Homeschooling is the education of children at home rather than in a traditional public or private school.   A family registers their children with their school district, or enrolls their children in an umbrella school (also referred to as a cover school) or a correspondence school as homeschoolers.   It is legal around the world and in all 50 states, however, every state has its own rules and regulations.  In Florida, for example, parents have the option to register their children as homeschoolers with their school district, enroll their children in a private school, umbrella school, or correspondence school, or hire a tutor.  For more information on homeschooling in Florida, see Legally Homeschooling in Florida.

If you register as a homeschooler with your school district, your state may regulate the following:

• requirements for filing (notifying your local school district of your intent to homeschool);
• curriculum plan submission (what you're going to teach);
• periodic reporting (how your child is doing); and
• evaluations by certified teachers and/or testing (to document that your child is learning).

It is important that you know the requirements for your state, as well as your rights as a parent, and we recommend you take the time to read through your state's Department of Education website and state's statutes.  And you may also want to join a state homeschool organization that provides advocacy and legislative watch.