Your Friendly Guide To
Georgia Homeschool Laws
And Getting Started in Our State

Georgia homeschool laws are quite straightforward. They are not as convoluted as the homeschooling laws in some other states. So if you are planning to homeschool in Georgia, you should be up and running in no time.

Does the word "law" make you sick to your stomach? We promise you won't encounter cryptic legalese here. We have written everything in plain English with just a dash of humor to keep you from snoring halfway through this page.

Are you all fired up to learn about your Georgia homeschool laws? Let's start! We hope that by the end of this article, you will be able to recite the homeschooling laws in your sleep.

Compulsory Attendance Ages

According to Georgia law, all children between the ages of 6 to 16 have to attend school. Homeschools are included here. So if you have a preschooler, she has to be attending school on her 6th birthday. No problems here.

However, there is one little problem with a subclause, probably written by the legislators when they were having a stag party. If for some reason - perhaps you may have felt that your child is the next Einstein - you enrolled your child in a public school at the tender age of 2 and she attended school for at least 20 days, then she is subject to the Georgia compulsory attendance laws.

She can't escape from school after that. You can however, under the benign Georgia homeschool law, bring her home to home educate her. You must do the necessary paperwork first. As long as there are bureaucrats, the helpless public will always be saddled with paperwork. We will come to that later - the paperwork, not the bureaucrats.

Popular Methods of Homeschooling in Georgia

Let's look at the popular methods of homeschooling in Georgia. There are three popular alternatives to public school in Georgia. They are:

1. Private Tutor
2. Private or Umbrella School
3. Pure Unadulterated Home Education

You can choose whichever option suits your family the best. Now let's go through them one by one.

Private Tutor

So what is the downside to this? Money! You will need to pay in cold hard cash - lots of it - for a good tutor, unless you hire the janitor from your workplace - and we are sure your Georgia homeschool kid would hate that.

You also have to religiously obey the Georgia Homeschool Laws which you will conveniently find in the section - located somewhere below - headed Homeschooling in Georgia.

If you are a pauper like the rest of us, then the next option might be to your taste.

Private or Umbrella School

You will also avoid having sleepless nights over whether you are breaking any Georgia Homeschool Law.

All you have to do is to look for an umbrella school that is in line with your educational and religious philosophy.Many umbrella schools allow you to homeschool your kids in peace. And your kids don't have to physically visit the school premises to attend classes.

In other words, the school provides you with the curriculum but you are free to teach your kids in the comfort of your home. That's wonderful, isn't it?

At the end of it all, your child will also get a proper diploma awarded by the umbrella school. This will make it easier if she later wants to apply for a scholarship to go to college.

This doesn't mean that pure homeschoolers can't get scholarships - they have to show evidence to the body awarding the scholarship that they are worthy of it. They can always sit for any recognized state or nationally administered test to prove their worth, such as the SATII.

So how much do umbrella schools cost? Not much. Unless you are a beggar in Calcutta, you should be able to afford it.

Georgia Accrediting Commission

Do you love homeschooling but want your child to be part of an accredited school in order to receive recognized diplomas and transcripts? Then you might want to check out the Georgia Accrediting Commission (GAC). The GAC is helping homeschoolers by accrediting Non-Traditional Educational Centers.

Therefore your child can be officially a private-schooler but in reality a Georgia homeschool kid.

These centers are private schools that allow their students to study independently. There are many centers to choose from. They provide the curriculum for your child. The best thing about this is that your child gets an accredited diploma.

You have to fork out some money - but not in spadefuls - for these schools.

You want to be 100% on your own? You want to create your own curriculum? Then the next option is definitely for you.

Homeschooling in Georgia

Here are some miscellaneous facts you have to know regarding Georgia homeschool laws.

Your Qualifications to Homeschool in Georgia

In order to teach your children, besides having to be a member of the human race, you also must have at least a high school diploma or a GED.

Compulsory Subjects for Georgia Homeschools

According to Georgia homeschool law, the minimum required subjects your children have to learn are reading, language arts, math, social studies and science. Of course you can also teach astronomy or necromancy if you want to.

Our Georgia homeschool law says that for each school year, you have to educate your homeschooler for at least 180 days. You have to instruct your child for at least 4.5 hours for each of the 180 days.

However, the child is exempted if she is physically unable to do so - for example if she is suffering from the same fate as Emily Rose (A good movie to watch if you haven't seen it already.)

What has Jury Duty got to do with Homeschooling in Georgia?

If you are the primary teacher in your homeschool, you are also excused from jury duty if you are unable to find a suitable replacement teacher for your child during your teaching hours. Now we know why homeschooling is so popular in America.

Public Schools' Obligations to Homeschoolers in Georgia

Under Georgia homeschool law, once your child becomes a homeschooler, she will have nothing to do with public schools and vice versa. So public schools will not be responsible for providing textbooks, instructional materials and tests for your child. It is your responsibility now, for better or for worse.

Your Legal Obligations Under Georgia Homeschool Law

Although the majority of homeschooling parents are responsible, a small minority are abusing the system by using homeschooling as an excuse to neglect or abuse their children. You would certainly have read too many horror stories of sick parents to know what we are talking about. That is why Georgia legislators have come up with these laws.

