Steps 1 (Letter of Intent) & 2 (Keep Records) below are all that are needed to start home educating in Florida.

Step 3 (Evaluation) won't apply until you've been homeschooling for almost a year (unless you stop homeschooling sooner than that).

Step 4 (Done Home Educating) is for when you are done homeschooling.

Feeling overwhelmed? Many do. Just remember that you won't be trying to run an entire school. You'll just be teaching your child or children. Similarly, I know I'd feel overwhelmed if told I had to run a restaurant, but feeding my own family is much less complicated.
We're here to try to help you figure it out.

Home Education

Step 1. Letter of Intent
(aka Notice of Intent)

    Send a Letter of Intent (aka Notice of Intent) to the local school district's Home Education Contact.
NOTE: The law mentions the superintendent but each has named a contact to handle home education paperwork.

Keep a copy for your records!
The date the Letter of Intent is recorded by the district is your deadline for future evaluations.

Recommendations:

• Email the Letter of Intent to the district's Home Education Contact; the saved email can serve as great proof that it was sent.
  
• The district is required by FL Dept of Education policy (as of Oct. 2020) to confirm in writing that they've received it. If they don't confirm, send it again to both the home education contact and the superintendent OR take it in person to the school district's headquarters and ask for a photocopy of it with their date-received stamp on it.
  
• If your child is currently enrolled in a Florida public school, cc'ing them on the Letter of Intent can be a simple way to notify them that the child is being withdrawn from the school.
  (The school cannot require the parent to go in person to the school to fill out a withdrawal form. The school cannot require a specific form.)
  

Parents can send in a Letter of Intent and begin homeschooling the very same day.
Or send in the Letter of Intent up to 30 days before starting or up to 30 days after starting (though sending it in when starting will lessen issues with truancy investigations.)A single Letter of Intent can be used for all the children in a family as long as the dates of birth are clearly listed for each child's name.

Parents do not have to wait for confirmation by the district--though the district is required to confirm in writing as of Oct. 2020 per Florida Dept of Education policy.
The parent does not need permission to home educate. The district can only reject the Letter of Intent if the parent previously homeschooled within the past 180 days and did not send in proper documentation to end the homeschooling.

Once the Letter of Intent is submitted, you are legally home educating your child.
Welcome to homeschooling!

Letter of Intent form

You can print out the attached Letter of Intent form, fill it out, and email a scan or clear photo to send to the district's Home Education Contact. IEmail is a great option for sending.)

Or feel free to type or write your own letter; it must include the child's full name and date of birth, address, a parent's name and signature (actual signature--not a typed name designated as a digital signature).

Home Education Contacts

WARNING!

The information on this page is only for those using the Home Education option for homeschooling in Florida.

DO NOT send a Letter of Intent if using the PEP!

 The information on this page is
NOT
for those using the
Florida Tax Credit Scholarship
with the
Personalized Education Program (or PEP) to get funding through the state to homeschool. For information on the PEP program, contact Step Up for Students and/or AAA Scholarships or the
FL Dept of Education.

Step 2. Keep Records of the Learning (aka Portfolio)

Parents may use any learning methods and materials they choose as long as the child is learning and the parents follow Florida laws requiring parents to keep records of their child's learning. The records, called a portfolio, must include
*a Log of Educational Activities around the time of the learning, with
*titles of reading materials &
*samples of work

Florida law allows the parent to decide what these will look like, how they are organized, the level of detail kept, etc.
For examples of what these records might look like, go to our portfolio page.

We strongly suggest that those pulling their child out of school begin with a period of deschooling before purchasing curriculum or other learning materials.

portfolio examples

The optional forms (link below) can be printed out and used to make a portfolio that includes all the information required by Florida law for home education.

Optional Forms

Curriculum/Learning materials

Step 3. (In about 10 to 12 months unless stopping home education sooner)
Turn in an Evaluation

Eventually an evaluation will be turned in. The first evaluation is due no later than the anniversary of the Letter of Intent--so the parent has almost a year before an evaluation is due. (Unless the parent stops homeschooling--an evaluation is also due within 30 days of a Letter of Termination to stop homeschooling.)
Once a calendar year, turn in proof that the child is learning (i.e., making educational progress commensurate with ability). 

