Florida
• Compulsory Attendance Ages: Between 6 (by February 1) and 16 (§1003.21(1).
• Required Days of Instruction: 180 days for public and private schools. (§ 1003.02(1)(g))
Homeschoolers operating under option 1 below are specifically excluded from this requirement.
• Required Subjects: None.
• Teacher Qualifications: None for parents.
• Standardized Tests: Only required for parents complying with the home school law in Option 2 below.
• Home schools have three options:
Option 1: Home schools can operate under the home school law.
1. The definition of a "home education program" is "sequentially progressive instruction of a student directed by his parent or guardian…." (§ 1002.01(1))
2. The parent must meet the following requirements:
a. Notify the county superintendent in writing within 30 days of establishing the home school. (Not required to be filed annually.);
b. Give the names, addresses, and birth dates of the home school students; and
c. Maintain a portfolio of records and materials consisting of a log of educational activities made contemporaneously with the instruction and designating by title any reading materials used and samples of any writings, worksheets, workbooks, or creative materials used or developed by the student. The portfolio must be preserved for two years and made available for inspection by the superintendent upon 15 days written notice, but the school district has no authority to enter the home. Nothing in this section shall require the superintendent to inspect the portfolio. (Note: The child abuse affidavit requirement was repealed in 1995 by Senate Bill 1536.)
d. Comply with standardized tests requirements. Each year, the following requirements must be met:
1) take any nationally normed student achievement test administered by any certified teacher,
2) or the child must take a "state student assessment test used by the school district and administered by a certified teacher, at a location and under testing condition approved by the school district,"
3) or be evaluated by a Florida certified teacher,
4) or be evaluated by a licensed psychologist,
5) or be "evaluated by any other valid measurement tool as mutually agreed upon." The parent must file a copy of the evaluation with the local school superintendent annually. There is no specific statutory deadline. "The school superintendent shall review and accept the results of the annual evaluation…. If the pupil does not demonstrate educational progress at a level commensurate with his ability, the superintendent shall notify the parent in writing...." The parent shall have one year to provide "remedial instruction" to the pupil. At the end of the "one year probationary period" the student shall be reevaluated to determine if he has progressed "commensurate with his ability." (§1002.41(2))
Option 2. Home schools can operate under the private tutor law. (§1002.43). A person may teach a child if the person meets the following requirements:
a. Holds a valid Florida certificate to teach the subjects or grades in which instruction is given;
b. Keeps all records and makes all reports required by the state and district school board; and
c. Requires students to be in actual attendance for 180 days or the equivalent on an hourly basis.
Option 3. More than one home school can operate as a private school. A child who "attends" a private, parochial, religious, or denominational school is exempt from compulsory attendance. (§ 1002.01(2))
• Parents must do one of the following each year. Their children must:
1) take any nationally normed student achievement test administered by any certified teacher,
2) or the child must take a "state student assessment test used by the school district and administered by a certified teacher, at a location and under testing condition approved by the school district,"
3) or be evaluated by a Florida certified teacher,
4) or be evaluated by a licensed psychologist,
5) or be "evaluated by any other valid measurement tool as mutually agreed upon." The parent must file a copy of the evaluation with the local school superintendent annually. There is no specific statutory deadline.
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Florida State High School Graduation Requirements:
- English units: 4. Units must have "major concentration in composition and literature." Eff. Class of 2011: "major concentration in "composition, reading for information, and literature" required.
- Math units: 3 (incl. unit of Algebra I or higher). Eff. Class of 2011: Must include Algebra I, a series of courses equivalent to Algebra I, or higher-level course. Districts "are encouraged to set specific goals to increase enrollments in, and successful completion of, geometry and Algebra II."
- Social studies units: 3. Must include 1 unit U.S. history and 1 unit "world history, including a comparative study of the history, doctrines, and objectives of all major political systems." Also must include .5 unit "economics, including a comparative study of the history, doctrines, and objectives of all major economic systems. Also .5 unit "American government, including study of the Constitution of the United States. For students entering the 9th grade in the 1997-1998 school year and thereafter, the study of Florida government, including study of the State Constitution, the three branches of state government, and municipal and county government, shall be included as part of the required study of American government." Local boards may award up to .5 unit social studies and .5 unit elective for student completion of at least 75 hours unpaid volunteer work according to specifications in statute. Eff. Class of 2011: 1 unit U.S. history, 1 unit world history, .5 economics, .5 U.S. government.
- Science units: 3, incl. 2 lab science units
- P.E./Health units: 1. Pre-2011: 1 unit P.E. Eff. Class of 2011: 1 unit P.E. "to include integration of health."
- Arts: Eff. Class of 2011: 1. Pre-2011: 1 unit performing arts or 1 unit "practical arts career education or exploratory career education" or .5 units each of practical arts career education or exploratory career education and performing fine arts. Eff. Class of 2011: 1 unit fine arts
- Foreign language: 0
- Electives units: 8.5. Eff. Class of 2011: 8. Pre-2011: Local boards may award up to .5 unit social studies and .5 unit elective for student completion of at least 75 hours unpaid volunteer work according to specifications in statute. Eff. Class of 2011: 4 units "in a major area of interest" and 4 units electives, which may be a second major area of interest, a minor area of interest, electives, intensive reading or math intervention courses or credit recovery courses.
- Other units: Pre-2011: .5 unit in "life management skills." Also 1 unit performing fine arts or 1 unit "practical arts career education or exploratory career education" or .5 units of practical arts career education or exploratory career education and .5 unit performing fine arts. Eff. Class of 2011: 0 "other" units
Other diploma options
State offers honors/college prep curriculum option, 2 technical diploma options and a proficiency-based credit option.
Technical notes and citation: Pre- and eff. Class of 2011: Students must also achieve a minimum 2.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale, or its equivalent. Eff. Class of 2011: As alternative to statewide core curriculum, students may complete International Baccalaureate curriculum or Advanced International Certificate of Education curriculum.
FLA. STAT. ANN. §1003.43, 1003.428
Important Note: State Graduation requirements are not necessarily the best guideline for homeschoolers to use. They have been included here as a guideline for what a typical public school student would need to complete in order to graduate.
A more important guideline may be the College Entrance requirements for where your student would like to attend college. While colleges have differing requirements, there are many colleges that publish requirements for homeschool graduates.
Related Pages:
Homeschool Support Groups in Florida
Colleges in Florida