the public disclosure act; exempts from public disclosure the annual declaration of intent filed by parents under RCW 28A.200.010 for a child to receive home-based instruction. Chapter 191 h... More... WA Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 Homeschooling H.B. 1110 School districts are prohibited from advertising, marketing, and otherwise providing unsolicited information about learning programs offered by the school district, including but not limited to digital learning programs, part-time enrollment opportunities, and... More... NM Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 Homeschooled Student Participation in District Athletics H.B. 704 Increases the number of school district athletic activities in which a home school student may participate to three activities. http://nmlegis.gov/Sessions/09%20Regular/final/HB0704.pdf... More... UT Signed into law 03/2009 P-12 Homeschooling Affidavit S.B. 146 Requires a local school board to issue a certificate excusing a minor from attendance within 30 days of receipt of a signed affidavit stating that the minor will attend a home school.... More... VA Signed into law 02/2009 P-12 Transferabilyt of Virtual State Credits H.B. 2619 Requires local school boards to make provisions to require the acceptance of virtual state credits earned by a student while attending another public secondary school or nonpublic school, or through home instruction. http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe... More... NH Signed into law 07/2008 P-12 Homeschooling Notification S.B. 337 Requires a parent to notify the Commissioner of Education, resident district superintendent, or principal of a nonpublic school when commencing or continuing a home education program; revises the membership of the Home Education Advisory Council; establishes a... More... NY Signed into law 07/2008 P-12 Student with Disabilities in Homeschool Program A.B. 11463 Provides that solely for purposes of providing services to special education students and the computation of state aid, a student with disabilities in a homeschool program must be considered a nonpublic school student eligible to receive services as such, prov... More... UT Signed into law 03/2008 P-12 UPSTART Program S.B. 2 - Sections 3-9 Establishes UPSTART, a pilot project that uses a home-based educational technology program to develop the school readiness skills of children age 4-5 who have not entered kindergarten. Provides that UPSTART is created to evaluate the effectiveness of giving pr... More... VA Signed into law 03/2008 P-12 Evidence of Progress Options: Homeschooling H.B. 1183 Provides for two additional options for parents to provide evidence of progress of the child receiving home instruction including: (i) an evaluation letter from a person licensed to teach in any state, or a person with a master's degree or higher in the field ... More... VA Signed into law 03/2008 P-12 Home Instruction H.B. 767 Eliminates (i) the requirement that correspondence courses must be approved by the Superintendent of Public Instruction in order to qualify as a suitable program for home instruction and (ii) the provision allowing parents to provide programs that are judged b... More... NC Signed into law 07/2007 P-12 Homebound Instruction for Students With Disabilities H.B. 14 Authorizes homebound instruction for discipline purposes when it is the least restrictive alternative for students with disabilities. Requires a regular evaluation of the appropriateness of the homebound instruction. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2007/B... More... NC Signed into law 07/2007 P-12 Standards for Homebound Instruction H.B. 20 Establishes standards for homebound special education instruction including standards related to appropriate teacher qualifications, services included in the childs Individual Education Plan, and behavior intervention services designed to address the behavior ... More... OR Signed into law 07/2007 P-12 Services to Homeschooled Children and Funding for Small Districts H.B. 2040 Authorizes certain school districts to contract with qualified private alternative education programs to provide services to homeschooled children; directs the Board of Education to adopt formula for calculation of amount of funding to be received by programs ... More... NV Signed into law 06/2007 P-12 Home-Schooled Students S.B. 404 Excuses compulsory attendance if a child is enrolled in a private school or if a notice of intent to homeschool the child is filed with the superintendent of schools of the school district in which the child resides. Authorizes the board of trustees of a schoo... More... TX Signed into law 06/2007 P-12 Homeschooled Student Access to College Prep Tests H.B. 1844 From bill analysis: Currently, students who are home-schooled and have completed college preparatory education are not allowed to participate in Advanced Placement or Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) testing at public sch... More... NM Signed into law 04/2007 P-12 Home School Student Activities Program Unit S.B. 1098 Establishes a home school student activities program unit. http://legis.state.nm.us/Sessions/07%20Regular/final/SB1098.pdf... More... SD Signed into law 03/2007 P-12 Partial Attendance of Homeschooled Students H.B. 1266 Requires a school district of a child excused from school attendance (home schooled) pursuant to § 13-27-2 to admit that child to a public school in the district upon request from the child's parent or legal guardian. A child enrolled in a school district purs... More... UT Adopted 11/2006 P-12 Non-traditional Student Participation in State Achievement Tests R277-604 Provides definitions, criteria and procedures for private school students, home school students, electronic high school (EHS) students, and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) students to participate in the state's public education school achievement tests required... More... IA Signed into law 06/2006 P-12 Homeschooling Student Records S.B. 2272 - Section 48 Provides that personal information in state agency records regarding a child receiving home instruction must be kept confidential in the same manner as personal information in records for students in public schools. http://coolice.legis.state.ia.us/Cool-ICE/de... More... VA Signed into law 05/2006 P-12 Qualifications to Provide Home Instruction H.B. 1340 Reduces qualifications to provide home instruction from completion of bachelor's degree to completion of high school diploma. http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?061+ful+CHAP0932... More... VT Signed into law 03/2006 P-12 Home Study Oversight H.B. 862 Effective 2006-2007, requires annual assessment of each home study program. Progress must be assessed through one of the following measures: A report in a form designated by the commissioner, by a teacher licensed in Vermont.  