We offer low stress portfolio-review evaluations. If you'd like to use our services, you can start the process on our website:
General information

The parent can choose from 5 options:

FIVE Evaluation Options

State Testing

Must be set up in advance with the child's zoned public school. Most will want to be contacted by January. This testing is free of cost and done at the local zoned public school in public school classes with public school students according to the school's schedule. Results are submitted automatically, so there's no "do over" option if something goes wrong. A score above the 35th percentile is considered passing. This is the only option where the parent had no control over the evaluator nor whether the results are submitted.

Testing with a Psychologist

Testing may be done with a psychologist. This option can be expensive. The testing done is up to the psychologist--the law doesn't provide specifics. This method is usually used with children who are seeing a psychologist for other reasons--such as testing for giftedness or learning disabilities.

Nationally-normed Achievement Testing

Must be administered by a certified teacher--most districts understand this to mean a FL certified teacher. Such tests will compare your student's scores to those of other students across the country. The California Achievement Test, the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, or other such tests are often given in group settings by homeschool support groups (though this has not been as common during the pandemic) and typically cost $50-$120 a test. A score above the 35th percentile is considered passing.

Portfolio Review Evaluation

This is the type of evaluation we typically offer.

The portfolio review is NOT a test nor based on a single event; rather, it is based on the records of the child's work during the past year. This is a low-stress evaluation as the student is not required to perform for the portfolio review. The student must speak with the evaluator but this is a brief chat about the progress seen--making sure the student is aware of the learning that's been going on. This type of evaluation must be done by a Florida certified teacher with regular (i.e., professional-level) certification in some grade level between K and 12.

We have been doing such evaluations since 2003 for students, of all ages and ability levels, across Florida.

Anything else the parent and district agree on

Some parents have gotten their district to accept grade reports from FLVS or dual enrollment program under this option. Some districts have accepted testing that was not administered by a Florida certified teacher through this option. Feel free to suggest other options.

Evaluations are due each year by the anniversary of the Letter of Intent. Evaluations can be sent as much as six weeks early without issues.

Send the evaluation to the same district contact listed above for the Letter of Intent.

Written confirmation should be sent by the district after an evaluation is sent. If not received within 2 weeks, we recommend re-sending to the Home Education Contact and also to the Superintendent.

Superintendent Contacts

Step 4. Done Homeschooling

When you finish homeschooling--whether because you put your child in a school, moved out of the state, or graduated your child from high school, you'll need to notify the district with a Letter of Termination  and an evaluation (Send the evaluation and Letter of Termination together or within 30 days of each other).

Putting together a report card or transcript can be helpful. See the links below for more details.

General: Finished Homeschooling

high school info.

Transcripts

Home Education

is the most popular method of homeschooling
in Florida.
It is the only educational option
in which the parent
legally directs the child's education.

Home Education legal definition

FL Home Education laws

Florida is a very homeschooling-friendly state with laws that are mostly designed to allow parents to educate their children without interference from school district officials.

Some record-keeping and reporting is required; this is meant to confirm that  children are being educated and are not truant, rather than to control how parents are educating their own.

 

Some examples of Florida laws and regulations include:

1. Parents are allowed to use any methods or materials to teach their homeschooled children. The state does not have a list of specific subjects that must be taught and gives parents much freedom as long as they keep records and the children are making educational progress commensurate with ability (i.e., learning).

2. Children who graduate high school as home education students are recognized, under Florida law, by Florida colleges as high school graduates if the parent signs an affidavit of completion.
 
3. Home education high school students are guaranteed the right to participate in public high school sports or other extra curricular activities, following the same eligibility requirements as public school students. (Students at lower grade levels *might* be able to--subject to district and school policies.)

4. Home education high school students can take college courses, free of cost, through the state's dual enrollment system (contingent on test scores). Many have graduated as homeschooled high school students with two-year college degrees.

Home Education FAQ

Can school districts add requirements for home education?

No, state law forbids districts from adding additional requirements UNLESS the student participates in a public school district program.

But school districts may vary in the additional options they approve for evaluations.

What does the law or district require for curriculum?

State law does not allow districts to set curriculum requirements for home education or private school students. The parent running a home education program may use any methods or materials appropriate for their child.

What are Florida's required subject areas?

