Home Schooling Legalities

Home Schooling exists legally in many other parts of the world. Countries with the most prevalent home education movements include the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Some countries have highly regulated home education programs which are actually an extension of the compulsory school system, while others have outlawed it entirely. In many other countries, while not restricted by law, home schooling is not socially acceptable and, therefore, virtually non-existent.

In many countries where home education does not exist legally, underground movements flourish where children are kept out of the compulsory school system and educated at, sometimes considerable, risk. Still, in other countries, while the practice is illegal, the governments do not have the resources to police and prosecute offenders and, as such, it takes place largely in the open

Without a doubt, home schooling is legal in all the 50 States of the U.s. But, that is just about where the similarity ends. Laws and regulations can vary from state to state. Interpretations of these laws can vary from school district to school district. Additionally, these laws may change every year.

The National Home Education network is a wonderful resource when it comes to the legalities of home schooling. It has a listing of the actual state laws for each state in the U.S. Reading the laws that pertain to your state is perhaps the best way to get accurate information about these laws. But, most people need to get the laws interpreted by a qualified attorney.

You can get valuable information from the support group at your locality. Additionally, many state education departments have online resources that will help you in interpreting the state requirements for home schooling. The internet is also a good source of information.

It is a good idea to check out your state laws regarding home schooling before you start educating your child at home. This will prevent any nasty surprises on the way. If you have to move, you will need to be aware of any tests or exams that your child may need to take when you make the move.

Every state has some form of a compulsory attendance law that requires children in a certain age range to spend a specific amount of time being educated. The most common way for parents to meet these requirements is to have their children attend public school.

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Education is not the filling of a pail,
but the lighting of a fire.
~ Wiliam Butler Yeats

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