| Each state has its own general requirements for | | | | stipulate parents have to send notification or |
| homeschoooling students. There are four categories of | | | | achievement test scores, provide professional |
| legal options for homeschooling. The four categories | | | | evaluations of student progress as well as provide a |
| are: states requiring no notice, states with low | | | | written curriculum that needs to be approved by the |
| regulation, moderate regulation and high regulation. | | | | state, teacher qualification of the parents and on some |
| Many of the regulations include parental notification, | | | | occasions visits by state officials to check the |
| test scores, professional evaluation of student | | | | student's progress. These states include Washington, |
| progress and curriculum approval. Families shouldn't be | | | | Utah, North Dakota, Minnesota, West Virginia, |
| scared off by the general requirements for | | | | Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, Maine, Rhode Island |
| homeschooling. There may be some initial paperwork | | | | and Massachusetts. These states have few |
| to handle but as long as the teaching parent can keep | | | | requirements for the Kindergarten level but the |
| good records there shouldn't be andy fear of the state | | | | regulations become stricter at each subsequent grade |
| stepping in and ordering your child back to public | | | | level. |
| school. | | | | A parent is considered competent to operate a |
| The states that have no requirements for | | | | homeschool if they follow the individual state's |
| homeschooling do not require the parents to initiate any | | | | regulations; they do not need to have teacher |
| contact. These states include Idaho, Texas, Oklahoma, | | | | certification. The parents need to file a notice at their |
| Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Connecticut, New | | | | local school that they intend to homeschool in the low |
| Jersey and the territories of Guam and Puerto Rico. | | | | to highly regulated states. Those that fall within the |
| Parents are not obligated to contact the school | | | | medium to highly regulated states will also need to |
| districts to notify them that they will be homeschooling | | | | keep attendance records, file quarterly reports and a |
| their children. | | | | grade narrative for each of the subjects taught. Highly |
| States that have low general requirements for | | | | regulated states may require an annual assessment at |
| homeschooling require the parents to notify the school | | | | the end of the school year. |
| district that they are homeschooling their children and | | | | The general requirements for homeschool vary greatly |
| nothing else. These states include California, Nevada, | | | | from state to state. The parents should be well versed |
| Montana, Wyoming, Arizona, New Mexico, Nebraska, | | | | in the legal aspects of homeschooling before they |
| Kansas, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama, | | | | decide to attempt it. Most parents will find that the red |
| Delaware, Washington D.C. and the territory of the | | | | tape at the beginning is well worth it. |
| Virgin Islands. | | | | To stay abreast of the current trends, information and |
| Moderately regulated states require parents to send | | | | resources available for homeschool parents, teachers |
| notification, test scores and provide a professional | | | | and students subscribe to Homeschool Success |
| evaluation of the student's progress. The states in this | | | | News. |
| category include Oregon, Colorado, South Dakota, | | | | If you need an online tutor, courseware or wish to |
| Iowa, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Ohio, Virginia, | | | | offer your services as a paid online tutor contact our |
| North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, | | | | website. Magic Learning Systems also provides |
| Maryland and the territories of American Samoa and | | | | excellent products to enhance the homeschool |
| Northern Mariana Islands. | | | | experience for teachers and students. For additional |
| States with the highest regulations may be the most | | | | information visit the Homeschool Success News |
| troublesome to parents contemplating homeschooling. | | | | website. |
| These states general requirements for homeschooling | | | | Dr. J. |