Florida law requires sequentially progressive instruction (that lessons gradually grow more advanced) and educational progress commensurate with ability (learning). Home education students and private school students are not required to copy what Florida public schools are currently teaching. No required subjects are listed.

May homeschooled students participate in public school extracurricular activities?

State law's Craig Dickinson Act gives home education students the right to participate in high school (defined as grades 7-12 in law) activities.

How will my high school student get a diploma if homeschooled?

Parents running a home education program can issue a diploma. Homeschool parents can participate in FPEA.com's annual graduation ceremony in central Florida and get a diploma.
A signed Affidavit of Completion by a home education parent must be accepted by Florida state colleges as proof of high school graduation.
While some students do choose to take the GED to get a high school diploma, caution is urged for this route due to negative connotations for the GED.
Coupon code CT19 to join FPEA

Can my homeschooled child go to college?

Many homeschooled students graduate high school with college credits. Some even graduate with an AA degree (often at no charge). Colleges tend to look very favorably on homeschooled students and many receive scholarships including Florida's Bright Futures Scholarship. So, yes, homeschooled students can go to college.

How can I be sure I teach my child everything he should know?

Even the best schools and the best teachers don't teach everything. They all miss some things. But if you work on key skills (especially reading, writing, and math) and help your child learn how to learn, your child will be able to learn anything missed.

There are lots of organizations and materials available to help homeschooling parents teach their children--some are even available online for free. And there are lots of places, including this website, where parents can reach out for help and support.

What kinds of records must be kept?

Florida law requires home education parents to keep a portfolio (or collection of records) that include
a log of educational activities with titles of reading materials and samples of work and should be kept around the time of the learning.

These records must be kept, regardless of the evaluation method used or learning materials used.

Note that Florida law doesn't define "log of educational activities" or "titles of reading materials" because they leave it up to the parent to decide a reasonable set of records to keep. Attendance is not required for home education (but is if you use a private school instead).

Go to our portfolio page for more information and examples.

Where do we submit our curriculum or learning records?

Most likely, you simply keep the records. Florida law requires parents to keep records for two years--just in case an official has a reason to ask to see them. Then they have to ask in writing and give 15 days' notice. They cannot tell the parent the methods and materials to use, or otherwise evaluate the child, but they can check to see that the parent is keeping records as required by Florida law.

Where can I find the forms to use?

The district is not allowed to require specific forms. We have forms available on this website that you may opt to print out and use. Click here for some of these forms.

Ready to begin? Other notes:

For a child

A. Enrolled in a Florida school: You will need to officially withdraw the child. Get it in writing to avoid issues with truancy if the school does not remove the child from their rolls and counts the child absent. Emailing the school a copy of a signed letter of intent to home educate a child is one way to notify the school.
Consider beginning with a period of "deschooling" first (not quite the same as "unschooling") to get away from some of the negative attitudes the child may have associated with schools.

B. New to Florida: Start the registration process within 30 days of getting a home or job or otherwise establishing residency.
There is no need to register before moving to Florida--even if moving here mid-school year.

C. Starting school for the first time: The child needs to be registered in an official educational program this school year if the child will be six years old by Feb. 1st of this school year.
If a child has a birthday from Feb. 2nd-early August, the child will not need to be registered until the fall when the child is already six.
These requirements are not based on grade levels but on compulsory attendance ages in Florida law.

Families that start with a process of deschooling (getting away from the structures of school and attitudes schools teach), rather than trying to copy schools, tend to do better.

Deschooling (not the same as unschooling, though it might lead to unschooling in which the education is more child-led) is a temporary period in which the child and parent come to see how much can be learned without copying schools.

Parents can still keep records during the period of deschooling.

More info on Deschooling

Feel free to use any materials or activities that help your child learn.

What records do I keep?

What is the evaluation?

What should I teach?

How do I finish homeschooling?

However, nothing in this section shall authorize the state or any school district to oversee or exercise control over the curricula or academic programs of private schools or home education programs."
Florida Statute 1003.21 (1)(b)

Field trips such as this farm trip can be another way to learn. Learning doesn't have to be all from books.

There are other options for teaching children at home, including doing

online public school at home--following all public school requirements

full-time tutoring programs--not a weil-defined option in Florida law

the new PEP program for those who want to accept government funds through the FES:EO scholarship, for those with an income under 400% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines and don't mind having mandated testing each Spring

umbrella schools--an unofficial option in which a private school legally oversees the education

home education--the most popular homeschool option in Floridda; homeschool parents fought in the 1980s to get home education requirements in place to fix problems in the unofficial umbrella school system

For more details, see our page on the options.

