How to Homeschool in South Carolina

This information is not legal advice and should not be used as such. You should verify all requirements with the government agency in your area before you begin homeschooling. You may find contact information in the links below.
  • In South Carolina, homeschooling is known as "home school".
  • Compulsory attendance is required for children ages 5 through 17.

From the South Carolina Department of Education

Parents or guardians may choose to home school their children instead of enrolling them in a public, private, or parochial school. South Carolina statutes provide parents or guardians with three different options for home schooling their children.

The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) does not monitor home schooling, however, the SCDE requests that home school associations contact Ann Bogan in the Office of Federal and State Accountability at 803-734-8489 to complete the Annual Standards Assurance form required under S.C. Code Ann. § 59-65-47 and 59-65-45.

South Carolina Option One

Option One allows the parents to home school their children under the auspices of a school district, if approved by the board of trustees.

Testing

Students who are home schooled under Option One must participate in the annual statewide testing program. The tests must be administered by a certified school district employee either with public school students or by special arrangement at the student’s place of instruction, at the parent’s option. Students who are not home schooled in district approved programs are not eligible to take those assessments.

Intent to Home School Notification

Parents or guardians may teach their children at home if the instruction is approved by the district board of trustees of the district in which the children reside. A district board of trustees shall approve home schooling programs which meet the following standards:

Teacher Requirement

The parent:
1) Holds at least a high school diploma or the equivalent general educational development (GED) certificate and, beginning in the 1989-90 school year, attains a passing score on the basic skills examination; or
2) Has earned a baccalaureate degree.

Attendance Requirements

The instructional day is at least four and one-half hours, excluding lunch and recesses, and the instructional year is at least one hundred eighty days.

Curriculum

The curriculum includes, but is not limited to, the basic instructional areas of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies and in grades seven through twelve, composition and literature.

Record Keeping

As evidence that a student is receiving regular instruction, the parent shall present a system for maintaining and maintain the following records for inspection upon reasonable notice by a representative of the school district:
(a) a plan book, diary, or other written record indicating subjects taught and activities in which the student and parent engage;
(b) a portfolio of samples of the student’s academic work; and
(c) a record of evaluations of the student’s academic progress. A semiannual progress report including attendance records and individualized assessments of the student’s academic progress in each of the basic instructional areas must be submitted to the school district.

Library Access Requirement

Students must have access to library facilities

Testing

Within the first fifteen instructional days of the public school year, students participating in home instruction and eligible for enrollment in the first grade of the public schools must be tested to determine their readiness for the first grade using the readiness instrument approved by the State Board of Education for public school students.

If a student is determined to be “not ready” or is determined to lack the necessary emotional maturity, the parent must be advised by appropriate school district personnel whether a kindergarten or a first grade curriculum should be used for the child. Nothing in this section may be interpreted to conflict with a parent’s right to exempt his child from kindergarten as provided in Section 59-65-10(A).

Students must participate in the annual statewide testing program and the Basic Skills Assessment Program approved by the State Board of Education for their appropriate grade level. The tests must be administered by a certified school district employee either with public school students or by special arrangement at the student’s place of instruction, at the parent’s option. The parent is responsible for paying the test administrator if the test is administered at the student’s home.

Should a student in a home schooling program score below the test requirements of the promotion standard prescribed for public school students by the State Board of Education for one year, the district board of trustees shall decide whether or not the student shall receive appropriate instructional placement in the public school, special services as a handicapped student, or home schooling with an instructional support system at parental expense. The right of a parent to enroll his child in a private or parochial school as provided in Section 59-65-10(A) is unaffected by this provision.

Hold Harmless Agreement

Parents must agree in writing to hold the district, the district board of trustees and the district’s employees harmless for any educational deficiencies of the student sustained as a result of home instruction.

Homeschool Program Termination

At any time the school district determines that the parent is not maintaining the home school program in keeping with the standards specified in this section the district board of trustees shall notify the parent to correct the deficiencies within thirty days. If the deficiencies are not corrected within thirty days, the district board of trustees may withdraw its approval.

If a parent is denied permission to begin or continue home schooling by a district board of trustees, the decision of the district board of trustees may be appealed, within ten days, to the State Board of Education. Any appeal from the decision of the State Board of Education must be taken, within thirty days, to the family court.

South Carolina Option Two

Under Option Two, parents may home school their children with the support of the:
South Carolina Association of Independent Home Schools

Teacher Requirement

A parent must hold at least a high school diploma or the equivalent general educational development (GED) certificate.

Attendance Requirements

The instructional year is at least one hundred eighty days.

Curriculum

The curriculum includes, but is not limited to, the basic instructional areas of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies, and in grades seven through twelve, composition and literature.


By January thirtieth of each year, the South Carolina Association of Independent Home Schools shall report the number and grade level of children home schooled through the association to the children’s respective school districts.

