Louisiana Homeschool Laws
Homeschooling in Louisiana
How do I start homeschooling?
Once you have made your choice about the method you want to homeschool with, your next steps to homeschooling in Louisiana are:
- Register your homeschool choice by mail or online
- Research the requirements and recordkeeping needed for your chosen option
- Choose your curriculum
Modify™ can help you with your tracking, portfolio and record keeping. Download the app today.
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Homeschool Laws
Based on Louisiana Statute R.S. 17: 221. A.1-4, “Every parent, tutor, or other person residing within the state of Louisiana having control or charge of any child from that child’s seventh birthday until his eighteenth birthday shall send such child to a public or private day school, unless the child graduates from high school prior to his eighteenth birthday.”
In order to fulfil this requirement, “Louisiana Families may choose to independently provide an excellent education to their children from their home. Louisiana families typically provide this independent education through a Board of Elementary and Secondary Education approved home study program or a nonpublic school (not seeking state approval). […] Parents who enroll their child in a home study program are solely responsible for deciding the curriculum and providing instruction. Louisiana does not provide funding or resources for home study programs” (Louisiana Department of Education).
For purposes of this post, the focus will be on laws and requirements for Board of Elementary and Secondary Education [BESE]-Approved Home Study Programs. The Louisiana Department of Education ensures that “a child who participates in a BESE-Approved Home Study program is considered: a) in attendance at a day school; and b) compliant with state compulsory attendance laws.”
Make sure to research the School Expense Deduction offered by the Louisiana Department of Revenue to see if you qualify to offset some of your home education costs.
Homeschool Requirements
Even though Louisiana does not highly regulate homeschooling, there are some Louisiana homeschool requirements you must satisfy when you homeschool:
- Begin homeschooling by age 7.
- Submit initial and renewal home study applications to the Louisiana Department of Education for approval.
- Provide a “sustained curriculum of quality at least equal to that offered by public schools at the same grade level” (Louisiana Department of Education). See the Louisiana Academic Standards for grade level expectations.
- Stay current with homeschooling laws and requirements.
Record Keeping
No matter which option you choose to homeschool under in Louisiana, record keeping is an important pare of homeschooling. One way to progress is by compiling an annual homeschool portfolio.
You will discover that any future transitions in educational status such as moving back to school after homeschooling, applying for college, or enlisting in the military will all go more smoothly if you have kept comprehensive records of your homeschool activities.
Some of the items you may want to track in your portfolio include :
- The results of any standardized tests your homeschooler takes while homeschooling
- An overview of the curriculum you’ve used as well as samples of assignments completed by your student, quizzes or tests, and written work.
- A general progress report for each homeschooler for the current homeschool year
- For high school homeschoolers, a detailed transcript
Graduation requirements
Homeschoolers in Louisiana have no specific graduation requirements. Parents determine their own criteria for when their homeschooled high schooler is prepared to receive a diploma.
If you need ideas when making your decision as to what you will expect from your child, the Louisiana Department of Education makes their general graduation requirements available on their website.
Modify™ helps homeschoolers to keep all necessary records and transcripts.
REFERENCE GUIDE:
Note: All information on this site is provided with no guarantee of accuracy. Modify™ is not responsible for any errors, omissions, or outdated information, or for the results yielded through use of this information.
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