Is the district's Letter of Intent form required?

No. Florida law prevents districts from adding additional requirements, including specific documentation. District forms are NOT recommended by us and most long-standing Florida homeschool organizations.
Why? District forms often ask for more information than parents are required to provide. Giving additional information can have negative consequences such as getting on district robo-call lists or concerns about changing curriculum or issues with district officials mistakenly believing they can add requirements to Florida law. District online forms often give no proof that they've been sent and some have had issues over the years with not being received.

Can I make my own Letter of Intent?

Yes. No specific form is required. The letter needs to include only: The child's full name and date of birth, your address (for mailing purposes), a parent's name and signature; date it and include some words about intending to home educate your child according to Florida law.
Or you can use our form if you prefer.

How should I sent the Letter of Intent or other official documents to the district?

Florida law does not specify a specific method, so you can choose any you like.
*Emailing this and all other official records is usually considered the best option as it is not only quick and not expensive, but also a copy of the sent email makes great legal proof.
*Taking documentation in person and getting a receipt is another option.
*Certified mail is NOT recommended as many districts have rejected certified mail receipts as proof of mailing anything other than an empty envelope when paperwork has been lost.

What should the portfolio look like?

Florida law specifies it must include a Log of Educational Activities with titles of reading materials and samples of work. The law doesn't define what these must contain but leaves that decision to parents. Keep them in any fashion that works for you. Records don't have to be daily, detailed, or fancy. Keep them as simply as you like. As long as they show that your child is being educated, you are on the right track. Examples of portfolios and more details can be found on our site.

When is the portfolio turned in to the district?

Most people never have to show their portfolio to the district. They are required to keep one for two years. The district could ask to see it--though they must do so in writing with at least 15 days' notice--but most (except Citrus County) will only do so if the child was previously being investigated for truancy or if someone else (such as in a custody battle) pushes them to.
The district can only check that the records include a Log of Educational Activities with titles of reading materials and samples of work. They cannot evaluate the child's learning as Florida law gives parents the choice of evaluation methods and, in most cases--state testing is an exception, the evaluator.

Can I change my evaluation deadline?

The evaluation is due once a calendar year.
The evaluation does not have to line up with your curriculum nor the public school's school year. The evaluation is not required to move your child to a higher level of curriculum. The evaluation is meant to verify that you are educating your child.

All Florida districts will accept an evaluation up to six weeks before the anniversary of the Letter of Intent (or within 30 days of a Letter of Termination.) A few districts will accept an evaluation earlier than that, but that will need to be verified with the local district's home education office.

Some districts will allow a parent to do evaluations at the end of the typical school year--especially if choosing a testing option. But some will not. Unless you've verified with your district another option, evaluations are due no later than the anniversary of your letter of intent OR within 30 days of a Letter of Termination.

How many home education students are in Florida?

Official statistics on the number of home education students and families are published on Florida's Dept of Education's Office of Choice website. For the 2019-2020 school year, 75,347 home education families and 106,115 home education students are listed in Florida. For the 2020-2021 school year, 100,253 home education students and 143,431 home education students are listed by the FL DOE. (If the number of umbrella school students were included, the totals would be much higher.)

Where can I find Florida's home education laws listed?

Do I need to register my student in a school to homeschool?

No, there's no requirement to register with a school to homeschool. Parents can choose learning materials and methods without involving any schools.

On the other hand, some sign up with "schools" that provide curriculum. These may include online programs such as FLVS Flex, Time4Learning, Acellus Power Homeschool or Acellus Academy, study.com, education.com, local homeschool co-ops, etc. that provide learning materials. These are curriculum providers and aren't running Florida fulltime schools.

Or you could choose not to home educate and instead have your child enroll in a school or a full-time tutoring program instead. Some of these can be done at home. For information on other options, see here.

---

---

(b) ...Parents have the option to comply with the school attendance laws by attendance of the student in a public school; a parochial, religious, or denominational school; a private school; a home education program; or a private tutoring program, in accordance with the provisions of s. 1003.01(13)."
Florida Statute 1002.20(2)(b)