How to start homeschooling in Florida
The legal steps, in order, checked against Florida law.
Short answer: To homeschool in Florida, a parent files a signed written notice with the county school superintendent within 30 days of starting a home education program. The parent keeps a portfolio for two years and files an annual educational evaluation with the superintendent's office. The district may not require more documentation than the statute lists unless the student joins a district program.
Checked against Fla. Stat. 1002.41 on Nov 8, 2026. Compulsory school ages: 6 to 16. This is what the law says, not legal advice.
Florida gives you 2 legal ways to homeschool. Pick one and follow its steps.
Home education program
Parents who will direct their child's sequentially progressive instruction at home. No Florida teaching certificate is required.
Steps
- Within 30 days of starting, file a written notice of intent, signed by you, with the district school superintendent of the county where you live. List the full legal name, address, and birthdate of each child.
- Keep a portfolio for each child: a log of educational activities made at the time of instruction that names reading materials by title, and samples of writings, worksheets, workbooks, or creative materials.
- Each year, arrange an annual educational evaluation by one of the methods in the statute and file a copy with the superintendent's office in your county.
- Keep the portfolio for two years and make it available for inspection if the superintendent requests it with 15 days' written notice.
- When you end the program, file a written notice of termination with the superintendent, along with the annual evaluation, within 30 days.
| Notice to the state | Yes To: The district school superintendent of the county where the parent lives When: Within 30 days of establishing the home education program; termination notice within 30 days of ending it |
|---|---|
| Subjects | None required by law |
| Time | None required by law. The statute excludes home education programs from the requirements of a school day. |
| Parent qualifications | None required by law. The parent is not required to hold a Florida teaching certificate. |
| Testing or evaluation | An annual educational evaluation showing progress at a level matching the child's ability, by one of these methods chosen by the parent: review of the portfolio and discussion with the student by a Florida certified teacher; any nationally normed achievement test given by a certified teacher; a state student assessment used by the district, given by a certified teacher; an evaluation by a licensed psychologist or school psychologist; or another valid tool agreed on with the superintendent. If progress is not shown, the parent has one year of remedial instruction before reevaluation. |
| Records to keep | A portfolio with a contemporaneous log of educational activities naming reading materials by title, and samples of the student's writings, worksheets, workbooks, or creative materials. Keep it for two years. |
The law: Fla. Stat. 1002.41 Fla. Stat. 1002.01(1) Fla. Stat. 1003.21(1)
Other legal routes
Florida law also allows these. We have not confirmed their full rules, so ask the state education department before you choose one.
- Private tutoring program: Families whose child is taught by a person holding a valid Florida teaching certificate for the subjects or grades taught.
High school, transcripts and diplomas
The statute says home education students may take part in dual enrollment programs, may qualify for the Bright Futures Scholarship Program, and are eligible for admission to Florida College System institutions and, under Board of Governors policy, state universities. School districts must make industry certifications, national assessments, and statewide standardized assessments they offer available to home education students. The statute does not address diplomas or transcripts.
Public school sports and activities
Yes. Home education students may take part in interscholastic and intrascholastic extracurricular activities. A home education student may participate at a school in the district where the student lives, must meet the home education program requirements, and must show educational progress in all home education subjects during participation by a method agreed on by the parent and principal. The student meets the same acceptance, behavior, and performance standards as other students, pays only the fee enrolled students pay, and the parents provide transportation. District boards may not make participation less accessible to home education students than to others.
After the paperwork
Common questions
Do I have to tell the state I am homeschooling in Florida?
Yes, under the home education program route, you notify the district school superintendent of the county where the parent lives within 30 days of establishing the home education program; termination notice within 30 days of ending it.
Is testing required for homeschoolers in Florida?
An annual educational evaluation showing progress at a level matching the child's ability, by one of these methods chosen by the parent: review of the portfolio and discussion with the student by a Florida certified teacher; any nationally normed achievement test given by a certified teacher; a state student assessment used by the district, given by a certified teacher; an evaluation by a licensed psychologist or school psychologist; or another valid tool agreed on with the superintendent. If progress is not shown, the parent has one year of remedial instruction before reevaluation.
What subjects are required for homeschooling in Florida?
None. Florida law does not set required subjects under the home education program route.
What ages must be schooled in Florida?
Ages 6 to 16, per state law.
Sources
- Fla. Stat. 1002.41
- Fla. Stat. 1002.01(1)
- Fla. Stat. 1003.21(1)
- Fla. Stat. 1006.15 (extracurricular activities)
- Fla. Stat. 1002.43 (private tutoring programs)
- Home Education, Florida Department of Education
We read each source on Nov 8, 2026 and recheck every guide each quarter. Laws change. If something here no longer matches the state, write to us and we will fix it.