Home School Regulations

What States Are Best For Home Schooling?

There are four levels of homeschooling regulation in this country:

1. states with essentially no regulations.
2. states with low regulations.
3. states with moderate regulations.
4. states with high regulations.

States with no regulations are the best for home schooling. The more strict the regulations the less freedom parents have to teach their children how they want, when they want and what they want! For us this is important while, we do agree with teaching kids the basics, children should not be slaves to curriculum or doing the same things everyday. Home schooling should be free with the whole family learning what they love!

Many states allow home schoolers the freedom and flexibility in their curriculum's, and in the amount of time they decide to spend on educational activities. Currently, there are 10 states that fall into this category: Idaho, Alaska, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Connecticut, and New Jersey. These states require no notification. They do not have to notify the district in any way of their intent to homeschool. There are no forms to fill out, no phone calls to make. Even if one decides to pull their child from public school in order to begin homeschooling, there is not even a form to sign.

The states which have low regulations, require only that the parent notifies the district in writing of their intent to homeschool a child of compulsory attendance age. These states are also highly home school friendly as they require no testing, no reporting, and no home visits. Currently there are 15 states which fall into this category: , Nevada, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas,Mississippi, Alabama, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Delaware and Washington D.C.

States with moderate regulations, require written parental notification, they also require state standardized test scores and professional evaluation of the homeschooling students' performance. If the district within which the homeschooling family resides felt, after this testing and evaluation, that the homeschool was not fulfilling its legal requirement to educate the student to the state's standards, they could revoke that family's right to homeschool. These states are not considered overly homeschooler friendly. Currently 20 states implement this program: Washington, Oregon, Colorado, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, New Hampshire, Maine, and Hawaii.

The strictest level of homeschooling regulation in our country, requires notification, mandatory state testing, professional evaluation, and may also include curriculum approval, reporting of hours and progress, teaching certification of the parent and home visits by state officials. These states would not be considered the best for homeschoolers, knowing this info I would not live in one of these states. They are not homeschooler-friendly, allow little to no flexibility, and may just be states that homeschoolers prefer to avoid all together. Fortunately for most homeschoolers, there are only 6 states which currently fall into this category: Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, North Dakota, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.

States may very in their enforcement of regulations. Some states may or may not have some of the regulations listed, this info is intended to be general you still must do your own research for your state and each individual state. My article is not a substitute for your own research and what is best for your family!

Now that you know this important info if you are planning on home schooling and moving consider the home school laws in the state you choose it could mean the freedom to home school your kids the way you feel is best for them. You know your children the best and in time learn the ways that is best for the learning of your children. Children should also be free to choose what they learn, learning the things that interests them the most.

Thanks for reading please comment!

To Your Families Success!

Joanne

For more on state home school laws visit HSLDA