Homeschool World Forum

Florida homeschooling laws

2007-07-06T17:09:10-06:00

I'm just completing our 2nd yr. homeschooling in FL.

You only have to file a letter of intent from 1st grade on. You do not need to re-file every year.

For reporting, you have options: evaluation by a state certified teacher; testing administered by a state certified teacher or enrollment in an umbrella school or some other type of organization.

My dd is enrolled with an acredited home study program. All I have to do is send her final grade report each year. There is no obligation to keep attendance.

You should keep a "portfolio" just in case someone questions your homeschool.

croixmom

Statistics: Posted by croixmom — Fri Jul 06, 2007 5:09 pm

Florida homeschooling laws

2007-06-29T19:50:29-06:00

I am in Florida and I use FL Unschoolers umbrella school. I don't have to file a letter of intent, evaluations, test or the like. I send and attendance report to the umbrella school every quarter and that is it. And it is FREE!!

Statistics: Posted by frogguruami — Fri Jun 29, 2007 7:50 pm

Florida homeschooling laws

2007-06-29T16:07:43-06:00

If i dont send a letter of intent for my 5 year old daughter that i will be homeschooling ( grade-k) and then when she is homeschooled for 1st grade and i have to send a letter in wont they want her to start as a kindergartener not a 1st grader?
If i send her to a school for 1st grade after i home school her wont they want her to start as a kindergartener or is the proof from the HS program i am using enough?
thanks
megan

Statistics: Posted by megan27 — Fri Jun 29, 2007 4:07 pm

Florida homeschooling laws

2007-03-23T14:18:16-06:00

YES, GO TO WWW.FPEA.COM/ OR CHECK OUT ON LINE FLORIDA HOMESCHOOL LAWS.I LIVE IN ST.AUGUSTINE FLORIDA

Statistics: Posted by wrightno — Fri Mar 23, 2007 2:18 pm

Florida homeschooling laws

2006-09-25T23:36:54-06:00

Statistics: Posted by Theodore — Mon Sep 25, 2006 11:36 pm

Okay Theodore, I have a question for ya regarding FL law...

2006-09-25T22:39:13-06:00

Statistics: Posted by luv2bastayathomemom — Mon Sep 25, 2006 10:39 pm

Just find an evaluator friendly to homeschoolers:

2006-07-26T00:16:49-06:00

The law says that you have to "demonstrate progress" using either an evaluator or a state / nationally-normed student achievement test. The evaluator can be anyone who "holds a valid, regular Florida certificate to teach academic subjects at the elementary or secondary level", including other homeschoolers and people outside of your local area. Just shop around until you find someone friendly to homeschoolers.

In the meantime, however, there's no reason why you should be able to work on grade 3 with your daughter. The law says nothing about waiting to move onto the next grade until testing out of the previous grade, just that your daughter has to be able to demonstrate "educational progress at a level commensurate with her ability." I doubt she'll have any trouble with this if she can already handle grade 3 material, especially if you find a friendly evaluator.

Statistics: Posted by Theodore — Wed Jul 26, 2006 12:16 am

Florida homeschooling laws

2006-07-25T19:24:13-06:00

My daughter would be entering 2nd grade this year, but she has breezed through 1st, and breezes through 2nd grade workbooks, so I figured I could purchase 3rd grade curricula for her this year. We decided on Alpha Omega, and we first did the diagnostic testing which proved my hunch, so I bought the 3rd grade stuff. But now I'm worried because I heard that I can't just "promote" her to the next grade without an evaluation and proof that she completed 2nd grade. I looked at the fpea website and didn't see anything on this...please tell me I heard wrong.

Statistics: Posted by AprilP — Tue Jul 25, 2006 7:24 pm

No letter of intent needed if using an umbrella school:

2007-04-29T23:10:28-06:00

No. See http://www.fpea.com/starting/index/css/starting_point_7.html, the section on Privacy.

Statistics: Posted by Theodore — Thu Jun 22, 2006 5:50 pm

Florida homeschooling laws

2006-06-22T15:04:38-06:00

If I go through the umbrella school would I still need to send the school district a letter of intent?

Statistics: Posted by happycaringmom — Thu Jun 22, 2006 3:04 pm

No Letter of Intent is needed under age 6 (Florida):

2006-06-21T20:44:17-06:00

In all cases, a child turning 6 before February 1 of the school year is subject to compulsory attendance...

As long as your daughter is under the age requirement, you don't have to write a Letter of Intent for her, regardless of what level she's currently at. I'm sure she'll be well past kindergarten by age 6.

Statistics: Posted by Theodore — Wed Jun 21, 2006 8:44 pm

Florida homeschooling laws

2006-06-21T20:08:46-06:00

Statistics: Posted by AprilP — Wed Jun 21, 2006 8:08 pm

Florida homeschooling laws

2006-06-19T17:15:46-06:00

Thank you so much.Do you have an umbrella school that you personally recommend? I'm thinking about crossroads Christian school which is an umbrella school. I've read a little bit about them. They sound like what I need.

Statistics: Posted by happycaringmom — Mon Jun 19, 2006 5:15 pm

Re: Florida homeschooling laws

2006-06-18T16:47:34-06:00

Correct. So long as the school fulfills their legal requirements, and you fulfill the school's requirements, you're fine.

Statistics: Posted by Theodore — Sun Jun 18, 2006 4:47 pm

Florida homeschooling laws

2006-06-18T14:34:12-06:00

So if I go through an "umbrella" school, I, myself wont need to learn the Florida homeschool laws. Correct?I'll just be dealing with the umbrella schools requirements. Right?

Statistics: Posted by happycaringmom — Sun Jun 18, 2006 2:34 pm