Section 1002.01, F.S., defines home education as the sequentially progressive instruction of a student directed by his or her parent or guardian, in order to satisfy the requirement for compulsory education as defined in Section 1002.20, F.S. Current law does not prescribe a curriculum or course of study for home education programs.

1. Withdraw from current school
2. Complete Letter of Intent and provide it to the residing county’s school district.
3. Register in your selected home education program.

Forms may be found on our website visit Osceolaschools.net/choice. Click ‘Home Education Information’ on the left side bar

No.  School districts, adult high schools, and community colleges are not authorized to award a regular high school diploma to home education students. However, a home education student may take the General Educational Development (GED) test at an education center and be awarded a Florida GED diploma if the student receives a passing score. The toll free number for information pertaining to the GED is 1-877-352-4331.

Home education students who have completed their studies shall submit the following documents to successfully terminate their enrollment with the school district pursuant to s.1002.41 F.S.: 

     1. Final Annual Evaluation

     2. Signed Affidavit of Completion

     3. Home Education Withdrawal Form

No. There are no funds appropriated to a home education student.

As required by Section 1002.41, F.S., to establish a home education program and maintain compliance with the statute, a parent must:

1. Send a written notice of intent to the school district superintendent.
2. Maintain a portfolio of records, consisting of a log of educational activities, writings, worksheets, and creative materials used or developed by the student
3. Make the portfolio available for inspection by the superintendent upon a 15-day notice. (The legislation does not require the superintendent to inspect all portfolios.)
4. Provide an annual educational evaluation for the student’s educational process to the school district superintendent.
5. Preserve each student’s portfolio for two years.
6. Submit a letter of termination upon completion of the home education program or change of residence.

Section 1002.41, F.S., defines a portfolio as “A log of educational activities which is made contemporaneously with the instruction and which designates by title any reading materials used and samples of any writings, worksheets, workbooks, or creative materials used or developed by the student.”

The portfolio shall be preserved by the parent/guardian for two years and shall be made available for inspection by the superintendent, or the superintendent’s agent, upon a 15-day written notice. The superintendent, or the superintendent’s agent, is not required to inspect all portfolios.

If the parent is participating in a home education program, as defined in the law, the parent is responsible for all records.

Yes. You will still need to complete a Letter of Intent, maintain a Portfolio, and complete the annual evaluation. Please visit FLVS.Net. Enroll in the Flex program and register for courses. A teacher may be assigned to contact you to activate classes.

FLVS FLEX is not a “regular school” which in s. 1003.26(f)2, F.S. states the superintendent shall require the parent to enroll the child in an attendance option that meets the definition of “regular school attendance” under s. 1003.01(13)(a), (b), (c), or (e) within 3 days. Failure to do so may result in criminal prosecution under s. 1003.27(2), F.S. Therefore, the parent should file a Letter of Intent to homeschool their student prior to enrolling them in FLVS FLEX.

Yes. Districts that have a part-time enrollment policy may enroll home education students in the school district. This is a local decision that is articulated in the district pupil progression plan. Districts are not responsible, however, for keeping course grades for the student.

A home education student may take virtual classes through the district’s virtual school or Florida Virtual School FLEX once the Letter of Intent has been filed with the school district. There is no limit to the number of courses a student may take, however FLVS only allows home education students to request/work on up to six courses at a time.

Yes. Home education students may qualify for a scholarship through the Bright Futures Scholarship Program if they are registered with their districts as home education students for grades 11 and 12. Districts only responsibility is to record the volunteer hours, not verify them.

State Board Rule 6A-1.09941 establishes a uniform transfer of credit at the high school level as follows: If the student does not possess an official transcript or is a home education student, credits shall be validated through performance during the first grading period.

Yes. An “extracurricular activity” is defined as “any school-authorized or education-related activity occurring during or outside the regular instructional day”, (s. 1006.15, F.S.). Home education students are eligible to participate at the public school to which they would be assigned according to district school board attendance area policies or the school which the student could choose to attend through the district’s Controlled Open Enrollment Policy under s.1002.31 F.S. District polices will determine which schools are available for a student to choose under s.1002.31 F.S. based on same residency requirements as other students. The district must allow home education students to participate in a class during the day if the class is required in order to take part in the extracurricular activity, such as band class in order to take part in the school’s marching band or strength and conditioning class for participation on the football team, pursuant to s. 1006.15(5), F.S. Under s. 1006.15, F.S., the student must meet the same immunization requirements as students attending any public or private school. Furthermore, a district cannot develop policies that restrict the access of home education students to extracurricular activities.

A student in a home education setting must be evaluated once a year to demonstrate educational progress at a level equivalent to his or her abilities. The parent/guardian selects the method of evaluation from those provided in Florida Statute, then files a copy of the evaluation annually to the current county school district. The evaluation must consist of one of the following:

1. A Florida certified teacher chosen by the parent/guardian may evaluate the child’s progress based on the review of the portfolio and discussion with the student;
2. The student may take any nationally normed student achievement test administered by a certified teacher;
3. The student may take a state student assessment test used by the school district and administered by a certified teacher, at a location and under testing conditions approved by the school district;
4. The student may be evaluated by a psychologist holding a valid, active license pursuant to the provisions of Section 490.003 (7) or (8), F.S.; or
5. The student may be evaluated with any other valid measurement tool as mutually agreed upon by the school superintendent of the district in which the student resides and the student’s parent/guardian.

As defined in Section 1002.41, F.S., a teacher who evaluates a home education student must hold current certification in academic subjects at the elementary or secondary level in the state of Florida. Of the five evaluation options described in the law, three involve a certified teacher.

Yes. Please provide our office the complete copy of the Cumulative Academic Report.

Section 1002.41, F.S., requires the parent to provide for an annual evaluation of the home education student. Failure to do so places the home education program in non-compliance and permits the superintendent, after notice to the parent, to terminate the program. Non-compliance with this requirement should trigger the district’s policy regarding non-compliance with compulsory school attendance.

No. While a parent may utilize several methods to assess student progress in the regular course of providing a home education program, for the purposes of Section 1002.41, F.S., only one method may be selected and submitted to the school district.

The school district is obligated to “identify, locate, and evaluate” all children with disabilities, including those attending private schools and home education programs, in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This evaluation must be at no cost to the parent. If the parent chooses to take advantage of these evaluation services in order to get an IEP, the parent should contact the exceptional student education administrator in the school district in which they reside.

Florida Department of Education's FAQ

For Parents: 

Parent Home Ed FAQ PDF

For District: 

District Home Edu FAQ 2021 PDF