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But, that is just about where the similarity ends. Laws and regulations regarding homeschooling vary from state to state. Interpretations of these laws can vary from school district to school district. Additionally, these laws may change every year.
The National Home Education network is a wonderful resource when it comes to the legalities of homeschooling. It has a listing of the actual state laws for each state in the U.S. Reading the laws that pertain to your state is perhaps the best way to get accurate information about these laws. But, most people need to get the laws interpreted by a qualified attorney. You can get valuable information from the support group at your locality. Additionally, many state education departments have online resources that will help you in interpreting the state requirements for homeschooling. The Internet is also a good source of information.
It is a good idea to check out your state laws regarding homeschooling before you start educating your child at home. This will prevent any nasty surprises on the way. If you have to move, you will need to be aware of any tests or exams that your child may need to take.
A good investment (in order to keep piece of mind) is to become a member of the Home School Legal Defense Group. For a small yearly fee, this group of lawyers will represent you in any conflict / disagreement between you and your local school district. In other words, if your local school district (or police, even) hassle you in any way, demanding something of you which you think is not legal or against your rights as a parent to homeschool, simply call the HSLD and they will handle the conflict for you. In most instances, they can resolve the issue with a few simple phone calls. If it ever went to court, they would represent you at no charge. This is well worth the small investment. | 