Homeschool laws can change often, so please check for updates at the Alabama State Department of Education website.
Getting started with homeschooling can be a very frightening thought. What do I need to do? What am I expected to keep track of? Where can I find the laws that I need to know to get started? Luckily, we have information to help you get on your way.
So how can you get started?
Alabama Education Law
First, you need to be aware of your state’s education law.
Alabama does not have a specific law regarding homeschooling, so all information regarding homeschooling can be found in their Education Law. Here you will find all of the education laws on record for Alabama including the rights of parents to choose education for their children.
According to the AL Code § 16-28-3 (2020), to homeschool in Alabama, families have three choices:
- Attend a church school.
- Attend a private school (including home programs).
- Provide instruction by a state-certified private tutor.
There is also an Alabama compulsory school attendance age of 6-17, with some exemptions available for children prior to age 7 or over the age of 16 (AL Code § 16-28-3 (2020)). For homeschoolers, written notification to the local school board is required.
Note that “no public two-year or four-year institution of higher education in the state may deny admission to or otherwise discriminate against an otherwise qualified student based on the consideration, whether in whole or in part, that the student attended, graduated from, or is enrolled in a nonpublic school, including private, church, parochial, and religious schools, or was home schooled” (AL Code § 16-1-11.4 (2020)).
The homeschool law is not the only information you need, however. Alabama, like many states, relies on the interpretation of the State Superintendent of Education. You can also find information on how the Alabama State Superintendent views these laws on the Alabama State Department of Education website.
Alabama Homeschool Requirements
Alabama is a low-requirement homeschooling state. Requirements, however, are dependent on Superintendent interpretation and may change more frequently than the actual homeschool law codes.
Even though the state does not highly regulate homeschooling, we recommend you do some personal recordkeeping to provide verification of education in event that you would need to show some form of education proof to the state or other legal entities. This includes:
- Attendance, required by the state
- Immunization records, required by the state for private schools
- Lists of texts and workbooks used
- Student schoolwork samples
- Correspondence with school officials
- Portfolios and test results
After all the laws and interpretations, you may still be confused and unsure. Don’t worry! We have all been there, and you have great resources just a few clicks away: current homeschoolers in your state!
These homeschoolers comply with the requirements personally and can help you understand exactly what you need to get started. Current homeschoolers can help you learn about the different ways to homeschool in Alabama, the different methods that work for their families and that might help yours, how to notify and withdraw your child from the public school system, and the different types of curriculum they use that might work for your homeschoolers, too. Current homeschoolers can help you find local resources, field trips, meet-ups, and more.
Click the image below to find Alabam Homeschool Support Groups by county.
For more Alabama homeschool information, check out our additional resources below.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.