In determining the form of the r... More... VA Signed into law 03/2006 P-12 Making Pre SAT Available to Homeschooled Students H.B. 1588 Requires that school boards implement a plan to make Pre SAT examinations available to students receiving home instructions. From the fiscal impact statement: It is estimated that this legislation will not have a fiscal impact on the state. The costs to admini... More... NH Signed into law 03/2006 P-12 Homeschooling Oversight H.B. 406 Revises/reducesthe oversight authority of the Commissioner of the Department of Education relative to home education programs; revises certain curriculum, notice, and procedural provisions which apply to home education programs. http://gencourt.state.nh.us/leg... More... VA Signed into law 03/2006 P-12 Home Instruction H.B. 1483 Amends the requirements for home instruction to provide that parents may home school their children if they: (i) provide a program of study or curriculum, which in the judgment of the division superintendent includes the standards of learning objectives adopte... More... VA Signed into law 03/2006 P-12 Homeschool Teachers H.B. 1340, S.B. 499 Requires persons providing home instruction to hold a high school diploma. Under previous law, such individuals must have held a baccalaureate degree. http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?061+ful+CHAP0932, http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?06... More... NJ Rule Adoption 08/2005 P-12 Programs To Support Student Development NJAC 6A:16-1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.5 thru 5.8, 6.1 thru 6.3,7.1, 7.2 thru 7.10, 8 thru 11 Establishes and amends requirements for school district boards relating to development and implementation of school safety plans, cooperation with law enforcement on certain matters if they occur at school grounds and functions, development and implementation ... More... NV Signed into law 06/2005 P-12 Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association S.B. 221 This bill designates the association for interscholastic activities as the "Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association." This bill allows homeschooled children to participate in interscholastic activities and events in addition to those that are governed by... More... AR Signed into law 04/2005 P-12 Distance Learning H.B. 2566 Amends the name of the Arkansas Distance Learning Development Project to the Arkansas Distance Learning Development Program. Allows courses offered through the program to be offered to public, private and home school students in the state. States that a home s... More... VA Signed into law 03/2005 P-12 Home Instruction Notification of Examinations H.B. 1767 Directs local school boards to notify students receiving home instruction and their parents of the availability of Advanced Placement and Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test examinations and the availability of financial assistance to low-income and needy stu... More... UT Signed into law 03/2005 P-12 Home School Amendments S.B. 59 A minor over 16 can be excused from school attendance if a parent signs an affidavit that the student will attend home school and receive the instruction in the subjects the state board requires to be taught in public schools; and for the same length of time a... More... ND Signed into law 03/2005 P-12 Homeschooling of Students with Developmental Disabilities H.B. 1265 Allows a parent of a child with a developmental disability to continue to supervise home education (deleted provision that prohibited home education for students with developmental disabilities -- except for those with autism.) http://www.state.nd.us/lr/assemb... More... NV Temporary Rule Adoption 02/2005 P-12 Homeschooled Pupils Correspondence Programs NAC 392.011, .018, .022, .024, .026, .035, .041, .048, .055, .065 Establishes rules regarding the use of correspondence programs by homeschooled pupils. NEVADA REG 3671 (SN)... More... GA Signed into law 05/2004 P-12 Home Study Programs H.B. 1428 Relates to requirements for private schools and home study programs; changes the qualifications of tutors in home study programs from requiring a baccalaureate college degree to a high school diploma or a general educational development diploma. http://www.leg... More... LA Adopted 04/2004 P-12 Textbook Adoption Policy for Home Study Program LAC 28:XXXIII.517 Adopts rules to allow local education agencies (LEAs) to secure a deposit, equal to the replacement costs, for textbooks provided to students in approved home study programs. http://www.doa.state.la.us/osr/reg/0404/0404RUL.pdf (see page 39 of 71)... More... DE Signed into law 06/2003 P-12 Homeschool and Attendance Requirements S.B. 103 This legislation is in response to the report by the Homeschool Committee as created by SJR 9. This legislation defines the types of homeschools, provides that students who are educated in the defined types of homeschools are exempt from the public school com... More... MD Rule Adoption 06/2003 P-12 Home Schooling COMAR 13A.10.01.01 A. Purpose. The purpose of this regulation is to establish a procedure to be used by the superintendent of each local school system to