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For anyone
considering homeschooling, Alabama would be an excellent
state to live in. Alabama homeschool parents have
tremendous liberties with few requirements. In fact, Alabama is
one of the most lenient states in the nation for
homeschooling requirements. It is also one of the most
unique states in its approach to homeschooling.
Technically
the state has no special legal requirements for
homeschooling because homeschool kids are treated exactly the
same as private and public school students. All kids
from ages 7 to 16 are required by law to attend school.
However, the state of Alabama recognizes an unusually wide range of
entities as a school. This unique approach makes the
state of Alabama a true haven for homeschoolers.
In addition
to traditional public and private schools, the state
of Alabama also recognizes two other entities as schools.
These include umbrella church schools and private
tutors. Requirements for each of these are as follows:
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Umbrella Schools - The state of Alabama recognizes church cover
schools, also called umbrella schools. These umbrella schools are
roughly the equivalent of what other states would consider to be a homeschool group. Under this option, parents must submit a notice of
enrollment and attendance to the church school or umbrella school
superintendent with the provided form. The
form must be signed by the parent and the church school director,
then submitted to the local school district superintendent. Although there
are no specific requirements regarding the number of days required
for student attendance, parents are required to keep daily
attendance records using forms provided by their umbrella school.There are
no requirements regarding the subjects taught,
teacher qualifications, or testing for these "schools". If
students withdraw from the school, the school must submit a
notification to the local school district superintendent.
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Private Tutor - With a private tutor, Alabama requires each
student to receive 3 hours of instruction a day between the hours of 8
a.m. and 4 p.m. for 140 days per calendar year. Private tutors must be
state certified teachers. Required subjects include reading, spelling, writing, arithmetic,
English, geography, U.S. history, science, health, physical education,
and Alabama history. A statement must be filed with the local
school superintendent indicating the child to be instructed, the
subjects to be taught, and the period of instruction. A record
must be kept of the child's work and daily attendance, and reports
should be made to the State Board of Education as needed. There is
no testing required under this homeschooling option.
These are
the only requirements imposed by the state of Alabama. However, each
umbrella school might have additional requirements.
While
opponents of homeschooling argue that the lack of government control
puts student's education at risk, test scores on standardized tests indicate the
opposite is true. The average homeschool student consistently scores in
the 83rd percentile on national standardized tests, well above the
national average. Anyone who is genuinely interested in improving
children's education should fully support homeschooling and the
liberties allowed by the state of Alabama. Let the results speak for
themselves.
See homeschool groups in Alabama
Visit the Alabama Department of Education
Note: This summary of Alabama homeschool law is
for information purposes only and not as legal advice.
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