Homeschool Laws in the U.S.

Homeschool laws vary by state.  Some have few to no laws regarding homeschooling, and others are relatively strict.  If you’re going to homeschool your kids, it’s absolutely imeprative that you know the laws in your area.  If you don’t know the laws, you could end up getting charged with your child’s truancy, which can carry pretty hefty penalties.

You should check with your local Board of Education to find out the laws in your state.  They will have the most recent compliance guidelines, and laws can change from time to time.  You need to be sure you’re up to date on the most recent laws.  Remember, ignorance of the law is no excuse.

There are many resources available on the internet that will give you the basic guidelines of homeschool laws by state.  Personally I recommend making sure you get your information directly from your state’s website if that information is available online.  It’s better to get it straight from the source, where you know it should be up-to-date.

Don’t forget that many states have record-keeping and testing requirements that you need to comply with, in addition to their registration requirements.

Failure to comply usually just results in a warning, but you could be charged a fine for each child.  Some parents (mostly in countries outside the U.S.) have even faced jail time over child neglect charges, so you must keep appropriate records at all times!  I wouldn’t risk facing any kind of legal issues simply because you failed to keep adequate records and comply thoroughly with the law.