Georgia Homeschool Laws

Georgia Homeschool Requirements

In order to legally homeschool in Georgia, families must comply with the following requirements for homeschooling:

• Parents must have a high school diploma or its equivalent.
• Parents must submit an annual Declaration of Intent to Utilize a Home Study Program by September 1 or within 30 days of establishing their homeschool.
• The Declaration of Intent must include all homeschooled childrens’ names, ages, address of homeschool and dates of school year.
• Parents must provide a basic academic educational program of five subjects (math, science, English language arts, social studies and reading)
• Parents must teach no less than 180 days per year of at least 4.5 hours a day (unless child is physically unable to comply with this requirement).
• Parents must have their child participate in standardized testing every three years after completing third grade.
• Parent or instructor must write annual progress assessment reports for each subject for each student and keep these reports for at least three years.

Your Declaration of Intent

Once you’ve decided to officially begin the process of homeschooling your child in Georgia, the first thing you’ll want to do is to file your declaration of intent with the Georgia Department of Education. The DOE recommends submitting your homeschool declaration of intent electronically, but it can also be submitted by fax, mail, or email. The declaration should include the names and ages of the students, the address where the program is located, and the dates of the school year.

This declaration should continue to be submitted annually for each year that you sustain your homeschool. You will want to be sure to print a copy of your submitted form, as well, because this is the only legal form you have of proof of homeschooling in the state. It is the also the form you will use for obtaining drivers permits/licenses, work permits, and any other situations that require proof of homeschooling in Georgia.

NOTE: If your child is currently enrolled in a public school in Georgia, it’s a good idea to formally withdraw him/her following the submission of your declaration of intent to avoid any truancy complications that could arise.

Homeschool Record-Keeping in Georgia

The declaration of intent is the only form that you are legally required to submit to the state, but that does not mean that it is the only item you should track in your homeschooling — far from it! You will discover that any future transitions in educational status such as moving back to school after homeschooling, applying for college, or enlisting in the military will all go more smoothly if you have kept comprehensive records of your homeschool activities.

Some of the things you may want to keep in a homeschool portfolio include:

• The results of any standardized tests your homeschooler takes while homeschooling
• An overview of the curriculum you’ve used as well as samples of assignments completed by your student, quizzes or tests, and written work, something Time4Learning makes very easy
• A general progress report for each homeschooler for the current homeschool year
  For high school homeschoolers, a detailed transcript

Georgia Homeschool Graduation Requirements

As your homeschooler progresses, high school graduation will eventually be on your radar. You likely have many questions about how this works for home education. The simple answer is that homeschool law gives parents the authority to decide their own requirements for graduation, and even administer their own homeschool diploma.

While this may feel overwhelming, the key is to simply focus on your student’s future goals (college? military? workforce?) and plan your student’s coursework with those in mind. The chart below is a good starting point. It lets you compare the Georgia public school graduation protocols with those of a homeschooler. This will highlight the parallels and contrasts between the two approaches.

Enrolling in Public School after Homeschooling

Although homeschooling is a wonderful option for families, there are many reasons why students may need to return to school at some point after a period of homeschooling. Sometimes, a change in family situation or finances disrupts your home education plans. Other times, parents or students simply discover that homeschooling isn’t a good fit for them. Occasionally, families make the decision to return to school for a specific purpose such as participating in high school team sports or because a specific college they want to attend requires an accredited diploma.

If you are wondering how to enroll a homeschooled child in public school, Georgia has no specific legal requirements about it. Each school district, however, will have different ways of assessing your child for grade and subject placement. You will want to touch base with your local school district to find out how they validate the instruction you’ve completed while homeschooling. This local district validation will also include how they handle the transferring of any high school credits completed while homeschooling.

Additional Resources Related to Homeschooling in Georgia

Have other questions about homeschooling in Georgia? You may find the following pages helpful.

• Homeschooling in Georgia
• Georgia Homeschool Associations
• Georgia Homeschooling Groups & Co-ops
• Georgia Standardized Testing and Test Prep
• Homeschool Field Trips in Georgia
• Georgia Test Prep

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