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Hillsborough Offers Home School Resources

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By ADAM EMERSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 1, 2008

For those who want the flexibility and freedom to home school their children, Florida has a few standards for families to follow.

About 39,000 families home-schooled 56,650 children last academic year, according to figures from Florida's Department of Education. In Hillsborough County alone, 3,230 opted to home school their children.

State law doesn't require teaching certification or prior experience to start a home school program. It does, however, expect the following:

Parents must notify the school district in writing of their intent to home school their children.

They must maintain a portfolio of student records — including educational activities, writings, worksheets and creative work — and open it to inspection by the district upon a 15-day notice. Parents must preserve the portfolio for two years.

There are no specific hourly attendance requirements for home-schooled students, but students must be evaluated once a year to show progress. An annual evaluation can include the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, but homeschooled students don't have to take the FCAT. Any nationally normed student achievement test will do, as long as it's administered by a certified teacher.

Families must submit a letter of termination to the district when the child's home education is complete, or when the family moves.

Home-schooled students have the right to enroll in or return to a public school any time, but the school district determines the child's grade placement.

State law allows home-schooled students to participate in interscholastic extracurricular activities offered at public schools. The district can't apply different standards to home-schooled students. It can, however, apply standards to all students, such as evidence of required immunizations, medical clearance for sports, auditions and class participation.

Home-schooled students can receive the Bright Futures college scholarship if they are registered with their districts during the 11th and 12th grades. The Bright Futures Scholarship Program provides a Home Education Program packet, which outlines eligibility criteria. The scholarship covers 75 percent or 100 percent of tuition at a Florida public university, depending on grades and test scores.

Hillsborough County parents interested in home schooling information may contact Roxanne Hahn of the Hillsborough County school district at (813) 273-7256 or roxanne.hahn@sdhc.k12.fl.us.

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