Georgia Homeschooling Law

From our friends at HSLDA.org:
Georgia law refers to homeschools as home study programs.
To operate a home study program in Georgia, you must follow the listed steps:
 

Homeschooling under the homeschool statute: To read the complete Home School Statutes: Ga. Code Ann. ? 20-2-690(c), see https://www.ghea.org/pages/resources/stateLaw.php.  

1. Ensure that the person or people homeschooling your child have the required qualifications. 
You must be a parent or a legal guardian of a child before you can file a declaration of intent to homeschool that child. You may hire a tutor to help you homeschool your child. The teaching parent or guardian or the tutor in a home study program must have a high school diploma or a GED.

2. Submit an annual declaration of intent. 
Within 30 days after you begin homeschooling, and every year thereafter by September 1, you must submit a “declaration of intent to utilize a home study program” to the Georgia Department of Education. You can access online and printable versions of the declaration of intent on the department’s website. Your declaration must include the names and ages of your students, the location of your home study program, the local school system in which your home study program is located, and the 12-month period that you consider to be your home study program’s school year.

3. Provide the required number of days of instruction. 
During the school year, your home study program must provide the equivalent of 180 days of education with each school day consisting of at least four and one-half school hours, unless your child is physically unable to comply with this requirement.

4. Teach the required subjects. 
Your home study program must provide a basic educational program that includes, but is not limited to, reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science.

5. Write annual progress reports. 
At the end of every school year, you must write a report of the progress that your child made in each of the required subjects. You must keep this report in your records for at least three years. It does not have to be submitted to public school officials.

6. Test your child every three years after he or she completes 3rd grade. 
Your child must be tested every three years, beginning at the end of the 3rd grade. You may administer the test if you do this “in consultation with a person trained in the administration and interpretation of norm reference tests.” Test results do not have to be submitted to public school officials. HSLDA has some information that may help you locate a test provider on our website. We believe you should choose a standardized test that includes testing in reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science.

To read the complete Home School Statutes: Ga. Code Ann. ? 20-2-690(c), see https://www.ghea.org/pages/resources/stateLaw.php?.  

GA Dept of Education Requirements & Online Forms for Home Study programs

*Effective July 1, 2013, Georgia law indicates you are no longer required to submit an attendance form to the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE).*

http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Pages/Home-Schools.aspx

This page include links to all the information and forms necessary for:

• Declaration of Intent (DOI)

• Driving Permit or LIcense

• Work Permits

• Withdrawing from home school to obtain G.E.D.

• Requesting a certificate of attendance

• Home School students and Governor's honors