Arkansas

• Compulsory Attendance Ages: "5 through 17 on or before September 15 of that year."    (§6-18-201)

   There is an option for a kindergarten waiver "if the child will not be age six (6) on September 15 of that particular school year"-parents must use a form provided by the state. (§6-18-201(a)(2))

• Required Days of Instruction: No specified days.

• Required Subjects: No specified requirements.

• Teacher Qualifications: None.

• Standardized Tests: "Each student enrolled in a home school program who is considered to be at a grade level, or no more than two years beyond the normal age for the appropriate grade, for which the State mandates norm-referenced tests for public  school students shall be tested using a nationally recognized norm-referenced achievement test selected by the State Board of Education." (§6-15-504)

   Unless alternate testing procedures are approved, the administration of the tests is the responsibility of the directors of the education service cooperatives. (The    superintendents of the Little Rock, North Little Rock, and Pulaski County school districts  act as these directors in their districts.) The cost of testing is the responsibility of the Department of Education unless an alternate testing procedure is approved, in which case the parents or guardians must pay for the testing.

   No minimum score must be achieved by the home school student who is tested, but any student who refuses to participate in the testing program may be prosecuted for truancy. (§6-15-504(e).

• 1. Parents or guardians may choose to provide a home school for their children by notifying the local public school superintendent in writing of their intent to home school no later than August 15 by parents beginning home schooling in the fall  semester or by December 15 for those beginning in the spring semester. Parents deciding to begin home schooling after the start of a semester are permitted to do so by providing the notice of intent 14 days prior to withdrawing the child from public  school and each year thereafter at the beginning of the school year. The superintendent or the local school board may waive the 14-day waiting period.
      (A public school student who is currently under disciplinary action for violation of any school policy is not eligible to begin home schooling unless: (1) the superintendent or local school board chooses to allow the student to enroll in a home school; (2) the disciplinary action against the student has been completed or the school semester ends, whichever occurs first; or (3) student has been expelled from public school.)

      Parents or guardians moving into the school district during the school year must give written notice within 30 days of establishing residency within the school district. Parents or guardians must deliver the notice in person to the local superintendent the first time notice is given. The notice must include:
        (a) The name, date of birth, grade level of the children, and the name of the school last attended, if any, of each student involved.
        (b) The location of the home school;
        (c) The basic core curriculum to be offered;
        (d) The proposed schedule of instruction; and
        (e) The qualifications of the teacher/parents.

      Note: All this information "may be used only for statistical purposes and test administration." (§6-15-503)

• 2. Parents or guardians must sign a waiver acknowledging that the State of Arkansas is not liable for the education of their child during the time of home schooling.
      (§6-15-503)

• 3. A home school is not eligible for local, state, or federal funds allocated to a public school district. (§6-15-507)

Arkansas High School Graduation Requirements

• English units: 4
• Math units: 3 – to include 1 unit each of algebra and geometry. Eff. Class of 2009: 4, incl. 1 unit each of algebra and geometry. Eff. Class of 2010: 4 -  Pre-2010: 3 units must include 1 unit algebra or its equivalent and 1 unit geometry or its equivalent. Eff. Class of 2010: "Smart Core:" All students must take a math course in grade 11 or 12. Four courses must include Algebra I, geometry, Algebra II and a choice of a math class more advanced than Algebra II.
• Social studies units: 3. Must include 1 unit world history, 1 unit U.S. history and .5 unit civics or government
• Science units: 3 - 1 unit each of biology and a physical science. Eff. Class of 2010: 3 units of lab sciences chosen from physical science, biology or applied biology/chemistry, chemistry, or physics or Principles of Technology I and II or PIC Physics. Student who receives waiver from these requirements must complete 3 units, including 1 unit biology or its equivalent and 1 unit of a physical science.
• P.E./Health unit: 1. - .5 unit P.E., .5 unit "health and safety."
• Arts: .5
• Foreign language:  0
• Electives units: Pre-2010: State does not define number of elective or career focus units to be completed, only that "all common core, career focus and elective units must total at least 21." Eff. Class of 2010: Students must complete 6 units in"career focus" courses.
• Other units: .5 - .5 unit "oral communication."

TOTAL # units: 21. 15 state-determined "common core" units and 6 district-determined units. Eff. Class of 2009: 22.

Other diploma options
State offers technical diploma and honors/college prep diploma options. State does not have policy on awarding proficiency-based credit.

 Class of 2010: All students must complete the "Smart Core" requirements unless parent/guardian waives student's participation, in which case the student will complete the "Common Core" requirements. All requirements effective with the Class of 2010 refer to both the Smart Core and Common Core curricula unless otherwise noted.

Code Ark. R. 005 22 006, 005 15 013, 005 19 007; ARK. CODE ANN. § 6-17-137

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.