The purpose of the Seminole County Home Education website is to provide information on the requirements to establish and maintain a Home Education program in Florida.
WHAT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW BEFORE ENOLLING IN HOME EDUCATION
Home education is a non-public school option. By enrolling in home education, the parent is assuming all educational responsibilities regardless of the mechanism used to educate their child. In essence, the parent is becoming the teacher, guidance counselor, ESE specialist, and principal of their home education school. Home Education is 100% parent driven.
Please note that this responsibility includes the submission of an Annual Evaluation, all correspondence curriculum, books, or on-line curriculum (e.g., FLVS, SCVS). Home Education students are not considered to be Seminole County Public School students. The Home Office does not have access to any third-party educational records of students.
Upon deciding to establish and maintain a home education program for your child, you will be governed by Florida Statutes regarding compulsory school age attendance laws as they relate to home education. Florida Statute 1002.41 specifies the responsibilities of parent who establish a home education program.
This program does not provide, books, curricula, materials, or laptops.
Students enrolled in the Home Education Program do not receive a high school diploma or certificate of completion.
Know the Difference between Seminole County Virtual School, FLVS and Home Education.
Seminole County Virtual School (SCVS) http://virtualschool.scps.k12.fl.us/
Florida Virtual School (FLVS) https://www.flvs.net/
Florida Department of Education Home Education https://www.fldoe.org/schools/school-choice/other-school-choice-options/home-edu/
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the state laws and policies regarding Home Education?
Click here to access section 1002.41, Florida Statutes. This section of law contains the requirements for establishing, maintaining, and ending a Home Education program.
Click here to access a Florida Department of Education web page regarding Home Education.
Click here to access an information sheet published by Seminole County Public Schools.
How do I enter my student in Home Education?
Florida law requires the filing of a notice of intent to establish a Home Education program. Seminole County Public Schools provides a form for parent convenience. Submit the completed notice to our office by U.S. mail, fax, scan and email, or in person.
If you provide an email address on your notice of intent, a confirmation letter will be sent to you electronically. We will also mail a confirmation letter if you provide a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
What are the annual educational evaluation requirements?
Florida law requires all Home Education programs to submit an annual education evaluation. There are multiple ways to meet the evaluation requirement. These options are explained within this information sheet published by Seminole County Public Schools. An annual evaluation form is also provided by SCPS for parent convenience.
How do I withdraw my student from Home Education?
Florida law requires the filing of a notice of terminationof the Home Education program. Seminole County Public Schools provides a form for parent convenience. Submit the completed notice to our office by U.S. mail, fax, scan and email, or in person.
Testing Information
State Assessments
Home Education students are required by section 1002.41(1)(c), Florida Statutes to submit an annual evaluation of your student's educational progress to the school district. The statute provides several options for completion of the annual evaluation.
One of the options you may choose to meet this requirement is participation in the spring state assessment program. Please go to https://flfast.org/families.html for more information and to access sample tests available to the public.
Beginning with the 2022-23 school year, Florida's statewide, standardized assessments in Reading, Mathematics, Algebra 1 and Geometry will be aligned with the Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.). The Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST), which includes VPK through grade 10 Reading and VPK through grade 8 Mathematics assessments, will be administered as a progress monitoring (PM) assessment, which students will participate in three times per year. B.E.S.T. assessments that are not part of the FAST progress monitoring program include grades 4-10 Writing, grades 5 and 8 Science, and end-of-course (EOC) assessments in Biology 1, Civics, and U.S. History.
Parents/Guardians planning to return their student to a public school for next year and/or prior to high school graduation should remember that some state assessments are used for course placement or graduation requirements.
If you wish for your student to participate in the state assessments, please complete the online registration form. Registration forms need to be submitted at least one-month prior to the test administration date (see below). If you have any questions pertaining to the state assessments, please contact Daphne Turner at 407.320.0270 or [email protected]
HOME EDUCATION STUDENTS' ONLINE REGISTRATION FORM - click here
PSAT/NMSQT or SAT
We are required to offer Home Education students the opportunity to participate in the PSAT/NMSQT or SAT on October 12, 2022. Student requests are due no later than Friday, September 16, 2022. Test fees will be collected by the schools at the retail value (PSAT/NMSQT Retail Value is $18.00 and SAT Retail Value is $60.00). Once the student requests are submitted, A&A will inform the high schools of the students that have elected to participate. The school representative will then contact the parent/guardian/student with instructions for payment collection and test day information.
Student Request Form Link (parents will click on the link below to complete the student request form)
https://scps.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5j2kDrd68yruxBY
Links