Let's look at our obligations under Georgia homeschool law.

Georgia Homeschool Obligation 1
Declaration of Intent

The first thing you have to do once you have decided that you want to start homeschooling in Georgia is to fill out the Declaration of Intent (DOI).

If your child is currently enrolled in a public or private school, you have to inform the school authorities before you take your child out of school. Or else, your child would be a truant in the eyes of the school - especially if she has been absent for 10 days without proper explanation.

Please download the Georgia Homeschool Declaration of Intent which the Georgia Home Education Association has kindly provided for us. Then fill out the form. You are only required to write your name, the names and ages of your children, the address where they will be homeschooled and the dates of their school year. Nothing else is required by Georgia homeschool law.

You have to send the DOI by September 1st or within 30 days of starting your homeschooling program.

A warning: if your child is out during public during school hours, she could be taken into custody. So it is a good idea to give her a note with your (the parent's) permission to be out in public on that day and time.

That's all there is to know about the DOI by Georgia homeschool law.

Let's look at your next homeschooling obligation.

Georgia Homeschool Obligation 2
Attendance Reports

By Georgia homeschool law, you have to send in you monthly Attendance Report on the first day of every month to your local school superintendent. If your child has been taken out of a public school halfway through the year, please write that in your first monthly attendance form. Also include the number of days your child attended public school for that academic year.

Please click Georgia Homeschool Attendance Form to download the form that GHEA has kindly provided for you.

Georgia Homeschool Obligation 3
Tests

Homeschooling in Georgia is quite a breeze. But there is one thing you may hate about it - tests.

Your children have to take a nationally standardized test once they have completed Grades 3, 6, 9 and 12. The test should be administered by a person who is trained in administering and interpreting tests. It is against Georgia homeschool law for anyone else to administer the test. In other words, you shouldn't get your aged grandmother to administer the test, unless she has been trained for it.

It is a good idea to contact a local support group in Georgia which conducts these tests. It will be very much cheaper to do the test in a group unless your child prefers to do it alone - then you have to pay through your nose.

Now the good news. You don't have to submit the test results to the education authorities. However, by Georgia homeschool law, you have to keep the records with you for 3 years, even if your child got an F. After the 3 years are over, you can create a huge bonfire and watch the records go up in flames. You won't be imprisoned in Georgia for that.

Georgia Homeschool Obligation 4
Annual Progress Report

Georgia homeschool law says that you have to write an annual progress report of your child at the end of each year. You have to write the report for each subject.

It is a good idea to be honest about your child's strengths and weaknesses. You can also use it for your guide when you prepare for the following year's syllabus. You will know which areas to spend more time on so that your child catches up.

Please retain you reports for 3 years to avoid the wrath of Georgia Homeschool Law.

That's all for your Georgia homeschool obligations.

Of course you want your children to excel academically. So let's take a look at college, scholarship and employment for your homeschooler in Georgia.

College, Scholarship, Employment and Driving Licence

Can Homeschoolers in Georgia Get Into College?

If you are like most parents who home educate their kids, you are very keen to get your kids to college. The University System of Georgia has special requirements for homeschoolers.

Georgia homeschool kids have to take 7 SATII subject tests and have to obtain a certain score before they can be admitted to the college of their choice.

This shouldn't be a problem for you if you have been homeschooling your kids conscientiously and following the subject syllabuses religiously. In fact your children, by being homeschooled, will most likely be head and shoulders above children educated in public schools - in other words, giants in a world of midgets.

HOPE Scholarship for Homeschoolers in Georgia

If you are looking for scholarships for your kids, you might want to try for the HOPE scholarship. Georgia homeschool kids can apply retroactively by obtaining a 3.0 average in their first year of college if they don't have a recognized high school diploma.

However, if you want your children to get the HOPE scholarship before they apply for college, you can get your kids to sit for the SAT or ACT. IF they score in the 85th percentile, they are eligible. This is a new ruling. Isn't that wonderful?

Please click HOPE Scholarship for more details. There is hope for homeschooling in Georgia!

Employment for Homeschoolers in Georgia

If your child is a homeschooler between the ages of 12 and 16, she can be employed as long as she gets a certificate from the school superintendent.

Driver's Licence for Homeschoolers in Georgia

Is your Georgia homeschooler ready for her driver's licence? Is she tired of walking?

Do you remember that you should be submitting your homeschool attendance records monthly to your local friendly school superintendent?

If you have been doing that like a law-abiding citizen, then you shouldn't have any problems obtaining a Certificate of Attendance from the superintendent's office. Your child will need the Certificate of Attendance to receive her learner's permit or driver's licence.

No more walking on two legs or busing around. Now she can drive her own sleek, jet-black Corvette.

Georgia Homeschoolers Who Want To Go Back to Public School

If for some reason, you feel lost and frustrated halfway during your child's homeschooling journey, our state's homeschool law allows you to enroll your child in a public school.

The public school might give your child a test to determine the grade she should be in. Or the school might allow your child to enter a certain grade on the condition that she performs satisfactorily on the first or more grading periods. Your child should ace it.

That's All Folks!

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