Homeschooling in Your State

What do I need to know to legally homeschool in my state? What are the homeschooling laws and requirements?  What state organizations or groups are available?

HomeLife Academy currently provides a legal covering* in addition to its services in the following states:  Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, Colorado and South Carolina.

transparent-green-checkmark-hiStates that are in GREEN are states in which HLA meets compulsory attendance and legal requirements for homeschooling.  We are your legal covering* in these states:  Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, Colorado, and South Carolina. Register with HLA and you are covered.   You do not have to notify or enroll with your local education agency (LEA).
transparent-yellow-checkmark-mdStates in YELLOW are states in which HLA offers assistance with establishing  your legal covering. HLA can provide support, information and the forms needed to meet the requirements in your state. We DO NOT provide legal covering* in these states. You must meet the requirements for homeschooling in your state.  We are here to help guide you through this process.
orange-check-mark-mdStates in ORANGE are states that do not require any notice to be filed and have no requirements to begin homeschooling.  These are states where there is no state requirement for parents to initiate any contact according to the HSLDA website. HLA can provide families in these states all of the same services and there are no additional requirements to meet locally. Many states like these enjoy services such as counseling, high school planning, transcript reviews and official transcripts and diplomas as well as the online reporting and account access.
LiKdrL7XTFamilies living in other states (BLUE) can join and benefit from HLA’s many services.  If homeschooling in other states, you will need to be certain that you have met the requirements of your state.  Several states such as Mississippi, simply require you to fill out and submit a Notice of Intent to your local Board of Education. We have families in all 50 states and internationally.  Click below to find out what it takes to homeschool in your state.

Must I meet my state's requirements for graduation?

No, homeschooled students are not bound by the graduation requirements in their state, although many do like to compare credits and coursework with that of their home state.  There may also be academic requirements for state-funded scholarship programs that are generally in line with the state’s requirements.  With that said, your student can earn an HLA diploma when HLA graduation requirements have been met regardless of the state or country that you live in! Do keep in mind that it is always important to see what the colleges and universities, as well as tech schools, that you may plan to attend may require.  Often there could be variances or other coursework needed depending on your goals.  HLA’s College4 Path is a solid start to filling the most commonly required and recommended coursework for college admissions.

*What does LEGAL COVERING mean?

Providing legal covering simply means that enrolling with HomeLife Academy meets all requirements for compulsory attendance in your state.  Once you enroll with HLA, you are only required to meet the requirements set in place by your school, in this case, HLA.  For example, if your state requires homeschoolers to test in grades 3, 7, and 9, you would be exempt from this testing due to HLA, your school, not requiring testing.   If you have further questions about your legal requirements and understanding the laws in your state, please visit HSLDA.org.

 

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HomeLife Academy highly recommends membership in HSLDA.  HLA member families also receive a discount with HSLDA and will receive a group number in your New Family Welcome Packet once enrolled.

For families that may be struggling financially, HSLDA offers scholarship assistance for memberships and for other homeschooling expenses that families may have through Homeschool Foundation.

HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association) is a national organization that works to defend the rights of homeschoolers in the U.S. and abroad.  Even if you are meeting all requirements for homeschooling, you can be faced with allegations or your parental rights can be violated.

HSLDA provides your very own legal counsel 24/7 and will fight on your behalf and on behalf of homeschoolers everywhere.  Protect yourself and support other homeschoolers for less than $10 per month.  Join HSLDA Now if you haven’t already!