Contact
Katina Prescott
613 St. Andrews Rd.
Columbia, SC 29210
803-814-0353
803-764-6872
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
https://schomeschooling.com

South Carolina Option 3

Under Option Three, parents may choose a home school association which has no fewer than fifty members and meets the home school requirements. The parents or guardians select the particular home schooling option that is best for the children.

Teacher Requirement

A parent must hold at least a high school diploma or the equivalent general educational development (GED) certificate.

Attendance Requirements

The instructional year is at least one hundred eighty days.

Curriculum

The curriculum includes, but is not limited to, the basic instructional areas of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies, and in grades seven through twelve, composition and literature.

Record Keeping

Educational records shall be maintained by the parent-teacher and include:
A plan book, diary, or other record indicating subjects taught and activities in which the student and parent-teacher engage;
A portfolio of samples of the student’s academic work; and
A semiannual progress report including attendance records and individualized documentation of the student’s academic progress in each of the basic instructional areas specified in item (c) above. By January thirtieth of each year, all associations shall report the number and grade level of children home schooled through the association to the children’s respective school districts.

South Carolina Homeschool Contact Information

Federal and State Accountability
Education Associate
Ann Bogan
1429 Senate Street
Room: Room 512-A
Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: 803-734-8489
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.


Source: South Carolina Department of Education

From the United States Department of Education

To homeschool their child, parents or guardians must receive approval of the instruction from the district board of trustees of the district in which the child resides. S.C. Code §59-65-40 (A).

The parent must agree in writing to hold the district, the district's board of trustees, and the district's employees harmless for any educational deficiencies of the student sustained as a result of home instruction. S.C. Code §59-65-40 (A). A parent or guardian denied permission by a district board of trustees to begin or continue a program of home instruction may appeal that decision to the South Carolina Board of Education. S.C. Code of Regs. 43-246.

In lieu of the requirements of district approval, parents or guardians may teach their children at home if the instruction is conducted under the auspices of the South Carolina Association of Independent Home Schools. S.C. Code §59-65-45.

In lieu of the requirements of S.C. Code §59-65-40 or §59-65-45, parents or guardians may also teach their children at home if the instruction is conducted under the auspices of an association for home schools that has no fewer than 50 members and meets the following requirements, as determined by the South Carolina Department of Education through an annual review of the association:

a) a parent must hold at least a high school diploma or an equivalent GED certificate;

b) the instructional year must be at least 180 days;

c) the curriculum must include but not be limited to the basic instructional areas of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies, and in grades seven through 12, composition and literature; and

d) education records must be maintained by the parent-teacher. S.C. Code §59-65-47.

A homeschool parent must hold at least a high school diploma or an equivalent GED certificate. S.C. Code §§59-65-40 (A)(1); 59-65-45; and 59-65-47.

The district-approved homeschool instructional day must be at least four and one-half hours, excluding lunch and recesses, and the instructional year must be at least 180 days. S.C. Code §59-65-40 (A)(2).

For other types of home schooling, the instructional year must be 180 days. S.C. Code §§59-65-45 and 59-65-47.

The curriculum must include, but not be limited to, the basic instructional areas of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies and, in grades seven through 12, composition and literature. S.C. Code §§59-65-40 (A)(3); 59-65-45; and 59-65-47.

For a district-approved home school or alternative form of home instruction under S.C. Code §59-65-47, as evidence that a student is receiving regular instruction, the parent must maintain the following records for inspection upon reasonable notice by a representative of the school district: a plan book, a diary, or other written record indicating subjects taught and activities in which the parent and student engage; a portfolio of samples of the student's work; and a record of evaluations of the student's academic progress. S.C. Code §§59-65-40 (A)(4) and 59-65-47.

The student in a district-approved home school must have access to library facilities. S.C. Code §59-65-40 (A).

Students in district-approved home schools must participate in the annual statewide testing program and the Basic Skills Assessment Program approved by the South Carolina Board of Education for their appropriate grade level. S.C. Code §59-65-40 (A)(6).

If a student in a district-approved homeschooling program scores below the test requirements of the promotion standards prescribed for public school students by the South Carolina Board of Education for one year, the district's board of trustees must decide whether or not the student must receive appropriate instructional placement in the public school, special services as a handicapped student, or home schooling with an instructional support system at parental expense. S.C. Code § 59-65-40 (D).

A homeschooled student who has been taught according to S.C. Code §§59-65-40, 59-65-45, or 59-65-47 for a full year is eligible to participate in interscholastic activities (athletics, music, speech, and other extracurricular activities) of the student's resident school district if the student meets all of the school district's eligibility requirements, disregarding those related to attendance, class, and enrollment. The student must notify the superintendent in writing of the intent to participate before the season for the activity starts. S.C. Code §59-63-100.

A school district is not allowed to contract out supervision of interscholastic activities to a private entity that prohibits homeschooled.

Contact Information

South Carolina Department of Education
1006 Rutledge Building
1429 Senate Street
Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: (803) 734-8500
Fax: (803) 734-3389
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: http://ed.sc.gov/


Source: United States Department of Education - South Carolina State Regulations

Updated 13 May 2022

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