determine if a child participating in a home instruction program is receiving regular, thorough instruction during the school... More... MD Rule Adoption 06/2003 P-12 Consequences of Deficiencies in Home Schooling Program COMAR 13A.10.01.03 A. Failure to Consent. If a parent or guardian does not agree to the requirements of Regulation .01B, C, and D, above, a child shall be enrolled promptly in a public school or nonpublic school as defined in COMAR 13A.09.09.02B(9). B. Deficiencies in the Progra... More... MD Rule Adoption 06/2003 P-12 Home Instruction Under Supervision of Nonpublic School COMAR 13A.10.01.05 A. A parent or guardian may provide instruction for a child at home without compliance with the requirements of this regulation, other than the requirements of Regulations .01B(1)(b) and .04, if that instruction is offered through correspondence courses and is... More... OR Vetoed 06/2003 P-12 Students Not Taught In Public Schools S.B. 761 Repeals examination requirements that apply to children who are taught by a private teacher, parent or legal guardian; allows exemption from compulsory school attendance laws for children taught at the direction of a parent or legal guardian.... More... NV Signed into law 06/2003 P-12 Homeschooler Participation S.B. 503 Requires that homeschooled children must be allowed to participate in interscholastic activities. http://www.leg.state.nv.us/72nd/bills/SB/SB503_EN.pdf... More... TX Signed into law 06/2003 Postsec. Institutions of Higher Education H.B. 944 Prohibits institutions of higher education from discriminating against students with a nontraditional secondary education" (home-schooled or who attended a nonaccredited private school). http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/cgi-bin/tlo/textframe.cmd?LEG=78&SESS=R&... More... ME Signed into law 05/2003 P-12 Laws Governing Home Instruction S.P. 83 (LD 160) Amends laws governing home instruction; excuses student from attending a public school if the student obtains equivalent instruction in a specified home instruction program; requires a student's parent or guardian to provide a detailed written notice of intent... More... AR Signed into law 04/2003 P-12 Laws Pertaining to Home Schools H.B. 2879 Amends laws pertaining to achievement testing of home-schooled students. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2003/public/HB2879.pdf... More... ND Signed into law 03/2003 P-12 High School Graduation Requirements H.B. 1033 A high school diploma may be issued by a home-schooled child's school district of residence, an approved nonpublic high school, or the North Dakota division of independent study provided the child, through home education, has completed at least twenty-one unit... More... SD Signed into law 02/2003 P-12 Home School Students H.B. 1068 Permits home school students to participate in high school interscholastic activities. If the school board or governing body of an accredited school approves, a student receiving alternative (home) instruction is eligible to participate in any interscholastic... More... FL Signed into law 05/2002 P-12 Education Code Re-Write: Private Schools and Home Education S.B. 20E Creates Office of Private Schools and Home Education. New section defines home education program and private school. Inserts "directory" language to show home-schooling parents the programs in which their children may participate (i.e., extracurricular activit... More... NH Signed into law 05/2002 P-12 Activities for Homeschooled Students H.B. 631 Provides that home schooled pupils shall have access to curricular courses or cocurricular programs offered by the school district in which the pupil resides, and that local school boards may establish a policy regulating participation in curricular courses an... More... DE Signed into law 06/2001 P-12 Creates a committee to research homeschooling S.J.R. 9 Relates to home schools; creates a committee to research and issue a report regarding issues.... More... WV Signed into law 05/2001 P-12 Home Schooling H.B. 2595 Provides for instruction of students in the home or other approved place; waives the requirement that persons providing instruction in the home have at least four years more formal education (until July 2003). Home school providers must have high school diplo... More... AR Signed into law 04/2001 P-12 Home Schooling, Prohibiting Sex Offenders S.B. 758 Prohibits home schooling if a sex offender resides in the home.... More... NM Signed into law 03/2001 P-12 Home School Requirements S.B. 374 Requires that any person operating or intending to operate a home school must notify the state superintendent of the establishment of a home school within 30 days of its establishment and notify the state superintendent in writing on or before April 1 of each ... More... CO Signed into law 02/2001 P-12 Non-Enrolled Participation H.B. 1129 Increases the fee a school of participation may charge a non-enrolled student for participation in an extracurricular activity; allows the school of participation in certain circumstances to charge a non-enrolled student the actual cost of post-season particip... More... CA Signed into law 08/2000 P-12 Criminal Records Check for In-home Educators A.B. 2164 Chapter No.239, Relates to criminal records. Expands the Trustline Registry registration provisions for child care providers to apply to any person providing in-home educational or counseling services to a minor.... More... FL Signed into law 06/2000 P-12 Postsec. Community College Alternative High School Educations H.B. 2105 Provides for award of high school diplomas to certain veterans; provides for award of credit toward high school graduation for courses taken through dual enrollment at a community college; provides for credit toward completion of a home education program throu... More... WV Signed into law 03/2000 P-12 Home School Instruction S.B. 189 Relates to requirements for home school instruction; relates to a study on home school instruction; relates to collection of data on home school instruction.... More...